The corridors of the Abyss seemed to contract around Seris, shadows bending and twisting like liquid, alive and responsive to her growing power. The mark burned violently, a tether of obsession she could not escape. Mason's presence pressed into her mind, threading obsession into every thought.
"You cannot resist me forever," he murmured, stepping close, silver eyes glinting with storm-dark intensity. Shadows coiled around them both, protective yet possessive. "Every heartbeat, every act of independence… only strengthens the tether. You are mine, even now."
Seris's pulse raced. She summoned tendrils of shadow, striking a rival immortal before it could reach her. Mason's presence amplified her power without controlling it, guiding her strikes while threading obsession deeper into her being. The Abyss shivered, alive with their combined energy, responding to the tether, the defiance, and the growing intensity between them.
"You are defiant," Mason whispered, leaning so close that she felt the heat of him through the shadows. "And I adore it. Every spark of rebellion, every act of power… it belongs to me. You will crave it, Seris. You will want me."
Seris trembled, chest heaving. Fear, exhilaration, and desire twisted together, suffocating and intoxicating. She hated him. She feared him. And yet… she wanted him.