Finally, he cut off their words with a single gesture. They fell silent when he raised his hand. “You all want this Martis because you believe you’ve earned her. But, I believe there is more to it than that. Her scent is different—more powerful. She would make her master strong. I’ve made my decision.” His lips curled into an evil smile. “I will bind her. She will be your gift to me.”

The Valefars’ rage was clearly written on their faces, but not one of them protested Collin’s decision. They obediently began doing as he requested. Two Valefar grabbed my arms and pulled me onto Collin’s desk. Jake produced the black chain he attacked me with earlier. Wildly I looked to Collin and started to try and fight my way out, but it was pointless. There were too many of them. The Brimstone chains bound me to his desk. I couldn’t move. Collin stood over me. I could feel his attempt to control his lust, but the bond was making it difficult. It pulled on both of us ruthlessly, threatening to destroy everything. There was no choice for me. I had to let Collin kiss me or die at the hands of his Valefar. They wouldn’t leave until they knew I was bound. Jealousy seethed from them as Collin smiled above me. My heart pounded in my chest as memories of Jake’s kiss came to the front of my mind. A scream erupted from my throat. The terror made it impossible to silence.

Before I knew it, his lips landed softly on mine. My body arched in response. I tried to push him away. All the noise around me faded, sucked away as a small piece of my soul was slowly being stripped from me. I expected a rush of pain, but it was mild. It wasn’t like Jake’s at all. Tears streamed from my eyes, as the kiss continued. Desire shot through Collin, as he tried to repress his innate need. I wasn’t sure he could stop, but I knew that he wanted to. He held his face above mine, breaking the kiss, holding my face between his palms blocking our lips from everyone else. It looked like he kissed me longer than he really did.

His skin was covered in sweat. His mind brushed mine, Repeat what I tell you. They’ll think I bound you to me. They’ll think you’re mine.

His sapphire eyes were rimmed in red. He spoke loudly, but never took his eyes off of me. “Ivy Taylor, you are mine for all eternity.” He prompted me to say words that made me cringe, but I said them anyway. My expression was blank, despite my racing heart. He removed the ruby ring from his pocket, sliding it back on my finger before anyone noticed. I didn’t realize they’d taken it. Collin said a few more words. Then he turned and left the room. I followed two paces behind like he told me to, with my gaze to the floor, totally shocked that I was alive and still in possession of my soul. We walked away with eyes burning holes in our backs. I willed my feet to walk slowly, easing the tension out of my legs.

We’re almost there. No one will hurt you now. They cannot touch you. His voice reassured in my mind.

We walked out into the night air and were surrounded by sod fields. A sliver of moon hung above us, too thin to light the ground. The Valefar remained inside. I guess when the boss walks off with a new slave no one follows.

“That was risky,” I said, breathing in the night air. My voice trembled, as I wrapped my arms tightly around me.

Collin pulled me to him. “It was. And I’m sorry. It was the only way I could make sure they don’t bother you again. I just hope the price wasn’t too high.” His fingers pushed away my bangs, revealing my mark. He studied it.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

He threaded my comb back through my hair. “You lost some of you soul once already—when you were attacked. And I just took another piece. It was risky, because I didn’t know how much soul you had left, not because I wasn’t sure if I could stop. I would have never done that if I didn’t think I could stop.”

“My soul?” I asked, looking up at him. “It’s turning into Swiss cheese, isn’t it? What happens if it’s totally gone? Will I even know if that happens?”

“I’m not sure how fast you’ll know, but if you ever lose enough of your soul, the demon blood will overtake you, and you’ll become fully Valefar.” I cringed. I knew my soul was damaged, but I had no idea how much, or what I risked when he kissed me. I failed to realize pieces of it were actually missing.

We walked on, crossing the sod farm on foot, headed towards Collin’s car. I was stunned into rare silence, as Collin maintained his master lead a few steps in front of me. Things were more precarious than I’d thought. As we approached Collin’s car, two figures emerged from the darkness. Recognizing the threat, I ran at Collin.

“No!” I screamed, shoving Collin to the ground.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Collin’s body went down quickly. That was my mistake. If I hadn’t shoved him, he wouldn’t have been such an easy target. Everything else happened quickly. It wasn’t until later that I realized what I’d done.

Shannon emerged from the shadows. She stood with her silver dagger in hand. Tear streaks ruined her otherwise perfect complexion. Agony furrowed her brow tightly. Her eyes flicked from Eric back to me. Her indecision was transparent. I don’t know how they found me, but they knew I’d been brought here. They thought I was bound. Their faces said it all.

Eric’s amber eyes were fierce. His muscles tensed, as he reached for his sword. His head was tilted down, and his jaw was locked tight. With unblinking eyes, he stared at me with condemnation. As if on cue, Eric swung his sword. It gathered momentum, and he thrust it down. Not thinking, I threw myself in front of Collin. But I was too slow. The silver blade sliced across Collin’s chest, inches from his throat.

