5. “You really shouldn’t have done that.”

His shadow grows biggerin front of me until I'm certain he's right behind me. I slowly turn to face him.

The relief running through my body is indescribable. It's so strong that I…I feel like I can stand up and face Ryan myself.

I have no idea how he found me, how he knew I was here, but I'm never—ever—lying to him again.

"What the fuck do you want?" Ryan asks, but Lucian ignores him.

His eyes are pinned on me. Specifically, my arms.

"What did he do to you?"

I look at the blood staining both my arms. I open and close my mouth. Where do I begin?

"You better get out of here, mister." Ryan rubs his hands together, and Lucian looks up at an eldritch creature copying him.

"Did he do this? Did he do this through you?" I can see the wheels turning behind his eyes.

Lucian is not stupid. He's been around for centuries. He's knowledgeable. And he can put two and two together at an alarming rate.

I nod. He growls.

His fists immediately catch fire and he steps forward. He aims a fireball at Ryan, but the eldritch creature jumps in front of him, taking the brunt of the attack.

I'm not surprised the creature isn't phazed by the fire. Eldritch monsters are made of tougher stuff. When I was possessed by one against my stepfather, I couldn't burn or feel pain. I was unstoppable.

The creature's jaw drops, and an ear-piercing scream escapes it as it swings its arm back and punches Lucian. He flies across the room.

"Lucian!" I stand and watch as my demon boyfriend stretches his dark, feathery wings and stops himself from crashing into the bleachers.

"You really shouldn't have done that," he shouts and flies back, burning the perimeter around Ryan.

"Huh. You think that will stop me?" Ryan closes his fists beside him and looks up at the ceiling.

The eldritch creature roars and flies toward Lucian. They grab at each other and shoot from one side of the gym to the other, their wings wrapping around them. Fire erupts and covers them both, making them look like a weird, giant bullet.

I watch them, mesmerized by their stamina, their strength, their luminosity. Lucian is powerful, but something tells me the eldritch creature is stronger. Fire can't affect it. I don't even know how invincible it is. I haven't had time to test its limits. But I also don't know Lucian's. I don't know how much he held back so as not to hurt me when he was protecting me against my step-family.

I need to stop them. I need to stop this madness before either one gets hurt. I need to do something.

I glance around me. Ryan is still in some sort of trance that controls the creature, surrounded by fire that would scorch him in an instant.

I spot the book.

The leather-bound old tome that one of Ryan's illusions had been holding before they made me summon the creature.

I crawl across the room toward it and leaf through the pages. There must be an answer here. There must be a way to sever the bond between Ryan and the eldritch monster and stop this ridiculous situation.

The pages are old and stained and so hard but in a fragile way that I'm scared to turn the pages for fear of breaking them.

The cover page reads Eldritch Dimension: A Comprehensive Guide to Power, Published in 1756

What the fuck?

This book is old. Too old. I wouldn't even know where to find it, and I'm pretty sure I found nothing in the library records about any books, checked out or not, about my power.

Then again, Ryan is a rich guy. What tells me he hasn't spent his daddy's money to get his hands on his book so he can gain power for himself from the guy his best friend has been raping for the past five years?

It makes me question everything that has happened today. Were the lackeys he was with after class even real? Is his power that of illusion? Is he even a student? Did he fall behind so he could be in the same year as me? How the hell would he know I was going to start this semester anyway?

So many questions, and I doubted I'd get any answers.

It doesn't matter.

I just need to find a way to sever Ryan's bond with the creature. My creature. My power.

I turn the pages, skim-reading the titles until I reach a bookmarked page: To Enslave a Creature.

I look up at Ryan. He's still distracted. So are Lucian and the creature.

I read through and, sure enough, it gives a step-by-step on how to do it. First, he had to cast a circle in chalk. Check. Then he had to cut an eldritch witch. Check. Then he had to speak aloud the incantation that would invoke the creature and another that would separate it from the host witch. Check and check.

That bastard left nothing to chance.

