Page 103 of Wings of Destiny

“I think wedohave a lead on our hands. The real question is: What do you want to do about it?”

Libby listened as I explained my plan, my arms flailing in the air as I rambled. She kept her eyes trained on me, taking in every word. And agreed with keeping Seth out of the loop. It’d be better to keep him out of it for the time being.

Until we have what we need.

An hour later, Seth came out right as we finished. His hair was tousled, bags under his eyes, five o’clock shadow darker than usual. He mumbled a thanks as he grabbed a plate of food and a mug of coffee off the island then went back to his room.

We giggled as the door shut behind him, my gaze trailed him the entire way. My chest tightened, ached.

I will do everything in my power to protect you, Seth.

You and those missing people.

I sighed as I shoved a forkful of eggs into my mouth and prayed that I was making the right decision.

Chapter thirty-six

Seth

I sprawled across my mattress as the eggs and breakfast cakes hit my stomach, and thanked God that Erin knew how to cook. I chugged the mug of coffee and set the empty cup on my nightstand. I pulled one of the pillows from the side Erin slept on over my face, blocking out the sunrays filtering in through the overhead windows on the far wall of my room.

Why did I install so many damn windows in this place?

I breathed in deeply, relishing the peaches and cucumber that filled my nose. My head was pounding, a jack hammer beat against my eyelids. Erin’s scent made it worth it, the warmth from her being in my bed still remained.

I sat up and dug into my nightstand, eyes squinted as the sunlight cascading along the panes of my bedroom wall once again pummeled my eyes. “Fucking hell.” I hissed, as my fingers finally grasped the emergency Ibuprofen bottle. I popped three and swallowed them down dry. I fought the urge to gag as they crept down my throat. I fell back on the bed, pillow once again hiding me from the death-rays that peaked in.

Erin’s face floated through my mind.

Her brilliant grey-blue eyes lit with laughter, her long brown hair swept into a ponytail, trailing behind her. Her laughter echoing around us in little wisps of gold, encircling her beautifully. They then flowed toward me, gripping my heart, my soul.

Erin’s smile faded and tears took its place. Black rivers flowed from her sockets, dying the whites of her eyes, her pupils disappeared into the darkness.

“Erin!? Erin!” I reached for her shoulders and shook them, needing to bring her back.

Her face hollowed out, cheeks sunk in. Her mouth agape, cracks formed on her skin. The black pits that formed her eyes stared up at me, devoid of the brightness that was there only moments before.

Her voice came out crazed, strained. A bony finger, stripped of its flesh, lifted, pointing at my chest. “You. You did this to me.” A screech escaped her, and she lunged forward, claws extended from her fingertips. I cried out as they pierced my chest and sunk into my heart. Blood spurted from the wound, her claws twisting in further before she yanked them out, taking my still beating heart with them. Flames licked their way through the entirety of my empty chest cavity, the pain forcing me to my knees. Salty tears raked down my face.

“Why?” I begged, metal began coating my tongue.

Her lips spread and her skin cracked further, nearly splitting her face in two. Sharp pointed teeth gleamed, ink dripped from them. She brought my heart to her lips and tore a large chunk of it out, gnashing it between her teeth; her dead eyes continued to look down at me as I withered at her feet.

“Rin, what…what did I do to you?” I sobbed.

The blood from my heart merged with the ink as it dripped down her chin. A maniacal laugh belted through her piercingteeth. Her skin split, exposing the tissue underneath, across her entire body. Her flesh began to melt, her bones with it. My half-eaten heart thumped to the ground. My stomach turned, wisps of gold and grey ripped from me. The pain was unbearable, far worse than my heart having been torn away. An emptiness enveloped me, my body chilled, my vision blurred. It felt as if…as if my soul had been torn from me, shredded to pieces.

I fell forward, head hitting the ground. Numbness overtook me. I dragged my strained vision to the puddle of flesh and bones that had been Erin.

Hovering over her, stood Erebus. He crouched down, his teeth flashed, and his tongue darted out, licking up the pieces of Erin.

His voice broke through the numbness, scratching its way along my bones. “I told you she was delicious, didn’t I, boy?” He retracted his tongue, a large lump of flesh encircled within, and swallowed as he licked his lips.

“Now, it’s your turn.”

I bolted upright, panting, sweat coated my body from head to toe. I threw myself off the bed and ran into the living room, frantically searching for any sign of Erin. Nothing.

I ran to her room, slamming the door open, the doorknob crunched the wall as it hit. Her bed was made, clothes neat, everything was where she’d been keeping it. I steam-rolled my way through the house.

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