Chapter 10 · Collar Overload

"Get. Away. From. Me," I hissed, but the words came out as a strangled gasp.

Vivian didn't listen. She never did when she was in 'Hero Mode.' She lunged forward, grabbing my wrists and pinning me back against the crumbling concrete wall of the alley. The impact knocked the wind out of me, but the real pain was screaming from my neck.

My collar was glowing a violent, pulsing crimson. It wasn't just a warning anymore; it was cooking me. The metal was searing into my skin, a sharp, electric heat that made my vision blur at the edges.

"You're shaking, Tess," Vivian whispered, her face inches from mine. Her eyes were scanning my expression, searching for the lie I was currently suffocating on. "Why are you shaking?"

"I'm cold, you idiot!" I snapped, trying to wrench my arms free. I failed. She had me locked down, her grip firm and unyielding. The power imbalance was sickening. Here she was, the city's golden girl, looking at me with this mixture of concern and suspicion that made me want to scream.

Then the collar spiked. A jolt of raw electricity slammed into my spine, and my knees buckled. I didn't fall—