Below him, Lily was beginning to feel the effects of lack of oxygen. Her throat was burning as she panted, her breath coming in short desperate gasps as her lungs yearned for fresh air; sound was no longer coming out of her. The effort was making her face turn red, and as her oxygen depleted, her vision began to blur.
She wasn't going to give up. That much was clear to Di Mo as he watched a blueish hue take over her face. He was aware and in control of what he was doing — the tightness of his grasp, and whether or not it would kill her. She was certainly close to death then, but showed no sign of forfeiting their silent battle.
A glint of humor sparked in his eyes. He had done this to countless men, yet very few of them had lasted this long. With that thought in mind, he slowly loosened his grip on her neck.
