Page 67 of Lovely Violent Things

Smoke curls up toward the open ceiling of the cavern, and I follow the billowing trail, anxiety a claw constricting around my lungs as I breathe in the smoky air.

As Devyn coaxes me into an erotically sensual dance, I flash back to the ritual when Kallum endeavored to do the same, luring me into the frenzy.

“Where they have some,” Devyn says, motioning her head languidly to her higher men, “you have every aspect of theÜbermensch, Halen. At first, I envied you that. Your connection to the primordial pain. But then, every path is unique, just as you said. And then there you were, amid my ritual ground, my answer.” Her eyes shine fiercely in the glow of the fire. “Mypath.”

She drapes her forearms over my shoulders, her eyes listless, her body rocking in seductive waves. For the briefest moment, I yield to her desire, allowing myself to be swept up in her embrace, trying to connect with her, where I can reason with her…

I stop, motionless.

The Overman’s ultimate weakness was always their humanity, what they needed to sever to fully ascend. I’ve been trying to reach Devyn’s humanity…but that’s no longer possible. She’s succeeded in concealing it beneath drugs and her delusion.

Torn over the knowledge that I’ve already failed, the pain point is realizing I have to turn her over to authorities like this.

Her body stills as she looks deeply into my eyes. “I’m offering you eternal reprieve from your suffering. I even liberated you from the vile sorcerer, the wickedpharmakeus. I made it so he’ll finally do the time you know he deserves. I’m giving you everything you wanted.”

She braces my face between her palms. As her glassy eyes track my face, I allow her to press a tender kiss to my lips, embracing the connected sorrow between us, before I pull away.

“Devyn,” I say, gliding my fingers over her soft features. “I promise, I’m going to get you the help you need. I’ll be there. I won’t leave you.”

Her expression twists, a mix of uncertainty and her dazed state giving me the advantage to turn in her hold and elbow her side. Dropping to my hands and knees, I crawl toward the perimeter of the circle and rake my fingers through one of the alchemic symbols.

“No,” Devyn shouts.

She drops to her knees beside me, her obsessive-compulsive nature triggered at seeing the defaced symbol. While she attempts to fix the marking, I claw the earth and pitch the dirt into her eyes.

She releases a furious, shrill scream that activates her herd.

“Fuck.” I shove past her and dart toward the lowest hedge of flame. I blink hard, clearing my vision of the tracers streaking off the sparks as I glance around at the blind men and women feeling their way toward the center of the circle.

The woman holding Devyn’s staff makes a sluggish move toward me, and I duck and grasp the long wand at the base, snatching it free of her grasp. I run toward the fire, holding my breath when I reach the wall of flame, then dart through to the other side, where my clothes lay in a pile.

Breath ragged and lungs searing from the smoke, I tie my shirt around the end of the shaft. “Come on…” Once it’s secured, I thrust the staff into the flames. My shirt catches fire.

The ghoulish herd encroaches from all around, and disorientation chews at my mind. I reach up and remove the circlet, tossing it to the ground. Gaining balance, I grasp the staff with both hands and slash an arc through the air.

My attackers can’t see the fire, but they can hear the searing pop, feel the heat. I use the fire to push them back as I hedge along the wall. Their groans compete with the ringing in my ears, and I try not to look at their stitched eyes, to feel even a measure of sympathy that will hold me back.

The massive Vince Lipton closes his arms, making a grabbing motion as he forcefully barrels toward me. I plunge the fire into his chest, halting him and earning a furious roar.

As I fight my way toward the mouth of the cave, Devyn pushes to the front of the throng.

Wreathed around her neck is the chain of bone, and she unhooks a slender, pointed antler from the necklace and starts toward me.

I tighten my hold on the staff, the light of the flame illuminating her as she draws close. “I don’t want to hurt you—”

“Want is powerful, Halen.” She swipes the talon-shaped bone through the air, forcing me to back away. “I want to rip you open and wade around in your depths. Mywantis stronger than yours will ever be.”

Holding her fierce gaze—seeing even a sliver of what remains of the woman I know—I make a decision.

I drop the staff and run.

Making it as far as the opening, the pale moonlight spilling in to show the way out, I feel her hand snare my hair before she snatches me backward. I hit the ground hard on my shoulder. Pain flares through my bones.

Devyn descends on me, a wildness cast in her dark eyes. I block her strike with my forearm, keeping the weapon locked in my sight as she bears down.

A cold, despondent look passes over her face before she tears into the flesh of my arm, coming away with skin and blood between her teeth.

A gritted scream rakes free of my chest. Adrenaline firing through my veins, pain isn’t what ignites my rage. Fury tears a destructive path through my reason at seeing the damaged ink. Fight comes alive, and I dig my nails into her throat, squeezing her trachea until I hear her wheeze.

---