But I had a goal, a purpose, a mission—and I would not get distracted. For a fraction of a second, I debated forwarding her essence to Heaven, where it truly belonged.
No, I have judged this soul to be mine. God has taken enough from me.I threw the nameless woman's soul to my plane, where hungry ghouls and bored demons would enjoy such a delightful diversion.
What if that had been Anna?asked a small voice inside my head. A voice that, at one time, had been my conscience before the fall.Would you still have given her to your monsters to become a tortured plaything?
From the corner of my eye, I watched Malachi drag an overweight male down the hallway, towards me. The man let out anoofas his body crashed to the wooden floor. A fluffy white towel, wrapped around his waist, fell open to reveal his ass.
Malachi jeered and pushed his booted foot in the small of the man's back. "You are a disgusting, worthless piece of meat."
I should've been paying more attention to what was going on, but that unwelcome voice in my head distracted me.Of course I would send Anna to Hell. Shedeceivedme, betrayed me in the worst way possible.
How could I have been so blind? Ironic, really, considering the situation. Somehow,Ihad been the unseeing one all this time. The darkest, most malicious part of my heart wanted to hurt her in the worst way possible, to make sure she understood just how deep her betrayal went. And the judgment that would follow…
You deceived yourself, Lucian. Why'd you run away, instead of confronting Anna? What are you afraid of? The truth?
I threw my arms wide as I stood in the reception area. "I am afraid ofnothing." Every shadow, every area devoid of light, flew toward me.
The red-haired man—boy, really—raised his head upward. His gaze met mine. Something like terror flashed in his eyes.
Immediately, I zeroed in on his cheeks. I'd recognize those acne scars anywhere. He'd been one of the boys Anna had hugged. One of the men she lived with. One of the males she'd fucked over and over again, laughing at how gullible and stupid I'd been.
I delved into his mind.His name is Jason, and he bears my mark.
He and his friend had lived to torment Anna as children. Now they were fucking her.
My limbs shook from fury. "I warned you I'd drag you and your companion to Hell, you despicable worms," I hissed. "You will not taint what I hold sacred." Black hatred boiled in my mind. All I could see were his arms around Anna—myAnna. All I could imagine were his disgusting, fat lips on her skin. Holding out a hand, I willed him to me and clenched my fingers around his soft, pudgy,weakthroat.
"N-no, please," he whispered. "We did what you asked, we—"
I shook him so hard his head flopped back and forth. "I will snap your fucking neck for touching her."
His fingertips desperately scrabbled at mine while each limited inhalation I allowed whistled like a teapot.
"Didn't… Never…" His eyes rolled to the back of his head.
My grip lessened a bit. "Can't have you dying too quickly." I nodded to several ghouls waiting in the shadows. "Eat, but slowly. I want to ensure he feels every puncture of your claws and teeth."
With glee, they climbed up the backs of his thighs and sank their mouths into the small of his back.
His vision opened and he screamed.
I smiled and released his neck as they took control.
Samael appeared a few feet away, dragging a second naked male through the hallway, dropping him at my feet. "Found him hiding under the massage table."
Delving into his thoughts, I discovered he was the other boy named Ryan I'd marked the same day near the tool shed.
"It seems you boys are still as stupid as you were the first time we met."
"You've got it wrong," Ryan said. His eyes met mine for a brief second. Visible shaking coursed through his body.
Samael rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"How many times have you touched her?" I kept my tone low and even. But inside, I fought an urge to strip away his skin and burn the exposed muscles.
"It's not like that." He clasped his hands together as if praying. "My relationship with Anna—"
That one word… Relationship.As I'd known all along.
