The Abyss had become a living inferno of shadows, coiling and twisting like sentient serpents. Every heartbeat of Seris sent ripples through the jagged walls, every thought threading Mason's obsessive presence deeper into her soul. The silver mark burned hotter than ever, a molten tether that linked her, irrevocably, to him.
"You are mine," Mason whispered, his voice silk and steel, threading into her mind. "Every spark of defiance… every heartbeat… every thought… belongs to me. You feel it, don't you? You crave it already."
Her chest constricted as shadows flared violently from her hands, twisting into whips and blades. Fear, exhilaration, and desire collided violently inside her. She hated him. She feared him. And yet… she already belonged to him. His obsession threaded through her movements, amplifying her strength while suffocating her independence.
From the depths of the Abyss, an ancient rival emerged, molten-gold eyes blazing with centuries-old hatred. Its body coiled with dark energy that twisted violently as it lunged for her. Seris countered, shadows wrapping around her strikes, flaring with goddess-blood fire, amplified by Mason's obsessive tether.
"You see?" Mason murmured, brushing a tendril of shadow across her cheek. The sensation was both intimate and possessive. "Every act of defiance, every heartbeat, every breath… you are mine. One day, you will understand what it is to crave me."
The god roared, energy flaring, attempting to annihilate her, but her attacks, empowered by Mason, cut through its defenses like fire through the night. The Abyss itself reacted violently, twisting, coiling, striking mercilessly at the god while protecting her. Every heartbeat threaded with Mason's obsession, coiling tighter, threading power, fear, and desire into a storm that left her trembling.
Finally, when the immortal fell, Seris sank to her knees, trembling, chest heaving, the heat of the mark almost unbearable. Mason knelt beside her, shadows brushing along her neck and shoulders in intimate strokes, silver eyes storm-dark and molten.
"You are mine," he whispered again, the words threading into her mind like molten silk. "Even your defiance strengthens the bond. Every flicker of independence, every act of rebellion… belongs to me. One day… you will crave it. You cannot resist."
The Abyss pulsed violently, alive and aware, acknowledging the obsessive tether threading Seris to Mason. Desire had rooted itself deep where fear had once lived. The chains coiled tighter, suffocating and intoxicating, binding her utterly to him.
She pressed her hands to the mark, feeling heat coil through her veins like molten silver. Her awakening had reached a new level—not just her goddess-blood powers, but the suffocating, consuming bond Mason had forged. The Abyss seemed to lean closer, alive with anticipation for the next surge of power, the next escalation of obsession and dark desire.