Lucien must have really fried his brain during Pyreborn. Emma studied him, her mind racing. She still didn't know what was wrong with him, so she couldn't risk provoking him. She needed to avoid making him do anything even crazier. She had no idea where Lucien had brought her. Had Silas and the others realized she was missing? "Mm…" Just as she was thinking, she suddenly felt his lips crash into hers, then a flash of pain. Lucien bit her lip, his black eyes glaring at her with possessive anger. "Are you thinking about Silas and Marcus again?" His voice was so cold and dark it practically dripped venom, his jealousy and rage burning in his gaze. Emma flinched at the pain, instinctively wanting to pull away, but his grip on her chin was unbreakable. "Answer me!" Lucien's voice rose to a shout, all reason snapping in an instant. He lost control, pinning Emma down against the soft bed. Clang! The chain at her wrist rattled sharply with her movement. Lucien climbed over her, his body blocking out all the light as he pinned her down. "Do you really like them that much? "Even when you're with me, you still think about them?" His voice was raw, wounded, like a beast driven to the edge. Emma didn't even get a chance to answer before he kissed her fiercely. He seemed possessed, wanting to claim every bit of her until every part was marked by him alone. Emma felt the force of his emotions, but she didn't resist. She wondered if he'd really suffered that badly before. Was that why he'd changed? But her submission only made the situation worse. Instead of calming him, it fueled his mania. The canopy above them swayed, casting moving shadows over their tangled bodies. The metal chains clinked again and again in the background... Emma could feel Lucien's body tense and trembling, as if he was fighting to fill a bottomless emptiness inside. She didn't know how long it lasted. After what felt like an eternity, Lucien finally collapsed in her arms, breath hot against her ear, his voice hoarse and shaky. "Emma… tell me you're mine. Always mine…" Emma's mouth was dry, her own voice nearly gone. She raised an arm that felt like it had been shattered and put back together, gently stroking Lucien as she soothed him."Mm, I'm yours. "Always yours!" Emma was so tired she couldn't keep her eyes open. She only managed a few words before she fell asleep. Just before sleep took her, she thought she heard him mumble something, something about not being fully satisfied. Then, she felt Lucien pick her up again, and then came that same weightless, dreamlike feeling. ... Calum and Marcus had just arrived, only to find the room completely empty. There was no trace of Lucien or Emma. "D*mn it." Calum scowled at the empty room, his face dark. "Did Lucien awaken some new ability after Pyreborn? How did he run off so fast?" Marcus was furious, too. "The fire from Pyreborn must have cooked his brain. That's why he'd dare steal Ms. Tibarn away." Lucien's lost his mind! When Emma woke up again, she found herself somewhere new. Now she was in a beautifully furnished wooden cabin. Clang! She moved her arm and realized the chain was still on her wrist. So she was still alone with Lucien. Silas and the others still hadn't found her. Her lightcore and storage band had both been taken by Lucien. She had no way to contact anyone. Lucien walked in, carrying breakfast. "Emma, you're awake." He set the breakfast down, then brought her a cup of water with flower nectar, gazing at her gently."Sorry, I lost control yesterday. "It must have worn you out, right?" He helped Emma sit up and held the water to her lips. "Drink some water first. I made your favorite breakfast. After we eat, I'll take you out for a walk, all right?" Lucien sat beside her, the morning sunlight casting a soft and gentle glow on him. He looked nothing like the dark, crazed man from the night before. Emma drank the water, quietly studying him. His face was the same. His eyes hadn't changed, either. The only thing that changed was the plumage mark between his brows. Today, the black fire inside seemed weaker. Maybe Lucien's strange behavior was tied to that black flame. Would it fade on its own? Or did something need to be done?When she finished the water, she handed the cup to Lucien, tugging a bit on the chain at her wrist.