Angel's POV
I sleep a whole day away in Sardonix's bed, to wake up in the early stages of the next dawning night. I see a brown city sky turning navy blue when I sit up, and beside me I see a midnight coloured silk robe.
I can hear masculine murmuring out in the living area of the penthouse from Sardonix's pack, so I slip out of bed, putting on the robe. I refresh first in the restroom, washing my face and brushing back my long dark brown hair.
I close the robe in the middle around my naked breasts, and I tip toe out into the living area to see what's happening.
The whole penthouse is lit by beautiful candles and lanterns, while the pack sit around a huge dining table filled with what can only be described as a mega feast.
The Satanic Priests have full plates, quietly speaking to one another – however, when I walk out to the bar, to get myself a glass of water, my presence has the pack silent.
I blush with the power I hold over them, while Sardonix is right next to me, filling a wine glass to the brim with a freshly opened bottle of red wine. He has stiffened when I walked up next to him to pick up a glass and turn on the tap.
I glance at Sardonix sideways and then over the rest of the pack, who are giving me a generally-suspicious vibe off the whole table.
My guess is they wanted to fuck again, soon.
Around the back of the bar is a bigger kitchen and a few hired chefs run around cooking up more food.
They aren't fazed by my appearance although the pack are.
"What's the special occasion?" I ask, a little husky from my deep sleep still wearing off me.
I do note that the pack didn't fuck me as men, like they said they would. I thought it was odd but thought nothing of it, until I witness their reactions now.
"We always eat big," Sardonix explains, a little too smooth.
I give him another sideways glance as I side step closer to the sink and twist a hand behind me nervously, feeling along the bar as we speak.
"You can't look me in the eye," I tell Sardonix this directly, and he looks from the glass cabinet holding all the fine wear, to looking straight into my eyes.
"Come with me outside," Sardonix speaks so quickly, although now he holds my stare, "...the clear sky... we'll look at the stars."
I try to read his expression. Usually he is easy with his menacing grace, but there is a strange coolness across his whole face now.
Hmm.
Something else has happened.
There's definitely been some kind of news... something bad... and it involves me.
I know simply for the fact he won't tell me right away.
"The sky," I repeat his words, "Sure. Okay."
"How's your marks?" Sardonix asks, a little more gently, motioning to my hips, and obviously, my butt...
"Healed," I am chirp and spritely with my reply, hoping that cheers him up; it doesn't.
"How do you feel?" Sardonix asks me, as he steps back, sculling his wine and turning to the balcony he is about to stride toward.
"Refreshed," I answer as my fingers trail along the polished bar, and then I follow his quick movement.
Sardonix murmurs an incomprehensible word under his breath and makes his way for the fresh air.
Plus, privacy.
I quickly look over my shoulder, and the pack are all staring at me, but smoothly look away – just some are not so quick.
Especially Clypto, who doesn't even break his eyes away from mine.
Instead, he stares right at me with no expression... although I... feel it.
Oh... no.
Oh...
I almost cry with the overwhelming sense of dread building in my gut, but I gulp it down as I stride for the boss.
Sardonix had to tell me what the hell was going on!
The man... the demon... surely he would tell me what was happening when we were outside.
I quickly hold my robe closed tighter for comfort and I shove one hand under the material too.
I see Sardonix pacing across the balcony quickly, jittery, nervous – fast.
He didn't even leave the door open for me.
I lean on it and it opens, and I step out bare foot to be with him.
Sardonix looks at me for a split second and paces to the railing.
I walk up and I stand next to him.
"...are you going to tell me what's wrong, or am I going to have to pretend everything is okay?" I ask him, "Is it my father – has he asked about me, or threatened any of you... attacked you?"
"...your father?" Sardonix asks, narrowing his eyes, seeming confused.
"Jason," I remind him.
"No," Sardonix shakes his head and he holds out an arm for my tense shoulders – as it was cooler out here.
I happily step into his front, and lean back against him, as he puts his arms around me, leaning his forearms on the balcony railing.
He's so nice and warm.
At least that is comforting.
I don't say anything else. He can do the talking.
"I've heard if you make a wish on a star, it'll come true... as long as you are pure at heart," Sardonix drawls, "Which you are, Angel. What would you wish for right now?"
