Page 70 of All Your Deadly Truths (The Filthy Duet #2)
“Do you know why you attract so much attention? It isn’t your pheromones.
I mean, yes, fuck, do you smell delightful.
But you are bound to be a fuck-toy, Xeraphine, and men can sense that.
As was your mother, and hers before her.
They all understood their place.” He takes a step in my direction and I take a deep breath, holding it right in the center of my chest. “Do as your told, take your punishment, and then I’ll send you back home. ”
“I swear I won’t put myself into a position where Tali could get me,” I say quickly, my eyes dart once from the door to him, and then at it again.
Run . I need to run.
“That’s a good girl,” he seethes and the anger he has truly terrifies me. It will hurt, whatever he has planned. It’s why I can’t stay, I can’t willingly suffer for something that isn’t my fucking fault!
Digging my heel into the ground, I thrust myself past him, feeling the brush of his hand against my back as he misses grabbing me. My steps are purposeful, but it doesn’t matter. Just as I reach for the door handle, his grip on my neck yanks me away from it.
“No!” I grit through my teeth as he throws me against the opposite wall of my exit. A high pitch ringing blasts in my head, causing me to wince.
Just as I’m getting my bearings, he is in front of me, one of his hands grabbing my entire mouth and silencing the scream I release. The opposite grabs my shirt and bra in one go, easily tearing the fabric and shrugging it to the ground.
Alaric, please come in, you filthy fucking bitch!
I thrust a solid kick at him, but as before with my punch, it does nothing but make him laugh through a sinister sneer.
As his fingers hook under my pants, I scream through his palm.
My head jerking from side to side while I try to bite at his flesh.
The swings I throw at him are more like me just wailing, until I nick my own arm in the process and draw blood.
The moment he stretches out my pants, the soft tearing of fabric bouncing around in my head, I crystalize daggers of my blood and pierce them right into his eyes.
He just fucking sighs . Piece of shit.
As I release a scream, my solid crimson melts into a liquid that pours down his cheeks. It’s barely visible against his skin, and as he grins, my blood spilling over his lips, he tsks me. The tearing of my pants isn’t as smooth as my shirt, and he struggles through my kicking.
Damn it! My eyes dart beyond him to the door that stays motionless. Gods be damned!
“Someone’s coming for you. He will not touch you.” I don’t recognize the male voice in my head, but I don’t lean into the security it tries to give me.
In a move that cracks the wooden bookshelves behind me, he pushes against me and steps away, leaving me standing here naked. My clothes are either shredded on the floor or lazily hanging at my boots.
The moment I suck in a deep breath, it escapes as a deafening scream.
“All the fucking same!” I drag my arm over my breasts, squeezing tightly and shaking my head. My opposite hand comes to cover my pussy. “All of you. Mortals, Demons, Fallen; fucking filth.”
“Move your arms.”
“Fuck you, you piece of shit. You’ll have to take my limbs off to see me. Have fun raping a godsdamn potato.”
The moment he’s going for his pants, I close my eyes.
Just as I’m about to withdraw into myself and become an empty shell, the door swings open, causing an involuntary gasp to escape my throat. I brace myself to see that holy bitch standing there, ready to throw him the nastiest look I can muster for taking his sweet-ass time.
Except, it isn’t him.
Cascading black hair drapes all the way to the floor, framing an oval face that I’d classify as perfect . Eyes that are blue with flecks of gold stare right into mine, and a sensation of calm washes over me. A cradle of warmth cups my heart and tears pool into my eyes.
“Vile, Belial. Fucking one of our daughters.”
“Several times removed,” he growls. “What are you doing here?”
This hadn’t been my plan. Not to see her , but holy fuck, my knees shake as I quickly fall to them.
The black dress that curtains her pale form cuts deep to her belly button, showing off her chest that rises as she takes a deep breath.
She brushes past Belial, and comes to kneel in front of me.
At our closeness, I can see the light freckles on her face that are splattered from cheek to cheek like stars in the sky.
Her light pink lips slightly part, but just as she’s about to speak, Belial roars, “You aren’t meant to be here, Proserpina!”
“Nor is she,” she says, drawing her hand up to caress down my cheek. “You know better, my love.”
I was unsure of what I’d feel, or do, if I ever met her. I imagined she’d be as evil as the ruler of the Beyond himself. But she’s gentle with me, and for the first time in over ten years, I crave that. The care I missed from my mother washes over me, and tears fall as I blink them away.
Her opposite hand, the one not cradling my face, slides down my shoulder, and the weight of it draws my gaze down. The same gown she wears now drapes over me .
As her hand moves to cup my cheeks, she begins to rise, and as though commanded, I stand with her. We’re nearly the same height; she might have an inch or two on me, but not much.
“You should not have come.” She leans in and presses her lips to my forehead. “My husband is not to summon you. I know you are young and do not understand the way things work yet, but?—”
“I can do what I please—” Belial shouts, but as if someone hit the mute button on a remote, the room shrouds in silence.
“Only I can do that.” She draws her hands across my face, pulling strains of my hair behind my ear and down to my chest. “Your eyes ask a million questions. Unfortunately, I do not like to get involved with conflicts revolving around the mortal world.”
“Take her…” I whisper. “Please… Bring Tali down here, separate her from that world. Save me…”
Proserpina sighs while leaning away from me.
“I’ll be fighting her for eternity.” I’ve never been one to beg, but I’m not above it right now.
Looking over her shoulder at Belial, who has since closed his pants and turned away from us as if pouting , she shakes her head. “I wish it were that easy, darling.”
“How can I kill her, then? Tell me that at least. Don’t let her do what she’s trying to do to me.”
She appears sad, which worries me. “I’m sorry. You know you can’t… that isn’t how you earn your freedom.”
My eyes shut, and through gritted teeth, I plea, “Am I truly fated to be her fucking puppet?”
“No,” she quickly responds. “You know what has to be done, and I’m unsure why you are seeking another answer.”
“Fuck that. I refuse to believe it’s the only way.” The thought so painful, I won’t even give it a flicker of light in my mind. “You can help me…”
“But I can’t?—”
I cut her off, “Please. Please…” A pair of hands grab at my waist and I scream out, tearing away from not only them, but Proserpina.
When my eyes land on Alaric, my vision blurs by the heavy tears that are spilling from them.
The loud thump of my knees hitting the ground come with a shattered sob. “Please. I’ll do anything.”
Bare feet tap against the floor but suddenly halt.
“I’ll give anything.” My words are broken and shattered. “It can’t be the only way.”
Alaric is then at my side, and the moment I’m shrugging away from him he grabs onto my arms.
“I want to make a deal.” My swollen eyes hurt more than my heart at what this will mean for me. “A deal to save my life.”
When Alaric kneels before me, he grabs my chin to direct my gaze to him. “You can’t go back on these kinds of things, Xeraphine. This isn’t some joke you can play off. Whatever it is?—”
“I know—” I seethe. “What I’m doing. It’s my life . I will protect it in any way that I can.” Tearing away from his grip, I look up at Proserpina, who showers me with a sympathetic gaze. “If you won’t help me for free, then fine. Make me a deal.”
She looks at Belial, who hasn’t taken his eyes off me. The smile that comes over him tells me everything I need to know. His eyes draw to Alaric, but the Fallen doesn’t cease to pull away from me.
“What do you want in return, Xeraphine?” And as the question rolls from the rulers mouth, I’ve solidified my fate.
I’m sorry, Kai… I hope you can forgive me.