Page 32 of Touched By Darkness

“Your family is dead.”

I gasp when the flame in my hand shoots up, then sizzles out just as fast.

Dmitriy stands up and clasps my shoulder. “You’ll get there. Keep focusing your mind on the darkness, and you’ll be able to make that flame burn taller and brighter.” Leaning down, he whispers in my ear, “Let the darkness in.”

Then he walks away, and I stare at my palm, a smile playing on my lips. I blow out a breath and start again, conjuring a small flame. It flickers and dances in the moonlight while I strain my mind to hold it. That’s the hardest part. If I lose focus, it flickers out.

Closing my eyes, I inhale deeply and let my mind run free. It sweeps through the dark forest, hunting for that one thing.

That one thing to latch onto.

“My advice, new girl. Do yourself a favor and look for someone in your own league.”

“Can we help you, new girl?”

“Watch it, new girl.”

My eyes slowly drift open, and my lips part as I stare at the tall flame in my hand. My gaze soon strays to my fingertips, and the flame follows, dancing across my skin like a soft caress.

I snuff it out, listening to it hiss inside my closed fist.

It’s time I take back what is mine.

They kidnapped me the first time and gave me no choice but to offer them my innocence. They feasted on it like a pack of hyenas. Tore into it with sharp teeth and animalistic grunts.

They are the reason behind the darkness swirling in my gaze.

Theycreated the monster residing in me.

She is their creation.

And I am done keeping her leashed.

* * *

Now the question is, how do you piss off someone like Daemon enough to catch his interest? Because he’s my starting point. He’s the leader of the pack. If I want to catch all their attention, I have to first gain Daemon’s. It won’t work if I try to seduce Ronan and Alaric, or even Dariana first.

I’m overthinking this. No one challenges Daemon. I learned that last time. It’s not a behavior he’s used to.

Now, the girls giggling and throwing flirty glances at him as they walk past are a different ballgame. He’s the heir to the throne and Hell’s own version of a royal. People worship at his feet.

And he uses and discards others like they’re objects for his entertainment. I was right, the night he kidnapped me, when I thought he was bored. Daemon thirsts for a challenge, and I provided him with one.

“You look deep in thought,” Dmitriy whispers under his breath as he opens his locker.

I drag my eyes away from Daemon and his friends. “Huh?”

“My point exactly,” he quips, removing the books he needs for the lesson.

I open my locker too, and flash him a smile.

“What’s that?”

I take out the object in question. “You must know what this is?”

Dmitriy shuts his locker, then straightens up. “Forgive me for not being fluent in human.”

“It’s an American football.”

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