Page 28 of Tortured Soul
“We’re good,” Arc said, walking toward the door. “I’ll let you introduce yourselves, there’s somewhere I have to go.”
The Divine man on Kai’s left took a step to the side to let Arc get to the door. He felt like a higher angel, probably that Jeremiah they had mentioned a few times. Short brown hair, dark blue eyes and scruffy stubble—in opposition to Arc and Kai’s clean shaven faces. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a beige shirt. If he noticed the proximity in which Arc and I were standing a couple of seconds ago or the blush creeping up my face, he didn’t say anything.
Arc didn’t turn back as he left the room and closed the door behind him.
The third Immortal, another woman, chuckled, moving her head slowly from side to side. A Hellriser, lower demon. Her black afro hair was shaved with patterns on the sides, skin a dark brown, eyes inky black. She was wearing some lighter version of the guards uniform. Probably the commander Marcus mentioned this morning.
“Lola, let me introduce Ann”—Kai pointed to the shifter who gave me a warm smile—“Carrie”—then the chuckling suspected commander—“and Jeremiah”—the stoic Divine wearing a suit. “All four of us and Arc have created this camp. Together, we’re protecting it and its residents.”
Hence, theGuardians. That made sense. Although, their name could have been better.
“And what about Carter? What’s his role here? If he’s not part of your little band, why does he act like it?”
Ann groaned and rolled her eyes, strolling toward me. She looped her arm in mine to lead me to their group as Jeremiah pushed open the door for all of us.
“Carter’s a pain in the ass, that’s what he is. Don’t worry about him.”
“So, what do you think about the Archives?” Kai asked, smiling broadly and following after us in the corridors.
“It’s great. Thanks for the warning about Casper, by the way.”
I didn’t see his face as he answered. “I call her Margaret. I picture her as a gray-haired Victorian old Lady who doesn’t like pompous men making a mess of her space.”
“Wow,” I said. “That’s…oddly specific.”
We reached the hall and came to a stop.
“Ignore him,” Ann said, squeezing my arm. “Just make sure to always be respectful of the books and documents you touch or use in the archives. I always say hello when I go there and goodbye when I leave. Last time, there was a lemon bar waiting for me on the desk.”
Kai snorted, walking to stand in front of us.
“Orthe person using the computer before you simply forgot to eat their snack. Maybe it’d been there for days.”
Ann shrugged. “It tasted fresh.”
“I wouldn’t have eaten it. What if Margaret tried to poison you? Maybe she thought you were Carter…”
“Don’t insult me,” she snapped at Kai, her brow furrowing. I tried to pull on my arm, but she held onto it firmly.
“Would you have eaten it?” Kai asked, turning to Carrie.
She looked at him with a bored expression before looking at each of us. “No, Lemon is gross.”
With that, she turned around and left the hall toward the street. All of us remained silent for a few seconds, looking at the door she just left through.
“She definitely would have eaten it if it was chocolate,” Jeremiah taunted, lifting his arm to check his watch.
“I was about to say the same thing!” Ann said, throwing her head back in laughter.
Jeremiah merely smirked. He turned back to me.
“It was lovely meeting you. Let me know if any Divine other than Carter causes you any trouble.”
Was Arc considered a Divine? Because he was definitely causing me some kind of trouble. Like, how the hell did I end up dizzy and grasping for him? The energy that fueled me was notthatdepleted. Depleting, yes. But the amount I had left was not critical.
I’ve had worse. Can’t let it getthatbad…
“Could we have a word?” Kai asked me kindly.
