Page 95 of Beg the Night

“You’re saying you can use my power too?” Her wide eyes met mine.

I nodded.

She stepped forward, gripping my biceps, her lips turned down in a pained frown. “Please, Sinner. Don’t. My magic is different. It’s dark, I can feel it. It’s… It feels evil. Don’t use it.”

What I told her was true. I understood her reticence. But she’d never become strong by avoiding it. She would never learn how to control it.

But now was not the time to push her.

“Fine,” I said. “If you don’t want me to use your power, I won’t. Not until you ask me to.”

Her face softened, and her shoulders lowered. “Okay. Thank you.”

Silence fell between us, but she didn’t pull away. Didn’t step back.

“What if they find us and take us back there?” she asked, her grip on my arms tightening.

“Then we’ll fight them. And we’ll win.”

Her lips parted as she studied me. Water dripped from her hair and rolled down her shoulders and chest, disappearing beneath the white towel. “And what if she makes us claim withsomeone else? What if she tries to use our magic by mixing our power with?—”

“Don’t.” I crooked a finger beneath her chin and lifted it. “Nobody will ever touch you, Athena. You are my claimed. Mine. No, we didn’t have sex, but we won’t need to. It makes no difference. Every ounce of me can feel you now. Nobody else will claim with you. Ever. Do you understand?” My voice came out rougher than I anticipated, but it made no difference. The words were true.

She blinked a few times. “Yes, I understand.”

“Good. Now get dressed.”

She was silent then, though I could sense the thoughts engulfing her. This happened often, even back in the dungeons. It was like her thoughts didn’t have an off switch.

And I could only imagine what she was thinking now.

I stripped off my pants and stepped into the shower, damn near moaning when the water hit my back. My power rumbled in my veins as I used the lavender soap she’d just lathered all over her body. I scrubbed my skin raw, though I eased up when I cleaned my feet. The soles were bloody, but the skin would heal soon. They weren’t half as bad as Athena’s wounds.

I finished my shower quickly, then wrapped a towel around my waist before opening the shower curtain. Athena sat on the counter with her back against the wall, her legs stretched out. Her eyes were closed. Damn. Could she really sleep in that position?

Her new clothes were two sizes too big, but at least her body was covered.

Her bare feet swayed slightly back and forth in the air, snagging my attention.

I acted on instinct. I knelt before her and lightly picked up one foot.

She flinched but didn’t pull her foot away. “What are you doing?”

“Checking your wounds.”

An expression that looked an awful lot like confusion crossed her face, making my chest tighten. I mean, fuck, was she not used to being taken care of?

I silently cursed myself for the thought. Of course nobody had taken care of her. Her family had seen her as a monster.

They’d avoided her—Katherine and her parents at least. Of course they didn’t take care of her.

The thought made me want to wring Katherine’s neck. I didn’t blame Athena for rejecting her sister’s offer to heal her wounds. I would carry her anywhere she wanted to go for as long as she needed before I’d let Katherine touch her.

Why would her sister want her to stay with the Ministry? It still made no sense. Unless she hated her sister that much…

The idea that anyone could hate Athena sent a burning rage into my heart.

“Why?” she asked.

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