Page 58 of Pretty Lethal
I don’t need to see her face to know who it is. I’d recognize those panda pajamas anywhere, especially given that the last time I saw them was on Emilia when I left her sleeping in my bed at the frat.
These fucking assholes have my Angel!
Everything around me becomes a hazy blur as I rage, scream, and shout. I’m vaguely aware of more people rushing onto the platform and hands pushing me back into the chair, though all I can see is the look of horror on Em’s pale face when they whip the hood off.
“Get the fuck off me!” I growl. With an almighty roar and superhuman strength gifted to me by my Angel, I wrench my arm free and reach for Marie, which I have attached to a belt at my waist, hidden beneath my cloak.
Throwing my arm back, the razor-sharp blade glides along someone's skin, sending blood spurting everywhere. I scream and slash, my vision nothing but a red haze and Emilia’s terrified face, until hands stop grabbing at me.
Seeming to realize the monster they have unleashed, the crowd backs away, giving me a wide berth as they watch me cautiously. I pay no attention to them, focusing solely on the screen.
There must be Go-Pros attached to Emilia and each of the men, as the image is grainy and nearly incomprehensible in the dark setting. However, on Em’s screen, I can make out my Angel running through the forest. Her heavy breathing and catching sobs bleed through the speakers and into the room, only driving me crazier as my eyes scan for any clues as to where she is.
Trees rush by in a dark blur, and shifting my gaze to the other screens, I notice the men all appear to be chasing her, yelling taunts that turn my stomach.
By now, I have descended into a feral beast of human form. Incapable of forming words, I let loose another fury-filled roar, glaring at the crowd of entitled, self-involved fuckwits who all just stand there, watching as though this is a fucking spectator sport.
God, I’m going to murder their sorry fucking asses one day.But not today. As much as I’d relish staying to watch the life drain from their eyes atmyhands, my Angel fucking needs me and I made a promise to myself the day she tied me to my bed and everything changed between us.
I swore I’d protect her from then on out. I swore that I’d always be there for her.
And here she is, in dangerbecause of me.
These people will rue the day they invited me into their ranks and thought they could hurt me and mine. They have no idea of the monster they’ve just unleashed. A black-souled demon who will burn the world down and dance on the ashes of the dead with a crazy fucking grin on his face to protect the people he cares for. To protect his family. To protect his Angel.
Light flashes across the screen and I snap my head back to the screen as Emilia breaks through the treeline. A hysterical sob rips from her lips, even as she keeps on running as fast as her legs will take her. I notice the men all stop when they reach the edge of the forest, calling after her, but I don’t have time to wait around to make sure they aren’t simply toying with her.
Spotting a recognizable landmark on campus, I tear my eyes away from the screen and hurl myself across the room. People dive out of my way, eyeing Marie and the fresh blood glinting off the steel with an awed kind of wariness.
“This was only a warning.” The King’s elevated voice echoes loudly around the room, penetrating through my bloodlust and fear for Emilia, but I don’t slow down or turn around as I reach the door and yank it open. “Next time she won’t be so lucky.”
Yeah, yeah, I get it. Next time you’ll not just chase her through the woods. You’ll fucking catch her, too.
Chapter18
EMILIA
If you make it to the treeline, then you’re home free. And if you don’t…
Treeline. Make it to the treeline,I tell myself as I race blindly through the forest. Branches whip at my face and tear at my pajamas, and I’m not even certain that I’m running in the right direction. All my brain registered was that I needed to run, to get away from those leering eyes and vile sneers.
My feet are numb from the cold and adrenaline, which is a small miracle since I’m sure I’m running over rocks and sharp twigs, and who knows what else. Dried tears cling to my cheeks, and my ragged breathing echoes in my ears, the harsh tone and tightness in my chest a constant battle to fight against as I run through the dark toward freedom.
I can hear the men behind me yelling and calling out, but the words are indiscernible over the blood rushing in my ears. Even if they weren’t, I wouldn’t waste energy listening to them. The way they looked at me, the leers and mal-intent in their eyes… It was more than enough for me to imagine the worst things possible that they would do to me if I was caught.
Wilder, Hawk, and I were staying at the Kappa Epsilon frat house tonight. Since Wilder had his meeting, the three of us decided to have another look through the fraternity library in case there was anything I’d missed.
Tonight is technically my night alone on our schedule, but I wanted to be there for Wilder when he got back. Honestly, after the night spent together, all four of us in the cinema room, I’m ready to toss out the schedule and raise the possibility of all of us sleeping together from now on. However, logistically I don’t know how that would work.
After Wilder left, Hawk and I went to bed. Despite my trying to coax him into Wilder’s room to wait, he insisted that I should have at least part of the night to myself.
At the time I loved his respect for the boundaries I’d put in place, even if I was the one trying to break those boundaries. I’d initially included a night alone in the schedule because my research on being in a successful polyamorous relationship all said that it was important to have that protected time to yourself. That it was easy to lose yourself in the other partners and to set your own needs aside.
I thought it would be easy, that I’d enjoy my nights alone after three nights of being with each of them, but more often than not, I end up trying to coax one of them into the bedroom with me, missing their presence or simply just not wanting to be alone. I’ve been alone for so long that now I can’t even bear to be by myself for one night, even though I know I’m not truly alone. I will never bethatalone ever again.
Now, though, as a sharp branch slices across my cheek with a harsh sting as I go whizzing by, cursing myself for being anti-exercise my entire life, I wish Hawk wasn’t so goddamn honorable. That he wasn’t so good at putting my needs first and had just said fuck it and climbed into bed with me.
Although, perhaps then, he would have gotten caught up in all of this too… or worse. What would they have done when they snuck into Wilder’s room if they’d found me in bed with Hawk?
