Page 58 of Virgil's Demons

I whirl around just as he rounds the corner, and I freeze.

His eyes. There's something in them, something sad and desperate that makes me stop cold. It's as if he's pleading with me to understand something, but I can't, I don't. Instead, I press further into the darkness. He steps forward, hands raised like he's trying to show me he's not a threat. But I can't shake the feeling that Iknowhim.

"Stop!" I shout, my voice trembling as I back against the brick wall. "Who are you? What do you want?"

He slows, chest heaving, eyes dark with emotion. "I'm not going to hurt you," he says, his voice thick with an ache that hits me straight in the heart. "Please, just... just listen."

I stare at him, trying to piece together why he feels so familiar, why the sight of him sends this wave of longing and pain crashing over me.

"Do I know you?" The question slips out before I can stop it, my voice barely above a whisper.

He steps closer, his expression softens as he reaches out. his hand lifting hesitantly, fingertips brushing my cheek. The touch is gentle, like he's terrified I'll disappear.

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me. You'd never remember."

But his touch… God, his touch. It doesn't scare me. Itcallsto me. My breath catches as I reach up, fingers grazing his jaw, tracing the rough lines of his face. His skin feels like a memory I've been chasing for years.

"I do know you," I whisper, my voice trembling with the weight of the truth.

His eyes darken, filled with so much pain, and before I can take another breath, his lips crash against mine.

The kiss is desperate—wild, filled with an urgency that leaves me breathless. It's not soft or gentle. It's consuming, fierce, like he's afraid this moment will slip away. His hands grip my hips, pulling me against him, and I can feel his heart pounding as fast as mine.

And then, it hits me.

Virgil.

His name slams into my mind, knocking the air from my lungs. Images flood my memory—his face, the blade, the screams. The emptiness that's haunted me this long is suddenly filled with brutal, undeniable clarity.

I pull back, tears streaming down my face as I whisper, "I remember. I remember everything."

His eyes widen, a mix of hope and heartbreak swirling within them. He doesn't get a chance to speak before I throw myself into his arms, my lips crashing against his again, needing him, needingthis—this reunion, this connection that feels like home.

"I missed you," I breathe against his lips, my fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him impossibly closer. "I missed you so damn much."

"Fuck, baby girl." He holds me tight, his body trembling as he kisses me back with the same hunger, the same desperate need.

"You saved me," I whispered against his mouth.

"I gave you up," he sobbed, his hot breath caressing my lips. "I had to."

"Why?" I asked him, running my hands through his hair, needing his touch.

"Because I needed to sacrifice something."

"What?" I asked.

"Love," the word was a soft whisper. "My love for you, Barythaya. It was the only thing that would save you...us."

"You, idiot. How could you?" I banged a fist on his chest, upset and yet I wrapped that same arm around and yanked him in for another kiss.

"I fucking love you, woman." He said the phrase with such earnestness that I could feel it in my core.

Cupping his face I stared into his eyes. "I swear to God. You do that again, and I will haunt you for the rest of your days."

"Promise," he whispered.

I laughed, humming anI love youagainst his lips.

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