"I don't care about the stars. Or wishes. I only hope that you will tell me the truth... and nothing but the truth," I reply a little rudely, not even looking at the sky. I look at the street below and the foot traffic.
Sardonix proceeds to breathe.
Silence.
For some reason this doesn't feel so foreboding.
So, I just stand with him, in our complete and agreed upon silence.
However, I do slowly shuffle myself around, to face Sardonix.
He doesn't move away, and he keeps his eyes focused on me when I look for his demonic gaze. Heavy, haunted eyes.
I try reaching up on my tip toes to kiss him.
Sardonix stiffens considerably and before my mouth can touch his, he lets go of the balcony and steps right away from me.
Sardonix and I say nothing of his reaction.
We simply stare at each other a little longer and he turns to go back inside.
"Come. Eat."
Two words leave his mouth with his back to me.
I ignore them.
The door slams shut as Sardonix strides away, and I stay on the balcony.
What the heck?
I look down off the balcony, feeling an overwhelming urge to run.
But it's way too far down to jump.
I turn and quickly go back inside the penthouse, my only option.
Sardonix is sitting at the feast with his brothers, in the middle, he sits opposite Clypto.
"I'll be a minute," I call out to them, as I hurry back into the bedroom where all my clothes are. I put on a pair of jeans. A loose t-shirt. Socks. Shoes – new sneakers.
I walk back out to the pack and I slowly make my way to the feast.
"I guess you fuck and forget, huh?" I can't help but say this accusation to all of them, as I stop at the end of the table and I reach over for some of the uneaten fruit. I pick up a slice of apple and I eat that. I take Gamma's wine glass and I drink some of that too.
I purposefully put the wine glass down in a clumsy manner, just as I hear one of the chef's coming over with more platters for their 'everyday' feast.
I make sure the wine glass wobbles, leans and falls to the floor. Glass promptly shatters and wine spills everywhere.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," I apologize to Gamma, and the hired chef. She's young. Older than me, but shorter than me.
"Don't worry about it, I'll get that for you," the chef immediately puts the food onto the table and uses her cloth in her waist band to place down onto the spilled wine, stopping it from reaching the carpet nearby.
I look at Clypto, and Sardonix – both of whom have guessed something isn't right now with me in particular.
Clypto's wine glass is frozen at his lips as he watches me suspiciously.
Sardonix is about to stand again, after just sitting down.
I can't waste anymore time.
I reach under my t shirt, into the back of my jeans waist, where I hid a kitchen knife.
I pull it out and swing it around the chef's neck, pulling her up and pressing the blade to her skin. She immediately recoils into my front, against me, almost knocking me over with her panic.
I have to hold it even tighter against her skin. She finally stiffens and doesn't move.
The whole pack realise their cover is blown.
As they all stand as one, a uniform movement – all demon eyes focus on me.
"Jim, HELP!" the chef calls out for her partner in the kitchen.
"NO ONE MOVE," I scream out over her and when Sardonix tries testing my resolve by stepping around his chair, I almost cut her neck. She whimpers and I try to steady my arm with the adrenaline now shooting through my veins.
"What the hell are you doing?" Sardonix snarls at me.
"You first," I hiss at him, "What the hell are you doing?"
"Nothing," Sardonix suddenly acts normal, coy and sly – his eyes now easily focusing on me. Liar.
"Nothing, huh?" I ask him, "It's not nothing!" I scream this, as I slowly edge my way around the table, pulling the whimpering chef with me.
"What's gotten into you?" Clypto asks next, finally drinking his wine. Of course they're trying to make me seem crazy.
"I feel it," I admit this to them all, "...I feel... it... I just feel it."
"I'll tell you the truth," Sardonix finally speaks some sense to me, holding up his hand as I shuffle further and further away, toward the lift, my exit, "Just let the innocent woman go."
She was my only defense.
But I also wanted the truth. Badly. I was hungry for it.
First, I back us up all the way to the lift, and I press for it. I hold her close.
"Deal. I'll let her go, but that's because you will tell me the truth, but first, I need to know I can leave safely," I explain myself thoroughly so the chef will stop trembling so much.
It was hard to control her size, even with the weapon and even with her being a little shorter than me. I had to let her go eventually.
When the lift opens, I pull the knife away from her throat and she just collapses with the fright, subsequently crawling away from me, while I step back into the lift and I keep my eyes on Sardonix across the room, as I press for the ground floor repeatedly.
