FALLEN - Nephilim Arise Series

Chapter Four

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Joanne’s parched mouth ached as the water echoed against the metal it hit over in the corner. Her tongue swelled with each drip until the dryness of her mouth became unbearable. Afraid to make a sound she lay on the cement floor, quivering with cold and dread. 

She was caught in a nightmare. One of her own making. 

She’d known for years that this day could come. Would come. But as the years passed, the threat of discovery, of remembrance disappeared. 

She thought she’d been safe. She’d never been more wrong in her life.

Footsteps skulked closer. She counted the seconds it took for each thud on the floor. One foot lagged behind at a slower rate. She tried to figure out who her captor was but she couldn’t recall anyone with a limp leg. 

Joanne trembled as the air filled with the stench of the monster. Something inside of her warned her to get ready. She relaxed her body a second before flying through the air and being thrust violently against the wall. She couldn’t breathe. Curled into a ball, her body ached as waves of pain tore through her. She couldn’t contain the cries as she was kicked over and over. Joanne begged for the horrific beating to stop but with her every mournful cry the feral attacks increased.

She was going to die.

“You’re not going to die. I have plans for you. I’ve always had plans for you.” Cold hands gripped her face. 

Joanne recognized that voice and knew.

He’d come back for her.

Every bone felt broken, every muscle torn, trickles of blood welled up through open cuts, pinpricks of pain danced along her skin. She prayed for darkness to overtake her, to consume her and end her misery.

“Not only for you, Joanne, dear.” Tremors flowed through her body as the voice hissed her name. Once upon a time the demon had whispered her name, like a silk caress against her skin. Once upon a time when he’d been an angel in disguise. 

The crackle of laughter filled the air. She’d forgotten he could read her thoughts.

“I’ve never been in disguise. You’ve always seen me as I am. As I should be. As I will be once again - thanks to you.” 

Joanne shook her head and ignored the pain. It wasn’t possible. How could he know?

“You thought you could hide our son away from me? There is no place you can run that I can’t follow. You thought your prayers to God would save you, didn’t you?” The hatred and arrogance in the voice of the one she once used to love shook her to the core. 

“You’re mine, Joanne. The moment you pledged yourself to me I stole your soul.”

Darkness stole over her as she struggled to understand what he was saying to her. How could he steal her soul? How did he find out about her secret?  

“Nathan,” she whispered before she gave in to the bliss of darkness that surrounded her.