Page 38 of Bellamy
“Maybe I wanted to put them on you,” I responded, grabbing the sweats that were folded on the chair beside the window. I assumed they were meant for me. Phoenix’s scent rose from the material as I pulled them on.
“Don’t make me teleport you into a volcano and leave your ass there.”
I snorted. “I have wings, dummy. I’d just fly out. But nice try.”
“The lava melting away your flesh would hurt like hell though, even if you could instantly heal yourself. So I’d still win.” Then he added, “Dummy.”
“If you wanted to burn me, just throw me into the lake of fire. Wearein the underworld. In case you forgot.”
“The point is getting yououtof the underworld.” Phoenix sat on the chair to tie his shoes. They were polished and shiny. Expensive.
Wait…
“Get me out? Are you saying you’re—”
“Helping you? Yes. But if you don’t shut that mouth, I might reconsider.” He closed his eyes and breathed deep. His horns retreated, as did his tail. No longer in his demon form, his features were a bit softer, but he mostly looked the same. Just like his former preppy boy self.
One with a bad side. My favorite.
“Why?” I asked. “You said it would be easier if I died. Why help me escape?”
“You think I can stand by and let them kill you?” Phoenix closed the gap between our bodies. “Because you were right. As soon as Belphegor gets the location of that sword, you’ll no longer be of use to him. If he doesn’t break you within the next day, they’re going to start chopping you up, piece by piece. And I can’t let that happen. I won’t.”
“Earlier, you mentioned paying the price for my mistake.” I slowly backed him up against the wall. “What did you mean?”
“We don’t have time for this.” He tried walking past me.
I pushed him back in place and rested a hand beside his head, caging him in. “Tell me what the fuck you meant, Phoenix. What price?”
“My life.”
The breath froze in my lungs. “You traded my life for yours?”
“I might as well have,” he answered. “The reason Alastair told your brothers not to come for you? It’s because I’m your mate. He knew I wouldn’t let you die down here.”
I was trembling. That sounded like Alastair. Clever of him… and soul crushing. Because it all relied on Phoenix sacrificing himself.
“So you’re willing to sacrifice yourself to save me?” I asked, failing to understand. We were enemies.
Phoenix lowered his face to my neck. “You’d do the same for me, even if you don’t realize it right now. Fate has royally screwed us over. Made us prisoners.”
“Why did you fuck me?” A rip tore through the center of my chest.
A pause. “Before I throw everything away, I needed to know.”
“Needed to know what?” My voice broke on the last word.
“What it was like to taste you,” he whispered. “To feel you.”
My thoughts contradicted each other. I hated Phoenix. I hated everything he’d put me and my brothers through. But I also hated the thought of him dying because of me.
I hated the thought of him dying, period.
“We need to go.” Phoenix grabbed my bicep. “The guards will be here soon to take you back to your cell.”
The room disappeared. A weightless sensation took over me, and I got a bit dizzy. Okay, alotdizzy. Teleportation sucked ass. A jolting, head-spinning, stomach-dropping feeling, like being high in the air and then shooting straight down with no warning.
Salt water tickled my nose, and a gentle breeze ruffled my hair. The slosh of water lapping at the dock reached my ears. A deep longing pierced my heart.
