Page 20 of Stolen By the Necromancer

Stumbling to my feet, I pushed the broken pieces of wood aside. There was just enough light from the overhead closet light to illuminate two leather-bound books. Both had symbols that made no sense to me, but they were important. I knew it without even looking inside.

Placing the books to the side, I did my best to fix the damage I’d created. It was a piss-poor job, but when I moved his suit jackets back where they should have been, it was barely noticeable. Besides, he never came in here anymore.The zombie-servant person who attended to me only gave me food and water, then left as quickly as he came.

Gathering the books to my chest, I took them to the bed and opened them up. The cover was a thick dark brown leather. The pages were yellowed with age, printed on a type of paper that felt like linen. They were beautiful. The inside of the first contained only symbols and glyphs that made no sense to me. I was about to give up in frustration, when it occurred that I may not need to speak the language to read it. Magic was about desire, the will for something to happen.

Pressing my hands to the page, I funneled the energy I’d been gathering from the cemetery that morning into the book. The symbols began to twist and contort before my eyes into words. Instructions.

For the first time in days, a smile spread across my face so wide that it felt like it was going to slit my face in two. I could do this.

Hours passed and I drank in every bit of information the books possessed. Before I knew it, the sun was gone and the moon had risen high in the sky. It wasn’t until I heard heavy footsteps coming down the hallway towards me that I closed the books and hid them under the bed, praying that thezombie-servant wouldn’t notice them.

The door opened and as expected it was the zombie that appeared. This time, however, he surprised me by speaking.“Master wants you to join him in the dining room for dinner this evening.” He came to me and undid the cuff. This was the first time I’dbeen within a foot of him. There was a stomach-churning, earthy aroma coming from him that gave me visions of him clawing his way out of a grave somewhere.

“Thank you.” I gave my wrist a rub and slid from the bed.

I followed the servant from the room, down the staircase, and to the dining room where Nero was sitting in wait. The meal was already served and waiting for me. A soft, romantic melody played in the background. Memories of the first night of my stay here came flooding back, the night that he’d jailed me.

He was up to something. What was his angle?

He stood as I approached and attempted to take my hand. I batted the effort away and took a seat at my end of the table.

He cleared his throat and sat back down.“How have you been? George taking care of you?”

“Do you care?” I spat, looking down at the steak and assorted steamed veggies before me. It looked delicious.

“I guess I deserved that. I apologize, I haven’t been a very attentive host.”

Lifting a brow, I looked over at him. He looked so self-satisfied. Why?“You plan to kill me and steal my power in a few days. Excuse me if I’m not very open to casualchit-chat and fake pleasantries.” Grabbing a fork, I stabbed a piece of broccoli and shoved it in my mouth.

I didn’t want to look at him, butcouldn’t help myself, even without him using his magic on me Icouldn’t deny my attraction to him. But there was also something different about him. Or maybe it was me. Icouldn’t say for sure. There was an intense attraction towards him, but itwasn’t just a sexual desire. The sexual attraction was there, stronger than ever, but there was something more. Then it occurred to me that it was the power within him that I craved.

I tilted my head to the side, my eyes narrowing. He hadn’t begun to eat, he was simply staring at me with a smug grin on his handsome face.“What are you doing to me?”

“What do you mean?”

He knew what I meant. I couldfeelit.

“Don’t lie to me, Nero. What have you done?”

Placing his elbows on the table, he steepled his fingers and leaned forward his dark eyes burning into mine.“You feel it don’t you? It’s eating at you just being in my presence. You want to absorb it. All of it. Don’t you.”

I stood so quickly, that I sent the chair flying backward.“What have you done!” I screamed as panic settled in. The plate of food I’d been eating from took flight as if thrown, barely missing his head and slamming against the brick fireplace to his left.

“I did nothing, baby. It was all you. You took in the scripture from my books, you naughty girl.” He wagged his finger at me, the delight in his eyes infuriating me.“You took in the magic and now it’s hungry. I know that hunger. I battle it every single day.”

The anxiety within was threatening to become a full-blown panic attack.

He rounded the table to stand before me, placing a hand on my cheek settling the anxiety within.“I felt it when you found those books. I mean, itwasn’t the plan. You reallyweren’t supposed to see those books. The original plan was to absorb yourmagic, and with it your lifeforce. But this is better. So much better.”

“I don’t understand,” I whispered.“What does this mean?”

He leaned into me, his lips grazing along the side of my neck.“My first instinct was to stop you. But then it occurred to me, you were right. My brother was right.” He stepped back as a roar of laughter erupted from him.

“I have been lonely. I’lladmit it now. Centuries alone. Wandering this earth aimlessly, collecting the remains of my ancestors, hunting witches. Accumulating power. But it wasn’t enough. It’s never enough. You’llsee.”

“I won’t do what you do.” I shook my head as I backed away from him.“I won’t. I’llkill myself first.”

“No, you won’t.”

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