Page 102 of The Gathering
“Yes, but many of the Kings weren’t convinced and many didn’t want to merge so we set out to find an alternative.”
“Nitro?” she asked, brows drawn hard.
“Yes.”
“How, why?”
“When Nitro bites, it’s a transference. He gives and takes.”
“Gives and takes,” she marveled.
“His bite enhances whatever is in a person. He bites them and their natural gifts greatly increase.”
“Oh my God, this is absolutely enthralling,” she said, closer now. “So he bit the Kings and it enhanced all their gifts?”
“Tremendously.”
“What else?” she demanded. “What else did it do? It caused this deviance you mentioned?”
“Oh yes,” he said, quietly, said deviance staring at her mouth. “He neglected to tell us that his bite also enhanced a man’s need to merge. And that all his gifts operating to the fifth power would nowserveit.”
More gasps. Wider eyes.
“So… you…are…”
“Imprisoned with a lust demon that would use my gifts to secure its greatest and only desire.”
The silence was not deafening, it was pulsating with said lust.
“And… looking at me…”
“Is throwing gas on an eternally hot and all-consuming fire.”
“Oh…” she whispered.
She’d officially made it into his private hell-scape and instead of being afraid, she was turning on her little flashlight, ready to start excavating for a cure.
“So essentially… looking at me…” She turned her gold eyes to him. “Drives you… crazy.” Her burst of laughter came with immediate sputtered repentance. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t tease but it was witty you have to admit?”
“So witty,” he said dryly while on fucking fire.
“Hmmm.” She leaned her hip against the rail tapping her index finger on her serious mouth, squinting her eyes. “Have you had a proper checkup?”
Holy fuck, this girl. “And what exactly does a proper check-up mean to you?”
“I should do one,” she decided, pacing next to him with her hands splayed on her hips near her lower back. “Yes, I’ll do it.”
“You will not,” he assured.
She spun to him. “Why not?” she demanded, looking rejected and offended about it.
“Have you not heard a word I said about this condition, and you?”
“Well yes, I have. And you’ll be fine—”
“I willnotbe fine, and neither will you.”
She crossed her arms, tucking her chin at him like he was being dramatic. “I willnotbe bothered by this, Skul.”
