But for what?
“Someone better start fucking talking!” Brax shouts, body trembling in anger, wings spreading behind him, and flames now licking the length of his sword.
A soft hand on my shoulder has me turning back as Hadley pushes her way through. “I said I’m fine. Put away your weapons, please,” she pleads beseechingly.
“Sorry, Had. No can do,” I respond. “Not until someone tells me what the fuck is going on.”
Hadley and Dominic exchange a glance that has my heart racing. I know that look in her eyes. I’ve seen it before—a look she has once only given to me and my brothers. Why is she looking at Dominic, our fucking demonology professor, like she’s madly in love with him?
Hadley turns towards us, standing in front of a pained-looking Dominic. “This is not Mr. Thumb,” she admits, gesturing behind her to the lurking Demon. Hadley takes a deep breath and lets it out as if building up her courage for what she’s about to say. “It’s Caius.”
“Alpha mode, activate!” Preston shouts like the dumbass he is, charging at the Demon as chaos ensues. Auston leaps into the air, bow and arrow aimed at Dominic, Brax rolls to the side, flaming sword poised for attack, and I raise my daggers, sights set on the spot between the false Demon’s dark eyes.
“Stop, Pres!” Hadley screams, voice frantic, hands up, blocking the Reaper from hurting Caius, the fucking Darkness himself, the very monster who’s crept inside her body, used her, stole her, and created a new army of monsters in Hell.
We’re at a standstill, none of us sure what to do. We know what we want to do—destroy the Darkness inside Dominic. But if we attack, will we just kill our professor? Is there anything that can actually destroy the Darkness? And if we attack, won’t we risk hurting our girl in the process?
I’m fucking lost. Dumbfounded. My feet are cemented to the ground in indecision. I can’t understand why she’s doing this.
“Everyone, please, just listen!” Hadley shouts, rocking back and forth on her feet, ready to block our attack.
To save Caius.
My heart is shattering, my mind spinning. Is she choosing this monster over us?
“I need to tell you guys something,” she admits, blue eyes darting between all of us. “But we can’t do it here.”
“I don’t fucking like this, Had,” Auston growls.
“Please, Auston,” Hadley begs. “Let me explain. Give me a chance. You owe me that.”
Auston nods once. “Fine. My dorm. No one says a fucking word until we get there. Pres, Kars, you escort Hadley. Brax and I will take care of this fucking monster.”
Chapter 28
Auston
I’m fuming. Anger swirls inside of me, a rage so potent I feel as though I could implode at any moment. Above me, my halo gleams, its power fueled by my unstable emotions. I have half a mind to launch a bolt of lightning at the Dominic wannabe, but because of my respect for Hadley, I resist.
Though the leash on my anger is getting harder to hold. Because I want to hurt that fucking monster, that weasel that wormed his way inside my love. Clearly, he has fucked with her again, or she wouldn’t have asked me to do this. Maybe we should have Karston try to invade her mind with his new power, see what’s really inside there, then we’ll know the truth.
As we stalk back to my dorm, people jump out of the way for us like I’m fucking Moses parting the seas. And they’re right to do so—my desire to castrate the fucker between me and Brax is boiling to a brim. I don’t know if I can hold on to my rage much longer.
We march down the halls to where my dorm is, ignoring the stares from other students who are wondering why we’re escorting one of their teachers like this, but no one stops us. Once we reach my room, I only have to engage my halo’s powers and the door flies open, letting Kars, Pres, and Hadley in. Behind them, Brax and I shove Dominic inside, then I slam the door closed.
Brax and I move into action, as if our very minds are linked. Gripping Dominic’s arms, we manhandle the Demon into a chair. Because I’m a kinky fuck, I have a chest at the end of my bed with various types of restraints in it. Spotting a length of rope, I begin tying the Darkness to the chair, securing his arms and legs. I know my work is futile, because at any moment he could exit this body and become the smoke monster that he is, but it makes me feel better, makes me feel like I’m in control.
And right now, I fucking need to be in control.
Brax and I back up, our weapons aimed at the Darkness, where he sits in the chair, bound in a corner. Behind us, sitting on my bed, are Hadley, Karston, and Preston. My brothers each hold on to a part of her, but I can’t tell if it’s for her comfort or for their own.
The arrow tingles in my hand, knocked in my bow, aimed at this fucker’s head.
“Speak now or die,” I growl.
I’m surprised by his reaction. Dominic’s—Caius’s—head sags in defeat, shoulders slumped, like he’s given up. But I don’t believe that he would surrender that easily, not after everything he’s done, what he’s put her through, how he’s made us suffer.
“Auston, please, lower your weapon,” Hadley pleads. “He won’t harm you.”
I turn back towards my love. “I’m sorry, baby girl. I can’t do that.” I swing my gaze back to Caius. “This cocksucking monster hurt you. He’s lucky I don’t gut him like the fucking pig he is.” Caius closes his eyes, wincing at my words. Good. Let him hurt. Let him feel an ounce of the pain we did.
Suddenly, Hadley is in front of my arrow, and my eyes widen at her boldness. “Auston. If you have any love for me, you will lower your weapon and hear what we have to say.”
We.
Has she already made her decision, choosing him over us? I don’t think my heart can survive losing her again.
“You know I love you, baby girl,” I say softly.
“Then lower your weapon. Please.” Her voice breaks as she begs, tears glistening in her gorgeous eyes. How can I deny her?
Reluctantly, I lower my arrow. Beside me, Hadley places her hand on Braxon’s arm, encouraging him to recall his blazing sword. Brax looks at me, and seeing that I’ve conceded, recalls his sword back into his arm.
But my Demon brother doesn’t back down. Instead, he folds his arms over his broad chest, leveling Caius with a glare that would cause Hell to freeze over.
“Thank you,” Hadley says, relief in her voice. She takes a deep breath, then begins to pace between Caius and us. Behind me, Karston and Preston have slid from the bed to stand beside me and Brax, making it clear that it’s us against him.
An evil smirk plays at my lips. I feel powerful with my brothers beside me. Together, nothing can defeat us.
Hadley stops, hand on her chin, and turns towards us. “Okay so… There’s so much to tell. I don’t know where to start.”
“Just start from the beginning, my beloved,” Caius says softly.
“You don’t get to fucking speak, monster!” Brax shouts, blazing sword back in his hand, aimed at Caius’s Adam’s apple. Cauis’s throat works, sweat forming on his brow, and he nods almost imperceptibly.
“Brax, you need to stop this,” Hadley begs. “How can we tell you the truth if you fight us every time we talk? You know what?” Hadley points to my bed. “All of you, on the bed.”