“Fuck off and leave! Why are you still here?! Go burn.” The moment the words leave my mouth, I’m released. The bite against my lower back as I fall and hit the desk, makes me groan. I’m incapable of landing on my feet, and find myself hitting the ground with a thump.
My head pops up, and as Belial towers over me, I hiss through my teeth, “Was that necessary?! Couldn’t just set me down?” His nostrils flare, and I know I should shut the fuck up, but who am I to fight my insanity. “Huh?”
He lifts his gaze, and I can only assume he is looking at Tyson, and gestures with his head. Good, send the other bitch away.
Fucking asshole…
Yes, his betrayal hurts—and what stings the most is that I understand why he did it. I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same if it had been Sydni… or Kairhyse. But I’ve been hurt too many times to forgive anymore. That word is no longer in my vocabulary, even if it kills me to hear the door open and close. Knowing that the last words I’ll ever say to him are to ‘go burn’.
I let the hurt wash over me for a few seconds before casting it aside and slowly rising to my feet.
Belial doesn’t step away from me, and as I come to stand, I crane my head all the way to keep him in view. I’m not surprised he is good looking, I mean, if you’re into dark red skin and two sets of horns. One of which is reminiscent of a goat, the other is a thicker version of mine, which sit right on his forehead and curve up and inward. The other set is a few inches higher on his head, under an abundant layer of dark black hair.
He's gigantic, and I don’t mean just his broad size. Even two of me standing side by side still doesn’t equal his width. His height is equally intimidating, probably closer to eight feet than he is seven.
When he invades my space, I’m instantly more uncomfortable than I already was. “Can you back the fuck up? What is this?”
“Resilience isn’t always a good trait, Xeraphine.” He sighs and steps away, his heavy footsteps echoing around the desk. I take a moment to close my eyes, releasing a silent breath, soundlessly begging my heart to calm.
I’m nervous, but I can’t show it. My body screams at me to submit, to avoid the pain. The knots in my stomach tighten, and the heat in my chest won’t fade. No matter how much my mind tries to reassure me that we’vesurvived worse, it doesn’t help.
I turn to find him perched right in the middle of the room, his arms crossed over his chest. “Come.”
“Why did you summon me here?” The sooner we finish this conversation, the better. I don’t want to be here any longer than necessary. “I’m also not yours to command. From everything I’ve learned, only Proserpina can do that.” I have no idea if that is factual, but from everything that Alaric has said, it feels that is the case.
The smile he gives me is unfriendly. “You came when beckoned, seems very submissive of you.”
I refuse to play this back and forth. My need to keep Kairhyse safe outweighed me defying the order to come to the Beyond.
“Why, Belial?” I don’t move, but I’ve turned at least to fully face him.
“I said… come.”
I’m a stubborn bitch so I stay planted.
“Do I need to threaten you?” His tone booms with irritation.
Crossing my arms and standing tall like he is, I nod. Behind this table, separated from him, I feel a little stronger. Not that he couldn’t appear behind me like he did the first time, but the distance gives me a false sense of security I desperately need.
I’m delusional, and at least I can admit it.
“I’ll send Pyrehounds after Sydni if you do not comply.”
The clench in my jaw is instant, and accompanies my vision shaking. My chin dips but I keep my gaze locked on him through my lashes.
There are plenty of them… They can keep her safe…
Fuck! Do I risk that?
I swallow and watch as he raises his hand, and points down right in front of him. “Here. Now.”
Wetting my lips, I think back to a time where I thought having people in my life was a good idea. How on so many occasions I looked at Sydni’s innocence and said,“Yeah, let’s keep her around because nothing bad could happen.”
I’ve never considered her safety a higher priority than my own selfish need to have her in my life, and that right there makes me an awful person. She never deserved the life I forced her into.
I move with purpose around the table and take the six large strides to stand in front of him. Now, only a foot or so separates us.
“We could’ve talk across the room,” I mumble.
