"Ha! Did you really think it was all your doing?" The voice slid back into Florian's mind, this time colder, more threatening. "That was my power. I let you taste it. How did it feel?"
Florian remained silent, fear choking tight in his chest. He had never craved power, not once in his long life. All he had ever wanted was a quiet life with his sister somewhere no one knew them, far away from any of this madness.
"You can have it all," the voice taunted, dripping with temptation. "Just say the word."
It sounded so sweet, and Florian could feel the pull. Part of him—against all common sense—wanted to give in. He knew how it felt now: the sharpness of fangs, the lightness in his limbs, the intoxicating strength coursing through him.
How was he supposed to pretend he didn't know what that felt like? Not that it mattered. Once you're in, there's no getting out of it.
