This chapter is dedicated to my longest reader, the lovely Fuzzy_Muna, she has been so supportive of this story from the very beginning and an absolute angel! I've been meaning to dedicate to her for a while, but thank you so much for all your Demons Run love and support! I had you in mind when I wrote this, so please do enjoy. ♡
Demons Run (11)
Roman and I didn't talk much the next day because of our last little argument. He wasn't being nasty to me anymore, it was just… silence.
We'd spent the entire day in the Sierra Grande, only stopping for the occasional restroom break. When my back started to hurt, Roman seemed to notice my discomfort and pulled over to a motel. It was pretty shabby, but I wasn't complaining. I just wanted to shower and get some rest.
We went about the usual routine of checking in and then finding our room that was located up a flight of concrete stairs. This room, like all the others, had two queen sized beds and a pullout couch.
I sat my bag down on the floor and gave a heavy sigh as I fell back on the bed.
Pain mimicked my actions and plopped down on the bed beside me. He turned his face to me and I looked at him curiously.
"Do you want fast food?"
It suddenly occurred to me that it had been a while since I ate. It was almost like I was growing less accustomed to food, which didn't really seem quite right. I wasn't hungry for food anymore, I was hungry for things like understanding and knowledge.
"I guess." I said unsurely.
"Great!" He shot up off the bed excitedly and looked over to Panic who was already waiting by the door. Neither of them liked being cooped up, which I can understand. From what I gathered, they always roamed pretty freely and did what they pleased since they were faeries. They were able to travel from The Burrow to Earth to Hell, and back to The Burrow. They got bored with motels pretty quickly and it was understandable why.
Roman came out of the bathroom, toothbrush in his mouth, "What are you two doing?" He asked, muffled by the brush.
"Going to get food." said Panic as Roman turned around to spit and rinse.
"You can't leave." He said exasperatedly, stepping back out of the restroom again.
"But Eve's hungry." Pain pouted.
Roman looked down at me to confirm this and I remained silent. I wasn't really hungry, but I knew it was unhealthy to go this long without eating. After a short moment of staring at me he gave a curt nod.
"Be back within the next fourty-five minutes or less." Roman said concisely. They both gave fervent nods and ducked out the door.
...
The twins hadn't returned yet and Roman was growing anxious. He was pacing the room impatiently, muttering curses under his breath. There were dark bags under his eyes that made him appear sleepless. It was a drastic difference from a few hours before.
"Just sit down, Ro." I tried to soothe him, "I'm sure they just got a little side-tracked is all. You know how they are."
Roman smacked the hotel's phone off the nightstand and its cord ripped from the wall. I winced and shut my eyes, trying to calm my pounding heart. He was so irritable; these past two days Roman seemed to be taking a turn from cool and collected to volatile and scary.
"I can't rely on them for anything!" He yelled, "What's the point in keeping them around if all they bring is trouble?"
"They need us," I reminded him. He looked like he wanted to object this with some smartass remark, but he kept it to himself in the end.
By this point, he looked positively wretched. Don't get me wrong, sick-looking or not, Roman was still gorgeous. His skin had paled a bit and his cheeks were flushed unhealthily. A thin sheen of sweat had started on his brow.
"Are you okay?" I asked quietly, "You look sick. Here, lie down, I'll go get something to cool you off with—"
As I got up from the bed to fetch a cool rag, I felt his hand catch me by the arm. I looked up at his tired face, "I'll be fine. I just need some fresh air."
"Then go get some. I'm not going anywhere, you know."
"I can't leave you here by yourself. I don't trust you." He admitted, "You're a curious little kitten. Who knows, you could have another dream and wander off to meet Raziel somewhere again."
"Still obsessing over that, are we? Do I look asleep to you?" I rolled my eyes, "Fine. You can either let me take care of you, go get your fresh air, or stand there and be miserable."
He gave me a short glare, "I'm going for a walk, try not to be killed."
