Page 74 of Kiss of Light

“To serve, yes. Not to suffer. If Shadeed gets the throne, one of the first things he’s going to do is outlaw the owning of shaitun. You’d have a choice, Ravij. To be your own person. Would Salaq ever make the same offer?”

For a moment, she thought she’d got through to him. He seemed to hesitate as he considered her words.

Then he feinted towards her and she shimmered away, biting down on a groan of pain. When she rematerialised, she realised her mistake. He’d anticipated her move and was waiting for her.

She should have known he would never defy his master.

She tried to shimmer out of reach but her body simply failed her. The pain from her wound was too great. Ravij clamped his hands around her upper arms, holding her in place.

“If you’re wondering why it’s taking so long to heal,Tala-ji,it’s because the arrow tip I gave the hunter to use had tiny amounts of migratory silver in it. The particles are no doubt working their way through your leg as we speak. Not enough to kill you, unfortunately. But enough to hamper your powers.”

It was disconcerting to be held by Lemar and know it wasn’t his eyes looking down at her.

“You may think you’re in control, Ravij. But I know Lemar. I know he would never hurt me.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Ravij stretched Lemar’s mouth into a leering smile, and Tala lifted her chin.

“Lemar, I know you’re in there. If you can hear me, you have to fight. You’re stronger than he is.”

Ravij sneered.

“OhTala-ji.So deluded. The whole point of a Vetali is to feed off blood. I’ll only be making him do what he already longs to do.”

Tala ignored the demon’s words. She gazed steadily into Lemar’s eyes, willing him to hear her.

“You call yourself a monster. But you’re not. You’re the most noble person I’ve ever met. And you don’t have to hide from me. Because I know you.”

“You’re fooling yourself if you think he can hear you.” Ravij lowered Lemar’s head towards her throat. She didn’t try to twist away or stop him.

“Remember you told me how Vetali find their mates? How fate decides? I don’t believe in fate, Lemar. But I do believe in you.”

His canines touched her neck where her pulse was beating wildly.

“Come back to me, my beautiful vampire,” she whispered. “I need you.”

She closed her eyes, trying to reach him with her thoughts, her heart.

“I trust you.”

Sharp points indented her skin, ready to tear through the flesh.

Thirty One

Deep in his despair, Lemar heard her voice.

He would never hurt me.

Her words pierced the darkness that held him captive.

You have to fight.

But she was the warrior, not him. He had always run from his mistakes. Run from Palissandra, run from his father, run from his violence. Run from what he really was.

When he thought about it, he’d done nothing but hide from the truth.

You don’t have to hide from me.

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