Marked by His Shadows

t him like he

nd laughter. "You. Adrian freaking Thorne? Billionaire, megalomaniac, weirdo

said evenly. "It's a sigi

red. "Because that

ne-cool, unshaken, completely certain made her freeze. The air inside

ing. "But you feel it, don't you? The change. The weight behin

uth we

t told an

on had blinked a full second too late that morning. Or how the lights in

herself she wa

t just stating facts. I

you?" she

ause. Barely

human," A

and silent. Outside, the city

'd slipped through

rself to wake up. "Okay. Let's pretend I believe

, lacing his fi

hirteen bloodlines. Old ones. Bound to power

?" she as

eyebrow. "N

mon

mirk touched hi

wallow

to control the chaos. They only appear when the blood

e got one of your ancient power-marks on me be

't understand. But that mark means more t

ed?" sh

ences. If you die, the sigil brea

dn't

n't ne

rms around herself

an said. "Whether y

ar sl

rground lair or a private jet to some billion

buildings like a remnant of another world. Gated. Sil

r opened

didn'

going i

he only place warded against what's coming. You sta

ainst her ribs. "So

st. For your

ess of his voice. The air outside was cold, and the house loome

ing about it

ort. Not

amili

it. And yet, the moment her foot touched t

saw her

zes the war

. "Of cours

he house

soleum than a home. Every surface gleamed. No

hout looking back, like

e

rary that looked like it hadn't been touched in years. Into a sitt

" he

ow? I hide in your creepy mansi

u," he said. "And why it returne

ully for the first

ion now. Not the cold detachment from earlie

e

face. It looked wrong

la, that don't forgive," he said. "

as a whisper. "Wh

firelight catching the

even I don't sp

n the room flickered-b

st for a second,