"Okay." I said simply, giving him a sweet smile. He gave me a slightly confused look as he slipped his jacket on. I could tell he was having a bad day, and I'm not sure if he picked up on it or not, but I liked to avoid conflict. The few arguments we'd gotten into was because I felt like he was stepping on me, and I don't tolerate that.
I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt, I over-look flaws, and see the good in their nature. There's no point in assuming people are cruel or bad when life is so much better if you're looking at the things the optimistic way. The glass is half full of water, and half full of air, so technically the glass is always completely full.
"I'll be back in fourty-five minutes tops." He said, grabbing the key-card to the room. "No leaving, Eve, I mean it. I'm trusting you, here."
I nodded and plunked down in one of the office chairs, taking a magazine from off the desk and beginning to flick through it. The door closed behind him, almost as if he had slammed it. I flinched a bit. He was so hot and cold— it's like there were no between the lines with him. He was either full-on sweetheart or a total bag of dicks. I'd never met anyone like that before, so I wasn't sure how to handle it. But I think I may be figuring it out.
...
It had been thirty minutes since Roman left, and I'd been enjoying the silence. It reminded me of my apartment and how peaceful it was. Living alone wasn't without its perks. I sort of missed it, but then again I was glad to be where I was. My life had been seriously lacking in the 'adventure' department, and I had craved companionship.
Just as I was skimming through an article about the best pumpkin pie recipe, a sudden scream penetrated my silence. It was the scream of a terrified and distressed woman, and it was coming from somewhere on the bottom floor.
My heart leapt somewhere into the region of my throat. Demons? Regardless of what it was, someone was in trouble and I might be the difference between life and death for her.
I jumped from the chair in a burst of foolish courage and snatched my coat from the hanger. I slipped it on and ran out the door. I pulled my coat closer, trying to ignore the harshly cold winds. Thunder rumbled in the distance and a light rain had begun.
I padded across the wet pavement of the motel's sidewalk, following the sound of chaos; things were being broken, there was clearly some struggle, and I could hear the woman's loud pleas for help.
"I won't anymore, I promise!" screamed the voice frantically. There was another smash and sound of shattering glass.
I picked up my sprint into a dead run as I finally realized which room it was. The lamp inside cast dancing black silhouettes against the cheap curtains drawn over the windows. There was a tall, looming figure, and a much smaller woman. Domestic dispute?
I stepped out of the rain and under the awning, ready to burst in through the tattered door and save the day, when something caught my eye.
A quick flash of silver.
I stopped just short of the door and instead scooted sideways to peak through the crack in the curtains. It was just wide enough for me to see something that scarred my mind permanently. Roman was standing over a now-dead woman with her chest ripped completely open, leaving protruding bones and internal organs. His eyes were glowing that threatening demonic silver color. He looked like he was radiating pure power and ecstasy. His hands were covered in blood, just as his shirt, and even the side of his face was sprayed with it.
Her bloody body lay face up on the mattress which was soaked in crimson. Her terrified eyes were still open, leaving a horrifying scene. Roman was standing at the foot of the bed over her, his jaw locked and a triumphant smile just barely pulling at the corner of his lips.
I put my hands to my mouth and my eyes watered. It was too late to save her— too late to save her from my demon.
I backed away slowly, into the loud, thrumming rain again, too immensely perturbed to watch the scene any longer. I ripped my eyes away from the door, scared he'd come after me next, and I felt my chest fall to the ground in a million little pieces. I turned away from the hotel and ran as fast and as hard as I could.
I didn't slow down.
I didn't care where I was headed.
I didn't look back.
I wasn't satisfied even after passing three gas stations. I was probably at least an hour away from the motel, but it didn't seem like I could distance myself near enough to be okay. I had just witnessed someone I love and thought so highly about murder a stranger.