I need to figure out how to undo it. This book is large. There must be instructions.

To Reverse the Bondage

Bingo.

The summoner can sever the bond by standing in a circle of protection with the eldritch creature outside. Sacrifice the summoner's blood and repeat the following incantation three times.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

I close the distance between Ryan and me, pick up the knife from the floor, and attempt to put my hand through the fire burning around him. It's hot. Too hot. I hiss and pull away.

I inspect my burn. My palm is slightly red, but it's fine. I can take care of it after. I look up.

Ryan looks back at me.

Shit.

He smirks and the screech of the eldritch creature echoes through the empty gym. I look behind Ryan at it. It punches Lucian away and turns its aim to me, flying toward me at a dizzying speed.

Lucian is hot on its tail, but it won't do any good if the creature gets to me first. Unlike when I'm possessed by one, I'm not indestructible. I can be beaten. I can be knocked down. I can bleed.

Ryan smiles and looks down at my chest. I don't know if he's given the creature a target to strike my heart or whatever. I put my hand up as if it will protect it.

Something hard presses against my palm.

The spell.

Oh.

"Put the fire out!" I shout at Lucian.

My mind goes a hundred miles an hour, but I have a plan. It might be the stupidest plan or completely crazy, but I don't have any other options. And I need Ryan's connection severed.

"Lucian! Now!" I repeat when he hasn't heard me.

My demon boyfriend catches up to the creature and pulls it by the tail as the ring of fire around Ryan disappears.

"What do you think you're going to—" Ryan starts.

He doesn't finish as I slam into him, pull the necklace off, and hug him real tight.

"Protect me, protect me. Nothing can hurt me," I mumble, focusing all my energy on the crystal in my hand.

Please work. Please fucking work.

The crystal explodes into dust. Dust that dances in the air for a moment before forming a globe around Ryan and me.

"You think a silly little protection spell will help you?" Ryan pushes me, and I fall to the ground.

The eldritch creature crushes against the protection with a thud that bounces and reverberates through me.

"You're such an idiot." Ryan shakes his head and tries to leave the circle of protection.

"Lucian, fire, now!" I shout.

This time, he doesn't stall. The fire wraps around the spell, encompassing the entire thing, not leaving space for Ryan to exit.

The spell is very similar to what Kevin used against me and Lucian. Only his was supposed to trap someone inside the circle whereas the necklace spell we sell at the apothecary is supposed to protect from outside forces. If it wasn't for the fire surrounding us, nothing would stop Ryan from going out. But now, he's mine.

"You can't stop me, Taylor. And neither can that demon friend of yours."

I bite my tongue at the "friend" comment. Lucian is so much more than that, but this dickbag doesn't need to know that. He doesn't need to know anything about me.

Except for one thing!

"My name is fucking Jung, you shithead!" I shout, jump across the circle, grab his hand, and bite down.

I may not be strong or powerful, but neither is Ryan. He was foolish enough to enslave the eldritch creature but not smart enough to trap it inside him. If he had, he may be invincible. As it stands, he's not.

Ryan yelps and flails, trying to get me off him, but I don't let go until I taste the copper in my mouth. I don't like the taste of it—I'm not a vampire—but this feels so damn good.

This pathetic idiot, as Ryan called me, made it work. Thought of a plan, put it into action, and succeeded. There's only one more step to stop this asshole.

He shoves me, and I fall back, watching him hiss while inspecting his bleeding bite wound.

"What the fuck did you do to me? You're an animal. A fucking animal!" he shouts, but I'm already standing, book in hand.

I have no idea if the pronunciation is right, but magic is more about intention than accuracy. If it was about pronunciation, none of the spells would ever work.

Ryan rushes to me. He grabs the book. He tries to stop me. But it's already too late.

The ethereal red ribbons that bind him to the creature reappear, connecting Ryan and the creature for a second or two. Then they snap, and both of them collapse on the floor screaming.

"What did you do? What did you do?" Ryan screams his head off.

