He fell forward, onto his face, every muscle in his body spasming with agony.
Lysander knelt beside him. 'If you're lucky,' the angel said, 'you'll die from this. If not, you'll survive but wish you hadn't. Either way, you'll spend your remaining days imprisoned.'
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
SCARLET LOCKED herself in a crypt. That lasted six hours.
She stole a boat, intending to spend her days drifting at sea. She made it two miles.
She flew to Siberia. For three minutes.
Every time, she'd been flashed back to Budapest. Inside the fortress—down the hall from Gideon's room. Every time, she'd had to sneak out without being noticed. She was tired of sneaking out, though, because she knew she would only be brought back. By whom? She didn't know. Didn't care anymore.
Obviously, someone thought she had unfinished business here. So she would finish that business and return to her self-imposed, eternal exile. No revenge. No battles. No love. No Gideon.
It was safest that way. For him. For herself.
This way, she couldn't be used against him. If she were to hurt him because her aunt screwed with her head again...if she were to see him with her mother again, naked, and liking it...
Her hands fisted. She pressed against the hallway wall that led to Gideon's bedroom, her demon's shadows thickly cloaking her. No one would be able to see her, but they would certainly be able to hear her. Nightmares's screams were as thick as the shadows. Hopefully, though, they would think the wind was merely whistling against the windows.
Knowing the Lords as she did, she doubted that would be the case. They were cautious, suspicious, and prone to act first and ask questions later. Some of the many reasons she admired them. But she was taking no chances. She would find Gideon, talk to him and leave. Hopefully for good this time.
His door was around the corner and to the right. Just a little farther...
Everything inside her urged her to rush to him, to throw herself into his arms—this was Gideon, her sweet Gideon, who had given her more pleasure than anyone else ever had—but she had to maintain the slow pace or anyone who stumbled upon her would realize something was off. Wrong. They'd never have a chance to talk. She'd be tossed back into the dungeon.
'Yeah, uh, hey,' a male voice suddenly said, though there was no one around her. 'I know you're there, Scarlet. Don't blame yourself for failing to hide from me, I happen to be made of awesome. Anyway, I just texted Gideon to let him know, so you should be seeing him any—'
'Scar!' she heard Gideon shout next. Her heart tried to crack through her ribs as he raced around the corner, quickly saying, 'Torin didn't spot you inside the fortress, so I don't know you're—' He stopped a few feet away from her, and expelled a shallow pant of breath. 'Here.' His shoulders sagged. 'No thanks to the gods.'
Nightmares sighed, content for the first time in days.
And shit, Gideon was so beautiful. His blue hair was in spikes around his head, his blue eyes bright, his skin tanned and perfect. Her hands itched to touch him. Her tongue longed to trace his tattoos. The one and only time they'd made love, she hadn't explored him nearly enough; she'd been too eager to get him inside her. Next time, she thought.
Next time? There couldn't be a next time.
'Don't let me explain what you saw,' he said, still rushing to get the words out. 'Your mother didn't flash me into the heavens, and she didn't burn away my clothes, somehow pin me down and climb on top of me. I didn't want her, I swear to you.' The moment the last confession left him, his features contorted in pain and his knees collapsed.
Damn it. Truth. He'd told the truth. I didn't want her. Melting inside, Scarlet willed the shadows and the screams to subside. She bent down, arms winding around his waist to heft him back to his feet.
'Idiot,' she said without heat. 'I'd already figured that out.' For the most part. Kind of. 'You should have lied to me. You shouldn't have weakened yourself in my presence. Idiot!' she said again. Now she could take advantage of him.... 'But...I...love...you.'
'What!' Scarlet dropped him, shock pounding through her. He thumped on the floor with a grunt. 'Sorry,' she muttered, bending down and hefting him back up. Dear gods. He couldn't have just said... It wasn't possible....
Gideon couldn't love her; she wasn't lovable. She was too hard, too stubborn, too violent. He deserved sweet and soothing, tender and uplifting.
'I—I—' she said, then gulped.
'Don't have to say it back.' He was panting now, the words falling from his lips faster, as if he knew he would soon pass out. 'Just know I have your aunt. Cronus gave her to me.'
She nearly dropped him again, but managed to continue marching him onward. Finally they snaked the corner and entered his bedroom. Her aunt was here. Her fucking aunt was fucking here. Her aunt could do what Scarlet now feared most.
'Where is she?' she demanded.
'Dungeon.' He moaned.
'Damn it, Gideon. Start lying to me!'
'Sorry.' He grunted.
More truth. 'Don't be sorry. Just shut up before you hurt yourself permanently.'
'Too...important...' He hissed.
'Shut. Up!' Scarlet helped him into bed, her motions stiff. As muscular as he was, he proved to be extremely heavy. But eventually, he was stretched out on the mattress, his eyelids closing, his head thrashing.
'Don't...leave,' he said, the pain once again so intense it halted his speech. Blindly he reached for her, grasping for her. 'Just...Scarlet?'
She knew what he was asking. Had she paired herself with another actor in her mind? 'Yes, I'm just Scarlet,' she whispered. 'Now be quiet like I told you. Please.' Eyes suddenly burning, she twined their fingers and sat beside him, unable to resist him even though she was desperate to stomp downstairs and end her aunt, once and for all. If she had the courage to even approach the woman.
Gideon calmed instantly, and her eyes burned a little more.
Moonlight seeped in from the room's window, caressing him, making his sweat-glistened skin look as if it had been sprinkled with glitter. How she'd missed him. Craved him.
Damn him. He'd ruined everything. I love you, he'd said, and he'd meant it. She couldn't give him up now, not even to save him from herself. Would you ever have been able to do so? Scarlet traced shaky fingers over his brow. He released another of those relieved sighs, much like Nightmares had, body turning toward hers, seeking. He. Loved. Her.
Seriously. How could he love her?
He couldn't, she decided. He was confused, that was all. Perhaps feeling grateful because she'd finally given him the sex he'd been craving. Well, when the newness of that wore off, he'd realize she was wrong for him. He'd realize someone else would be better for him. He'd cast Scarlet aside.
She would be forced to give him up.
Her fingernails were lengthening, sharpening into claws as she imagined this magnificent warrior kissing and touching another woman. But Gideon must have sensed her upset, because he started thrashing again. As soon as she gentled her touch, he calmed anew.
A long while passed, Scarlet caressing his face, and eventually he slipped into a deep slumber. Her relief was as palpable as his had been earlier. She didn't like to see him suffer. If anyone deserved peace, it was this man.
'Galen came after him, you know,' that voice from the hallway suddenly said.
Her gaze lifted, moved around the room. Again, no one loomed nearby. Which meant speakers were everywhere. And clearly the guy was watching her, which meant cameras were also everywhere, showcasing her every move.
'So you've got Galen locked away, too, huh?' She'd deal with him and her aunt when she went down to the
