Page 148 of Visions & Shadows

Ares crouches in front of me and gestures to our left, where my father and Jason are hanging. “Who should I kill first?”

Locking eyes with him, I hiss, “Fuck you. I won’t choose.”

He raises to his full height, and when he moves toward them, my heart beats wildly in my chest.

“No!” I start to strain against the rope tied around my body and fall to my side. Air explodes over my lips as I watch with horrified eyes when Ares moves closer to my father.

“Your father or your chosen one?” Ares asks again before chuckling. The sound is pure evil.

A knife appears in his hand. The blade looks like it’s made of black obsidian.

“Let them go and kill me,” I cry. “I choose me.”

Ares chuckles again as he shakes his head. “No. It will never be you.” Hemoves in behind my father, and pressing the blade to his neck, he slices Dad’s throat open and blood pours from him like a waterfall.

“No!” I scream, ugly sobs tearing from me.

“Wake up, Alchera.”I hear Raighne’s voice as his warmth battles the darkness in me.

My eyes flit wildly between my father, who’s bleeding out, and Jason as Ares moves in behind him.

“Please!” I beg. “Kill me.”

Ares chuckles again as he slits Jason’s throat, and a wail of grief echoes around the room.

“Alchera!”Raighne’s voice thunders in my mind, but the intense sorrow and guilt I feel drown him out.

Ares moves closer to me, and unfastening the ropes keeping me imprisoned, his touch turns gentle as he brushes his palm over my temple and hair.

“I’ve got you,” he says, his tone sounding loving. “I’ll always have you.”

I try to shake my head as he leans closer to me, and when I feel his breath on my face, agonizing terror grips my soul.

Black smoke creeps past his lips and forces its way into my nose and mouth.

“You’re just like me, Alchera,” Ares whispers. “We’re both doomed.”

Suddenly, a bright light chases the darkness back to the farthest corners of my mind, and Raighne’s warmth is so intense it rips me out of the nightmare.

My eyes snap open and it takes me a second to focus on Raighne’s face that’s tense with worry.

My heart is pounding in my throat, and my breaths come fast and hard.

Ares’s voice is still echoing through my mind as Raighne squashes me to his chest.

My torturer is out there somewhere, and I can feel him coming for me.

“I won’t let him near you,”Raighne’s voice drifts like a cool breeze through my feverish mind.“Just focus on me. You’re safe.”

My mind feels like a piece of chewed gum. The visions and nightmares are starting to take their toll on me.

I let Raighne hold me until my heartbeat and breaths return to normal, then say, “I desperately need to take a shower.”

“Okay.” He helps me off the bed while his eyes search my face for any signs of distress.

I let a smile form on my face and say, “I’m fine.”

“I’ll get you something to eat while you wash up.” He gestures to a dresser. “Sarah left clean clothes for you to wear.”

---