Blood Rebel [COMPLETED]

Chapter Thirty Eight - Cruel Love

Virgil and Xander heaved themselves up off their bellies and sat up, sliding back to press their spines against the wall. Only Selene still clung to the railings, willing Hector to turn around and come back into the room.

"He's gone, Selene," said Xander, in a tone that managed to express both disapproval and disgust at once.

She loosened her hands on the metal and swivelled round to look at him, aware that Virgil stared at her too, with a puzzled look across his face, his head lolling against the wall.

"You do know I still mean to kill that man." Xander paused, frowned, adding: "that Vampire."

Before Selene had time to answer Diana's raised voice bellowed up from below.

"You, there," she shouted, pointing at one of the guards, "take the prisoners back down to the cells."

The oversized guard stomped across the floor, bent down and began to drag the dead body of the woman towards the door. The prisoners were jerked along by the tugging on the chains that linked their feet, still connected to her lifeless, breastless form.

When they had gone, Diana placed her hands on her hips and looked down at her feet. The silence in the room was taught, broken only the rustling of Angelo's leather jacket as he thrust his hands in and out of the pockets.

"We didn't really get the opportunity-" Magnus began.

Diana looked up and scowled.

"You'll have another chance," she spat. "Go on, get out. I have no use for you now."

The Vampires looked at her, unsure of whether she really meant it.

"Go!" She shouted, and at that they moved, their great forms emasculated by her tone.

A moment later Diana stood alone in the room, and she stretched her neck and threw her head back, gazing at the rolled steel joists that marched across the ceiling. Selene squeezed herself further back against the wall in case Diana should chance to look over, pressing her body between Xander and Virgil.

The door creaked open again and Diana drew her head down again and looked at the figure that entered the room.

"Send them up tomorrow, after sunset."

And once more Hector stood in the room, alone this time. Selene balled her hands into fists, feeling her nails sink into the skin of her palms.

"Hector." Diana's tongue smacked in her mouth as she said his name, curling it around her teeth.

Hector took a step towards Diana, and the air between them seemed to crackle. Something within Selene buried its head, not wanting to see. Xander glanced over at her, but she kept her eyes down.

"What do you want?" He asked, his voice sharp.

"You."

Selene's breathing became shallow, each intake sitting in her mouth, her lips apart. She closed her eyes and raised her hands to cover her ears, but Xander leaned round to look at her and prised her hand from the side of her face.

"Listen," he said.

Diana's heels clicked, every step closer to Hector, who stood unmoving. When the sound stopped, Selene opened her eyes, waiting.

Diana stood, her legs apart, only an arm's length from Hector. She was tall, and they stood almost eye-to-eye.

"Why haven't you come to me?" She asked.

"I've been busy."

"Not that busy. It has been a long time Hector." Diana reached out and touched his face, but he turned his head to the side and looked to the floor, although he didn't flinch or stop her gliding her skin over his.