Page 175 of Hell Breaks Loose

“Hey,” Evan grunts, his eyes sunken, his expression pained.

Hellena rushes him, throwing herself into his arms. Evan catches her, wrapping her so tightly in his embrace, swinging her around. Kissing her cheek.

She’s crying.

Ora’s crying.

I’m not. Definitely not even a little bit.

Tell is, though.

Clearing our throats, we glance at one another, and I can’t help breaking, laughing as I nudge his shoulder with mine, wiping at my completely dry eyes with the back of my hand.

Evan sets her down, looking more than exhausted.

“Um, maybe I should still give him the cure, just to make sure it’s all out of his system?”

“Good idea.”

36

RACHELLE

The walls close in as my angel turns on me.

I am abandoned.

Silence fills the void around me as I lie on cold stone.

Pain envelops me. But that is nothing compared to the agony of this solitude, being left to drift without guidance.

Because I failed them. He won. Damon. My cursed brother. He took everything I ever wanted.

The darkness where the shadows of the Seven once resided within me…

Is vacant.

Empty.

Hollow as my dreams of fulfilling my destiny ever were...

Until I look up above me, into the blurry light flickering into the pit.

And one by one, seven silhouettes shift into view.

They’re different than they were, more horrid than the specters of the men and women I eliminated, who came before.

And their smiles and sneers assault me, leering down on my defeat.

Worst of all, I know them, though I don’t remember how.

The silent killer, hungering for my downfall. Voracity.

The lone soldier of rage. Fury.

The dancer, fallen angel, filled with pride. Hubris.

The jester, always changing faces, always mocking me. Spite.

---