Chapter 4
GREY
Inever thought an angel would be my salvation, but there she stood.
And the dress she wore was anything but holy.
My eyes trailed downward from the ridiculous halo resting above her long dark hair and lingered on the curve of her hips.
Shit, they would be perfect for digging my claws into while I fucked her from behind.
I salivated at the temptation…fucking gorgeous.
The girl fumbled with the light switch. The lights flickered to life, revealing the room and all the horrors it concealed. Myself included.
She crumpled the hem of her dress in shaky hands, exposing even more of her thighs.
Those beautiful hazel eyes widened, snapping to mine as she stumbled backward, letting out a small whimper like a wounded animal.
The predator inside me longed to be free, to devour her whole until her screams quelled the monster within.
“You good?” I asked, willing myself to focus.
The last thing I needed was to fuck up my one chance at freedom because I wanted to get my dick wet.
I forced in a deep, steadying breath, and the air seemed to thicken.
Lavender laced with orange blossoms mixed with the faintest warmth of vanilla clung to the air, to my skin, to everything around me.
The scent was so heavy I could almost taste the magic on my tongue.
Magic always left a lingering aroma. But this wasn’t the acrid stench of Devin’s power—this was sweet, almost intoxicating.
Anger washed over me like a cold shower, driving away the haze of lust.
She was a witch.
I ground my molars together so hard I was shocked they didn’t crack.
She strained her neck, trying to get a better look at me, but her eyes kept darting back to the staircase she’d tumbled down.
The sudden foulness of rotting flesh and decay drove away the sweetness. A chill, so cold death could be its only companion, filled the room.
“Shit,” the witch muttered, moving closer to the hell’s trap.
I wet my lips, unable to peel my eyes away from her high heels and white-painted toes. Only a few more steps—but before she could get any closer, a piercing shriek echoed through the room. I blinked, and a ghoulish figure appeared.
“Apage,” I commanded.
The wraith shook violently and disappeared.
“What did you say to it?” she asked, eager and desperate.
“I told it to fuck off. Well, I actually told it to begone, but same thing.”
“You can just tell the spirits to leave, and they listen?” She shook her head in disbelief.
“Spirits don’t always know they’re dead.
Sometimes a command jolts them into awareness.
” My voice was calm, despite the rush of adrenaline pumping through my veins.
I left out the fact that the spirit had to fear the person saying the command, because the witch looked anything but scary.
“And that wasn’t just any spirit, that was a wraith. ”
She shook her head, “The spirits aren’t supposed to be angry when they come to me.”
“Well, I don’t know what other spirits you’ve been dealing with, but that was most definitely a wraith.” Wraiths were mean motherfuckers. Pain and agony rippled through the wounds they inflicted, forcing their victims to relive their most painful memories while bleeding out.
“We need to hurry,” I urged. “It’ll be back any minute.”
The witch’s rapid heartbeat grew louder as she inched closer to me. Her magic pulsed, and I fought the disgust churning in my stomach. Ripping her throat out would be counterproductive to gaining my freedom.
“You think it’ll come back?” Her voice shook. “But you sent it away.” A cloud of mist escaped from her lips as she spoke. She backed into the hell’s trap just as the wraith materialized.
An ear-splitting scream tore through the room. The witch doubled over, hands clamped over her ears at the shrieking sound that no one outside the spelled room would hear. Night after night, I screamed until my lungs gave out, and still, Devin never stirred from his slumber.
“Why isn’t it attacking?” Fear threaded her words.
I motioned to the sigil on the ceiling. “It’s a hell’s trap.”
“A…what?” The whites of her eyes shone in the dimness, her voice barely a whisper. “What are you?”
“I’m your best shot at getting out of here alive.” If she wasn’t going to willingly let me out, I had no issue using a little force. “Now, all you have to do is wipe away one tiny line,” I whispered in her ear with a velvet like softness, pressing my body against hers.
She thrashed trying to free herself from my grip, her ass shifting against my hardening cock.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” She stopped immediately. Fuck, she took directions well.
The witch trembled like a leaf, her gaze fixed on the wraith. She chewed on her bottom lip, contemplating like she really had a choice.
“Alright, fine.” She conceded.
I tightened my grip on her hips and lifted her off the ground. My cock jumped at the softness of her body. Every muscle in my body was taut with anticipation as her shaky hand wiped away a fragment of the outer line.
A weight lifted; the magical chokehold was gone. For the first time in months, I was able to fucking breathe.
I set her gently on the ground, then surged forward, a desperate lunge toward my freedom that had once felt so out of reach. I barely managed two steps before the wraith slammed into me, a blur of shadow and fury. It didn’t spare the witch a second glance, honing in on the real threat. Me.
Months of pent-up anger erupted within me, urging me to rip the wraith to shreds. A sharp crackle sparked against my neck, a warning from the collar I’d only fry my insides.
“A little help,” I ground out, but the girl was gone.
Fucking witches.
“Apa—” The word died in my throat as bony fingers sliced through my side. Pain burned like hellfire, seeping from the wound and spreading throughout my entire body.
I managed to throw my weight at him, our limbs a tangled mess. He raised his hand to strike again but my boot connected with his leg. I tried to catch my breath, preparing for another attack. I was ready to go twelve rounds with this fucker.
A flash of red hair ran toward us. “Veda.” The name slipped from my lips for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. I shook my head, and when the room came into focus again the red hair was a rich brown.
“Give me a lift,” she said, planting her hands firmly on my shoulder.
I locked my fingers together and lifted her up.
The witch reconnected the sigil, sealing the wraith inside.
My arms felt as though they were made of lead.
With a grunt, I practically dropped her to the ground, my hands shaking as I released her.
I bit down hard on my tongue at the pain. A metallic tang filled my mouth as I tried to swallow the building scream. The stairs—my freedom—seemed so far away. The ground swayed and the room tilted. The room faded in and out as the wraith’s magic took hold.
My legs buckled, and the little angel slung my arm around her shoulders, helping me ascend the steps.
“Are you okay?” she asked, trying to get a better look at my wound. “Oh,” she hesitated. “It’s not even bad.”
“Really? ’Cause it fucking hurts.” Talking hurt. Breathing hurt. Shit, everything hurt.
We made our way up the stairs, her tiny frame struggling to keep me upright.
“What’s your name?” she grunted as I went nearly boneless in her arms.
“Grey.”
“Lyra.” The name barely registered, my mind too preoccupied with survival. I only needed to hold the memories back a little longer.
I braced my bloody palm against the door and pushed it open. Music and voices from the hallway poured into the basement. For a split second, everything went dark before snapping back into focus.
“Whoa, need any help?” someone asked as we clumsily made our way down the hallway.
“No, he’s just a lightweight,” Lyra said in a super unconvincing tone. We didn’t dare stop; our momentum carried us forward. We stumbled out the front door, and the night sky drew my attention upward. A sight I never thought I’d see again.
Lyra ran a hand through her hair. Blood splattered her white dress, and her dilated pupils hid the hazel of her eyes. Too many thoughts churned in that pretty little head of hers.
“Let me get my car keys. I’ll be right back,” she said, letting go of me, and disappearing into the house. She had zero clue what I was if she believed I’d be here when she got back.
After a long, deep inhale, I pushed off the column and vanished into the night.
Finally, I had my fucking freedom.