Page 218 of Icy Cold Death

Lucian watched her go, and the whole time he was horrified. His wife’s body was marked up. He’d left bite marks and hickeys all over her pale flesh.

God.

Sometimes, he hated having a psychic gift. This was one of those times.

When the bathroom door closed, Ridge was curious.

“Is it safe to open my eyes?” he asked.

Lucian wanted to escape because that panicky feeling was taking control of his body.

He was about to freak out—which didn’t happen.

Ever.

“Yes.”

When he did, Ridge saw the worry in his best friend’s eyes, and he understood why.

“I’m not upset,” he reassured.

Lucian felt horrible.

“I feel like we did something really bad behind your wife’s back, and I love Wynter. I’d never hurt her. I needed you to help me get back into control. I’ve never felt that kind of energy before, Ridge.”

“How did it happen?”

He told him about how he told Oracle, in the static, that he wished he could go deeper.

“Well, we definitely got that,” he said. “Will you be okay? Do you feel weird now?”

Yes.

Yes, he did.

He wanted to kiss the man again, and that was a problem.

A huge one.

You bonded with him. When the explosion happened, his energy and your energy combined. He’s your partner now forever in the static.

Oracle, this isn’t a good thing.

Why?

You can now go deeper. You wanted this, Lucian, and you need to be ready for what is coming. The man in front of you is the only way to reach that power. Here, you are friends. There, you are partners in traveling through that plane. This isn’t a bad thing.

Oh, it was definitely problematic.

When you guys touch, you’ll be able to move deeper into the static. He is now part of you.

Holy shit.

Lucian was panicking.

Ridge stared at him.

“You’re talking to Oracle. I can hear the humming, but I can’t make out the words.”

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