Page 97 of Wanted

This is a dream, isn’t it?

Straightening, the shadow shimmers, momentarily becoming transparent. “You let me in.”

I shake my head in denial. I wouldn’t. I couldn’t… but how else did he get here?

He must have tricked me into giving him the key.

The shadow begins to stalk slowly toward me, leaving a trail of black mist in its wake. “How long did they keep you here?”

Instead of answering him, I say, “You need to leave.”

The shadow stops and shimmers again. “I’m not leaving you here alone.”

I laugh bitterly at that. “I’m always alone.”

I prefer it, actually. It’s better than being hurt or disappointed.

The shadow moves toward me again, the darkness melting away. Wispy tendrils of black swirling off his body, Raphael materializes in the flesh.

And he’s somehow even more handsome than I remember. So handsome and perfect, it nearly takes my breath away.

Stopping in front of me, he reaches down as if to touch my cheek.

“From now on, you will never be alone,” he vows with tempting blood-red lips.

I jerk my face away at the last second and step to the side.

My heart pounds with fear, anger, and strangelyexcitement.

But I don’t want him here. This is my place, and he has no right barging in.

He has no right to see theinsideof me.

“We’re all alone in the end,” I counter and glare at him.

His eyes glitter, full of dark promise. “For us, there is no end.”

The promise resonates inside my chest as if it’s being echoed by an invisible gong, but I find no comfort in it.

Only terror.

There has to be an end. For this to go on for an eternity would not only be unbearable, but extremely cruel.

Surely, he wouldn’t force that on me?

His head suddenly turns as if he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. “What is that wall?”

“Don’t…” I warn, knowing his intention before he acts on it.

Ignoring me, he reaches out and touches the stone. “Why is it wet?”

Just as I grab his arm to pull him away, he gives the wall a hard punch. Cracking it even more.

A lightning bolt of pain courses through me, stealing all the air from my lungs and the thoughts in my head.

Dropping to my knees, I double over, trapped in a prison of pure agony.

“Fuck!” Raphael snarls viciously.

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