“Everything’s fine.” I offer him a shaky smile, but I know it doesn’t meet my eyes. His own narrow suspiciously, slashing eyebrows pulled low.
“You know you can tell me anything, right?” He grabs my hand in both of his, propelling my unresponsive body a step closer. I just barely resist the urge to whimper. Why am I behaving this way? He’s not hurting me. If anything, his touch is gentle, reverent.
I blame Layla. She got into my head, burrowed her claws of doubt in my brain. It’s all I can focus on now.
Caius continues to talk, reassuring me, until his image begins to fade. I can’t think of any other word to describe it. One second he’s there, solid and real and warm, and the next, I’m alone on the bridge.
In every direction, sprouting as far as the eye can see, is a slate of white. It’s like I’m standing in the middle of a fluffy white cloud. The only color is the golden trim of the bridge and my own clothes.
A figure materializes from the fog, and insidious fear momentarily weakens me. I stagger back a step, breath caught in my throat, as a man stands in front of me.
He’s…he’s perfect. White hair is pulled back into a stylish bun at the nape of his neck, and his body is layered with muscle. The thin white shirt he wears accentuates the dips and curves of his torso and arms. My eyes travel behind him to the massive white wings sprouting from his back, and I have to quell the urge to rub the soft feathers against my face. I have a distinct feeling he won’t hurt me. I feel…protected and safe as I gaze into his soulful blue eyes.
Eyes that stare back at me as if I’m his entire world.
It triggers a memory, but once more, it eludes me.
The perfect man takes a step closer, and automatically, I take one back. It doesn’t deter him as wonderment shines through his icy blue eyes.
“Hadley…you’re here. It worked.” He says my name like it’s something to be worshipped. Respected. It’s similar to how he looks at me. Even Caius has never looked at me like that.
As if I’m everything.
“Baby…” he whispers softly, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. I can’t understand why I let him, why I lean into his touch.
I’m with Caius. I love Caius. I love…Auston?
Before I can stop myself, before I can reel my traitorous thoughts in, I’m in his arms. His lips descend on mine, and I’m helpless to stop them. I don’t want to. His tongue tangles with mine, eliciting full body goosebumps. Everywhere we touch, we dissolve into each other. The strength of his appearance belies how gentle he actually is, how he kisses me like a light spring rain, how his hands carefully cup my cheeks.
Lightning sparks in my veins as white-hot pleasure cascades through me.
Auston…
My Angel.
“Tell me where you are, baby. We’ll find you. I promise.”
Where I am? I’m on the bridge, obviously, with…
With Caius.
I don’t know how to respond to his silly question, so instead, I kiss him back with an intensity that leaves me breathless. Warmth migrates from where his hands so tenderly cradle my cheeks, settling in my core. How is a kiss capable of destroying me? How can he demolish every wall I’ve ever created?
Something akin to love wiggles its way into my heart. Love…for this stranger. For this unearthly man with glorious wings and white hair.
Mine.
“Tell me where you are,” he repeats, reluctantly pulling his lips away from mine. Something flashes in his eyes—something like fear—and his hands tighten imperceptibly on my shoulders. “We don’t have a lot of time. You need to tell me where you are, Hadley. Please.” The man is practically pleading with me, tears forming in his gorgeous eyes. It calls to me, calls to a part of me I long thought was buried. The moment I try to unearth it, the feeling passes, swept under the proverbial rug.
I stare at the man in awe. “Who are you?”
His mouth pops open as shock crosses his handsome face. Pain just as quickly tightens his features.
“Hadley, listen to me. I need to know where you are. I need to—” His voice begins to fade as his body is dragged away, pulled into the white abyss surrounding me. I release an anguished cry, feeling as if a piece of me disappeared with him.
Who is this man? This Angel?
Auston.
Why do I feel such an intense connection with him? Why am I mourning his disappearance?
The Angel bellows in rage and terror before his body completely disappears.
My own cry lodges in my throat as slowly, I regain my bearings.
I’m still on the bridge, the bitter wind whipping my sandy blonde hair in my face. I’m still with Caius.
But instead of love or warmth in his gaze, his eyes are stone cold. They pierce me with a look that distinctly reminds me of a frosted-over sword.
Each word is spoken slowly, carefully, as if I need extra help getting it through my head. “What. Did. You. Do?”
Chapter 9
Karston
The entire way down the stairs, I test the walls, trying to find a way through, but even when I become invisible, I still crash into the dark stone.
Dammit.
It feels like these walls are closing in on us, the path down narrowing as we descend into whatever creepy room lies beyond. I float through the others, ignoring their gasps and grunts of discomfort, and materialize next to Brax, who is standing still at the bottom of the stairs.
I follow his gaze, my own eyes widening at the sight before me. It literally looks like we’ve walked into the Chamber of Secrets and a basilisk will be coming out to strike at any time.
Green stone lines the walls. Moss clings to the wet rock—at least, I hope it's moss and not some gross green slime. The same emerald glow found in the other rooms in the tunnels is also present down here, emitting an eerie light around us. I push past Brax and float a few feet into the room.
Sconces along the walls light up when I pass under them. Not only do they light up the walls, but also the large alcoves carved into the rock. I look above me and see endless darkness. I try not to imagine the creatures that could be lurking up there, things ready to…suck out my essence, maybe.
I shudder and move to the end of the room, which is about fifty feet from the entrance, making the room long and narrow. As I approach the back wall, a huge mosaic materializes before me. I reach out to touch the mural and discover it’s made with small pieces of glass, jewels, and stone.
But every piece is black.
I take a few steps back, trying to make the picture become more clear, but I can’t figure out what it is.
“What do you think it is?” Brax asks from beside me. Fire dances across his palm as he holds his hand up to see the wall better.
“No idea. I mean, who makes a picture this large but uses material so that no one can see what the fuck it is?”
“It’s massive.” Preston’s voice floats from behind us. He’s right. The mural takes up the entire back wall.
I turn to look for Auston but don’t see him anywhere, or Aggie for that matter. “Auston?” I call, looking around.
“My stallion!” a shaky voice shrieks from the stairs. I look at Brax, then rush towards Aggie’s voice. My breath catches when I find Auston crumpled on the stairs. His eyes are white like when he has a vision, but it’s his body language that’s so drastically different. He’s shaking, eyelids fluttering, jaws gnashing against each other. Every muscle in his body is twitching like he’s having a bloody seizure.