Page 55 of Escaping Hallow Hill Academy
I hold the door open for Sialen as he prowls into the room, arms crossed against his chest. Once the door is firmly closed, I turn in time to see Sia, emotionless, brooding Sia, nearly stumble at the sight of Styx and Rue. I never really specified that it would be a group meeting, but that was so I could get him here without argument.
I don’t bother with introductions, though, as I step deeper into the room.
“We’re leaving,” I announce the moment they all settle within safe distances of one another. My feet scrape across the floors as I pace, but only silence greets my words. I stop and stare around at the three men there. Three men who have come to mean so much to me in such a short amount of time. Before, I never would have even admitted that. I was always used to being alone, and now I’m used to them.
They’re ingrained in my soul as much as my Holy Lady of Death.
Styx sits cross-legged on the floor, and I try to ignore his nudity because this conversation is important, but damn, his massive body is distracting. Strong muscles bulge and flex, looking so at odds with the innocent, submissive expression.
I have to force a breath of air into my lungs to find some leftover oxygen to throw at my sex-starved little brain and keep ahold of the important conversation at hand.
Sialen leans against one wall and Rue against the other on the opposite side of the room. I notice how often their glares collide despite the space that separates them, but that’s irrelevant in this moment.
“Did you guys hear me?”
Rue uncrosses his arms. “We heard you, ma chère.” That deep voice settles over me like a comforting blanket and instantly calms the nerves I didn’t realize I had.
“Well?” I’m a little offended they haven’t said anything about my announcement.
“Well?” Sialen echoes, his voice gravelly and irritated. Gone is the gentleness in the tone that caressed over my skin and brought me to the heights of pleasure. “How the fuck do you expect us to do that?”
Rue shoots Sialen another glare, and I feel the testosterone and aggressiveness swell in the room. Ah, fuck.
Rue turns to me, dismissing Sialen with a simple flick of his fingers. I can’t help but marvel at the elegance in his movements. He’s sinuous and reeks of sensuality on such an ephemeral level that it’s distracting.
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth as he prowls closer to me and stops just a foot away. His finger slips between the space where the silver collar meets his neck. “We can’t. We have tried, chère.”
“You’ve triedalone,” I argue. “If we work together, I know we can do it.”
His dark eyes bleed red and soften into gentleness. “Ma chère . . . The collars are embedded into our necks.”
“I got mine off. I can get yours off, too.”
“Be that as it may, what about yours?” He steps closer, and his hand slides down the back of my shirt and spine, right over the metal extension. Though he touches metal, I can feel the touch as if it’s on my skin.
My heart beats quickly. I know how hopeless this looks. Me more than anyone. I’ve scouted all the exits, counted all the guards. I made the calculations. Escape will be hard, but nothing is impossible. Not with Lady Death at my side.
“We have to try.” Because I would rather fight for my freedom than spend another moment here.
“It will kill you.” I feel a pulse deep in my chest. A pulse of rage, of nerves. And I hear Rue’s words whisper through my mind for me and me alone.I refuse to lose you.His hand slips to my waist and grips me tightly. Like he’s going to forcefully keep me right here in this room.
A throat clears hard, and I know it’s Sia.
I’ve made a mess of the few people in my life who care about me.
“I’ll risk death if it means freedom,” I finally whisper
I have to force my gaze away from him and look at Sialen. He understands what it’s like to feel dead inside. He’s suffered my same fate. He will do what I ask.
“Get this shit off of me.” I turn closer to the Sekar and rip my shirt from my body followed by my bra, exposing my bare back to them and the metal spread down my spine. No one says a word. So I do. “Use your magic, I don’t care, but get it out.”
“Ma chère . . .” Rue cuts in.
“Don’t,” I warn him, before he can protest. “Just fucking do it.”
I hold my breath and wait until I hear soft footfalls, and then a hand goes to the nape of my neck, pushing my hair aside, over my shoulder. It’s gentle. Not at all the way Sia and I have acted toward one another in the past. Something’s shifted in us. Something sweet and terrifying all at the same time. A warm hand grips my shoulder. Fingers slide down the metal of my spine, stopping just at my lower back.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” Sialen’s whisper warms my ear. “But this is going tofucking hurt.” He grips the metal in his palm. “May our Lady Death protect you.” And then he slowly pulls.
