Page 99 of Body and Soul

As I walked, I tried to make sense of what had happened. Azreal's reaction had been extreme, to put it mildly. I understood his protectiveness of Dex, but to accuse me of being some kind of predator? It stung, dredging up painful memories I'd rather forget. Memories of the cult, of the twisted things they'd tried to make me believe about myself...

I shook my head, trying to dispel the dark thoughts, and kept walking, head down.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice the dark figures emerging from the shadows until it was too late. Roughhands grabbed me from behind, one clamping over my mouth while another pinned my arms to my sides in an iron grip.

I tried to struggle, to cry out, but the hands holding me were too strong. I was dragged backwards into a narrow alley, the rough brick scraping against my back. Panic clawed at my throat as I thrashed against my attackers, but it was no use. They had me completely immobilized.

“Hello, Elias.”

That voice. That smooth, oily voice that haunted my nightmares. My blood turned to ice in my veins as the speaker stepped out of the shadows. Father Ezekiel. He looked just as I remembered him - silver hair, cold eyes, that infuriatingly calm smile. The sight of him sent a wave of nausea rolling through me.

I tried to speak, but the words stuck in my throat, choking me. His eyes gleamed with something that looked like satisfaction, like he’d been waiting for this moment, savoring it.

“Did you think you could escape us forever?” His voice was almost soothing, the kind of voice that used to lull the others into obedience. It was a lie, all of it, but it had worked on me once.

My heart hammered in my chest as I thrashed again, the hands holding me tight like iron shackles. I knew this was it—I was trapped. I could feel the walls closing in, the weight of the past crashing down, suffocating me.

“Please,” I whispered, my breath shallow. “Please don’t.”

Father Ezekiel took a step closer, his presence swallowing the alley like a dark shadow. “Welcome home, Elias.”

There was a sharp pinch in my hip and I looked down to see a needle jerk out of me. The world spun, my knees buckling as darkness swallowed me whole.

I blinked my eyesopen, squinting up at the glow-in-the-dark stars plastered across the ceiling, casting a faint green luminescence in the otherwise dark room. Dex's room. The velociraptor sheets were tangled around my legs and the scent of crayons lingered in the air.

I sat up slowly, rubbing my temples, trying to deduce how long Dex had been out. Probably not long. He didn’t like to stay fronting for long. Usually, he was only out a few hours before he wore himself out.

I rolled out of bed and went to read the house journal first. There was an entry from Azreal, as usual. Dex didn’t ever remember to leave notes, so Azreal did it for him.

Dex played dinosaurs, watched age-appropriate television and ate junk food.

Succinct and to the point, as always. I expected nothing less from Azreal.

Beneath that was an entry from Keres that boasted in graphic detail about his conquest from the night before. Breeding hisbunny, he called it. I rolled my eyes heavenward, irritation prickling beneath my skin. Keres's vulgar terminology never ceased to grate on my nerves. He treated Eli like a hole to be bred rather than a cherished submissive.

With a weary sigh, I rose and made my way out to the main living area of my apartment. The open concept kitchen and living room were meticulously tidy, as I preferred, but there were dishes in the sink from the night before. The vacuum cleaner sat unused in the coat closet and the bucket and mop for washing the floors were nowhere to be seen.

Unease flickered in my gut as I strode down the hallway to Eli's room. I rapped my knuckles against the door. “Eli? Are you unwell?” No answer. I tried the knob and found it unlocked. Odd.

I pushed the door open, the hinges squeaking in protest. The room beyond was shrouded in darkness, the blackout curtains drawn tight against the morning sun. I fumbled for the light switch, blinking rapidly as the overhead fluorescents flickered to life, illuminating the space in harsh white light.

Eli's bed was empty, the charcoal gray comforter rumpled and unmade. His laptop sat open on the desk, the screen black. I crossed to it, tapping the spacebar. The login screen appeared, prompting for a password. No clues there.

Uncertainty coiled in my gut as I strode out of the room, checking the bathroom, the closets, even the crawl space that housed the water heater. All empty. No sign of Eli anywhere.

I returned to the living room, snatching my cell phone off the side table and pulling up Eli's contact. It rang once, twice, three times before going to voicemail. “Eli, it's me. Where are you? Call me back immediately.”

Trepidation morphing into dread, I crossed to the sliding glass door that led out to the small balcony. The morning air was crisp and cool against my skin as I gripped the wrought-ironrailing, my knuckles turning white. I scanned the street below, my gaze darting from car to car, searching for any sign of Eli. The sidewalks were empty, save for a few early morning joggers and a woman walking her dog. No one even remotely resembling my wayward submissive.

With a muttered curse, I ducked back inside, sliding the door closed with more force than necessary. The glass rattled in its frame, but I paid it no mind. My heart was pounding in my chest, a sickening sense of dread rising like bile in the back of my throat. I could feel Keres pushing at the edges of my mind, his rage and possessiveness threatening to overwhelm me. I gritted my teeth, forcing him back. Now was not the time to lose control.

I snatched up my phone again, my fingers flying over the screen as I pulled up Eli's contact once more. I hit the call button, pressing the phone to my ear as I paced the length of the living room. One ring, two, three, four... Voicemail. Again. I ended the call with a frustrated growl, resisting the urge to hurl the phone across the room.

Think, damn it. Think. Where could he be?My mind raced with possibilities, each more dire than the last.

I dialed Gavin's number from memory. He picked up on the second ring, his voice crisp and professional as always. “Good morning, Shepherd. How may I assist you?”

“Gavin,” I said, my voice cracking on his name. I cleared my throat, trying to regain some semblance of composure. “Have you seen Eli?”

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