The Abyss pulsed, alive with whispers older than time, its shadows twisting and reaching toward Seris as if hungry for her power. Every heartbeat of hers resonated with the mark on her chest, Mason's obsession threading deeper, binding her in ways she could not deny.
"You feel it, don't you?" Mason's voice threaded into her mind, silk and steel. He emerged from the shadows behind her, silver eyes gleaming like molten silver. "The pull, the tether… every spark of defiance only strengthens the bond. You cannot escape me, Seris. And you will not want to."
"I am not yours," she whispered, though her pulse raced and heat flared across her chest. She summoned tendrils of shadow, letting them dance like serpents around her arms, a show of power and defiance.
"You are already mine," Mason countered softly, stepping closer. The shadows around him coiled protectively, yet possessively, threading around her like living chains. "Even your defiance feeds my obsession. Every act of power… only binds you closer."
From the deepest corners of the Abyss, twisted forms of rival immortals emerged, their molten-gold eyes filled with centuries of hatred. Seris struck first, shadows lashing and piercing, amplified by Mason's presence. The tether flared, a mix of terror, thrill, and raw desire.
When the last immortal fell, Seris sank to her knees, trembling. Mason knelt beside her, voice low and intimate. "You are mine," he whispered, brushing a shadowy tendril along her cheek. "Every heartbeat, every spark of defiance… mine. And one day… you will crave it."