Page 65 of Satanic Shadow
“Every magical creature has a limit on its power.” It grows larger, until I need to step back. “An endpoint that will either kill them if they don’t stop or cause them to lose their powers altogether. Some are born with that power, and some earn it through years and years of intense training, depending on their bloodline. Most of us have eternity to learn how to use it, but some perish before they see how deep the well goes.”
The candles blow out, and the flashes from the ball full of dark energy in his palm are the bathroom’s only light. His eyes usually change to silver when we have moments between us, butright now, all I can see is black. There’s no color to be seen, as if the giant orb is sucking all the happiness from the room.
I want to touch it. It’s impulsive and stupid of me, but I want to eliminate our distance and feel it in my own hand, to feel the power of Dane Dalton. I blink away the building ache to do so and cross my arms.
“Is that your power?”
“Not exactly. This is a fraction of what I have. I’ve mastered all the elements and combined them into one expression of power. I also have the shadows, and even death. I could shove this down your throat and watch it carve my name all over your body while you suffocate, then bring you back from the brink of your end.”
I gulp. “I’m unimpressed.”
“I could make you see things.”
He stays where he stands, but hands grab at the back of my knees, parting them. My eyes clash with silver ones as another version of Dane appears on his knees before me.
His lips don’t move as the real Dane says, “I could make you feel things. Say and do things. Do you want to know how far I can push my power, mortal? Because I. Have. No. Limit.”
I stare into his eyes—they burn into mine as his carbon copy circles his thumbs up my inner thighs, and my core pulses so hard I think I might hit the floor with a cry of pleasure. I grit my teeth. “You sure make it your mission to make me hate you.”
He narrows his eyes, his mirror image vanishing as he fists both his palms to snuff out the ball in his hand. The candles light, giving his furious face a beautiful golden glow he definitely doesn’t deserve. “Your smart mouth will only get you so far.”
“As long as it keeps you away, then I’m fine with it.”
Dane’s jaw tenses, and I try not to laugh at how angry he’s getting. He thinks I’m going to be terrified of him, but he’s greatly mistaken. Yeah, he’s immortal and really could kill mein half a heartbeat, but I didn’t survive multiple abusive homes without building thick armor around me.
He can do whatever he wants, but I will never, ever roll onto my back and submit.
“Did the fact that task four is imminent not cross your mind? I can’t stay away from you.”
“That doesn’t need to be covered until next week.” I turn and wash my hands in the sink, ignoring him, even when my arm grazes him as I reach for a dry towel. “In the meantime, go hang around with your little group of friends and give me peace.”
Dane chuckles lowly. He also ignores everything else I said. I toss the towel aside, fold my arms again, and say, “I’m going for a bath, one I’d like to enjoy uninterrupted, if you wouldn’t mind getting the hell out of my dorm room.”
“You’re saying things to make you seem angry, but you’re not. I don’t understand.” He tilts his head, snow-like strands flopping forward, a few of which slide into his line of vision. The silver glint in his eyes dances with the flames of the candelabra. “You don’t want me to leave, do you?”
No. “Yes.”
He smirks. “Very well, mortal. I’ll see you in class.”
“Great. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out—unless you’re going to Houdini instead.”
“What does that mean?”
“Even in your world, you don’t know Harry Houdini? The magician who did famous stunts? You know what, never mind.”
“The only person I know in your realm is you.”
I raise a brow. “You don’t know me.”
Dane doesn’t respond, so I walk by him, pausing in my steps at the sudden spinning in my head and the flash of a swing with a little girl grinning. The moment is half a second, a beat of an image, but it’s undeniable.
“What was that?” I ask, turning to face him. “I know you saw that too.”
He rubs a hand down his face. “I think having us partnered up has caused some sort of connection. I got a similar image when I tucked you into your bed last night.”
“What does it mean?”
He doesn’t give me his attention as he shrugs. “I’ll ask my mother.”