My lungs were on fire; I took great gulps of the frigid air and slowed my pace. The muscles and joints in my legs were aching and burning. They felt limp and weak like spaghetti noodles. I was taking huge, panting breaths that hurt my chest and covered in a freezing sweat.
I followed a path into a forest as the rain decided to do a complete down-pour. I was soaked to the bone. My clothes and hair were drenched and sopping. I didn't know where I was or what was going to happen to me.
Down the path was an old, run-down, rickety looking church. It was made mostly of old wood that had rotting spots in it; the architecture itself was very nice craftsmanship. It was a large church that towered in the middle of the clearing. It was the only structure I'd seen for miles, completely abandoned and lost in time.
I noticed then that one of the doors had a gaping hole punched through its middle. The hole appeared large enough for someone to fit through.
I looked around at the abandoned woods anxiously and then continued forward, up three concrete stairs and onto the porch. I ducked and slid through the hole, shivering at the cold. The fact that I was positively drenched didn't help either. I was going to get sick.
The slosh of my wet shoes against the creaky wooden floor as I walked down the isle was the only noise that accompanied the drumming rain outside. I sat in the fourth pew and gazed around. It had been a while since I was in a church.
"God, can you hear me?" I asked quietly, "It's, um, Evangelina. Evangelina Virgo. I just wanted to say that I didn't choose to be what I am. I would be eternally grateful if you could just split Roman and I up again."
My side where the tattoo was suddenly began feeling irritated and sore. I must have been chaffing from the wet clothes rubbing it the wrong way. I touched my coat where the sore spot laid underneath.
"I'm not sure how to pray. I've always believed in you, but I didn't think church was necessary for a close relationship." I told him. My side started stinging a bit worse now, and I touched it again uncomfortably. "Maybe I was wrong. There's a lot I would do differently if I had the—"
I broke off mid-sentence, fidgeting in the pew. The pain on my side had become red-hot-thousands-of-fire-ants worthy and could no longer be ignored.
I yanked up my wet shirt and coat to see that the beautiful black designs were very irritated and oozing blood. That couldn't be just simple chaffing. It hadn't been like that before I came in to the church.
Right in front of my eyes I watched the blood and irritation grow worse and realized that I was on hallowed ground. The tattoo represented the demonic part of me, and demons were not allowed to be here.
I stood quickly from the pew, running towards the door as the pain got worse and worse. Right before I reached the door, the pain reached a crescendo and I could feel the blood trickling down my side and sticking to the inside of my shirt. It hurt so bad I couldn't think logically, and just slammed into the door, trying to get out before I was punished any worse. The doors didn't budge and the stinging increased. A small yelp emitted my lips, but I was avoiding a scream.
I felt like a trapped animal and fell against the church doors, unable to get out through the hole. I hyperventilated and slammed into the doors again. The rotting wood gave away and I fell through to the outside. I didn't even stand, I army crawled away from the small pile of rubble and into a muddy, grassy area where I collapsed from exhaustion. The pain of my tattoo was mercifully receding now.
After a few moments of laying on wet earth, I was able to gain enough strength to sit up and cross my legs. My lip trembled and I began crying. What else could I do? My heart was completely broken, and I couldn't even step foot in a church without being punished. I didn't choose what I was. Could I even get into heaven if I died? Of course not, I had a damned soul. I would go straight to hell and be Ornias's chew toy.
His words came floating back to me like an eerie echo in my head.
There is no place in the world for creatures like you.
I sobbed more, sitting in a pathetic pile among dirt and grass and mud. I started shivering a bit, and the rain eased up but didn't yet cease.
"Miss Virgo, yes?" said a voice from above. My head instantly whipped up to see an unfamiliar man standing in front of me. "Virgo means damsel, were you aware?"
I hadn't even heard his footsteps. He was beautiful; his hair was jet black and his eyes were dark. His skin made him look like some sort of lovely tropical boy— also, he was completely dry from head to toe. He took a step toward me and the rain instantly stopped— or at least appeared to. I looked up to see this sort of large bubble surrounding he two of us. Rain hit the top and slid off and around the sides of some invisible force.
