Page 95 of Seer Prophet

A dark shape began to form in its center.

I squinted at it, holding up the hand gripping Revik’s earpiece. I was still trying to make sense of the morphing outline, when the shape snapped into three-dimensional focus.

Terian stood in the middle of the tank cell.

Light continued to shine on him from that unseen source, bathing him and the room in a soft blue-white glow. He blinked at me, and I pressed my back to the wall, staring. Something about the sheer familiarity of him stuttered my mind.

He wore the first body of his I’d ever encountered, all the way back at the Lucky Cat diner in San Francisco. Auburn hair hung to his shoulders: long, fashionably-messy, streaked with black and strawberry blonde strands. That longish hair framed high cheekbones, full lips, a sharp nose, tiger-like amber eyes, a shockingly handsome face.

The image didn’t waver.

He smiled, his full lips quirking higher on one side.

“Hello, Alyson,” he said.

* * *

I haveno idea what look had come to my face, but he smiled wider.

“Do not concern yourself, my dear. I would simply like us to talk. I won’t harm you. Icouldnot harm you, in any case… for I am not really here.”

I’d recovered. Marginally.

“How the fuck did you get in here?” I snapped.

He smiled coyly, fiddling with his shirt.

“My dear. I just told you. I amnothere.”

“How are youappearingto be here?”

He held up his hands, smiling wider.

“A simple trick of electronics, dear sister. Nothing dangerous. Nothing up my sleeve.” He tugged back the individual cuffs of an iridescent green shirt. The shirt contrasted sharply with the red of his hair, his pale skin and those sharp, amber-yellow eyes. “I bring only myself, my mind, and my affectionate thoughts towards you and your mate. I am not here to represent Shadow in any capacity. He has no idea where I am right now––”

“Bullshit.” My voice grew colder. “What do you want, Terry?”

By then, I knew I was looking at a hologram of course.

Even so, even knowing thatfor a fact,the realism was disturbing.

“I feel your light,” I observed. “How do I feel your light, Terry?”

The fact that he’d somehow hacked our electronic security system was bad news on his own. That he’d found a way to breach the tank construct was far, far worse news.

“Sister, dear sister… do not worry about this!” He raised his palms in a gesture of reassurance. “I amnotin your construct. Not in the way you fear. Not in thereallyreal sense. As I said, this is an electronic communique only. And even if Iwasinside your very impressive Adhipan construct, this would be a detail only, as I would never harm either of you.”

I stared at him incredulously.

How he couldpossiblyexpect me to believe that was beyond my mind’s ability to comprehend. Even at the best of times, Terian wasn’t particularly reliable. After he helped Cass kidnap me, nearly kill me, kidnap our child, nearly kill Revik and the rest of our team in New York––I couldn’t fathom how or why he would think any of us would bestupidenough to believe anything he said ever again.

His smile widened as his eyes shifted down my body.

Heat rose tangibly in hisaleimi.

That, combined with his unwavering stare, told me that whatever this transmission was exactly, it was definitely two-way.

“Gods,” he murmured. “I must say, it will be incredibly distracting if you insist on talking to me like this. I never let myself believe for a second that I might catch you in such a delicate position… not with Revi’ out of the room.” His amber eyes shifted up, staring at where my wrist was cuffed to the wall.“Gaos.Revi’ did this, did he not? Of course he did. Did he hurt you, sister? I know how he likes to hurt when he fucks…”

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