Page 100 of Ballad of Nightmares

Rolfe and Millie looked between each other, their previous conversation gone amiss. “Sam, no one will be able to get to them,” Millie said. “You can’t.”

“These are beings that I swore would be safe,” he hissed. “Find someone to cut them down.”

“And they’ll be strung up just like them,” Millie snapped.

Sam stared at the video again, at the people who had trusted him now strung up for slaughter.

“I’ll get them myself.”

“And the prisons?” Millie asked.

Sam considered it. His demons had never had the threat of being killed. Maimed, occasionally, yes. He’d helped a few escape in years past, before they figured out how to rightly shield themselves from persecution. But now…

“I’ll work on a plan to get them out, too.” He rounded on her again, every part of his body tingling with keeping his true form at bay. “Tell everyone to get the fuck here.Now.”

Behind every lovely thing that ever existed, tragedy once gave it bloom,he texted Ana later that day.

The dots strummed the bottom of the message for a moment.The accuracy of that is terrifying.

Sam almost smiled.Isn’t it?he messaged back. He slumped into the armchair upstairs with a heavy sigh and typed out,Raincheck on the fancy dinner?

He wanted to tell her to put on a nice dress, that he would take her out on the town and show her off, but all Sam could think about were those demons strung up and being tortured.

Sure, Ana texted back.Long day?

Sam sighed at the question, his head leaning back against the plush chair top.The longest… are you off soon?

Leaving in five, she said.Really need a shower. Manual labor moving estate pieces today.

Jay made you move paintings?

I volunteered, she said.It was good. I’m almost glad you changed your mind about the fancy dinner.

Sam smiled at the phone.Pizza okay instead?

Sounds amazing.

Wine or beer?he asked.

The three dots rippled for a long moment.I think it’s a beer day. Something citrus?

I’ll grab something on the way over. See you soon, baby.

Okay,she replied, a kissing-face emoji with the response.

Sam was so distraught that he he didn’t even remember grabbing the pizza or the beers to take to her apartment. He’d taken a long nap after his and Millie’s conversation earlier, then interrogated the Fire soldier again, with Millie in the room to ask her own questions. It had ended with more blood, with fewer answers, and Sam…

Sam was tired.

The only thing that helped his deteriorating heart was the smile on Ana’s face when she opened the door. He kissed her hard, wrapping his arm around her waist, nearly falling off balance with the pizza balancing on his palm.

Ana’s laugh filled his ears, her smile against his lips, and she pulled him inside.

“Someone is needy today,” Ana said as she took the pizza from his hand and stepped away from his grasp. He sat the beers down on the counter, leaning his elbow against it as he looked her over, his first moment of peace that entire day. She had her hair pulled up that afternoon, curled tendrils hanging out of it and around her face. He liked her like this… almost carefree.

As though she hadn’t nearly died the night before.

“You have—“ Ana reached up to his neck, eyes narrowed, and Sam’s heart skipped. He grabbed her wrist before she could touch it, knowing it was blood on his face. Ana stared at him in confusion, and he relaxed his grip.