Page 5 of Vengeance Becomes Her

CHAPTER TWO

Rhiannon could feel the chill spreading through her body as she drifted in and out of consciousness, clinging to the last threads of life.

She tried to rouse herself, but her lids and limbs were so heavy, she couldn’t move an inch of her body. The only reason she knew she wasn’t dead was the sound of Silas’ gravelly voice drifting through the air around her. She couldn’t make out the words though.

She could feel his heavy presence all around her. Her eyes opened just enough to see him sitting in the chair across from her.

He leaned back casually, his arm resting on the back of the chair, one long leg extended like he owned the place.

But this wasn’t the Silas she knew. Thick black shadows clung to him, unfurling off his lean figure. They rolled off him as if they were an extension of his body. As he moved his fingers they danced, and when he extended his hand toward Rhiannon, monstrous snakes grew from the shadows. They slithered across the floor and slowly coiled around herimmobile body.

Her limbs tensed and tingled under their assault. She could feel her consciousness leaving her again as the shadow snakes tightened around her, her breath comingin harsh rasps.

As she laid there helplessly, Silas watched her with excitement. “There’s no use in fighting them. It’ll all be over soon,” he whispered, drawing out each syllable, his deep voice rumblingwith the words.

As the final wisps of energy evaporated from her. She fell into a dream-like state.

Except it wasn’t a dream, it was a nightmare.

She was restrained in a high-backed chair. She could see Silas clearly now and she wished she could clench her eyes shut against the vision.

He stood before her, his lanky body swimming in shadows that were so deep and densely black that there was no end to them, they consumed everything. As she drew her eyes higher, the image only became more terrifying.

Silas’ eyes were glowing red as vibrant as the ruby at her throat. His gaze held her there in her terror with no escape. When she regained focus, she swept her gaze down to find that those supple lips she had once found irresistible were now warped into something hideous. On the right side of his mouth and down around his angular jaw, the skin had begun to blacken and peel. Ragged strips of flesh hung loosely in some places, revealing the gruesometissue beneath.

He inhaled deeply never taking his eyes from hers. “Rhia darling, your terror is so potent I can almost taste it. It’s exquisite.”

He took a step toward her. She flinched, instantly hating herself for her cowardice.

He tsked, shaking his head in disappointment. “You see, this is why I conceal this form with my glamour. You women always get worked up at the sight of me. As if looking at something pretty while you die somehow makes it easier.”

He continued to close the distance between them, his shadows creeping forward with every step. The large black snakes wound their way up her legs while the shadows coming from his hands extended into long, skeletal fingers with claws that looked like they could easily slice through flesh.

Silas leaned down, hovering directly in front of her face so she was forced tomeet his eyes.

It took every ounce of control she had to remain still, refusing to give him the satisfaction of showing fear again.

“You learn fast. That’s something I’ve always admired about you.” He smirked knowingly before rounding the chair to whisper in her ear. “It doesn’t matter, you don’t have much longer. I’m draining the life out of you as we speak. In a few minutes, you’ll be dead and I’ll be gone.”

He finished circling her and began to walk away into the blackness that lay beyond her sight.

“Silas!” Her voice cracked despite her. “I need answers. Real answers. It’s not like I’ll be able to tell anyone.”

He swiveled around gracefully. With a snap of his fingers, his shadows assembled into a makeshift chair of roiling darkness. “I suppose you’re right. What do you want to know?”

“What are you? Why do you have to kill me?”

He sighed as he contemplated his answer. Her eyes were drawn to the long black claws extending from his fingers as they tapped against the sinews of his mangled jaw.

“All you need to know is, someone betrayed me, so I got my revenge and then some.” He gestured to the magic swelling around them. “In exchange for each worthy sacrifice I make, I get access to all this power.”

Rhiannon wrinkled her nose in disgust as she gave him a careful once over.

He leveled her with a glare. “Of course, all power comes at a cost. If I don’t feed it, I pay far too heavily. It will devour me and rot my body from the inside out. As you can see, I did try to resist at first.” He gestured to the right side of his face.

Rhiannon huffed. “So you chose to kill innocents instead? You should pay for the deal you made, not me or anyone else.”

“Why should I waste away when I can be powerful and youthful? I’ve made the sacrifices, I deserve the power. It chose me as much as I chose it. If you had the chance, you’d do the same.”

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