Chapter

238

Jason stood frozen as the red-eyed woman circled him, her presence overwhelming.

"You're jealous of him, aren't you?" she asked, her voice like silk. "Of the way he looks at her. Of the way she depends on him."

Jason clenched his fists. "She's... she's not his."

The woman chuckled. "No, but she's not yours either. Not like this. Weak. Helpless." She tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with malice. "But I can change that."

Jason hesitated, his mind battling between reason and desire. "How?"noveldrama

"Power," she whispered, stepping closer. "Strength to protect her or claim her. All you have to do is let me in."

Jason looked into her eyes, feeling as though she could see straight into his soul. He thought of Elyra, her golden eyes filled with defiance and something he wanted desperately: recognition. "What's the catch?" he asked, his voice trembling.

The woman's smile widened. "Nothing is free, boy. But the price will be worth it. Say the word, and you'll never have to stand in his shadow again."

Jason nodded, his heart pounding. "I'll do it."

The red-eyed woman's expression turned predatory as she raised a hand. Shadows coiled around them, slithering up Jason's legs and wrapping tightly around his torso. Pain shot through him as the shadows invaded his body, twisting and reshaping him.

Jason fell to his knees, gasping as his senses exploded with new intensity. He could hear the rustling of leaves a mile away, smell the faint trace of Elyra's perfume lingering on his jacket. But with the power came something darker-a gnawing hunger he couldn't place. "Good," the woman purred, her crimson gaze watching his transformation with satisfaction. "You'll serve the King well."

Jason's breath came in ragged gasps as he looked up, his eyes glowing faintly red. He felt stronger, faster, more alive-but something inside him felt fractured, like pieces of his humanity were slipping away.

"What... have you done to me?" he whispered.

The red-eyed woman laughed softly. "Made you better. Now go. Prove yourself to her and to me."

Jason stumbled to his feet, his mind reeling. He didn't know what he had become, but one thing was certain: he wouldn't be overlooked anymore.

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