Sighing, she turned and walked through the doorway.
Thomas followed and shut the door.
“Lights on,” he said, and instantly an entryway appeared before them—a flash of sterile white from the marbled floor to the walls and up onto the ceilings. She blinked, her eyes adjusting as they landed on paintings on either side of her and a bronze statue of a dog guarding the way forward.
He moved into what must be a living room, though not like any she had seen. A long black and white checkered couch nearly filled the entire space except for a glass table that sat before it. To the right, a twist of stairs curved upward, framed by a wrought iron banister and to her left, a kitchen stretched on forever. All white. All pristine. Not a speck of dirt or grime anywhere.
“I thought we were done for back there.” Thomas headed straight for a bar well stocked with bottles of alcohol neatly set in a row. “The guard got a call right before he opened the gate. I was sure his superior knew you’d escaped and was going to order him to search all cars, even mine.”
“Why did he let us go?” Not that she already didn’t know.
A sliding glass wall made up the entire back wall and beyond it, a swimming pool, lit with blue lights, rippled in the breeze. Thomas had done well for himself. But then again, hewasa Vice Regent.
“Don’t know.” Thomas poured a drink and slammed it to the back of his throat. “He said he couldn’t hear whoever it was on the other end, so he just passed us through. Odd. The power outage shouldn’t have affected communications.”
Tori lowered onto the edge of the large couch. She’d sensed a strong demonic presence around the car, knew they were being attacked, knew angels had defended them. Even now, she sensed God’s mighty warriors in the room, though she couldn’t see them. She’d had glimpses of them off and on when the Lord afforded her rare moments of spiritual sight, and the vision of such powerful beings usually brought her peace.
But she felt no such peace now. After six months in an eight-by-eight-foot cell, she’d had time to come to grips with her execution. With God’s strength, she’d even resigned herself to a gruesome death. But now? Was she safe? Or was this merely another prison cell, albeit a more luxurious one?
“Want a drink?” Thomas glanced her way, but she shook her head. He poured another and took a seat across from her.
Tori glanced around the room, a bigger living space than the entirety of most homes.
He followed her gaze. “Pretty impressive, huh? Did you ever think I’d own a house like this?”
“House? More like a mansion,” Tori said. “Do you spend any time here at all?”
“What do you mean?”
“It looks like no one lives here. Like a model home they use for tours or something.”
He sipped his drink, clearly annoyed at her reaction. “I’ve worked hard for what I have.”
She studied him. Darkness surrounded him in a mist of gloom and despair no amount of money could abolish.
“So, out with it. Why am I here?”
Breathing out a sigh, he stared at his empty glass. “I couldn’t see you die. Not that way.” He flattened his lips and finally raised his gaze to hers.
And beyond the alcoholic haze, she spotted the boy she’d once loved.
“If that’s true, I’m grateful, but why risk everything for me? What is your plan?” Rising, she shifted her back against the itchy uniform.
“Ifthat’s true?” He slammed his glass on the table, his voice lowering to a primal growl. “You realize what I saved you from?”
Ignoring his angry outburst, Tori moved to the sliding glass wall and stared out. A shiver coursed through her as visions of crucifixions trampled her mind. She spun to face him, her own anger raging. “Do I realize that your people would have tortured me, nailed my feet and hands to a cross, and hung me up to die?” Forcing down her fury, she turned back around. “It would have been a privilege to die the same death as my Lord.”
Thomas cursed, grabbed his glass and marched back to the bar. “Insane Deviant talk.”
Tori’s heart grew heavy. He was so lost, so deceived.What do I do, Lord? What do I say?
“What do you intend to do with me?”
“I’m going to help you see the truth.”
“I already know the truth.” Making her way to him, she laid a hand on his arm, stopping him from pouring another drink. “What will happen to you when they realize you helped me escape? Should we even be here now?”
Jerking from her touch, he huffed and continued pouring. “Don’t worry, you’re safe here, Tori.”
