Page 17 of These Monstrous Ties

My blood runs cold as I realize he probably followed me out here.

I stop walking and wrap my arms around myself. I think, for just a second, I should reach for my gun, but I don’t. I don’t want to provoke this guy, and with this much vodka in my veins, my aim would be shit. Instead, I glance over my shoulder, hoping someone else will have floated this way from the party. But there’s nothing but dark, empty woods at my back.

I force myself to face this guy again.

But he’s gone.

I spin around, heart thudding. I have no idea who he is but for some reason, I can’t help but to think he’s an Unsaint, too. He’s too dark to be anything else.

I know what Lucifer and Atlas look like. Is this Mayhem? Or Cain? Ezra? What was the other one’s name? And what does it mean if it is one of them?

I spin around again, eyes darting over the clearing, the woods, the merry-go-round. But there’s nothing to see. And there’s nothing but silence, too, and the sound of my own breathing. My heart pumping hard in my chest.

I reach for the grip of the gun, and then strong arms wrap around me from behind, blocking my access.

I open my mouth to scream.

A hand come over my lips, muffling the sound.

“Shhh, baby. I won’t hurt you if you’re quiet.”

There’s something about that voice that sounds dangerously familiar. But I can’t place it. Maybe a client? I don’t know.

I close my mouth, but the hand stays clamped over it. I smell clean laundry, the smoke on him from the bonfire.

He pulls me closer into him. I know without looking it’s got to be the one that’s been following me. And I know, too, that even though I have the weapon, I’m the one who is so fucked right now. Strangely, I long for Lucifer. But he let me go. And I walked right into this.

“Why were you leaving so soon?” the man’s words brush against my neck. I’m painfully aware I’m only in a bodysuit and fishnet leggings and I wish I’d thought to grab a coat. Something to cover myself. But I didn’t think I’d make it this long.

I try to speak and shocking me, the guy moves his hand, bringing it down to my stomach beside the other one.

“Who are you?” I hear the fear in my voice, but I don’t have time to care.

He chuckles against my skin. “I’m your worst nightmare.” His fingers dig into my abdomen.

“What do you want?”

He presses his lips against my neck, warm and nearly gentle. “Always the same questions,” he taunts me. “As if the answers matter. I always get what I want, baby. And tonight, I want you.” He nips at my neck.

I try to turn in his grasp, but he doesn’t let me so much as budge.

“Easy, baby. The less you fight, the more fun you’ll have.”

I feel fear giving way to anger as I glance at the merry-go-round beside us. “Fuck you,” I snap at him, knowing as I say the words, they’re not very wise. Not for someone in my position. But I suddenly don’t care. This Halloween has been a series of fuck ups from start to finish. Might as well go out with a bang.

But the guy doesn’t seem angry. He pulls me further into his hard body and runs a hot tongue down my neck. “Oh, you will.”

“Jeremiah,” a man’s voice says warningly.

Ah, I think wryly, sothisis Jeremiah. What a fucking pleasure to meet him.

But my heart soars all the same. Because that voice...it’s Lucifer’s.

I can’t see him and as he calls the Unsaint’s name again, I realize he’s behind us.

Jeremiah seems to tense with me in his arms and he spins us both around. I see the familiar skeleton paint, the hoodie, black curls, and as he gets closer, the blue eyes.

I feel a sick relief that Lucifer is here.