Page 52 of An Unexpected Ascension
Thunder cracks above us as if the storm has found its way inside my home. The deafening sound rattles my bones and paralyzes my heart. There’s a terrible heat now drowning the air, like Hell itself has followed the demon.
I will my thoughts to clear, my mind an empty void of nothing as I feel him steeling beneath me, rubbing into my bottom.
Think of nothing.
White.
Static.
Clear skies.
Nothing.
“Trouble focusing, Angel?”
Dark honey coats his tongue, his words coaxing me out of my safe abyss.
“Stop,” I demand, but my voice barely produces sound.
Another barreling crack of thunder echoes around us, certainly calling my God down. Surely, this is it. I’m going to Hell.
No! I will not let him win like this.
Ripping myself from him takes every ounce of effort I have.
Warning him, I back myself out of my room. “Stay away from me.”
I flinch as the bulb above us shatters, drowning us in what little light still lurks between the roiling black clouds outside. Hermes follows me, narrowly dodging missiles of glass.
“Sorry, but that just doesn’t work for me.” His gaze is taunting and his stance is purely predatory. “It takes maddening effort not to ruin you right here and right now, but I would really rather you find that tree. I’d like to see the look on your face when you finally know the truth.”
I continue my retreat into the kitchen, my back hitting the edge of the table. I grip the chair next to me and try to wedge it between us, but Hermes rips it from my hands. It crashes against the cabinets, the crack of wood barely heard over the rumble of screaming thunder.
“I’m staying in Heaven.”
“Is that so?”
Hermes pins my hips to the table, his fingers twisting in a lock of my hair. His sardonic chuckle tickles my lips as his face slowly dips. Hail begins battering my window, threatening to shatter the glass.
Before the demon’s lips can touch mine, a voice cuts through the tension.
“Briar?”
“Will!” I breathe in relief.
Hermes takes a step away from me, smirking before simply disappearing. Immediately, the hail ceases its attack, and the clouds evaporate into clear skies once again. Even my lightbulb sits round and new.
“What’s going on? Are you okay?”
“I-I don’t know. He just—” I wasn’t quite sure what to say.
Dirty, grimy, shameful.
It all slams into me before fluttering away like those stupid butterflies flitting about in the forest.
“What was he doing here?”
So many questions. None with answers. Well, answers that I want to share. Taking a few deep breaths, I lower myself into one of the few remaining chairs. My hands shake as I rake them through my hair.
