Page 110 of Sinful Mates

“Be grateful, that’s all you got. The boy’s eye can’t grow back, you’re just lucky I still had connections within the council that went to bat for you,” Josiah tells him.

“Why did you do it?” I ask.

“Do you really need to ask, it’s the same person we have had constant drama with,” Caroline says frustrated.

“Bianca, always fucking Bianca” I say, and Caroline nods, confirming..

“Yes, and now that Alaric is gone, she has been getting awfully cozy with Max again, although they have always been cozy. But with Alaric out of the picture, she has sunk her claws into Max. Christopher knows what Bianca did, yet his revenge for his son outweighs that,” Josiah says.

I shake my head and place my head in my hands, trying to think. We just can’t catch a break and can’t escape Bianca. I zone out trying to come up with something, anything but I’m not all that familiar with laws of the council. Tobias places Thaddeus in my lap, making me look up. I cradle him in my arms and am shocked he hasn’t fallen asleep already.

“If Bianca gets a position on the council, what sort of punishment will she get?” I ask, wanting to prepare myself for the worst-case scenario.

“If she gets a seat at the council, Imogen, she won’t be punished,” Josiah says before throwing daggers at his son.

My blood instantly boils at his words. No punishment at all after what she did. It seems impossible what kind of backward laws did they have, that would allow no punishment for murder and attempted murder. She killed three people for god’s sake and kidnapped a baby. How could they not hold her accountable for that?

I don’t even realize how angry I am until I feel my surroundings shake violently. The car alarms outside blares loudly, the entire house shakes, and the rumbling from the ground sounds like thunder.

“Imogen, get yourself under control,” Tobias hisses, running over and ripping my son from me. I try to get a grip of my emotions but enraged isn’t a big enough word to describe the feeling running through me. As I think of all the people she has hurt and she would get away with it. My mother, Claire, my father, me, and my son suffered at her hands and they are just going to let her go around like she did nothing.

Electricity zaps loudly, the lights flickering, even the fire crackling in the fireplace turns into an inferno raging up the chimney.

I close my eyes, trying to reign in what little control I have left when I suddenly feel cold hands grip my arms and the rush of air around me. Opening my eyes, I see we are outside in the rose garden, the next thing I see is Theo, and then nothing but red. Red raging fiery anger. This is his fault she is going to get away with everything because he had some grudge against a council member’s son.

“You? You did this. This is your fault,” I scream, taking a step toward him. His eyes blaze with anger at my words and he takes a step toward me, his hand outstretched, trying to grab me. But I quickly sidestep. I can feel his intention and it is to take the darkness that is spreading throughout me like wildfire.

“Imogen,'' he growls when I sidestepped again. My anger builds, igniting my magic , so thick and sweet and addictively cold. It wraps its thick tendrils around me. I love the feeling of it bleeding into my soul, dangerous and cold and so strong. The day turns to night as the wind picks up, dark clouds filling the sky. Lightning lighting up the sky, thunder so loud its cracks could be felt as it vibrates through the ground.

Theo lunges at me, and I actually laugh. I predict the move a few seconds before he does it and by the time he reaches my position, I’m ready for him. My hand comes up to the center of his chest. Energy bursting from my palm, throwing him backward with so much force he skids across the grass. He shakes himself off before standing. I flick my wrist and watched as he screams in agony. I like the sweet sound of his gasp of pain as he drops to the ground, writhing in pain as I boil the blood in his veins. Standing over him, I stare down at him. Some small part is nagging at me in the back of my head not to hurt him.

But I want to, and that part is stronger. Kneeling beside him, his eyes snap to mine. Yet he didn’t look scared, and I can’t smell fear coming from him, but looking in his eyes I can see acceptance of what is about to happen. And it makes me falter for a second, my mind going blank at the look he is giving me. His eyes glow brighter, burning into me as fog clouds my brain. I try to get rid of the feeling that is trying to take over my senses. It dulls the anger but I shake it off, knowing it’s Theo’s doing.