I stood up slowly, careful of whoever this was. I stared at his profile, scrutinizing him, and determined he was a demon.
"What do you want?" I asked shakily; my voice was trying to be strong. Much like Ornias, he didn't appear to want to hurt me, but I'd learned by now that looks can be deceiving.
"To help you." His gorgeously tempting shaped lips tipped downward at my cynicalness, "I know all about what's happened. I've heard your story, and you're quite the remarkable woman. After what happened in the alley, and meeting Ornias, now on the run with Roman?"
I stared at him warily, "Just leave me alone."
I wanted to turn and leave, but something made me stay. Something about how absolutely stunning his face was made me want to keep staring.
"Darling, please stay." He said charmingly. It made my brain do all sorts of fuzzy things. "Roman is a bad, bad man."
Some of the fuzziness retreated from my head at the mention of Roman's name, "Wait, what? How do you know that?"
"Care to walk with me?" He offered, "I will tell you all about your demon."
"I don't know you." I said, trying not to give in to his alluring voice and personality. It was like a moth to flame. Everyone knows what happens when the moth reaches that flame.
"I'm Pharzuph." He said, giving me a small bow. "I would very much like for you to know me."
He was suave and seemed only curious about me. Even if I ran, where would I go? I wanted answers, and he seemed to have them.
"Okay." I agreed hesitantly, taking his outstretched hand. Something like conquer glittered in his eyes if only for a moment, but he stomped it out too soon for me to be sure.
He led me away from the church and into the woods. There weren't any actual hiking paths, so we just strolled along, stepping over fallen limbs and protruding roots.
"You deserve much better than your situation." He said, leading the way, "Roman is a liar. I'm curious, though. Why did you leave?"
"I watched him kill somebody." I blurted. My eyes went wide and I balked. Why had I told him that?
"You didn't know he had to kill?" Pharzuph asked innocently. I looked up at him. He was staring at me interestedly, "As a demon, you have an unquenchable bloodlust. In order to live, you have to kill. Did he ever even tell you how he became a demon?"
"No," I said quietly. Roman was very vague about the things he told me, something I'd grown to hate.
"When he was a human, long ago, he consumed demon blood." said Pharzuph, "After consuming so much of it, he finally turned."
My stomach dropped to my bladder and I couldn't quite grasp the information I was receiving, "He chose this? To be a demon? Why?"
"He did." Pharzuph answered, sounding sincerely regretful, "Because he's power hungry. Now he has to kill both humans and demons to continuously sate his hunger. It's sad that he was leading you to Babylon. It's a good thing you got out while you could."
It didn't feel like a good thing. For all his bad, I still loved Roman. My head was telling me I shouldn't feel this way, but my heart didn't care. I wouldn't pursue him knowing that he was dangerous, but a mere thought couldn't extinguish the feelings that had already so foolishly ignited.
"Why do you say that?" I asked quietly.
"He was leading you to your death." He dismissed, "You have what they call special blood and your sacrifice would appease the angels. Roman severing you from life would be severing a part of himself. In the eyes of the elders, an act such as that is considered honorable. Don't ask me why they condone it, considering killing is a sin. It's pretty ironic, don't you think?"
He was planning on killing me? A lump formed in my throat and I suddenly felt very vulnerable. I was openly susceptible to hurt now. Roman was the first person I'd ever loved; I certainly didn't think that one through.
We reached the other side of the thick forest to find ourselves in a dark graveyard. The earth here was damp, and grew colder, if that were even possible. A thick fog billowed across our feet. I couldn't see the ground from my shin down. It was very eerie and unnaturally quiet.
"You know," said Pharzuph as he turned to face me; his voice was seductive, just like his facial expression, "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever met."
