33. (JO POV)

(JO POV)

I was alone in Dane's mind. Hours had passed since he vanished to attend to the harsh realities outside this dreamscape. I wandered aimlessly, lost in thought, until suddenly, without warning, the serene white around me shattered.

I was violently pulled back to the grim reality of Magness's bed chambers as he ripped Dane's thumb from my mouth.

Magness loomed over us. He had caught us in the act. Me taking blood from Dane was a sacred and forbidden act in his eyes. Dane's blood was his, not mine.

Dane pleaded, "Please, Master, don't make us..."

But Magness was unyielding. "You should have thought about that before sharing your blood with her. Right in front of me, no less. Now, get on with it. Show me what you want to do to her. I want to watch it."

Dane's eyes met mine. "It's just us, okay? Just us," he reassured me. "Don't worry about anything else. Nothing can spoil this. Nothing can spoil us."

I could only nod, unable to find my voice, as Dane moved to the bed