Tessa pushed away from him, tumbling onto the floor. “Don’t touch me,” she gasped, and at the words, something in her chest jumped and began vibrating violently within her. The back of her hand started throbbing, drawing her attention to it. Like black ink against her fair skin, a Mark stood out. Swirling lines that wove together, and in the center sat three inverted, interlocking triangles. The symbol of Arius. Branding her. Claiming ownership of her.
