Page 65 of Roman

Memories of Maalik’s back, his wings torn from his body, of Ariel beaten to a pulp, one by one, the faces of his brethren flashed through his mind as he helped pull them out of Hell.Tortured and broken, their eyes haunted by the weight of the horrors they’d experienced.

All caused by one person, all at the hands of the most evil, vile thing to ever come into existence.All because of him.

Lucifer.

And now the person most dear to him, his reason for breathing, was tied to the monster.

Blood sprayed from his hands as he kept smashing the wall, the skin on his knuckles torn almost to the bone.But he continued to pummel the wall until he finally broke through the other side.

He vaguely heard voices behind him, but it was too late.He was too far gone.His inner demon had taken over.He spun, baring his fangs at whoever had dared come near him.

Armaros stood there, eyes glowing with magic.Maalik was by his side, hands out, his own fangs bared.

“Roman, what the fuck?”Maalik snapped as Roman stalked forward, his eyes on fire.

How could this be possible?How could he not know?The fucking monster was going to kill his own daughter.He roared again, stopping to smash the door to the bathroom to pieces, then slamming his fist into the wall next to it.More plaster, more concrete flying, his blood spraying all over his face.He didn’t care.He was rage incarnate; he would kill everyone.

“Roman, fucking stop this!”Maalik yelled from behind him.

Roman turned on his brother again and flew across the room.He was too fast for them.His fist connected with Maalik’s face as he barrelled into him, both of them hitting the ground.Maalik punched him back so hard Roman’s cheek shattered, but he didn’t care.He barely felt it as he wrapped his hands around Maalik’s throat, squeezing the life out of him.

Maalik vanished from under him, flashing away as a purple ball of light hit him, feeling like a thousand volts of electricity shocked his body.He hissed at Armaros, fangs bared, launching himself at the dark warrior and aiming to tear out his throat with his teeth.Armaros stood his ground, ducking and kicking Roman’s legs out from under him.

“Stay down,” Armaros warned, hitting him with another bolt of magic.

Roman screamed, his eardrums almost bursting from the sound.He could hear more glass shattering behind him.

Maalik stood above him, covering his ears.“Fuck me, Roman, stop!Charlotte needs your help.”

Charlotte?He stilled, her image floating through his chaotic mind.Her honey-golden hair.Her smouldering gray eyes.That heart-stopping smile.A memory of her clinging to him, the erotic way she bit her plump bottom lip in the throes of ecstasy.The way her angelic voice gasped his name as she came.He could feel himself slowly coming back from the brink.

Charlotte needs my help.The thought brought him crashing back to reality.

He blinked, shaking his head.Maalik was staring at him, panting.Blood ran out of his ears, his throat purple.Realization hit.It was because of him, because…I’d tried to kill my brother.

Shame hit him, guilt and remorse flowing through him like a harsh river.Armaros stood to the side, eyes bright and swirling with magic, his hands glowing purple and at the ready.He was eyeing Roman wearily like he was a beast.

Because I am, he thought, ashamed.

“Roman, you good?”Maalik asked hoarsely, his windpipe damaged.

Roman sat up, looking round the room, then down at his mutilated hands, the bones visible as blood poured out of them.He’d flayed most of the skin from his knuckles and fingers.Splattered blood covered the walls, and half of his room was destroyed.One wall had a gaping hole he could see straight through into Maalik’s room.

“I’m good,” he whispered, standing up, catching his breath.

Armaros was still ready to take him out.Roman looked at him, his fangs retracted and his eyes no longer burning with hellfire.

“I’m good,” he said to the dark angel.“Where’s Charlotte?”

They both stared at him, confused.“She’s gone.Isn’t that why you’re doing… this?”Maalik said, waving his hand to all the destruction in the room.

“What the fuck do you meangone?”Roman snapped.“Shit, Ariel.”He ran over, sifting through the smashed glass and lifting the table to find his phone.“Ariel, you still there?”

“Roman, what the hell happened?”she yelled through the phone.

“I-I wasn’t myself for a moment.Maalik and Armaros are here, and they said Charlotte’s missing.”

“Where’s Turel?”she asked quickly.

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