*~Damien's POV~*
"What are you talking about?" I snapped, my voice trembling. "You're standing right in front of me. You're breathing. There's blood flowing in your veins. You're alive. You're my brother."
Lucien's eyes softened, but there was no warmth in them, only a haunting emptiness. "No, Damien. Listen to me," he said quietly. "What's standing in front of you right now… is just a version of me. A version built on vengeance. That's the only reason I'm still here. I died that night, brother. You know it. I died."
I shook my head violently. "No! No, I refuse to believe that." My boots scraped against the marble floor as I stomped hard, trying to drown out his words before they could root themselves in my mind. "You didn't die. They brought you back! That witch—she saved you. She said the only side effect was that the stone would keep you awake at night, make you see things. That's all!"
