Aria's POV
Damon's face twisted with fury. Silas raised his hand. The blood bond struck again. Damon screamed.
"No!" He dropped to his knees, his hands clawing at his head.
Rhein roared inside him. Fight!
Damon shook violently. Then his claws came up. He drove them toward his own head. I screamed.
"Damon, stop!"
He wasn't trying to hurt himself. He was trying to reach the bond, to sever the link from inside his own mind. His claws raked across his temples. Blood appeared.
Silas stared at him in disbelief. "What are you doing?"
Damon's breathing became ragged. "I won't belong..." He dug his claws into his own flesh. "...to you."
Silas's expression turned murderous. "You don't get to choose." His hand shot forward. Dark red energy wrapped around Damon.
Damon's body jerked. The resi
