Page 141 of Tortured Soul
He stopped abruptly, head snapping to the side in attention.
“She’swhat?” Arc growled. “Why can’t you fucking—”
“Shut up.”
The Nephilim turned around and scanned their surroundings, his whole body tensed, taking a defensive stance.
“Di—”
“I saidshut up!” he hissed.
Arc stiffened. Something was wrong. In the whole situation, yes, but also with my friend.
He didn’t act like himself. Was he losing his internal battle with his demon side?
“We’re surrounded,” Dimitri said, leaping backward. “MOVE!”
But something in the air shifted, and in a second, hundreds of people were on them. Hellrisers, Earthwalkers, Humans… Dimitri was kneeling on the cracked and dirty floor, holding his head and pulling his own hair with a deafening scream.
Dozens of Immortals were holding him to the ground as one pushed the tip of a syringe into his neck. Another one, walking slowly toward him, had his hand outstretched in front of him, his palm sliced open and dark smoke coming out of it to wrap around Dimitri’s head, invading his nostrils, ears, and mouth.
Arc was untouched but didn’t move, watching the scene unfazed. His eyes stopped on the man moving forward. The man whose smoke made Dimitri choke and retch.
Brown hair reached his shoulders and was held back in a half bun. His skin tanned, stubble dark and perfectly trimmed. His brown leather jacket shifted as he dropped his arm, satisfied that Dimitri was busy trying to fight the dark smoke attacking him from everywhere at once.
Arc’s eyes met the stranger’s and they held, recognition flaring his hazel irises flecked with gold before he spoke.
“Good to see you again, Archelaus.”
Lola
The sun was rising up as I sat at the kitchen counter, drinking my coffee and eyes narrowed on Carter. His white eyes and unnatural stillness were terrifying, but I couldn’t bring myself to leave the room. What if he suddenly woke up from this strange trance and—I don’t know, hurt himself?
For the third time in five minutes, my eyes drifted to the lonely marker sitting on the counter, just a few inches away. Ireallywanted to do that.
Would it be childish?
Yes.
Did I care?
Not really.
Slowly, without letting him out of my sight, my hand slid toward it. It was only the two of us for a couple of days, might as well pass the time and make fun of him a little, right?
Standing up carefully, I made my way to his front and took a few seconds to study his frozen state. The way his white eyes shone, almost blinding. The way his whole body was tensed and stuck in place.
I muffled a giggle as I lifted the uncapped marker to his face, my tongue peeking out as I drew over his upper lip, ending both lines with a little curl.
“Perfect,” I snickered.
Lifting my hand higher to draw little horns, his hand snapped around my wrist and I yelped.
“What the f—”
His eyes shone brighter, forcing me to close my eyes as I tried to break free, but he held me too tightly.
“Carter!” I screamed, pulling harder as the pain intensified and climbed up my arm. “Carter, let go! You’rehurtingme!”
