Page 33 of Finn
“Gabriel.”
I froze, slowly turning to find Beric himself standing just a few feet away, his eyes gleaming with interest as he looked me over.
“Arriving late?” he asked.
I forced myself to meet his gaze, calm and collected.
“Apologies,” I said smoothly. “Had some trouble.”
Beric’s gaze sharpened as he inspected me, his keen eyes taking in the scuffs and dried blood I hadn’t quite managed to scrub off.
He frowned. “Trouble? The lions?” Beric asked.
“No,” I replied. “My food gave me quite the chase..”
He studied me for a long moment, his eyes narrowing as if he could see right through me.
But finally, a smile spread across his face. It was a smile that chilled me to my core.
“I see,” he murmured. “Good.”
He gave a short, approving nod. “At least you handled it.”
“Yes, sir,” I said, keeping my tone neutral, my head slightly bowed.
“Get some rest, angel,” Beric said.
“You as well, master,” I replied.
He turned and vanished down the hall, leaving me standing there, fighting the urge to breathe a sigh of relief.
I’d narrowly dodged a bullet. For now.
Once I was alone, I slipped into my room, shutting the door behind me. My hand shook slightly as I leaned against it.
The truth of what I’d just done, lying to Beric, keeping Finn’s presence a secret, it pressed down on me.
I wondered how long I could keep up this balancing act.
I crossed the room, flopping down onto the bed, exhaustion washing over me.
But as my mind drifted, it wasn’t the violence or the danger that lingered.
It was the memory of Finn, his body pressed against mine, his lips on my own.
And in that fleeting moment, I allowed myself to believe, even just for a second that maybe there was hope for us, however impossible it seemed.
FINN
I moved from one room to the next, searching the dingy apartment for a spot with enough signal to make the call.
Finally, by the cracked window, I managed to get three bars.
I cast a glance around, half-expecting someone, maybe one of Gabriel’s nest mates or another supernatural on Beric’s payroll, to burst through the door at any second.
But no one came. It was just me, alone with the secrets and the lie I was about to tell.
Finally, the call connected, and Elder Marcus’s voice crackled through the receiver, cold and detached. “Report.”
