“Thank you again. You are very brave.” Why was my voice so small? Why did I feel outside of my body but still inside of my head? Why did I feel like I was a small child again talking to an angel in my dreams? Or was he a monster from my nightmares?
“You think I am an angel?” the man with sea eyes said, the color glistening like sun-touched water, the falling diamonds sparks from the glare.
“A misguided one, yes.” I pointed to another one standing in front of me, with blood on his shirt. “Him too.”
The man with sea eyes seemed uncomfortable all of a sudden. “We are veering off course,dolce gatinno. Tell me what that man—” he pointed at the enemy “—said to you.”
“He gave us his word that my husband could always come for me.” Then I started to cry. “Do you hear that? He wants me. He can’t come for me! Do you hear it?” I looked down at my arms, covered in white diamonds, at all of the hairs that stood erect. The blood underneath purled and whooshed, driven by his need, sending my heart into overdrive.
The man with sea eyes stilled for a moment. He shook his head. “I’m afraid that I don’t.”
“How wouldyoulike to be trapped inside your body with your heart beating outside of it?” I sniffed.
The man with sea eyes looked up at the bloodied man. The bloodied man said something urgent. The man with sea eyes waved a hand, and the bloodied man went for the door.
Why couldn’t I remember their names? I knew them…but I didn’t, couldn’t recall.
The sea-eyed man came closer, bringing forth the cross from around my neck. His eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. “A woman of faith.”
In the next moment, I was scooped up from the ground, hanging limp in a beast’s arms. This man was no monster. His eyes were too kind on mine.Actually, perhaps he wasn’t a beast at all when he looked at me that way…
“Scarlett. My baby.” He moved my face back and forth, and when I didn’t respond, he turned to the bloodied man who had gone for the door. “She has blood on her, Rocco.” His voice was demanding, commanding. His eyes were going berserk. The insistent humming picked up with a dizzying sort of buzzing.No, perhaps he’s a monster too, but not to me.
“Watch out,” I muttered. “That snake is sneaky. The dangerous cats are even afraid.”
The serpent slithered closer, wanting to dance again. The bloodied man named Rocco picked it up and threw it across the room.Damn, he’s strong.
The beast holding me in his arms came closer to my face, sniffing at my mouth. “Tell me what she had to drink.”
The bloodied man spoke in a language that I couldn’t understand—but then I could. He said that he had stopped someone from touching me.Oh, so that’s where the blood came from.And that he had drunk whatever it was that they had sent for me. I only had a sip.
“No, no, no,” I sang. “He—” I pointed to a distasteful-looking man standing next to the enemy “—gave me something else. He told me to drink up, that I had lives to save. So I did. Then he poked me through the cage.”
“What is this?” the sea-eyed man demanded. “Tell me what she is talking about, Olivier.” This man rarely asked questions—he commanded and ordered.
“You did not send the drink,Nonno?” Rocco the bloodied man said.
Can angels be beasts?I wondered.
“No.”
“She performs out of herself when she has absinth. I gave her that and a bit more. She had to impress, didn’t she, Signore Fausti?” the enemy said.
I closed my eyes. I seemed to be swimming in and out of my head.
Does the agreement state that he is allowed to stay with her, Olivier?
Oui.
You lied to me.
She does not perform to her ability if he is near. Not anymore. It is a watered-down version.
You lied. After you gave your word.
What does it matter?a French voice snapped. The voice said something derogatory about Italians.
The entire room became quiet, except for extremely wild noises—cats. A minute later, a tearing sound made it to my ears, flesh being ripped away from the body. A second later, someone spat something out. Then a scream to curdle blood rang out, and the wild noises became even more frenzied. The scent of fresh blood floated in the air, a metallic smell coating the inside of my nose and mouth. I could almost taste it on my tongue.
