Lila's pov
"She marked herself," the young man said again. His voice had a sharp edge. His smile felt dark while his pale blue eyes did not leave my face. I stepped back until my shoulder hit the wall. My throat felt dry. "I did not do that," I whispered. "I would never do that, I did not mark anything on my skin."
The young man nodded slowly. "You did not know you did it," he said. "Your mind opened a door for it."
"No," I said. "No. I want you to stop talking."
The first man laughed even with Ryder's hand still pressed into his chest. The sound felt strange and cold. "You opened your heart to his power," he said. "No one forced you. You did it on your own."
"I did not!" I screamed. Tears filled my eyes. My voice cracked. "I would never open anything for him. He hurt me. He scared me. I hate him."
Evelyn rushed to me and held my shoulders. "Do not cry," she said. "Do not let fear take over. You did not open anything."
Ryder looked at the first man with deep anger. "Tell the truth," he said. "Tell us how he marked her."
"As I said," the first man whispered, "she did it. Her heart knows him even if her mind does not." Asher stepped closer and grabbed the collar of the young man again. "Say more lies," Asher said, "and you will not speak again."
The young man coughed but still smiled. "I have no fear of you," he said. "You cannot touch a truth." Damon pulled my hand away from the wall and turned me toward him. "Look at me," he said softly. "Do not look at them, Look only at me."
I tried to breathe. My eyes locked on his, His gaze stayed steady and calm. His thumb brushed over my cold knuckles. "Tell me," he said, "did you feel anything before? Did anything touch your skin?"
I opened my mouth to answer, but the moment I tried to think, pain shot up my arm. I gasped and grabbed my wrist. The red mark glowed bright like fire under my skin.
Ryder turned fast. "What is happening?" he shouted.
The first man gave a slow smile. "It is waking," he said.
I screamed as the red line spread up my arm, Damon grabbed me before I fell. "Aria!" Asher shouted. "Stay awake!"
"I am trying!" I cried. "It hurts! It hurts so much!"
The young man's grin grew. "The bond grows stronger when she feels fear."
Ryder's hand tightened into a fist. He shoved the first man to the floor with one strong move. "Stop talking!" Ryder shouted. "You will be silent!"
But the man kept smiling even as he hit the floor. Damon lifted my face to his. "Do not look at the mark," he said. "Look only at me. Stay with me."
"I cannot!" I cried. "It burns!"
He pulled me into his chest to stop me from seeing my arm. "I have you," he said. "I have you."
Evelyn held my other arm. "It is not your fault," she said. "Do not believe them."
But the pain grew stronger, Sharp, Hot, Wild. It felt like my skin was being cut open by something inside it. My knees buckled. Damon held me tighter, The room felt blurry.
Then I heard a voice. A voice that made my whole body freeze. A voice that came from the mark.
"Come home."
My heart dropped. The voice was deep, Calm, Soft. But I knew it, I knew it too well. It was Dominic's voice. I shook my head fast.
"No," I said. "No. He is not here. He is not here!"
The young man nodded. "He is closer than you think."
"Be silent!" Asher shouted at him. But the man only laughed. "She calls him. She does not know she does it. Her heart pulls him near."
"No!" I cried. "Stop saying that!"
Damon wrapped his arms around me and held me against his chest. "Stay here," he whispered. "Stay with us. Do not hear him."
But I still heard Dominic's voice in my mind. "Come home," the voice said again. "Come back."
I covered my ears. "Stop!" I screamed. "Leave me alone!"
Ryder dragged the first man to his feet. "Tell us how to break it," Ryder growled. "Now.""You cannot," the man said. "You already lost."
Asher pushed the young man harder. "You are lying."
The young man smiled. "Her heart is no longer her own."
Evelyn squeezed my hand. "Do not let fear win," she said. "Fight it."
But the pain grew so sharp I dropped to my knees. Damon went down with me and tried to pull me close, but as soon as his hand touched my wrist, the mark burned brighter.
He pulled back fast. "It hurt you," I gasped. "Your hand…"
He shook his head. "I am fine. Focus on breathing. Do not panic."
A loud noise crashed outside. Ryder turned his head. "Did you hear that?"
Asher did too. "Someone is near," he said. The young man gave a soft laugh. "He is here."
Ryder grabbed him. "If he walks inside, you are gone," Ryder said.
"He is already inside," the young man whispered.
Before anyone could speak, the lights flickered. A cold air moved through the room like a ghost had walked past us.
"Do you feel that?" Evelyn whispered.
Damon stood fast. "Stay behind me," he said as he pulled me up.
Ryder and Asher stepped forward. A slow knock came at the front door.
One knock.
Then a second.
Then a third.
My whole body turned cold. My heart froze in my chest.
"No," I whispered. "It cannot be him. It cannot."
The knock came again. Slow and Heavy. Ryder's voice dropped low. "Do not open that door."
Asher moved to the window. His eyes widened. "I see him," he said.
"Who?" Damon asked. Asher swallowed. "Dominic."
My lungs squeezed tight.
"I cannot see him," I whispered. "I cannot let him in."
Evelyn held my arm. "We will not let him touch you."
Ryder stepped forward with slow, dark anger in his eyes. "He will not enter my room."
The young man laughed. "He does not need to enter. She will walk to him."
"No," I said. "No. I will not!"
"You will," the young man said. "The bond pulls you."
The knock came again
Three more knocks.
My mark glowed bright like fire.
"Open the door," Dominic's voice whispered in my mind.
"No!" I screamed.
My body jerked forward on its own. Damon grabbed me, but I still pulled toward the door as if something strong held strings inside my veins.
"Hold her!" Ryder shouted.
Damon wrapped both arms around me. Asher ran to help him. Evelyn grabbed my wrist, Ryder blocked the doorway. But my feet still dragged across the floor.
I cried out. "Please stop me! I do not want to go!"
Ryder braced his feet and pressed his hands against the door. "He will not enter," he said.
Dominic's voice came again. .
"Open it."
My hand lifted toward the handle.
I did not lift it.
It lifted itself.
Damon grabbed my hand, Asher grabbed my other arm, Evelyn held my waist while Ryder pressed his body against the door. But the mark burned brighter than fire. My hand touched the handle.
Ryder shouted, "Do not open it!"
My fingers curled around the cold metal."No!" Damon yelled.
"Stop!" Evelyn cried.
"Hold her!" Asher shouted.
My hand turned the handle, The lock clicked. The door opened an inch. Cold air rushed inside and a soft, calm voice spoke from the other side.
"Hello, Lila."