Collin’s body writhed. Liquid pain shot through the bond, engulfing me. Scarlet flowed rapidly from his wound. Collin’s eyes fluttered once, then closed as the ground became drenched with his blood. The bond slipped, fading quickly. Collin lay in front of me covered in demon blood. It was blood like this that damned me. It was demon blood that tainted him, and ensnared him into a life of servitude.

The unseen cables that bound us together were loosening. The pain that flowed through the bond and into my body was slipping away. It made it so that I could breathe again. Crawling to him, I clutched his body not caring that his blood touched me. I watched helplessly as the boy who saved me bled to death in my lap. My heart was screaming, watching as the boy I loved die in my arms, and I was helpless to stop it. That was the first time I recognized it. I love him. I couldn’t let this happen. There had to be something I could do. There was only one option, and it would be gone in seconds.

Before I could contemplate exactly what would happen, I moved. The glint of Shannon’s blade caught my eye. I reached for the blade, and lunged at her. The sharp edge bit into my palm, ripping my flesh open. My blood pooled in my hand. I pulled away, barely noticing the shocked faces. Eric and Shannon were poised for an attack that didn’t come. I held up my wound. Blood flowed freely, cascading down my wrist in red ribbons. Eric and Shannon stood there with unblinking eyes. Shocked.

Ignoring them, I cupped the blood running from my wound. I opened my fist, placing my hand flat against Collin’s scar. The blood pooled into the crescent shape that marred his flesh. I rubbed my bloody palm into the wounds on his chest. The bond tightened. I knew I was doing what it wanted, what he needed to survive. Collin stirred slightly. Let me go Ivy. It’s too late.

My heart caught in my throat, “Shh. It’ll be all right.” His head wobbled, and fell back into my lap. His pain was ebbing. The horrible burning, the seared flesh, the writhing—it was all fading. But, he wasn’t healing. The wounds still flowed. The bond was breaking. Although I did what it wanted, I was losing him. I could feel it. He was barely there.

I pulled Collin higher into my lap. Damn it! I did what it wanted. The bond wanted blood. I gave it! And he’s still… Oh God. What else did he need? He’s demon kissed. The only other thing he’d need is… a soul. With complete certainty, I knew what to do. I took a quick breath to steel myself to the pain. I pressed my lips to his, not caring if I gave the last bit of me.

Eric shouted, “NO!” But, it was too late. The bond swirled around us forming a translucent barricade. A tingly sensation covered my skin, as my lips brushed against Collin’s slowly. His lips were warm. The sensation filled my entire body with tingles. His scent was perfect, like the boy from his memory—not the demon slave. And he tasted so sweet, but not like food.

The Valefar part of me didn’t surface. The part of me that longed for him didn’t want to let go. My body didn’t reel in pain, as I anticipated. I knew I was giving him part of my soul. It should have hurt, but it didn’t. The longer my lips stayed on his, the stronger he became. The bond had changed. I didn’t really notice when, but it had walled us off. Violet and black mist swirled around us, blocking out the noise. Protecting us. A surge went through me, forming a blue light between us.

Ignoring it, I knew that I wanted more of him—that he needed more of me. I slid my tongue over his lips, feeling his soft flesh against mine. Recklessness overtook me, as my hands threaded into his dark hair, and I kissed him deeper. The bond took on a life of its own with the deeper kiss. I felt it mending him with long threads of living silk. Then it wrapped around something inside his chest. Something he wasn’t supposed to have. He told me he held onto a fragment of his old self, but I didn’t take it literally. And when I’d asked him if he had a soul, he said no. But he did. His soul was scarred and miniscule, but it was there buried deep within him. It was too small for him to be anything but Valefar, but it was there. His wounded body healed, as I held him tightly against me. Finally, his breath steadied, and I felt his strength flow back into him.

His hands found my face, and his fingers tangled in my hair. His breathing was deep and ragged. He kissed me softly, as he cradled my face. When the tingling stopped, I pulled away slowly. Our eyes locked, breathing raggedly, we gazed at each other. I smiled at him. “So that was why you… seemed so mortal at times. You did have a scrap of soul left.” My fingers gently stroked his hair away from his eyes. The bond felt good now. It was warm, and happy.

“I guess so,” he answered. As I stroked the hair back from his face, I saw his Valefar scar. I sucked in a shocked breath.

“Your scar changed color. It’s violet.” I paused for a moment, my eyes going wide, realizing what that could mean. I may have turned myself Valefar. “Did I give too much? What color is my mark?” I swallowed hard. “Is it red?”

Smiling at me, he said, “No. Still purple.” The reality of what I’d done, of what I chose, didn’t hit me until the mist faded. I saved him. He had a piece of me inside of him. And the light. Somehow I called light and it helped heal him. I saw it. My Martis and Valefar powers fused, and gave my best friend his life back. Happiness washed over me. The euphoria from the kiss left dopey smiles on our faces. The two of us stared at each other utterly love struck.

But, angry voices broke my bliss. Shannon’s voice snapped at me, “Ivy, what did you do?” She was ghostly white. Her hands trembled. “You chose them? I can’t believe you chose them!” She looked like I punched her in the stomach.