Page 162 of Bonds of Starfall

This was true hell.

Not the grief of losing Kit, not the death of her parents, or the discovery of having Soulbonds who would outlive her.

This.

Kit’s words fractured, coming in flashes. "Aetherborns need to be eradicated."

More shocks.

"Starting with you, Vesperin Vox."

Darkness.

"I will let you recuperate before we go again." Footsteps receded, and the door hissed open and shut.

Rin wept into the silence.

Atlas steppedout of the shadows and into the dark room where Vesperin lay, unresponsive.

Rage coiled inside him, making his fingers tighten at his sides, white sparks of Nova popping around his clenched fists. He drew it back.

The Celestial had known what was going to happen here, and he’d allowed it.

That didn’t mean it didn’thurthim to see her like this.

Alone in the room, the two-way mirror reflected his dark hair and near-black eyes as he stood by her side.

Her exposed chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. Her whole body jerked every few seconds.

Atlas brushed her hair away from her closed eyes, feeling the dampness on her cheeks.

He touched the cuffs around her wrists, sending localized Nova to the bands. They fizzled to nothing. Then, he did the same to the ones around her legs.

Atlas removed his dark coat, draping it over Vesperin’s front. He fit an arm under her thighs, gently lifting her. The electrodesfell from her flesh. She didn’t stir. He soothed a hand over her sweat-damped temples.

She moaned, and the sound was a stuttered, ragged exhale.

"I know, Star of mine. This had to happen." Atlas kissed her brow. "I will atone for eternity for allowing this to come to pass."

She shifted in his arms, and he looked down to find her grey, dazed eyes peering up at him.

"I know—I know you from somewhere," she slurred.

Atlas’s hands tightened around her as he stepped back into the shadows. Darkness wrapped around them both. The only reason she could be here with him, untouched, was because of his Nova in her body.

"From everywhere," he answered.

The hollowed space of the parking garage made his footsteps thud as he stepped onto the dark concrete.

He bundled his coat around Vesperin, then gently laid her down by the door. Her eyes had fallen shut, once more. Her head lolled to the side.

It took everything within the Celestial to step away from her, back into the shadows.

Unseen, Atlas watched as the door opened, revealing the red-haired incubus. Confused, he stared into the darkness of the garage, then his purple eyes fell to Vesperin on the ground.

The incubus gasped and dropped to his knees by her side.

Vesperin was in good hands—soon, she would be in his. The Celestial would have his time with her.