Page 152 of Owned

My breath hissed through my teeth as he raised his hands.

The silence that followed was deafening, and the red orb pulsed in a steady rhythm.

My stomach twisted and my throat was tight as I watched the scene unfold like a nightmare I couldn’t wake from.

Lucian reveled in this control.

This dominance.

He had demanded my mother’s submission.

My submission.

And now theirs.

Did it mean anything to him?

With an eerie grace, he approached the first kneeling figure. The misty red smoke of his magic poured from the orb to coil around his fingers and the Council member’s eyes widened in horror, a flash of realization that was made ghoulish by the shadows created by the strange glow of Lucian’s magic.

In an instant, Lucian’s finger’s twitched and the red smoke clamped around the man’s throat.

The councilman’s gasp reverberated through the courtyard as Lucian raised his hand, drawing his prisoner off his knees to be suspended in the air in front of him. Lucian stepped closer and smiled as he whispered something into the man’s ear.

I couldn’t look away.

Even though I couldn’t hear what Lucian was saying, the grimoire seemed to know exactly what was happening. Its whispers were more like a steady rumble of a purring growl in my mind.

Sensual.

Animalistic.

Predatory.

Lucian’s magic swirled around the man as he writhed in its grip.

His feet kicked with no hope of touching the ground, and his fingers clawed at the smoke that held him captive.

But to no avail.

“Watch—”the grimoire hissed.

I couldn’t look away if I wanted to.

The dark magic enveloped the man and Lucian’s head fell back as his spell coursed through the Council member.

With terrifying ease, Lucian pulled life and power from the man like a bee pulls nectar from a flower.

The man’s eyes dulled and turned gray, and I staggered as a wave of energy cascaded from Lucian as he consumed the unfortunate man’s magic.

“Who is next?” Lucian’s voice echoed, commanding the guards to bring forth another soul.

I could hardly breathe as the next figure was dragged in front of Lucian.

They were shoved to the muddy ground, and I turned my head as they begged for mercy with a broken whimper.

Lucian didn’t linger over this one, and the lifeless body of the Necromi fell to the grass in an undignified heap. Their mask fell aside and a wicked shudder traveled up my spine as I recognized Clara’s sister.

“She deserved it,”the grimoire whispered.“She wanted you dead…”

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