Ray's breath caught in his chest as her fingers tightened around his neck. He gasped, instinctively reaching up to try and pry her hands loose, but her grip was too strong, fueled by a strength that came from her maddened state. His vision blurred around the edges as the pressure mounted.
"Esme..." he choked out, barely a whisper. His body tensed, his mind racing for a way to stop this without hurting her. He could feel his power surging within him, begging to be unleashed, but he held it back, desperate not to hurt her. His heart pounded painfully in his chest as the world began to darken at the edges. He couldn't keep this up for long.
But Esme's eyes were wild, her lips curled into a snarl, and her hands—her hands only squeezed tighter.
