Page 13 of Virgil's Demons

I left him with that sliver of hope that we'd see each other again, although I really wished the kid would change his mind. Madame Laveaux would know what to do with him, no doubt.

The roads were dark and quiet as I headed out of Louisiana and toward the airport. The city of New Orleans was bathed in a gray fog that made everything feel even more isolated. My thoughts drifted back to her, no matter how hard I tried to push them away.

The hunger inside me wasn't just for blood or violence—it was forher. And that scared the hell out of me. I needed to find a way to sever the connection, to stop this madness before it pulled me under. But deep down, I knew the truth.

I didn't want to stop.

BARYTHAYA

My breath came in ragged gasps as I ran, my bare feet pounding against the hard concrete, fear propelling me along the twisted road that stretched endlessly ahead of me. My calves burned and my lungs screamed in pain, but I couldn't stop.Wouldn'tstop. Behind me, I could hear it. The creature, the monster that haunted my nightmares for as long as I could remember.

It was getting closer.

The ground beneath me suddenly became soft and slick, pulling at my ankles like quicksand, threatening to swallow me into its depths. Panic surged through my veins, every instinct screaming for me to keep running, to escape. But the thick fog that surrounded me made it hard to see, distorting everything, hiding the monster that was now hunting me.

A scream clawed its way out of my throat as I stumbled, pain ricocheting along my legs and feet. My body crashed to the ground. I scrambled to get up, dirt and grime clung to my skin, my nightgown torn to shreds, and I could feel it getting closer. My heart hammered wildly, threatening to tear out my chest, it burned. I feared it could hear it beating.

Suddenly, its presence loomed behind me, its heavy, labored breathing echoed beside me, its breath sliding along my ear. Cold fingers of dread wrapped around my spine.

"No… no…" I whimpered, pushing myself back up to my feet, but it was too late. The monster was there, its foul breath on my neck, reaching for me with its gnarled hands.

I screamed.

Suddenly, something cold and firm wrapped around my throat, stopping my scream short. A hand—strong, commanding. Before I could react, I was yanked backward, my body slammed against a solid chest, and the world shifted.

"Shh, don't scream, Barythaya." His voice was low, dark, and familiar. The soothing deep rumble vibrated against my back, his breath hot against my ear.

It was Virgil.

Somehow, impossibly, he was here in my nightmare, and the grip he had on my throat was possessive, controlling. I felt my heart skip, but not from fear anymore. Something darker stirred in me, something primal.

"What are you—" I started to say, but his hand tightened around my neck, silencing me.

"Quiet," he whispered, dragging me out of sight, pulling me into the shadows with him. We moved together, hidden in the pitch-black, and for a moment I forgot about the monster chasing me. I forgot about the terror that had been coursing through my veins. This was a new adrenaline, and all I could focus on was him—his touch, the way his fingers pressed into my skin, the way the heat of his body felt pressed against mine.

He held me there, his hand still on my throat, both of us silent as we watched the monster lumber past. I could see it in the distance now, searching for me, snarling as it sniffed the air, confused by my sudden disappearance.

"See?" Virgil's voice was soft, coaxing. "I'll always keep you safe from it. From any monster."

My body trembled, but not from fear. I felt the heat of him behind me, the way his grip tightened possessively. His fingers slid up from my throat, brushing along my jaw, turning my face just enough so that his lips were inches from mine.

"You don't have to run anymore," he whispered, his voice sending shivers down my spine. His other hand slid around my waist, pulling me tighter against him. "I've got you."

And in that moment, everything shifted. The terror of the nightmare faded away, replaced by something deeper, something darker. My body was no longer tense with fear, it was tense with desire.

Virgil's lips brushed against my ear, his hot breath teasing, and his hand moved lower, trailing down my throat, over my breasts, his touch leaving a path of fire in its wake. I let out a shaky breath, my pulse racing for a completely different reason now.

"You want this, don't you?" he murmured, his hand sliding under my shirt, fingers brushing my bare skin, finding the tips of my nipples. The coarseness of his fingers slid over them, and they tightened and pushed against his hand.

I couldn't find my voice, couldn't speak, so I nodded.

His lips curved into a wicked smile against my neck. "Good."

Then, before I could react, his hand moved to his side, and I heard the faint metallicclickof a knife being drawn. My heart leaped into my throat, a sharp thrill of fear mixing with desire.

He pressed the flat of the blade against my skin, running it lightly down my collarbone. The sensation was cold, dangerous, but it sent a jolt of pleasure through me that I couldn't explain.

"Virgil…" I whispered, my voice trembling, though I wasn't sure if it was from fear or excitement. Maybe both.

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