But Mom was too sick to take me there.
She hefted me into her arms and grunted. The lemon scent of her hair whispered into my nose, making me feel warm and safe and calm, even in the middle of the storm. “You’ve gotten so heavy. I shouldn’t be picking you up. The rib might break, but...to hell with their orders.”
* * *
Isucked in a deep breath and shot up straight, my hair plastered to my sweat-soaked forehead. My heart hammered as the tears filled my eyes. I could still feel the imprint of my mother’s arms around me, could still smell the lemon shampoo she’d loved so much.
Nothing but a dream, but it had felt so real that it made my heart break all over again. I hadn’t dreamed of her in months.
“Mom,” I whispered to the silent, dark room. “I’m in so much trouble, and I don’t know what to do.”
After the cult had taken my blood, Andrea had returned me to my prison room. Exhaustion had quickly taken hold of my body, and I’d collapsed onto the bed almost instantly. Now, the sky outside the window leaked with dim gray light, signalling the dawning of a new late-autumn day. It would be winter soon.
And I was still stuck with the damn cult, even after they’d promised to release me.
I tried not to think about why—that my blood could somehow grant them all immortality. The real reason why they’d yet to let me go, if they ever would. My fate would soon be what they’d intended for Caim and the rest of the Legion, only I wouldn’t survive. The demons’ healing powers would have protected them. I wouldn’t be so lucky.
A knock sounded on the door and suddenly my stomach roared to life in anticipation. I was starving again. It felt like years since I’d had a meal. Mouth watering, I leapt from the bed and crossed the room. And, as luck would have it, there stood Andrea with a tray full of mouth-watering bacon and eggs.
She shoved the tray at me with a smile. “Breakfast is served. I hope you slept well?”
Like a rock, minus the dreams. But I wasn’t about to tell her that. Glaring, I grabbed the tray and shoved my boot at the door to slam it into her face. She palmed the wood, smiling.
“Don’t be so cross, Eva. Surely you understand the appeal of immortality.”
I narrowed my eyes. “No.”
“Liar,” she said, still smiling. “Can you honestly tell me you don’t want to find a way to have so many more years on this planet? Erase the constant fear of death hanging over your head?”
“I’m fine with my life how it is, thanks. I’m not going to join your fucking demon death cult.”
“Lifecult,” she said, her voice finally going hard. “And suit yourself. Don’t say I never offered you the chance to join us.”
With a roll of my eyes, I grabbed the door and shoved it toward her. This time, she stepped out of the way. It closed with a heavy click. Sighing, I tightened my grip on the tray and swallowed down the lump of fear lodged in my throat.
“Mom,” I whispered again, tears filling my eyes. “I don’t know how I’m going to do this.”
But there was no one around to answer my pleas. No one except the seagulls cawing outside the window. My stomach growled again, reminding me of the tray of food trembling in my hands.
Hunger ripped through me like a knife at the sight of the overflowing plate of eggs, bacon, and toast. Andrea had even added a little tub of butter to the side, as well as a glass of orange juice and some tea. Sighing, I padded over to the sofa and dug in.
After I’d shoved the last scrap of bacon into my mouth, I had to admit I felt a hell of a lot better. Steady in the midst of this raging shitstorm. Determination settled onto my shoulders like a weighted blanket.
“Right,” I muttered to myself as I gripped the side of the sofa and stood. Time to come up with a plan. A way out of here. I might not have the strength and power of immortal demons—and even if I did, the seal above me would negate that—but I had brains between my ears. Surely I could come up with something that could get me out of this mess.
I paced the floor, trying to remember the layout of the house. I’d caught a glimpse before the meeting. Long, creepy hallway. Flight of stairs. The sprawling downstairs was like a maze, but I knew the path to the meeting room. There were plenty of windows. If I caught them off guard the next time they took me down there, maybe I could shatter the window and climb out before those beefy guys stopped me.
Oh, who was I kidding? I’d never be fast enough without something dramatic to distract them with, like lightning bolts or bursts of magicky fire. And I had neither of those things. I didn’t even have a baseball bat to swing at their heads. I could try to hurl some books at them, but I needed something bigger. Much bigger.
Another knock. With a roll of my eyes, I strode over to the door and yanked it open again. Andrea stood on the other side.
“What?” I practically shouted. “Haven’t you bothered me enough this morning already?”
“Here.” Andrea shoved a bundle of white into my arms, and I had a sneaking suspicion I knew exactly what it was. One of their damn gowns.
I dropped it onto the floor where it pooled around my feet. “I’m not wearing that.”
Andrea’s eyes sharpened into two black points. “You will. Because if you don’t put it on all by yourself, I’ll send Clark and Andrew in to help you.”
