章 81: CHAPTER 81 Dream a Dream of You

　　~ CASIMIR ~

　　Later that night

　　I stood half-crouched and poised to leap or shift, I wasn't sure which. Neither was going to help. But it was instinct to search for a way out.

　　My father stood a few feet away, arms folded and expression unimpressed. His eyes were the cold, cold blue of a winter snow cave when the sun shone behind it and bored into me, bright and piercing… and they were beginning to glow.

　　"No," I snarled. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

　　"Make me," he muttered.

　　I fought him as surely as I would any wolf that came at me with fangs and claws-sweating, grunting, heart pounding-but my body barely twitched because this battle was all in the mind.

　　Dad's mental claws dragged down the back of my mind as painfully as real talons would tear through the flesh of my scalp-and I yelped, reflexively flinching, then snarled, but continued to fight.

　　"I'm not… I won't-"

　　"You're getting stronger, Cazz. But still not strong enough."