I drifted in and out of consciousness as the smoke transported me out of the dorm room. When I finally came to, my right wrist was being shackled.

And then my left.

And then I was dropped, my knees painfully meeting a jagged stone floor. At least, I assumed the drop was painful--I was still too numb from Aiden and Duke's blood to sense pain.

"Apologies for the landing." A familiar voice cooed in an unfamiliar way. "It has been a while since I have used my ability. I am a tad rusty, I'm afraid."

Horror stricken, my head snapped up to see Nero leering down at me. His left arm was in a homemade sling, effectively hiding where his left hand used to be. He spotted me looking at the crude apparatus, and smirked. "It didn't hurt. Well, not at first."

Slowly, Nero began to pace around me, running his fingers through my hair as he got behind me.

"Funny thing about dismemberment." He said, absentmindedly skimming his fingernail along my jawline as he came back into view. "If you are quick enough, the nerve endings do not have time to register the agony of separation."

I tried to jerk my head away from him, but he grasped me roughly by the chin and forced me to look into his eyes.

They weren't their usual shade of amethyst, no. They were black, so black that it was impossible to descern where the iris ended and the pupil began.

The sight made my heart stutter.

"However, pain will always catch up to you. One way or another," he paused to squat down and brought his mouth to my ear. "You'll do well to remember that, your highness."

The disdain in his words slithered across my skin, prickled at my scalp. I didn't understand what was wrong with Nero. Had he been Influenced?

With a brief chuckle, Nero flung my head out of his grip and stood up. I watched as he walked away, noting the manner in which he carried himself. It was regal, poised, with a perfectly erect spine and head held high. Not at all like the cool swagger Nero normally walked with.

What if that had been an act? What if this is really who he was?

I shook my head.

No.

Nero hadn't been Influenced. But this wasn't his true nature, either. I wasn't sure how, but I knew it.

"Josephine, my dear." He stood at the base of three stone steps, his good hand behind his back. "You did an exceptional job!"

I looked around for Jo, but it was so dark, with the exception of a patinaed oil lamp next to Nero's feet. All I could see was that I was chained to a sunken floor, with stone steps encircling me. Everything beyond the circle was pitch black.

"Thank you, master." Jo's voice sounded emotionless, weak. "Will that be all?"

I felt bile rise up my throat. She betrayed me, they both did. But was that really her intention, or was she forced?

"Such obedience." Nero purred. "And willingness to please. Come to me, little human."

In seconds Jo was descending the steps, face blank, movements stiff, like a robot. She came to stand nearly eye-level with Nero, and waited with a slightly slacked jaw.

"I love the easily Influenced." Nero smirked, running his fingers down her jawline. "They're so pliable."

He ran his hand down her neck, wrapping his fingers around it ever so slowly. "I could kill her in an instant, and she wouldn't make an attempt to stop me."

I tried to jump up, but the chains held me in place. Damnit!

Ignoring the rattle of my confines, Nero released Jo's throat. "I could take her," he paused to skim his fingertips between her breasts. "I could fuck her any way I choose, and she would have no other choice but to take it. Though that wouldn't be nearly as entertaining."

He signed wistfully, reaching down to adjust the front of his dark jeans. "There is just something utterly exquisite about the struggle of prey, sexual or otherwise. To witness that primal fight or flight response unfurl beneath me, knowing I triggered it...hmm, orgasmic." He growled, low and guttural, and snatched Jo by the scruff of her neck.

"Don't you fucking touch her!" I hissed at him, fighting to break free. "Nero, please! This isn't you."

This hadn't been the first time I'd seen Nero acting like a monster. In the cave, when I had found him chained to the wall, he was like a completely different person.

He had tried to kill Aiden and Lucius.

"You remember it, don't you?" Nero's voice was low, a seductive and commanding purr. "How amazing it felt, giving yourself to me."

"Damn you," Lucius snarled, striking out to hit Nero again. He missed, and fell to the floor, clutching his ears. He was writhing around, howling in agony. "Ne-ro," he groaned, voice strained.

Aiden disappeared, materializing a foot away from where Lucius lied.

"Aiden, don't--" Duke called after him, but it was too late.

Aiden hit the floor with a yelp, clutching his ears like Lucius had been doing.

"Nero, stop this." Duke was angry, panicked. "You're going to kill them!"

"Good," Nero whispered, before continuing his assault on Aiden and Lucius.

He had terrorized me.

"You should see the look on your face." Nero was panting, eyes wide and fierce. Then, he started laughing. It was maniacal, bone chilling, echoing off every surface in the room. "My God. That look, that terror, makes me so fucking hard."

I got up to sit on my knees, dizzy, hysteria bubbling with each frantic heartbeat. "Nero, what's wrong with you? What happened?"

"Come closer," he paused to swallow audibly. "Let me show you."

This time was different though. His whole being was just...off, foreign.

He looked taken aback for a second, and then he started to laugh. "Such hostility." He swatted Jo away, sending her flying back into the darkness with barely any effort. "And all over a human."

"She isn't just a human." I shot back, voice shaking. "She's my friend, and she doesn't deser--"

"Your friend?" He interrupted me with a bark of a laugh. "Oh my, that's rich!"

Quicker than a blink, Nero blurred to tower above me, black eyes alight with humor. "Did you not find it strange, how quickly she had taken to you? You, the perpetual loner."

I felt myself slump a little, the seed of doubt beginning to bloom deep in my chest.

"She was Influenced to befriend you." He came around to whisper behind me. "That Connor lad, as well."

I shook my head, fighting the hurt he was causing. "No, that's impossible. There's no way you could have gotten to Connor and Jo before they met me on the boat."

Okay, maybe he got to Jo, considering she had been on the island before. But this was Connor's first semester; how could Nero have Influenced him if he hadn't even reached Lachlan Island yet?

"I am afraid it is quite possible, especially when you take into account my ability." He came back around and sat on his knees in front of me, handsome face twisted with mock sympathy. "Apologies for the deception, but I had to keep tabs on you somehow until I could take possession of my new host body."

"New host body?" I repeated, cocking my head to the side. "So you really aren't Nero?"

I knew it!

He shook his head slowly, smirking.

"Then who are you?"

His smirk grew wider, more sinister. "Think about it. I am charming, charismatic, articulate..."

"Psychotic." I added thoughtlessly.

That wiped the smirk right off his face.

"And deadly." He spoke flatly. "The fact that your blood sings to me is of no consequence. I will drain you dry sooner than planned if you continue to disrespect me."

Drain me dry...

That's when it hit me.

The blood of the Queen revives the Lord.

"The blood of the Queen revives the Lord." I repeated aloud, gazing up into his eyes. "You're the Lord."

His grin came back with gusto, spreading broadly from ear to ear. "I am. But you may call me Gildoroy."