His pupils dilated and I was barely able to notice because of how dark his eyes were. When I didn't say anything, he reached his hand up to my face and ran his thumb over my lip. I repressed the instinct to softly bite the finger, and kept my impulses to myself.
He brought his lips crashing down to mine and it was like I had no control. I kissed back, desire pooling within me all the way to my toes and back up. He picked me up by my legs and pinned me against a tall nearby grave-stone. His lips left rough kisses on me, and then moved down to my neck leaving a trail to my collar bone where he bit down softly.
In my mind, I wasn't sure why I was doing this. I had just met the strange man. It was all happening so quick, way too quick. His looks were unmatchable by far, but he was a demon, and my mind was hazy with an intense lust. There was no room for logical thought.
"You know, Evangelina Virgo, the best thing a woman can be in this world is a beautiful little fool." He murmured, leaving a hot kiss on my neck; he pulled away and continued, "You are definitely a beautiful little fool."
I couldn't process what he was saying, and I didn't want to. I just wanted to kiss him, to touch him. I brought his face back to mine, not interested in whatever he had been saying. I kissed him more roughly and passionately than I'd ever kissed anyone, and he returned it with every bit of fiery intensity.
He set me back down onto my feet and spun me, pressing me to him so that our hips were dangerously close.
He pulled away from the kiss and looked down at me. The conquering look had returned, and this time he made no effort to cover it. I swayed toward him, but he held me firmly away from him, smiling. I was confused. Why wasn't he kissing me anymore? Didn't he want me?
"I like you." He told me, "I'm going to give you the biggest high you've ever felt before I kill you, my dear."
The biggest high. Yes.
"I can't allow you to leave here, which you already know. It'll give other demons the wrong idea. It'll stir up a rebellion, and we can't have that." He went on, "You are quite fun though. Maybe when good ol' Grim drags you to hell, you can be my play-thing. What do you say?"
An eternity of being his play-thing? Kill me, Pharzuph, please.
He swooped my legs out from under me and then laid me on the ground, crouching over me. He put his hand up my shirt and began exploring, sending red hot signals everywhere. He kissed my chest again and back to my neck. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back as he unzipped my soaking wet, freezing jeans. I waited to feel his hands in a certain region— the only currently hot place on my body— but it never came.
I opened my eyes just in time to see a hulking, dark figure slam into Pharzuph and knock him off of me. I sat up and stared, blinking dreamily at the scene before me. Since Pharzuph had been knocked away from me, I was sitting in the drizzling rain again, unprotected by the invisible force.
Paying closer attention, I saw it was Roman who had ripped Pharzuph off of me. Why did he have to ruin my night? I just wanted to have a little bit of dirty fun.
"I should've expected you to show up." said Pharzuph in an annoyed voice. He stood up calmly and brushed the graveyard dirt off of his clothes, "Can't you see that we're busy?"
"Keep your disgusting hands off of her." Roman bit out.
"You're lacking in the intelligent banter today." said Pharzuph teasingly, "You must be really mad."
"I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed man." Roman humored him, "If you were any less intelligent I'd have to water you twice a week."
Pharzuph smiled and snapped his fingers, pointing, "There it is!"
"Shut your mouth. I'm not here for you, I'm here for Eve." said Roman lowly.
"But we were just getting started." Pharzuph smiled maliciously before turning his eyes to me, "Isn't that right, honey?"
I lifted my dreamy eyes to his face and nodded, standing up and starting to walk over to him. Roman stuck his arm out before I could walk past and shot me an angry glare, "Angel, you've yet again gotten into another mess that could've been easily avoided. Stand over there and wait on me."
My obedience never came. I didn't want to listen to Roman, I wanted to get to Pharzuph and gain his affections back.
"No." I said stubbornly. Even I didn't recognize my own voice. "No, I want to go to him."
Roman turned to me abruptly, grabbing my face and boring his eyes seriously into mine, "Go. Stand. Over. There."
