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“Stop!” She tried to break free, and his grip tightened. Herglyphburned as though a fiery current ran through her system. He hammered her with the unrelenting strength of a thousand pulsing waves. Beating, beating, dragging her under.

“Please. It’s too much.” Her begging went unanswered. Victor peeled her skull open, probing every inch of her psyche.

Can’t breathe. Drowning.

No! He wouldnotviolate her like this.

She had no hope of controlling the presence assaulting her system. But maybe she didn’t need to.

Oil and water. She closed her eyes and concentrated on separating herself from Victor’s oily sludge.There. A sliver of space separated them. She focused on the wall, giving it substance and strength. Next, she gave it a hard, mental push.

The static quieted.

She drew a fortifying breath. Could she do it again? She steeled herself and pushed harder, forcing the energy to retreat once more. The painful tingling in her nerve endings quieted, and the pounding in her head eased. One last push, and she reinforced the mental barriers that would protect her.

She blinked, panting from the exertion. To her shame, tears burned her eyes. She jerked her hand free of his grasp, clenching her fist against her heart. “How dare you? You had no right.” Never had she felt so raw, so exposed, not even on that auction block.

Victor heaved a frustrated sigh. “You lied to me, Alexandra. While powerful, you’ve little aptitude, certainly not enough to manipulate Liam. You could have stopped me at any time, and yet your first reaction was to retreat.”

So, he’d forced himself on her, and it washer fault? She fought the urge to claw his eyes out.

He made atsking sound. “All that power at your disposal and your gift goes wasted.”

She dashed the tears spilling down her cheeks, snarling, “Gift? It’s not a gift but a curse. Thanks to you, once more, I’m reminded of how thisthinghas brought me nothing but pain and misery. Go ahead. Send me to the fucking Council. Right now, anything would be preferable to spending one more second near you.” She lurched to her feet and stormed down the flagstone path.

“Alex,” Jericho barked at her retreating back.

“It’s okay,” Victor defended in a hushed tone. “Evaluations of this nature are troubling for a faerie.”

Louder, Victor called out, “Liam’s attacker goes unpunished, Alexandra. You could help bring him to justice.If you were working in secret with me, closely supervised by one of my most trusted men, I’d have little reason to inform the Council of your untapped power.”

She tripped and caught herself, refusing to turn around. After what he’d done to her, now he offered her an out, as well as an opportunity to avenge Liam? Surely, it was a trick. “I’m listening,” she said over her shoulder.

“There would also be no need to tell them of Liam’s transgression.”

Her breath caught. “Liam would be safe?

“My liege. Are you sure about this?”

While Jericho remained silent during her screening, now he had an opinion? She spun on her heel and turned to face the clan leader. “What exactly are you proposing?”

“Only that you use your gift to help me find the person responsible for Liam’s attack. There are many uses for a female with your abilities—beyond the blood running in your veins. In return, I’ll guarantee both you and Liam never spend a day in the custody of the Council.”

Beside her, a butterfly landed on a large plant with shell-shaped leaves. Like a mousetrap, the leaves snapped closed. Sucker swallowed it! Oh, that was messed up. Just like her life. The moment she poked a toe into Victor’s trap, he’d swallow her whole.

But…Liam,her conscience whispered.

There was nothing he valued more than his freedom. If she agreed to Victor’s terms, Liam would walk out of Claymore a free man. All she had to do was sell her soul to the devil.

She clenched her fists, then turned and raised her head. “Fine, but on one condition.”

He arched an elegant brow.

Through gritted teeth she spat, “Don’t ever touch me again.”

* * *

Jericho slammed the conservatory door.“Alex, wait.”