Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109033 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Raiden’s mind abruptly bumped into Luka’s, a sense of urgency buzzing along his consciousness. I know you didn’t want to be interrupted, but we have a major situation here.
Luka felt his brow crease. What sort?
Iain seems to be on the verge of going rogue, replied the sentinel.
Fuck.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Mere minutes later, Daniil teleported Luka and the twins to the underground vault. Luka took the lead as they strode down the passageway, making a beeline for Iain’s cell, allowing the relative darkness to envelop them.
If Iain was on the verge of turning rogue, it could mean two things. Either his psyche was splintering, or he was prepared to willingly surrender control to his entity as a means of escape. It wouldn’t be the first time someone had left their demon to deal with the consequences of their actions.
Whatever the case, this wasn’t good.
The only thing stopping a person’s inner entity from giving in to their unfeeling nature was the balance they received from sharing their soul with someone. When a demon took over, they had no balance.
To turn rogue wasn’t to lose your sanity. It simply meant that a demon would lose any and all interest in reason or rationality. They would kill because they could, no motive required. And they would not stop until somebody killed them.
Nearing Iain’s cell, Luka saw the prisoner leaning against the bars, each hand loosely clasping one. Raiden watched him uneasily from a short distance away.
A flickering bulb cast light over Iain’s face, giving Luka flashes of pure black eyes. It was then he realized that Iain wasn’t in charge at that moment.
Luka stopped a mere foot from the cell, meeting the entity’s probing gaze head-on. His own inner demons stirred, watching it very carefully.
It glanced around. “If it were not for the bars keeping me prisoner, I would like it here,” it said, its voice cold and flat. “So much pain and blood and fear—the emotional echoes are strong.”
Luka tipped his head to the side. “You’re going to take advantage of Iain’s fractured mental state?” Entities were protective of their human half, but that wasn’t to say they wouldn’t commandeer full control if they could.
“He thinks he is fighting by sticking to his claims. It is not fighting. It is refusing to allow himself to see reality. That is weakness,” it sneered.
“So you yourself know that he isn’t—”
“Deeply, madly in love with the siren? Yes, I know that. So does he on some level. He just will not face it.” Its lips momentarily curved. “It infuriates him that you now bed her.”
“I don’t much care. What I want to know is if you are going to retreat.”
The demon straightened, pushing away from the bars. “He needs to see the bigger picture.”
Luka narrowed his eyes. “You mean to scare him into realizing what will happen if he doesn’t pull his head out of his ass.”
“Nicely put.”
So Iain wasn’t on the verge of turning rogue; wasn’t having a psychic breakdown due to the strain of fighting his demon’s insistence for dominance. It was simply that his entity wanted him to wake the fuck up and accept reality. “Will it work?”
“Perhaps. The thought of being lost forever terrifies him. That terror is fueling him to rise. He needs to find his strength. If he does, I will subside. If he does not, I will reign.”
Luka twisted his mouth, trying to think of how he might aid the entity. “Would seeing his sisters help him?” he asked, knowing the siblings were tight; that there was a chance Iain would listen to them.
The demon pursed its lips, considering. “Their encouragement may make a difference, yes.”
“Then I will have them brought here.”
“It would be best that you do not stay,” the entity recommended. “Your presence enrages him far too much. It will make him less reasonable and receptive.”
Luka had already concluded that much for himself. “If you choose to reign, you will die,” he warned. “I cannot, will not allow you to live.”
The entity’s bored expression didn’t change in the slightest. “Which is why I would prefer that he feel spurred to fight me. No one wins if he does not.”
Having tossed back the last of her smoothie, Naomi set the empty bottle on her coffee table. “I can’t imagine what Iain’s going through right now,” she said to Luka, who sat beside her on the sofa. “To have your own entity keep you suppressed like that . . .” She would for sure feel betrayed in his position.
Angled in his seat to face her, Luka gave her a severe look. “Do not feel guilty. None of this is on you. And if Iain doesn’t choose to fight his demon, that won’t be on you either. He’s a big boy; siren song or no, he can make his own decisions.”
“I know that. I just can’t quite believe things have gone this far.” She crossed one leg over the other and slipped her joined hands between her thighs. “What do you think the outcome will be?”