Page 94 of Dark Rival

Like a drug addict, Allie thought. And in that instant, Allie got it. It was the exact flip side of a pleasure crime. “The demons take all the life from their victims during sex. Obviously it turns them on. Oh my God. Taking power…life…during sex…it’s a huge turn-on for a Master, too.”

“The more power, the grander La Puissance.” His gaze was steady on hers. “The temptation when ye start becomes terrible to resist. I had to touch yer light. I only meant to touch it, Ailios. Just a single time.” He suddenly cupped her jaw, his hands stunning her because they were so gentle. “An’ then I tried a sip. A small sip o’ pure white power. I needed ye, lass.”

Allie felt his pulse pounding all over again. He was thinking about her healing power running in his veins. He was thinking about the violent yet beautiful ecstasy they’d shared. “And my power in your veins felt good. I know—because everything you felt, I felt, too. You became stronger, you had more stamina, you were insatiable—and if there’d been a battle, you’d have been invincible, too.”

“I could have stayed in ye fer days. But ye’d likely be dead.” He stood. “T’is fortunate I can control the urge. Others cannot. I willna take yer power again. It belongs to all of man, an’ I have no rights.” He was fierce as he spoke.

Allie stood, as well. Her power did belong to mankind and there was no point in arguing that. “So what else can happen now? What did you mean when you said you could fall—or worse?”

He made a sound. “There’s suffering an’ death, Ailios. Even Masters pay for their crimes.”

She inhaled, thinking about his death in the future—which they were going to undo. “I am fine. And the Ancients know it if they were spying on us.”

“Are ye?” He reached for his leine and shrugged it on.

Allie bent and wrapped herself in his plaid, worried that he might pay some price for having tasted her power. “Of course I’m fine.” But the moment she spoke, she realized her senses were dulled.

She was still in tune with Royce. But the night around her felt stunningly vacant, when she should have felt the life force of every cricket, every bird, even every leaf and every tree, as well as all the human energy in the buildings beyond them. She strained and finally sensed the power coming from the Masters and monks in the monastery, but it was muted.

Panic arose as she faced Royce.

“What?” he asked sharply.

“I can just barely sense the men in the monastery. I can’t feel all the life that I know is around us, right now!” She strained anew and finally felt the barest whisper of energy coming from the insects, flowers and fauna in the woods.

Royce took his dagger and sliced his thumb.

Allie stared as the blood welled from the thick pad there.

“Heal me,” he said.

She hesitated, then reached for her white light.

To her surprise, and then to her dismay, it took a vast effort to find it and bring it forth. And then it took even more effort to stop the bleeding from the paltry cut. By the time she’d stopped the cut from bleeding, she was perspiring and out of breath. Slowly she looked up. How could this be happening?

“T’is forbidden with an ordinary maid—but I took power from ye, a great Healer.” He bent and began retrieving her clothes.

She touched him. “We won’t tell anyone. How long will this last?”

“I dinna ken.” He straightened, handing her the garments. “Neither one of us was very quiet, Ailios.”

She felt herself blanch. Royce had been roaring his head off in triumph after triumph—and she had been weeping mindlessly in ecstasy, too.

“Dress yerself,” he said.

THE SUN WAS EDGING upward into the sky, amidst many dark, ominous clouds, as they walked together toward one of the longer buildings, centered in the monastery. Royce was so grim that Allie had become very worried, too. And as they passed several Masters, also heading toward the rectory where they would eat, no one looked at them.

The contrast from the day before, when every Master had smiled invitingly at her, was glaring.

Allie’s unease increased.

Then she saw Seoc standing on the porch, arms folded, his gaze hooded but directed toward them. Allie sensed his speculation, his curiosity, his interest, and she felt herself blush. Seoc turned and walked inside. “Are we in big trouble?” Allie asked, low.

Royce didn’t have the chance to answer. MacNeil walked out of the rectory door, his face set in hard lines. He stepped down to the ground and asked Allie, “How are ye?”

She smiled brightly, falsely. “Fine—perfect, in fact.”

He made a sound. “Yer power’s compromised.”