“East felt that way before the link was altered,” I tell him. “Remember the faucet incident? And there were a couple of times where you hit on her too, even after we found out what she is, but before the link was altered.”
“I know and I’m sorry about that.” He scratches at his tattooed wrist. “None of us would ever act on our feelings though, not just because we can’t, but because we wouldn’t want to hurt you. You know that, right?”
“Yeah, I guess so.” And for the most part, I believe my words.
But a tiny drop of doubt remains inside me.
While I understand that a relationship could never work with any of my brothers and Sky, it doesn’t mean she can’t develop feelings toward any of them. And deep down, I can’t blame every emotion she’s felt toward Easton on the link. Over the last couple of weeks, she’s grown almost as close to him as she has with me. So where does that leave us?
I’m not sure.
I’m not really sure about anything anymore.
Well, that’s not true. I know I want to be with Sky. But what if she doesn’t want to be with me?
Skylin
I can’t think clearly as darkness plagues almost every inch of my mind, filling up the crevasses and whispering haunting, disturbing words to me. I want to give into it, surrender and let it take away my pain and guilt, but something is keeping me connected to my old life, an invisible link that won’t let me fully succumb to the evilness.
I can hear Foster and Easton’s voices from nearby, hushed whispers I can’t make sense of as darkness eats away at me, its laughter filling up my head.
“You will be my queen,” he promises. “You will wear my crown and help me rule every single creature that exists. I want you, Sky. You belong to me. Always have.”
No! I want to shout, but my lips are fastened shut.
I’m a puppet. A puppet being controlled by darkness. It’s all I can see, think about, feel…
No, there’s something else inside me. Emotions that don’t belong to me.
Foster and Easton… They’re worried. Not just about me but about something they’re about to do…
“Sky,” Easton whispers in my ear. “We’re going to save you, but I need you to hold on for a little bit longer. You can’t let it take you over, okay? If it does, we’ll lose you.”
“Please forgive us for what we’re about to do,” Foster whispers from the other side of me.
I want to ask what they’re about to do, but my lips won’t come unglued. So instead, I remain frozen in time, helpless and putting all of my trust in them. I hate the feeling, hate not having control over this.
Only a handful of minutes ago, I would’ve totally trusted them, but after finding out about Brody… That I killed him… and that they hid it from me…
Coldness spills through my body, liquid ice glazing my veins.
Darkness… It owns me—
“Hold on!” Foster shouts and bone searing heat rus
hes through me.
I’m being melted from the inside. I have to be.
I want to scream. I want to claw off my flesh and tear out my veins so I can no longer feel the physical and mental pain. I want to blast out my powers and take out everything around me, but my hands refuse to move and my powers refuse to ignite. All I can do is sit there and let myself burn. At least that’s what I’m convinced is happening. But then as rapidly as the pain materialized, coldness whisks through me.
“Thought you could get rid of me?” Darkness whispers in my ear. “Well, here’s a little secret. Nothing can get rid of me. I’m inside you. I own you. Your power will be mine. And when it is, you’ll be beside me wearing a crown spun of darkness and wickedness”
No, I won’t! I want to shout, but my lips still refuse to part.
Darkness swirls around me, dancing shadows that grow closer with each breath I take. The coldness grows, numbing my body, consuming me and begging me to give in.
Maybe I can do it…