Lashes fluttered.
Silver eyes pooled with sadness.
“No,” he said brokenly. “I can’t turn it off.”
As he stood before me, half-naked, layers of bronze rippled across his immense torso, his shoulders hunched forward with defeat like he’d thought this could save us.
A ripple of pain shivered down my spine, and I pretended not to feel it.
I mumbled, “At least you tried.”
We both knew it wasn’t enough.
We’d both heard my screams.
“Look at me.”
I stared at the floor.
“Please,” he begged.
I glanced up.
The flaming devil took a step closer, and his expression fell as he whispered, “I’m sorry about how I spoke to you earlier. I was out of line—and it does hurt.”
A blush stained the tops of his cheekbones as he stared down at me.
His silver eyes were pleading.
Scorpius swore as he scrambled out of his bunk and smacked at the flames, and the rest of the room woke up around us. Men shouted. Someone grabbed a bucket from the bathroom and threw water on the flames. There was chaos all around.
Neither of us moved.
“Just not how you meant, Arabella.” His baritone voice was soft.
He leaned closer and breathed out.
Our breath mingled.
Surprisingly soft lips pressed gently against mine, and they were incredibly warm. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered against my mouth. “Please forgive me.” Wide palms cradled the sides of my face, and heavily callused fingers traced gently across my cheekbones.
Pain streaked sharply across my back.
Heat burned against my mouth as a different type of fire spread inside my chest.
As his tongue battled against mine, I tasted whiskey and tobacco. My skin tingled with awareness.
Knees went weak.
The bed burned and men yelled. As they tried to put out the fire, Malum kissed me like he was trying to devour me.
Pain streaked hotter down my spine.
It reminded me.
I was embracing the devil.
I yanked away from him and stumbled until I bumped into my bed. Regret filled my throat and closed my airways for acting rashly, and I wished I hadn’t woken him up.
I should have kept ignoring him.
Flames boiled me alive. Water filled my lungs. Glass shredded my skin. Jinx screamed in pain. He looked at me. “Women are nothing but holes.”
He whispered brokenly, “It hurts because you’re already killing me.” A bronze hand reached out toward me. His lips were swollen. There was a handprint of ice in the middle of his chest where I’d touched him.
He looked ravaged.
I shivered uncontrollably as blue ice spread beneath my feet.
“I will make the past up to you. I swear on my life.” His voice dripped with sincerity.
He sounded agonized.
The handprint sizzled as it melted.
I climbed backward into my bed, and bronze fingers curled slowly into a fist and fell down with defeat.
Dr. Palmer had said my feelings were valid.
I felt like Malum didn’t care about me; he just wanted his Revered. He wanted a perfect ideal, not an imperfect person.
I counted desperately under my breath. “Two. Four. Sixteen. Two hundred and fifty-six. Sixty-five thousand, five hundred, and thirty-six.” The numbers blurred.
I pressed trembling fingers to my lips.
They still tingled.
Whiskey and tobacco lingered on my tongue like the most depraved aphrodisiac.
I reminded myself that Aran would never be enough for the kings.
The three of them whispered and held one another in the middle of the room as they made sure Malum was all right.
Luka made a disgruntled noise and flexed the hand hanging over his bunk like he was agitated.
I wrapped my fingers around his.
He sighed with relief and squeezed tightly.
The hollowness in my chest receded, but as my eyes closed, nightmares sank their claws deep and pulled me under.
Fire burned all around.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six…
Even in my sleep, I counted.
Desperately.
Chapter 6
Scorpius
THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT
Facinorous （adjective）： atrociously wicked.
“The angels have returned from their scouting mission!” The alarm blared over the room’s enchanted speaker system.
Pain stabbed my temples.
The alarm burned my overly sensitive ears.
“The first ungodly infestation has been located, and RJE devices have been calibrated for coordinates. All legions and soldiers report to the cafeteria in .03 hours. Repeat. All legions and soldiers report to the cafeteria in .03 hours. Reminder to move stealthily, quiet must be observed in open areas. Do not compromise the base.”