Lucian approaches the spell of protection that's already wavering and puts the fire out. I attempt to hug him, but he holds me at arm's length and inspects my body.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" His eyes linger on my bloodied mouth before moving to my slashed arms.

I nod.

Why won't he let me hug him? Is he embarrassed by me? Or is he just trying to make sure I'm fine? Why do I care? Why do I care right now? I almost died tonight, and this is what I care about? What is wrong with me?

"I'm okay. Tha-thank you for coming to my rescue."

"I'll always be there for you, Yu-jin. You know that," he whispers and glances behind me.

But do I, really?

I know he said he wants to hide our relationship so he can keep abreast of any threats to me, but here we are after one threat is eliminated. Surely, this warrants a little kiss or a hug. Definitely a hug.

I bite the inside of my cheek and look back at Ryan, who's still kneeling on the floor, crying in pain.

Lucian walks past me toward him and stops a few short inches from the student.

"You're lucky I can't hurt students, Mr. Byron. If my contract with the school didn't bind me in such a way, you'd be dead now…"

Ryan's eyes grow wider and his Adam's apple bobs.

"I…I'm…"

"Your actions will be reported to Dean Colchester, and I expect he'll take swift action." Lucian puts his hand up, and the book I've been holding flies to him. "I will also confiscate this book to avoid further incidents like this."

"That's mine. You can't take—" Ryan shouts and tries to grab the book, but Lucian steps back and tuts.

"Make your way to the dean's office, Mr. Byron. Now. And if you're not there when I arrive, there'll be further consequences. Understood?"

Ryan stands, huffs, and runs off. As he passes the eldritch creature still writing on the floor, I make my way toward it and raise my hand to touch its shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

The creature turns its inhuman head with the sharp teeth and dark swirling globes of eyes it possesses and stares at me.

You saved me.

Similarly to when he was inside me, the words are images, feelings even, that get translated into words somehow.

I don't know if it's possible, but hopefully, with the book Lucian just confiscated, I can learn more about my power.

"Of course. I couldn't let him do that to you. You don't deserve it."

Thank you, Master. You're so kind.

I shake my head.

"I'm just human. And I care about you. Like I care for all your kind. You don't deserve to be enslaved."

The eldritch creature raises its hand and a small but sharp claw runs across my cheek.

I'm free because of you, Master. I owe you my life.

"You owe me nothing."

I do. Will you allow me to live inside you?

"To…what?"

What is it talking about? I don't understand. Live inside me?

We can bond with our masters if they allow it. I'd like to bond with you. That way, you will always have access to my power without having to summon me. I can always protect you just like you protected me.

"Oh."

Lucian comes up to me and puts his hands on my shoulders. He plants a kiss on the back of my head, and I finally allow myself to melt into his arms.

"What's going on?" he asks.

He is your mate?

I nod.

He's a good one. Strong. And sexy.

I clear my throat and blink several times. This eldritch creature didn't just call my boyfriend sexy.

"Thanks?"

But he can't always be with you. Whereas, if you let me bond with you, I'll be within reach with a single thought.

"You don't have to do that for me."

Lucian walks into my field of vision and I fill him in on what the creature is saying.

I want to do it for you. Our Masters and us have a special connection anyway. If you allow me to bond with you, we'll become…one.

"Okay." I turn to Lucian to explain when the creature puts its hand over my heart and turns into a shadow. A shadow that swirls inside me and fills me from limb to limb.

Thank you, Master. I'm so happy to serve you.

I open and close my fists, becoming accustomed to the new sensation inside me. It's as comfortable as putting on a pair of my favorite pajamas. Like wearing my warmest jacket.

"I haven't accepted yet," I say. "But if you're happy…"

I am.

A tremble goes through my senses, and it's like…like a cat that curls into a lap and purrs.

Strange, but also sweet.

"Darling boy?" Lucian touches me, and I look at him. "Are you okay?"

I lick my lips and nod.

"I guess I just adopted an eldritch creature."