Page 70 of Roman

“I said take me back!”Charlotte screamed, reaching over and grabbing the steering wheel, yanking with all her might.

The car jerked to the right, swerving into oncoming traffic.She held tighter, not letting go, and willing the car to crash so she might have a chance of getting away.

If youdon’t die first.Two birds, one stone.The thought surprised her.

Turel cursed.She was no match for him as he easily tugged the steering wheel, pulling the car back into the right lane as a car beeped its horn, nearly sideswiping them.He turned his furious gaze on her.Charlotte shrank away from him.Before she even knew what was coming, he punched her.Her head whipped to the side, violently hitting the window, the glass cracking.

“I fucking told you to sit there and shut up,” he said in a dangerous tone.

Charlotte sat dazed.Her vision was blurry, her mind muddled.It took her a few seconds to remember she was in the car.She blinked again and again, finally starting to see clearly, wincing as she gently touched her face.Blood gushed from her nose, and her lip was numb.She could feel it swelling as blood beaded on the cut on her lip.The pain on the side of her head was terrible.She touched it, looking at the blood smeared over her fingers as she pulled them away.The window had split her head open.Warm blood dripped through her hair.

You’d think I’d be used to being hit by now.

She bit back the tears.She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.She wiped her hand across her mouth and then used the sleeve of the jumper to wipe the blood away from her nose, trying not to wince.The left side of her face throbbed, and her head began to pound.She hoped when Roman caught up with them—she had no doubt he would come for her—he made Turel suffer.Charlotte was so sick of being the weak little mortal girl.She’d give anything to have powers, to be strong like all these immortals around her.Then, she could fight back and keep herself safe.Maybe Ava would still be home in their little apartment if Charlotte wasn’t so helpless all the time.

Charlotte sat in silence, trying to block out her pounding headache and the painful throbbing of her face.Turel didn’t speak another word to her for the rest of the drive.It felt like it was dragging on forever when she started seeing planes.

Turel pulled the car into a private airport, driving the car over to a small jet.After how hard he hit her, she was too scared to ask what was going on.She remained silent as he got out of the car and stalked around to her side, opening the door.Charlotte sat there, arms crossed over her chest defiantly.The asshole will have to drag me out.

And that was exactly what he did.He leaned over, quickly released her seat belt, grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her out of the car.

“You’re hurting me,” she snapped, trying to rip her arm out of his vice grip as he pulled her toward the plane.

“Good.”He glared back, squeezing her arm harder, yanking her again.

She gritted her teeth against the pain.If he squeezed any harder, he would break her arm.“Where are you taking me?I’m not getting on that plane,” she yelled, hitting him in the arm with her free hand as he started pulling her up the stairs.

Charlotte had a horrible feeling.Something bad was waiting for her on that plane.Her struggles grew frantic as he yanked her closer to the door.She knew if she got on there, there was no coming back.

Roman will never find me.The panicked thought had her screaming for help.Surely, the pilots will help me.She was punching and kicking like a wild animal, but it was no use.She may as well have been a fly annoying a dog as Turel finally dragged her through the door of the jet and threw her into the plane.

Charlotte landed face down on the floor, grimacing as her already bruised face hit the ground hard.

“Well, hello again, Charlotte.It’s so nice of you to finally join us.”

She froze, recognizing the voice.No, no, no, no, this isn’t happening,she thought.Defeated, she pulled herself up off the floor.

Tora sat looking relaxed in the chair in front of Charlotte.Her stunning white-blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, the lights in the plane catching the beads and ribbons weaved throughout a braid here and there.She looked at Charlotte with a small smirk, her emerald eyes serious.

Sitting on the other side of the aisle, next to the opposite window, sat a dark man.He looked suave in his expensive pinstripe suit and crisp white dress shirt.He sat back, relaxed, sipping a glass of whiskey as he lazily looked her up and down with his yellow eyes.

Demon.

Charlotte shivered.The evil in him seeped across the space like an invisible fog, weighing her down.Never had she feared someone more in her life than this demonic being sitting in front of her.

This is no normal demon.She was in the presence of pure evil.What have I done?She’d messed up big time and ruined everything.There would be no escaping this time, no Roman, no Armaros to sweep in, no fallen to save her from the fate that awaited her.

“Where are you taking me?”She didn’t know why she bothered asking.She already knew the answer.

Everything had been leading to this.Her future had been written long ago.

You can’t fight fate, Charlotte.

“Peru.There are ancient ruins of a once-great city.A city built around one of the gates to Hell.It is called Caral.We are taking you there, Charlotte.”Tora’s smile disappeared.

“You’re taking me to my death,” Charlotte answered in a low voice.

Tora’s stony expression faltered for a second, and she looked away, leaning forward and pointing to Turel, who was standing behind her.“From what I heard, you were looking for death.So, I am here to grant your wish.”

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