Void(93)

“She’s my mate. He has a fucking mate mark, too!” Gritt yelled, but it sounded more like a lion’s roar.

“What, you mean this?” Quade asked, with a smug smile before holding up his hand. “It was on me too when I woke up.”

“I have one too!” Hyde exclaimed excitedly before putting his hands behind his back. “But it’s wrapped around my cock; care to inspect it, Sweets?” he asked me with a wink before jerking his hips forward suggestively.

Gritt seethed. “I’m going to fucking kill all of yo—”

“No one is killing anyone!” I screamed.

This was too much to take in, too much to process. It felt like I was in a fist fight, blow after blow hitting me in the gut with no time to recover. I knew there was a pull between all of us, but now they were all marked, and I didn’t know what that meant exactly. There was also a terrifying darkness sitting inside of me, brooding and demanding to be let out. I didn’t trust it, didn’t trust that I wouldn’t hurt them.

“I-I need to go,” I stuttered before wrapping the cloak around me tighter.

“What? No. Stay,” Quade pleaded while reaching for me, but I pulled out of reach. I took a step toward the door while keeping my eyes on all four of them. “Gritt will calm down. He’s always hot headed, but he’ll figure his shit out. Stay. We need to figure this out, Devi.”

“No. I need to figure this out. None of you gave a damn about me a couple of weeks ago. Hell, some of you were willing to torture me to get me to leave. I don’t understand any of this, and last night”—my voice trailed off as I tried to think of how to word what was worrying me—”the Void is changing. It’s becoming something I’ve never had to deal with before, and it scares me. Switching powers hurts, and everything is so damn confusing. Everything started flaring up when I met you four. I need time to process. I need time to figure out what the fuck is happening to me.”

Gritt took a pained step toward me, but I held my hands up to stop him. I had to figure out what the Void was doing, and hopefully stop this before I lost myself to it. “I’m going to the cabin now. I’m just really freaked out, okay? Please just...give me space.”

I spun around and fled, the pulling sensation protesting like a swarm of hornets in my gut. I didn’t want to leave them, not really. But something was off, and I couldn’t risk staying.

I couldn’t risk them.





Chapter 24





Beads of sweat rolled down my skin as I let the Void out in bursts. My entire cabin shook from the power. With no one here, I felt like it was safer to unleash the smoke plaguing my soul. Ever since the Void-induced orgy and the subsequent fight, I’d been practicing alone in my room. I didn’t have anyone to feed on, but it felt good reaching for that darkness within me and letting it out. It wasn’t enough though. I’d need to feed again soon, but I wasn’t ready to see my paragons yet. Maybe unleashing my powers was a bad idea. I’d been coping before, chaining it up like the monster it was. Now that I’d had a taste, I always needed more. It was like an addiction—a staunch craving that never went away.

I was in shock that I’d successfully switched the elementals of their powers. I’d blacked out and nearly died in the process, but...I’d done it. I was one step closer to being able to fulfill the promise I made to Gritt.

After pulling the smoke to wrap around my body again, I reached for a glass of water on the nightstand. My fingers wrapped around the cool glass, slipping on the condensation before I greedily brought it to my lips. The moment the cool water touched my throat, I hummed in appreciation.

The door to my cabin suddenly sprung open without warning, and in walked Hyde. “Hello, Devicka,” he said with a grin before spinning around to take a look at the cabin. “Good, the corpses finished fixing it up again after the bobcat clawed it all up,” he said with a satisfied nod before running his hands along the walls and new curtains. I’m pretty sure the fabric was made from school uniforms since it was the same plaid design as my skirts, but hey, it was better than the tattered mess the bobcat had left me with.

I shook my head in annoyance while continuing to take large gulps of the water, feeling so dehydrated, I wasn’t sure one full glass would be enough. Hyde observed me while biting his lip before producing a small notepad and pen from his pocket.

“Needs water after extraneous Void usage,” his voice mumbled. I glared at him, frowning when I realized he was writing about me. His eyes were mischievous as he clicked the top of his pen and pocketed it.

“Are you studying me?” I asked with narrowed eyes before setting the cool glass down and wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. I quickly picked up my amulet and slipped it over my head, making my power taper out.

“I’m keeping note of the things I know so that the others can know what I know, and if they know something, I make sure that I get to know it too. It’s all to help you, you know?”

“I have no idea what you just said, Hyde,” I said before cradling my head in my hands. I heard the popping of his pen and snapped my head back up to stare at him as he scribbled.

“Is delirious after Void usage. Does not comprehend normal speech patterns. Proceed with caution.”

“I’m not delirious!” I yelled, making him sigh and tilt his head to the side while scribbling more notes. “If you’re writing that I’m cranky, I’m going to rip up your notebook,” I seethed. Hyde simply shrugged and clicked the top of his pen, pocketing it again.