Page 366 of Psycho Devils: Aran's Story 2

My soul’s taste in men was officially a form of self-harm.

Malum nodded. “Let us fix our wrongs.” A muscle in his temple jumped as he gritted his teeth, and he said, “Please.” His cheeks blushed crimson. “We care. I care about you.”

“Put me down,” I told John with a shaky gasp.

John looked at me skeptically with worry in his dark eyes. “You’re still bleeding a lot. Are you sure you can stand?”

I nodded and tried to appear strong. “Do it now.”

John gently put me on my feet.

The world spun around me, and I pressed my fist over my mouth. Cold sweat poured from my face.

I felt like I was going to pass out.

Taking a deep, fortifying breath, I faced the kings.

They stared at me like they were starved men before a feast.

I recalled Lyla’s prophecy:

You will not be who you need to be until you embrace the dragon.

Mid argument I’d realized something.

I didn’t care.

I turned and pumped my arms and legs hard as I sprinted down the hall away from them as fast as I could.

My side burned with every step, and I left a trail of crimson behind me.

I would not be embracing the dragon.

The pain in my hip made my head spin, and the hallway warped around me, making me stumble.

“Fuck!” Malum bellowed. “Don’t run from us, Arabella! You’ll hurt yourself! You’re hurting yourself right now! Stop it!”

Footsteps pounded behind me as the kings gave chase.

Nausea churned in my stomach.

“Don’t run, sweetheart,” Orion sang loudly, and goose bumps exploded down my spine.

Malum shouted, “We’ll protect you. You’re our Revered. We want to care for you.”

“We’re sick for you,” Scorpius called gleefully.

I moved faster than I ever had in my life, and my feet didn’t touch the ground, but it wasn’t enough.

“Let us make it up to you!” Malum growled, and a flaming hand reached out. It wrapped around my clammy throat.

And ripped me back into hell.

War wasn’t coming.

It was here.

The blood was in the water.

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