Page 6 of Daemonium

Suddenly, there was a prick on the side of my neck that made me flinch. His grip on my hair prevented me from moving as I let out a small whimper, feeling a cold, burning sensation spread through my body. Despite the discomfort, Ky continued to speak calmly, providing a distraction.

"What did you just inject me with?" I demanded, trying to push against his chest. He wouldn't budge. A sudden sigh of relief escaped my lips as the symptoms from Helios slowly began to fade away.

The room stopped spinning and the buzzing in my ears quieted down. Then, with a tenderness I wasn’t expecting, he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the spot, the tip of his tongue lightly soothing the sting before drawing back to look down at me.

My eyes drifted to the used syringe lying on the ground. "What did you just inject into me?"

"Just a temporary solution," he responded calmly.

I felt a different kind of relief wash over me. Whatever it was, it would help me last a little longer in my current state. "Where did you get it?"

"It doesn't matter.”

"With everything that's happened, I think it does.”

“No.” He tightened his hold on me, his grip becoming almost painful.

"It's always going to be me taking care of you and fulfilling your needs. You don't need to worry about anything else."

I struggled to speak, my voice barely above a whisper. "How did you know I remembered anything?"

"How could I not? I'm curious about how much you recall. I've been eagerly anticipating the chance to remind you of everything we did together, Sunshine.

"I'm not sure if Lana and Mel remember yet," I said, trying to shift the focus away from myself.

He leaned in closer, his face almost touching mine. "Why are you thinking about them when you're in my arms right now?" Despite the intensity of his gaze, there was a flicker of vulnerability that I hadn't seen before. It made me wonder what secrets he was hiding behind those calculating eyes.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. "I can't just forget about them. They're my best friends, Ky."

His grip relaxed slightly, and he let out a heavy sigh. "I know they're important to you, but right now, you need to focus on yourself.”

“If I do that, will you explain how all of this came about? Because I only have fragmented details and none of them are positive.”

His expression hardened as he processed my request. After a moment of tense silence, he finally spoke, his voice low and measured. "There are things you're not ready to hear yet, Sunshine. Just know everything was to protect you, to keep you safe."

"Protect me from what?"

"From a truth that’s going to shatter everything."

I felt a surge of frustration at his cryptic words. “Do you understand I’m not sure if I can trust my own mind?”

“You can trust me.”

I wanted to believe him I truly did, but the uncertainty gnawed at me, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth. I pushed myself away from him, needing some physical distance to clear my thoughts. His hand shot out and grabbed my throat, pulling me back to face him. "You can feel however you want," he growled, "even if it means hating me. But I won't let you walk away--not now, not ever." His eyes bore into mine with such raw emotion that it was almost suffocating.

“Have I ever?” The words escaped my mouth without any thought or conscious effort. I felt the sudden urge to cry, and I had no idea why. It was as if a different part of me was watching this unfold, and she despised it with every fiber of her being.

It wasn't the way he spoke or how he held me that made her heart ache, but she could tell he was in pain. Everyone was hurting in their own way.

Without warning, the lights flickered and disappeared, leaving us in pitch-black darkness. As we waited for the power to return, a red glow bathed our surroundings. In the distance, a siren blared once again, signaling the end of our brief reprieve. It was time to go back into the Devil's Playground.

Ky pressed his forehead against mine before letting go and stepping away. "Time to get moving, gorgeous." He turned and headed towards the exit of the bathroom.

My hand instinctively shot out and grabbed onto his shirt, my fear of being trapped in this small space while chaos raged outside taking hold. Doors tended to open and close without any logic in this place; it was almost as if they had a mind of their own.

He immediately understood my silent plea, not resisting or questioning my hold on him. Instead, he moved with purpose, his body language exuding a readiness to face whatever awaited us beyond the door.

CHAPTER THREE

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