Page 10 of All the Devils are Here

I shook my head against his shirt. “I don’t know how to tell her. She’s going to want to help, and there’s nothing she can do.”

“What can I do?”

Lifting my head, I looked at him. His eyes gleamed in the darkness, lit by the nearby streetlights. So like that night three years ago. It felt safer to be this close in the darkness. Like it was worth the risk.

I twisted up all at once and pressed my lips to his. For one glorious second, everything felt right. A soft moan came out of me, and Laurent’s hand tightened on my hair. He kissed me back, hard and deep, pulling me so close it felt like we would never come apart.

But he pulled away. “Meg.”

There was agony in his voice, but I couldn’t care. I couldn’t do this again. “Why not?”

“Ican’t.”

Slowly, I pulled away from him, and I couldn’t meet his eyes. “I…” I cleared my throat and locked my gaze on a single cobblestone. “I’m going straight back to your house. You can follow me, but I can’t… just give me the dignity of not having to walk with someone who’s rejected me twice, okay?”

“Meg—”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I said, and turned before he could stop me. All the way home I heard his footsteps behind me, but he respected my wishes. He didn’t come inside right away, and I was already closed away in the guest bedroom when I finally heard the front door open.

I was exhausted, aching, and sad. So finally, I curled up under the blankets and I let myself cry.

CHAPTER FIVE

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CALIBAN

The others were gone from the island, and I was on the prowl. I didn’t like to be close to the mountain when he sent them away. If I was out of sight and moving, he would rarely call me. But if I went to our house to rest, he might.

I would prowl.

The night was lit with pale moonlight, but the shadows were still deep in the trees. It was a relief to blend in with them and remain hidden.

They were going to bring her here.

Her.

The beautiful woman from his scrying.

I didn’t want her to come here.

He ruined everything he touched.

Everyone he brought here died. Or was transformed into abominations.

Like me.

But I loved to see her when he watched. She was beautiful. Graceful like a cat.

I wished I could see her myself, if I wouldn’t terrify her. Preferably as far away from this island as one could travel.

But she would be here. He’d ordered them to bring her, so they would.

A growl escaped into the darkness, the rage at being owned rising once again under my skin.

When she came here, I would protect her as best I could. I was tired of watching people die.

Stopping on the beach, I looked out over the ocean. Some day I hoped I could see something other than water. But hope was hard to have after so much time.

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