Page 95 of Hunted By Fear

“Where are you?”I reach out for Luce because I know he’s here; I feel him, but I can’t pinpoint his location.

The air is sucked from my lungs, and I’m pulled through time and space before appearing… on top of the castle?

I turn around in search of Luce from the top of the North tower and find him standing on the edge of the wall.

If he were mortal, it would be much more concerning to find him like this, but as it stands, he could fall from there and tumble all the way to the deepest pit of Hell and get up and walk away after.

“We need to talk,” I tell him as I jump down from the tower’s roof and onto the wall a few feet from him.

He doesn’t answer, doesn’t so much as glance my way, and it takes me a second to realize he’s deep in concentration.

What is he doing?

I feel his power as it moves through the air around me, doing what, I’m not sure, but it’s familiar. Hell is part of him, his domain, made from his pain and suffering like a tangible thing.

I remain quiet as I walk beside him, casting my eyes out over the fields of Hell where souls come to wait for judgment. The moans and groans are annoying but familiar, like a sibling you haven’t seen in a while.

Kind of like seeing Ruin again, if I’m being honest.

Luce’s magic shifts and swells, and I hear him huff a sigh before I turn toward him, cocking a brow.

I wonder what his problem is.

“I never should have let him in. Now she only misses him more,” he grumbles without so much as opening his eyes to glance at me.

Strange. I can’t think of much that would take this much focus and power for him to do. The wards are in place and stronger than ever, and he did that with little more than a snap of his fingers, so what is he doing now?

“I should find him and rip his wings out, doom him to be stuck here so he can’t run away anymore.”

“Yes, because that worked so well with you.” That gets his attention. His eyes snap open, and his head whips toward me.

If looks could kill, I’d be a goner with the way he’s glaring at me right now.

“I’m sorry, but I’m pretty sure you have been running from her the same way he did, though this is for a much better reason, if you ask me.”

His eyes narrow further, but he doesn’t toss me off the wall, so I’m going to keep going, keep pushing my luck for Aeri.

“He’s afraid that his feelings for her are going to get him a one-way ticket to be here permanently. Not to mention I’m pretty sure he’s a virgin, so seeing her naked probably sent him into a panic for a few other reasons as well.”

I’m not a virgin, so far from it it’s laughable, and seeing her naked had thrown me off so bad I almost lost control of my demon and fucked her right there.

“You’re just a coward.”

One second we’re on the wall, the next we’re breaking through the bricks of the North tower wall, Luce’s hand around my throat as he slams me backwards, his eyes a blazing inferno that perfectly match his domain.

“What did you say?” he growls, hardly words at all, with his beast so close to the surface because, make no mistake, that’s what our demons are… beasts.

“I said you’re a coward!” I spit, annoyed that it’s all I can manage. I might not need air to survive, but I sure as fuck need it to talk.

That’s okay; there are other ways.

“You found your mate, the one person in the whole universe who was made perfectly for you, and instead of cherishing herand being there for her, you ran away scared, the same as Ruin.”

His hand flexes around my throat, but he can’t stop me, seeing as I’m talking directly into his mind now.

It takes him a second to get himself under control enough to even attempt to speak, aloud or otherwise.

“I didn’t runfromher. I ranforher!” My confusion must be clear on my face because he continues, but only after tossing me aside.