Tobias yells, my attention snapping to him as he runs out of the house. Caroline’s panicked face runs out behind him with my son in her arms. Josiah walks out a second after. They run toward me and I look back down at Theo, turning my head to the side as he tries to ignore the burning inside of him. His eyes focus on me. I push my fingers into his chest, and can feel his blood coating my hand. I can not only see his pain but feel it searing through my chest as my hand moves inside his chest cavity. I hear Caroline scream loudly, bringing my attention back to her.

Chapter Forty

Theo’s grip on my wrist makes me realize what I’m about to do, giving Tobias enough time to reach me. Tobias grips my wrist along with him but the darkness is stronger as it surges through me. Sparks move up my arm from their touch, and I can feel Tobias and Theo lending me their strength through the bond as I fight against the darkness. Encouraging me to fight for them.

“You don’t want to do this, Imogen,” Tobias says, his grip tight on my arm. I feel like I’m stuck, not able to move, frozen in time, when the fog rushes over me. Only this time I don’t shake it off, I let it move over me, letting it relax me and I throw all my focus on the feeling of the fog calming and muting my thoughts that are racing. I take a deep breath, concentrating on my breathing, and I release Theo, falling backwards on the grass. Theo pants as he catches his breath, Tobias lying flat on his back, and I know he can feel the pain Theo is in.

I can still feel the darkness trying to force its way back, force its control over me as the storm above us rages to magnitude levels. Theo, regaining his strength, sits up and brushes his hand over mine, but I pull mine away. I fear what I could have done to him. I did this, and I finally understood what Theo meant. I’m addicted to the power, addicted to the feeling it gives me. And when I’m like this, I forget who I am, forget what they mean to me.

“I’m okay, Imogen,” he says, trying to reassure me. I shake my head, guilt eating away at me. I could have killed him, and destroyed Tobias because I let my emotions get the better of me, let the magic have the control it wants. But most of all, I’m losing who I am to something that is going to destroy me and those I love. Tobias brushes his hand down my back as Theo crouches in front of me. Torn between what I know I need to do and what I crave. I crave the power that is within me, like a drug. A drug I don’t want to admit is a problem.

But my love for them outweighs it. I know if I let the magic have control, if I give in to it. I’m not only going to lose myself. I’m going to lose them, too. That isn’t a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

Thinking of Thaddeus, tears run down my face; I’m angry with myself and what I’ve allow myself to become.

“We are going to work this out, Imogen,” Theo says, making me look at him. Theo is drenched in blood and I did that to him, and he is still here trying to make me feel better even though I hurt them. He is right, we are going to work this out, but at this moment, I’m a danger to them, a danger to myself. Theo and Tobias must sense my guilt as they both try to reach for me, but I shake them off.

“Run.” I don’t know what makes them move, Theo and Tobias are suddenly gone from my side. I won’t risk it taking over. I won’t risk losing them when they are all I have left.

I feel it running over me, white hot and angry, the storm reacting to my emotions as I feel it hit me. The pain rippling through me as I feel it strike me down. Pulling all the energy from the storm, I direct it to where I stand. I scream when it zaps through me. The pain isn’t like anything I have felt before. The sort of pain where you wish for death just so it will be over with. Every muscle in my body tenses and spasms. Pain shoots down my neck as the power burns up and sizzles, hot like lava. The pain cripples me, as I feel the magic leave me. Forcing it back into the broken bracelet that sits on my wrist. Now I know why Witches have talismans.

Sometimes the power is more than we can handle and as much as I want it. I can’t control it. My magic isn’t worth losing everything. It isn’t worth losing them. I feel the last remnants of my magic travel down my arm and creep out of my fingertips. There’s a feeling of emptiness before I feel my body give in to the pain radiating throughout me. I felt like my soul is being sucked out of my body. My magic has become such a big part of me, and now it’s gone. I felt my fight go with it. I can live without my magic; I can’t live without them.

My body becomes heavy as I can’t hang on to consciousness any longer and I don’t want to. The pain becomes unbearable. I just hope when I wake up, it doesn’t hurt anymore, and I can’t hurt them anymore. The last thing I remember is feeling slight relief as I feel familiar sparks of the bond travel over my body. I’m being lifted just before I see the darkness of unconsciousness.