Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 52864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 264(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
Yes, I knew all about the wars of the past through my studies.
Now, how the Spiroses had managed to educate me, I didn’t know, but I could read and do math just fine. I spoke three languages—English, Latin, and Greek. I understood the laws of physics just like I understood that my gifts and abilities defied them. And when it came to history, I assumed I had the basics down because I’d been an archeologist. I even remembered going to the university and taking classes. All a dream, but the knowledge I’d obtained was real. I hoped. Time would tell.
In any case, I wondered about the significance of these images in Piper’s head. Was it a case of her subconscious mind expressing her fears, or was there more to it? There were parts of her mind I could not reach, secrets she hid from even herself. Could this be the key to our connection?
I reached inside myself, searching for the correct tool. When I took King’s life, he’d dissolved into a flow of power. There were no memories or feelings inside him. Just…power. And I took it. Unfortunately, that didn’t mean I knew what to do with it. Yet.
Little by little, I’d been mastering my abilities. This would be no different despite King’s energy being heavier. Darker. Definitely unnatural. The best way to describe it was touching ice, but instead of feeling the sensation of slick, frozen water on your fingertips, you felt the warm rain washing into the mountain stream. You felt the movement of the water as it flowed over smooth river rocks, mixing with oxygen. You knew the essence of every drop of water in that ice cube. The power gave unusual insights, and I imagined it was how my father had survived as long as he had. He’d understood the secrets of life, thereby beating death. So I guessed.
Did this mean I would live four thousand years or turn out to be an evil bastard like him? No, but if the only way to avoid becoming a puppet for Ten Club and the Seers was to be more powerful than both put together, then I was well on my way.
Piper would argue about absolute power corrupting absolutely, but she did not know my heart or what was in my soul. I had no problem killing a person without redemption, just like I had no problem sparing someone who was simply a pathetic human being with no purpose in this world, like Leo. Not good or evil, but a waste of clean air.
What a fucking asshole. I had heard his thoughts about Piper. He saw her as a tool rather than a woman ready to fight for him, his dreams, and his happiness. Piper had been selfless, loving, and loyal, and her reward was Leo screwing his client’s wife.
Yes, that was the real reason he’d been fired. His employer had found out and told him to get the fuck out of town, or he’d let Piper know just what sort of man she was about to marry.
For once in his life, Leo had done the right thing and left. He’d also left Piper in a mess, owing money she could not pay back—the reason I’d offered to buy the house. It had once belonged to King, and I knew it held many secrets, but I was quickly running out of time. If the mysteries inside that home couldn’t be revealed quickly, they’d be no use to me. In short, my gesture had solely been for Piper’s benefit.
I looked over at Piper’s peaceful face, her golden-brown lashes fanning out over her cheeks. She was a lovely creature, but if I wanted to avoid tearing the world apart, then I needed to focus. Those images in her head might mean something.
I rested my hand on her thigh and closed my eyes, pushing inside her head. Once again, I hit a wall—something buried deep in her subconscious. Whoever placed it there wanted to make it difficult to find.
There. Piper was running again. Only this time, she was running toward me. Blood covered her shoulders, and her tears cascaded down her sooty cheeks.
“Draco! Please don’t go.”
She fell at my feet, and I growled at her naked, dirty body. “Get up, you fucking bitch. Now!”
She took my hand, smothering it in wet kisses.
I loathed the feel of her, the smell of her, the look of her. “How the fuck did you get free this time?”
“Please kill me.” She stood and began kissing her way up my arm. “Make it stop. Make it stop. I’ll do anything you want, just make it stop.”
I ground my teeth together. “You know what I want.”
“I can’t.” She began to sob. “I tried thousands of times, but I can’t remember.”
“Then you will get no pity from me.” I looked over my shoulder and waved over two of my soldiers. “Take her back. And make sure she is properly chained this time.”