"No-o." I said back, equally as serious. For a second, as I stared into Roman's eyes, I questioned my own actions. Why would I want Pharzuph so bad when Roman was right in front of me? The thought quickly snapped back like elastic and hurt my head. I wanted Pharzuph, yes. Roman's agitation grew and he let me go.
"Then I'll kill him." He said viciously.
No. No, don't kill him.
"I'll be with you in a second, my love." Pharzuph said to me, "Roman will stop being a bully and leave us alone again." His voice dropped an octave, "And we can start where we left off."
"Like hell!" Roman said with a sudden burst of fury, running forth and landing a blow to Pharzuph's face.
Pharzuph stumbled back and placed a hand to his jaw, cracking it and moving it around, "Great right hook." With that he came back, giving two or three speed punches that ate away at Roman's balance, but didn't seem to hurt him.
After recovering, Roman came back and picked Pharzuph up by the collar of his jacket, tossing him into an old, tall gravestone. The gravestone broke and crumbled on top of him. He let out a groan and shifted around.
Once he'd wriggled his way loose of the rubble, Pharzuph leapt forward and uppercut Roman, causing him to stumble across a gravestone and fall at my feet.
I could hear Pharzuph's voice in my head, "Eve, darling, don't you want me? Don't you want to have fun? We need to get rid of Roman, okay? There's a piece of headstone by your foot. Pick it up and hit him over the head as hard as you can. Do it for me, my good girl."
I looked around for the said object, and when my eyes found it, I didn't hesitate to pick up the headstone and hold it firmly in my hands. I looked down at Roman, and he looked up at me as if he expected it. His betrayed eyes were locked on the large chunk of stone concentratingly. I lifted back my hands, but didn't throw it just yet.
"Now, Evangelina!" Pharzuph hissed.
Roman looked up at me, waiting, "Go ahead, angel. If anyone hurts me, it'll be you."
My eyes watered and my vision was soon blurred with tears. The large slab of concrete in my hands trembled. I couldn't bring myself to do it. Why would Pharzuph ask me to do this? I didn't want to hurt Roman. I couldn't. I loved him.
I dropped the concrete to the side and fell to my knees, crying, "I-I can't. I can't hurt him. I could never hurt Roman. Why would you ask me to do that?"
Pharzuph looked down at me with pure shock and bewilderment, "Wait, h-how did you—?" He broke off, appearing truly terrified for the first time. Roman gave me one last meaningful glance and then got up, turning to face the opposing demon. He grabbed Pharzuph by his shoulders and slammed his head on a nearby gravestone before pressing his body to the ground and landing a quick punch.
"I'm sorry, Pharzuph, but I have to do this." Roman said, hovering over him. "History will judge me harshly if I don't kill you while I have the chance."
Pharzuph opened his mouth to say something, but Roman ripped out his windpipe before he ever got the chance. I let out a terrified noise and stumbled backwards, ready to run away again. My mind broke fully free of its lustful haze and I realized what had just happened. Pharzuph had seduced me and was going to kill me once he was done 'playing.'
Roman stood from his kill and turned swiftly to me. His face was seething with rage, "I thought I could trust you!" He yelled, sounding more hurt than angry, "You told me you would stay put!"
"And I did!" I screamed back, "I did, then I heard someone scream! I thought someone was in trouble so I went to help. I found you ripping some woman's throat out! Excuse me for wanting to get away from you while I had the chance!"
"You should have waited! I could have lost you!" He said furiously, "You have no idea how much that would have—"
"Waited for what?" I asked, ignoring anything else he had to say, "To be slaughtered like an animal?"
"Look, I can explain." He said, still in his loud, angry voice, "Yes, Evangelina, I'm a demon, and I both enjoy and have to kill."
