Page 67 of Unholy Fate

No matter how much it hurt.

Levi’s hands settled on my shoulders, his touch gentle but firm. “Let me help.”

The sound of his voice was a soothing rumble, and I found myself obeying without protest.

As he stood behind me, his fingers began kneading the tense muscles at the base of my neck and along my scalp. Each touch sent a ripple of relief through my body, slowly easing the vise-like grip the pain had on my head. I’d never realized how skilled Levi was with his hands. Yet another traitorous part of myself wondered what else he could do with them.

Aziz’s deep chuckle pulled me from my inappropriate thoughts. “Hang on, I read something about this on social media.” He unfolded himself from the couch, his movements graceful despite his muscular frame.

I watched through hazy vision as he disappeared into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a basin of steaming water. The heat wafted up, caressing my face as he knelt before me.

“Put your feet in,” Aziz instructed, setting the basin on the floor. “It’ll draw the blood away from your head.”

I eyed the water dubiously. Tendrils of steam curled up from the surface, and I could feel the heat from where I sat. “Are you trying to boil me alive?”

Aziz’s full lips quirked in a charming curve. “Trust me, it works.”

Gingerly, I slipped my feet into the basin, wincing as the hot water engulfed my skin. It bordered on unbearable, but as I forced myself to remain still, the heat slowly morphed into a pleasant, tingling warmth. Aziz was right. I could feel the throbbing in my temples begin to recede.

Perhaps demons did know a thing or two about human healing after all.

Ian returned then, a handful of pills cupped in his palm. He extended his hand, offering me a small, white tablet. “Here, take this. Don’t ask questions.”

I narrowed my gaze at the mysterious pill, suspicion warring with desperation inside me. I knew I should probably question a demon giving me unknown drugs, but the relentless pounding in my skull made the decision for me.

Snatching the pill from Ian’s hand, I swallowed it down with a sip of water before I could second guess myself. As I leaned back into Levi’s touch, I sent up a silent prayer that whatever they’d given me would dull the pain without any infernal side effects.

But then again, didn’t the bible teach that making a deal with demons was always a gamble? I just hoped this time, the odds would be in my favor.

The darkness crept in slowly, bleeding into the edges of my vision like spilled ink. I blinked hard, trying to clear the fogginess, but it only seemed to make it worse. The room began to tilt and sway, the demons’ faces blurring into indistinct smears of color.

“I don’t think this is...” I started to say, my tongue heavy and uncooperative in my mouth. The words trailed off, lost to the encroaching shadows that pulled me under.

I was falling, tumbling down into a void that had no end. Distantly, I heard the low rumble of voices, felt hands grasping at me, but I couldn’t respond. My body was no longer my own, disconnected from my consciousness that drifted aimlessly in the black.

Time lost all meaning in this place. Seconds, minutes, hours—they all blended together until I couldn’t tell if I’d been here for an eternity or mere moments. The only constant was the darkness, thick and suffocating, pressing down on me from all sides.

And then, like a strike of lightning piercing the night, images began to flash behind my closed eyelids. Fragmented scenes, disjointed and confusing, played out in rapid succession.

I saw myself, but not as I was now. This version of me was different, ancient and strong, with a fierce light blazing in my eyes. I stood tall and proud, unbowed by the weight of the world on my shoulders.

The visions shifted, and suddenly I was in a garden, lush and verdant. A sense of peace washed over me, a bone-deep certainty that this was where I belonged. But as quickly as it came, the serenity shattered, replaced by a searing pain that ripped through my very being.

I tried to cry out, but no sound escaped my lips. I was trapped, a prisoner in my own head as the memories assaulted me, each one more vivid and agonizing than the last.

Through it all, one thought crystallized with startling clarity, these were no mere dreams or hallucinations. They were real, as real as the demons who watched over me now.

I didn’t know what it all meant, but I knew one thing for certain. My past, my true identity, was intricately tied to the beings who had taken me in.

And I wouldn’t rest until I uncovered the truth, no matter the cost. No matter the pain.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

IAN

I leaned against the doorframe,my body a mask of indifference. But inside, anticipation thrummed. Evelyn’s limp body sagged against Levi’s chest as the sleeping pill dragged her under. Levi gently adjusted her position, cradling her curves with more care than I’d ever bother with.

“What the hell did you give her?” Levi asked. Curiosity rather than concern tinged his deep voice.

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