Page 187 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

Lothaire sighed heavily as he looked at us. His skin had a grayish tint, and his single eye was almost as bloodshot as mine.

He looked like shit.

I didn’t care.

“You will be making a substitution,” Lothaire said as he paced back and forth. “Your new teammate will arrive tomorrow.”

Malum stood up straight. “What, that doesn’t make any sense. We don’t need a substitute. Who is it?”

Lothaire shook his head and walked toward where we stood.

All seven of us stilled, and the tension was palpable.

We held our breaths.

Waited for him to pull out his baton and beat the shit out of us. I fought the urge to flinch.

“You will learn soon enough,” Lothaire said curtly as he walked out the door.

He passed by me in slow motion, features pinched with sadness. He glanced down at me with longing on his face.

I frowned back.

He was already dead to me.

Lothaire disappeared into the crowded hall.

A beat passed as everyone processed what he’d said.

“What the fuck?” Malum exploded with flames. “I’m the captain. I should know what’s going on.”

Scorpius and Orion immediately surrounded him. They caressed him and whispered into his ear as they tried to calm him.

The demons retreated into their bed together.

John stood still beside me, and his olive skin was pale like he was going to be sick.

“Do you know what’s going on?” I asked him.

John just shook his head and climbed into bed without a backward glance.

He was uncharacteristically withdrawn.

It felt like a thousand-pound weight was crushing my sternum.

He’s sad because of what you did to him.

After I brushed my teeth and tied back my hair, the room was dark, since the curtains had been drawn. Everyone had retreated into their beds for the night.

Picking at my lower lip, I reviewed my options.

I didn’t have many.

Lying down on the carpet, I curled into myself. The floor was uncomfortable, but my mattress had been shredded to create a makeshift cot, and I wasn’t going to force my presence on John.

I’d just gotten into a comfortable position when hands scooped me up.

Before I could blink, I was positioned under fluffy covers with John’s arms wrapped around me.

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