"Why are you telling me this?" I demanded tearfully, "You're a sick bastard!—"
"You want honesty? Here it is. I killed her in cold blood. And I loved every messy second of it." He said heartlessly, "She was addicted to meth. She abuses her young son, who fortunately was just taken away from her and put into foster care. She burned her cigarettes on his arm. He's now blind because of pesticides she sprayed in his eyes when he was barely a year old." I listened to his story and my heart still crumbled, "I don't kill the innocent, Eve. I punish the wicked."
I had quieted down a lot and wiped the tears out of my eyes, "Why didn't you just tell me?"
"I didn't want to scare you." He said, stepping forward, "I guess that kind of backfired, huh?"
I wanted to give him a small laugh, but I couldn't. Now that my senses were back again and no longer numb, I could feel the cold return ten fold. My nose felt like it was going to fall off my face.
"Come on, angel, let's go home." said Roman, pressing his hand on my back and leading me away from the graveyard, "It's time we talked. No more secrets."
...
Even the heat in the truck hadn't warmed me up the slightest. It still felt just as cold in the interior of the vehicle as it did outside.
In the truck, Roman explained that I had felt hazy because Pharzuph had placed a siren's spell over me that clouded my better judgement. Pharzuph was the demon of fornication and lust.
It all made sense, but I felt like a fool. There had been no way to avoid him. Pharzuph wanted me under that siren spell; I'd had no contol over my actions, but I still felt that I could have fought back and protected myself better.
The walk up the stairs was like walking up Mount Everest, trying to reach our room in one piece. I was so exhausted and hurting all over. Roman opened the door and we both piled inside. The twins had still not returned. He set the card and the Sierra Grande keys on the bedside table and slipped off his jacket. I stopped to stare at how his muscles flexed as the jacket rolled down off of those god-like arms.
I should have changed out of the freezing clothes, but I couldn't. I wasn't in my right mind. Bright lights flashed across my vision and I grabbed my head in pain. Peppered black dots followed in my eye sight. The room was spinning and I rocked woozily on my feet. My head swam and my knees started wobbling weakly. Thinking that maybe I was dehydrated, I forced myself to walk to the kitchen to get a drink of water, and every inch of my body was in pain. In a matter of seconds I'd went from freezing to burning up.
Sweat began beading on my face and dampened the underside of my hair. I was out of breath and I hadn't even reached the kitchen yet. My lower back and shoulders were sore and tight. I was aware of every sound in the room as my shaking body leaned against the wall for support. It didn't take long before I realized things were only going to get worse. There was something terribly wrong with me.
I was suddenly struck with paranoia, looking around the room. Someone was watching me; there were eyes on me. I only saw Roman, however, and he was focused on taking off his boots. I tried to take another step away from the wall, but all strength abandoned me hopelessly. I hit the floor with a loud thud and Roman's eyes shot over to me.
"Eve!" He yelled, quickly rushing over to my side and hoisting me up into his arms.
I could feel him pull me into the bathroom and lay me down on the floor, checking for all vital signs. My motor skills weren't working. I couldn't talk, I couldn't move, and everything I was seeing had become too bright for me to really focus on.
"You're freezing." Roman said as he touched the soaked jacket. I didn't really feel freezing. I'd felt hot moments before, and now I didn't feel anything. He began ripping off all the top layers of my clothes until I was in nothing but boy shorts and a tank top. "Shit, shit, shit."
He looked around frantically before he finally made a decision. He put his hands under my arms and pulled me into the bathtub with him. He leaned forward and cut on the warm water and turned on the shower head, even though he was still fully clothed. He positioned me inbetween his legs and had me laid comfortably back against his chest as the warm water drizzled over us.
"Please." He whispered, holding me in his arms and rocking me, "Come on, it's okay. You'll be okay. Don't-- don't do this to me, angel. Wake up!" He sounded worried and choked up. Almost scared. And he wasn't scared of anything.
My head was lolled back onto his pectorals, my eyes were closed to the harsh outside light. I could barely hear the rest of whatever Roman was saying to me. My mind was being pulled somewhere else… somewhere dark…