She can't do anything with his will holding her still and silent, her hands cuffed with a flare of magic she can feel against her skin. Claudia can feel him, too, pressed against her, even as he teases. She wanted that, the promised fun, and yet, his other words frightened her.

There was a chance that was exactly what she'd do, except she didn't want to be just a plaything to be tossed aside. She'd always fought against that. It made her try to find any chinks in the bindings holding her, despite knowing the impossibility. She could struggle as hard as she wanted, but she wouldn't move even a fraction of an inch if Gabriel didn't allow it.