Page 12 of Silenced

I swallow.

My mouth tastes gross, but that’s irrelevant right now.

Why is he looking at me like that?

As if I’m his.

I’m nobody’s.

A no one.

A sudden, blinding light has me sobbing with the pain of it.

The hands holding me with a surprising amount of kindness scoop me closer to his chest and encourage me to hide my face there.

He smells good and I suck that scent down, trying to use that as a distraction, but the next thing I know, I can hear the sounds of people talking in a language I don’t understand but one that’s oddly familiar too.

Nuzzling my face into him to hide from the light, I can feel the vibrations of his steps against—

He’s climbing stairs.

Metal ones?

“Where…” I pause, becausemotherfuckerouchdamngodhellshitOUCH,and, gathering my strength, slur, “Takin’. Me?”

The angel doesn’t answer.

Don’t fallen angels talk?

Rude.

I force myself to open my eyes, refusing to allow the pain to suck me under again as I take in my surroundings.

That’s when I know I’m dreaming.

Apparently, rides to Hell happen in a private jet.

That’s the last I know before unconsciousness tugs at me once more.

Maybe the next time I wake up, I’ll no longer be Harvey’s toy, just the Devil’s.

He can’t be much worse, can he?

4

NIKOLAI

I’m Only A Fool For You - Dybbukk Covers, Domingo Morales

* * *

“What areyou going to do with her?”

I continue to ignore Dmitri much like I’ve been doing since I decided I’d be taking my little sun home with me.

His disapproval is more than evident. He’s been watching me dress her ankle which has a minor contusion and a faint graze from where her skin rubbed against the cuff—it should be fine in a couple days.

There are scratches on her arms, though.

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