"THE TRUTH SARDONIX," I scream this at him before the doors start to shut.
"I hope you know how to disappear," Sardonix pisses me off with his half-hearted 'truth' and admission, but he does pick up a bone, no meat left – and curiously he puts it between his canines and snaps it in half, he throws one half to the ground, and spits out the other half.
He watches me the whole time.
Bones. Snapping?
Death by their... teeth... jaws... Lycan teeth. They're going to rip me apart, aren't they? Probably for dessert or some crazy shit like that.
I have no idea what changed, I just get the message.
The lift doors click shut in front of me.
However, all around me are mirrors in the lift.
So I close my eyes.
It takes an eternity to reach the bottom, but when the lift jolts and the doors open on the other side, it was time to disappear!
I breathe out and I turn to leave.
Unfortunately... there is nowhere to go.
Just outside the lift doors in front of all their offices, I see the entire pack is already down here.
I didn't know as mortal men – they were as fast as the beasts inside them. I'm shocked into silence.
Sardonix is waiting for me at the front, his brothers flanking him.
I'm backed up, with nowhere to run to.
There was no turn left I could make.
Only forward. Toward them.
Sardonix is the first to show me this.
"It's time," Sardonix takes a hand out of his pocket, to casually open the palm toward me.
"Why?" I blurt, feeling my nerves start to get the better of me. Now I'm jittery.
Sardonix looks down at his boots.
It's the last time he'll do it tonight.
When he raises his eyes, it's a new kind of red... a new kind of 'focus'.
"Why?" my Lycan savior, my Sardonix, turns against me, "Not all girls get a happy ending... Angel... you're one of the unlucky ones."
Sardonix keeps his palm open toward me, as if I'd take it. Why?
Because. No choice. No choice but to –
Well.
I had no choice but I did have a weapon in my hand now hidden behind my back.
I move.
I reach for Sardonix's palm with one out stretched hand, our fingers interlock and I lunge for his neck with the knife.
The pack move simultaneously – while I move much quicker than I ever imagined I could.
I was so fast my blade cuts Sardonix, a shallow wound before I'm jerked backward.
I see red blood dripping from his skin toward his priest's collar, while the rest of the pack pull my arms down and push in around me – blocking me in between all their huge bodies. Now? I have nowhere to even step. Direction is taken from me,
My weapon is also taken out of my hand while I am held captive. Seven grown demons against one girl.
Sardonix holds his neck with one hand, checking the blood on his palm – out of everything that has happened tonight, that makes him smile broadly. He turns to see me staring at his smile, and he can't help himself. He holds out his bloody hand to show me what I did to him and he slips those wet fingers past my cheek, along my hair to the back of my head.
Sardonix presses his mouth to mine, biting on my lip, making a small cut – trying to make me bite back again. I'm so hypersensitive with my adrenaline that I bite quick – and he bleeds into my mouth.
At that strange moment of unity, his blood seeps over my tongue, while he can taste my bleeding lip. It deepens between us. For some reason now we're both kissing each other with our tongues and I'm enjoying it despite everything.
While Sardonix's bloody fingers... are... tracing... writing... weird symbols on the back of my head, through the strands of my hair.
Sardonix lets me gasp in a breath and brings his hand back to his bleeding neck, which is healing quickly. Before the blood dries up, he takes a few more drops to wet his hand, and then he smears it across my cheek again, back into my hair, trailing his fingers across my head in that weird way again. But now he explains himself, "You took it, so use it, dimittis ignem, remember that," Sardonix grabs my chin at the end, "Not yet. Wait."
"Where are we going?" I ask him, confused about everything.
"Back to hell," Sardonix answers for the pack, who still won't unhand me.
"Not the temple," is my guess.
"To a place we can offer you up," Sardonix explains truthfully now, "You probably won't be able to escape, but the dark truth is that I can't let you go free, you don't understand the position I am in with the devil. He will kill me if I don't do this. Only you can save yourself."
"But. S-soulmates," I say that specific word with difficulty, "Aren't we –"
"We made a mistake," Sardonix answers awkwardly.
Now I shake off my stutter from before and I glare at him with my rising tide wave of emotion. Denial. Frustration. Passion.
