fear. The glowing collar around his neck pulsed, suppressing his own unique gif

desperation. Tears streamed down his bruised

tling them violently. The guards tig

ious pleasure. "So, another one of the Valentine vermin crawls out of the woodwork,

they were plotting against us. This one was undoubtedly sent to spy, to ga

, his voice cold, devoid of the earlier rage.

e Adelaide has planned. What other poisons they intend to unleash upon us, upon our chil

ruggling against their grasp. They were r

with a desperate strength. I tried to stand, to interpose myself, but my legs buckled. I fe

hisper. "Please, Cliffton! Don't hurt h

is expensive trousers. My face was streaked with dirt and tears. "

growing stronger with desperation. "Let him

you possibly offer that we haven't already taken?" Her gaze droppe

entire life force! My remaining essence! Whatever you ne

glint replacing the amusement. She e

ice dropping to a seductive whisper. "She

ly against the guards. Kim picked up a long, bladed knife

finger along the blade. "If she truly cares for this... thing... she

he knife. He tried to twist awa

eked. "No! Don

aised the knife, aimi

her. His indifference was a deeper wound than any blade. He truly b

heart-wrenching plea. "No! Please! Ta

dy in front of Benny. I didn't care about the pain

nt side with a soft resistance, like cutting through thick gel. There was no p

my essence, my light, being drawn out, rus

nst my pale, dissolving skin. "Take everything I have left! For your ch

, please! For the love you once had for me... for the future

emor in his jaw. His eyes, for a split sec

close to Cliffton, whispering furiously. "Don't listen to her, C

licker was gone. He looked at me, then

acrifice yourself for this boy, then so be it. But this will be the last. The absolute last

hitched. "

s voice flat. "If you fulfill y

ce joy mixed with agonizing pain

y making the act almost effortless. I didn't feel the blade, only the rush of my

extraction. This wasn't just bloo

felt like my very atoms were being ripped apart, my spirit shredded. I

its intensity. It was pure, raw life energy, concentrated and potent beyond measure. My unique

light. So l

of pure energy. I offered it to Kim. She snatched it from my grasp,

oice barely a breath. My vision was fadi

Benny's chains. Benny stumbled, looking at

is voice laced with ter

pered, my voice alm

his cries echoing in the distance. He

y gone now, shimmering motes of light rising into

st thing I saw. Cliffton's face, a blur of shadow and light,

t was left of it, collapsed. But before I hi

ton's