Page 15 of Dark Angel

The smirk deepens on his face, showing how amused he really is. “I want you to trust me. To do what I ask of you.”

She gives a small shake before pressing the pads of her fingers against her temples. “Get out of my head. I don’t want to help you!”

He chuckles lowly, thoroughly enjoying this. “You think you can just toss me out like that?” quirking a brow up at her. “I have more power than you could ever dream of.” His voice is slow and taunting. “I can have you tearing your hair out with one thought. Gouging out your eyes with your fingernails with one snap of my fingers. Yanking out your teeth with a blink of my eyes. I can make you do anything for me, Daisy Edevane. Don’t forget that.”

He steps closer, pinning her between the wall and his chest as he breathes down on her. He’s scentless. His skin feels like ice against her burning flesh. His next words make her muscles freeze with fear. “I own you now, Petal. You’ll help me when I require you, whether you agree to it or not.”

She tries pushing on his chest to get him to move away from her, but his hands grab a hold of her slim wrists, tightening around them. “Get away from me!”

“Not until I get what I deserve.” His tone is both cold and calm.

His energy begins to shift into something darker. Blackness misting the air like smoke. Tendrils of shadows filling the abyss, blocking out the light surrounding them.

Daisy can feel her pulse thumping erratically. Sweat slides down her forehead as she tries yanking herself free from his grip, but it’s strong like iron.

“Get out of my head!” she shouts, not caring if tears are streaming down her cheeks.

His feral smirk drops, but to her disappointment, he shakes his head at her. “I wish I could, Petal. But I can’t.” The darkness now clouding them completely. It stings at her skin as she attempts to break free from him again. “You’ll do exactly what I say, otherwise your precious Clarence will be my target.”

With a gasp, Daisy bolts upright. Her chest heaves quickly as her garnet eyes whip around to take in her surroundings.

She’s in her quarters at home. The fire is almost out, leaving orange embers amongst the burnt-out coal. Her windows are covered by the curtains, but she knows it’s still dark outside from the lack of light flooding in.

Nobody else seems to be in the room with her. The only sounds she can hear are her heavy breathing and the grandfather clock ticking outside in the hallway, somehow steadying her.

Her fingers dig into the silky sheets underneath her. Sweat clings to her dark skin as heat radiates through her. Hair ruffled and messy as she runs a hand through it. The dream felt too real to be only a dream.

Pushing off the covers with haste, Daisy rushes over to the window, drawing back the fabric covering her view. In the distance, light is breaking on the other side of the city, casting a faint amber glow against buildings. Dark purples and muted pinks streak across the cloud scattered sky.

Catching her breath, she tells herself that it was only a dream.

Abadone, but just a dream.

It wasn’t real. There’s nobody inside her head. It’s not possible unless they’re an Augur, but she doesn’t know any that would want to use her for information.

At least that’s what she believes the man was after in her dream. Wanting her for information. But it was only that, a dream.

No.

Night terror.

*?*?*

Birds chirping loudly outside on the windowsill pull him from a dreamless sleep. Clarence’s lids flicker open, blinking at the light pouring in through the sliver between the dark green curtains. He mustn’t have closed them all the way last night when he came home from guarding.

The clock hanging in the entranceway read half midnight when he sleepily wandered back into the house and crept up to his quarters, careful to not wake his sister. He made sure to check in on her before falling asleep himself. She was resting peacefully in her bed, the fireplace still burning softly, so she hadn’t been sleeping for long. The book in her hands resting open on her stomach. Clarence closed it,placing it on the table beside her before blowing out the oil lamp next to her bed. His body collapsed into his own after changing out of his guarding clothes, and he was out within seconds.

Groaning himself awake now, he rubs thoughtfully at his eyes, yawning loudly. There’s no noise coming from downstairs, so Kora must still be sleeping.

Walking over to his window, Clarence winces from the beams of sunlight that blind his eyes when the curtains fully part. He didn’t mean to sleep in this much. Golden morning light spills across the floor and furniture, coating everything in a gentle radiance.

The drawing room downstairs is cold, like the rest of the manor. Everything about this room reminds Clarence of their parents. The smell of the burnt-out candles lingers. Sage stalks sitting on the mantle of the hearth. The oil painting of them on their wedding day and one of the four of them when Kora was still an infant, wrapped up tightly in a white blanket. He can remember posing for that painting. Clarence was still in awe of having a younger sibling. He kept poking Kora’s nose, which was red from the early spring air. He’s always adored her and taken care of her.

Memories of their father lighting the fire while their mother brought out a tray of tea and freshly baked biscuits. Kora sitting on the floor with one of her fabric dolls. Those memories have stayed with Clarence like they happened just yesterday. Comforting and warm, as if their parent’s presence is still here with him.

He walks into the now cold and empty room. His visions diminishing with each passing second as the realisation washes over him. Kneeling before the hearth, he strikes a match, starting a fire like he does every morning in the cooler months. Gaze watching the tiny yellow flames dance like ribbons caught in the wind, catching alight on twigs.

“Clarence,” Kora’s soft voice makes him turn around to see her standing in the doorway, “I heard you come down.”

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