"Yeah, you made a mistake believing whatever the greatest liar in any realm told you," I can't help feeling bitter, "You gave me up so easily."
"I am not the devil," Sardonix explains, "I wish I was. I don't want to..."
"Whatever. I understand, Sardonix," I respond, still feeling cold, "You need to. And just like the magic you just uttered into my ear? Well guess what, I don't need to use that. I'm not going to do anything you say. I'm going to wait, I'm going to witness what you choose to do with me. I'll see. I'll see what you're really thinking. In your heart –"
"Don't play that game with me," Sardonix snarls over me, losing it, "Don't. You'll lose badly."
"Let me lose," I respond hysterically, and we all hear footsteps coming from the lobby, so the pack suddenly unhand me and step back, while Sardonix contains his rage – barely – to glare at me, while I murmur, provocatively "...at least I have a choice. Are we going? Let's go."
Sardonix nods and moves down the corridor toward his office, so we can move away to where it's private.
The number on his door is back up – room 666.
It wasn't 999. Of fucking course.
When we enter his office, I am now a willing participant.
I was still confused on the mechanics of this entire situation, but I knew one thing, he was acting irrationally – and rashly.
So, he needed to calm down.
It was up to him to choose me.
He already chose me.
To think Sardonix could break that promise was sickening – unbelievable even.
I walk up to his desk and I lean on it, crossing my arms over my chest as I glare at each of the Lycans, as they undress carefully – preparing to shift, while Sardonix goes around the desk to grab his rocks to throw and open the portal to hell.
He holds them in his hand, making the mistake of looking at me first.
"You... like me..." I tell him, almost saying love, but choosing to change it at the last second.
Sardonix picks up on that hint of weakness.
He can't help keeping in a smirk, "Oh, I love your pussy, Angel, I do – it's a shame you have to die before we had our proper fill of you."
I look away from him to the hot room, as the Lycans shift.
I see the furry magnificent beasts and my reality feels a little bit more... real.
Sardonix is last, and he pulls around the desk to throw the stones.
The portal opens, the Lycans snarl as the heat of hell blasts through, and they jump down.
Sardonix stays next to me, putting his hand on my elbow, he tries to push me toward the portal.
"Don't be a dick," I pull away from him, "I can jump myself."
I walk to the edge of the portal and I hesitate.
I look back at Sardonix, now sitting on the edge of his desk, hands empty – not even bothering to undress. He is just going to explode out of those clothes.
"I won't save you, Angel," Sardonix explains to me, now super serious, "Not this time. You're going to hurt badly and then you're going to die badly. I have my orders. It isn't quick. It's very bad."
"Then be bad and kill me," I tell him seriously, "Because I seriously think you would never do that to me."
"What? Because we fucked?" Sardonix actually answers this part coldly. I gawk.
"Because you..." my mouth opens and closes with my nerves.
"Say it," Sardonix taunts me.
"It feels like, you might, actually, l..." love... why can't I say the word, "Don't you like me?"
"You're so shy of the word love but you're running headfirst into death," Sardonix is trying not to chuckle.
Fine.
I force the words out of my mouth.
"Don't you love me?" I ask him straight, biting each word out one by one. In my hardcore effort I almost stumble and fall into the portal, but I pull one foot back, the foot that just slipped in clumsily.
I stand stiff and wait for his answer.
Sardonix lets me stew in the moment a moment longer.
Ew – stew, that was going to be me in a minute.
"...dimittis ignem," Sardonix murmurs the magical spell he said earlier, and slowly raises one finger, in a slow fuck-you gesture.
I don't understand him.
I don't understand him.
But I'm also so shocked by his impoliteness that I move, I had a natural flinching backstep motion at his vulgar finger.
I feel sudden and abrupt, hellish heat and emptiness below me as I lose my balance.
I fall in. I look down at hell and then I look back.
My hand instinctively reaches for Sardonix.
Catch me.
But he doesn't reach.
Instead, Sardonix licks his sharpening canines and then holds my eye as a man one last time.
He shifts.
The Lycan bursts forth, defeating the man – ready to jump into hell, to follow me.
And I?
I just fall.
I fall below and beneath the Earth.
And I realise as I'm falling that I did make a wish to the stars before after all, in the back of my mind, when he had his arms around me. I just didn't want to acknowledge it before.
I thought our stars crossed.
And I just wished that was true.