Page 24 of Our Vicious Descent
Layla charged forward with a speed Elise had not known was even possible. She became a blur as she grabbed the man’s shirt and threw him through the doorway. He crashed out of the curtains and into the wall opposite the room. Elise shot to her feet, her mouth hanging open in shock. Even Layla looked a little surprised. She blinked rapidly as if trying to bring herself back to reality, her eyes darting from the place the reaper had stood to the crumpled heap he had collapsed into on the floor. The wall caved in around him, and debris dusted his messy hair. Several cuts lined his face, but they began to heal almost immediately, leaving behind small smudges of blood.
A few heads poked out of rooms along the hallway. Curious murmurs filled the air, and the live music paused, rendering the club nearly silent.
Elise dragged the curtains shut and spun to face Layla. “What onearth is wrong with you?”
The reaper frowned. “I think what you meant to say isthank you.”
“No!” Elise exploded. “You’ve drawn so much attention to us, they’re never going to let us go. There was no reason for you to throw a man through a wall—”
Layla scoffed. “You were so uncomfortable, I could feel it practically chewing my skin off.”
Elise blinked in confusion. “What? How could you feel anything from all the way—”
“It looks like quite the mess has been made in here.” The gangster who had been manning the door earlier snatched the curtain back and walked into the room. She placed her hands on her hips, glaring at Layla and Elise. “Neither of you has brought me enough of a profit tonight to cause this much chaos and damage the property.”
Layla lifted her hands in surrender. “Apologies. We were just leaving—”
“No, I don’t think so. You will stay and repay what you have taken. Marco!” She snapped her fingers, and a small man with a nervous smile popped his head into the room. “Set up the stage. These two will be giving us a show.”
“That is completely unnecessary. We can pay you. She has a lot of money. More than enough to cover any damages.” Layla pointed to Elise, who slapped her hand away.
The manager shook her head. “You’ve already piqued many patrons’ interests with your outburst just now. I want you to givethem a show. Many will pay good money to see a Saint tortured by a Harlem reaper.” She gestured outside the room, where a few men ushered dancers from the small stage at the back of the main floor. “Get up there and break a leg.”
Pure rage crossed Layla’s face. She looked ready to argue this woman to death, but Elise had never felt more ready for an opportunity. In this moment, she had this reaper right where she needed her. Now Elise just had to convince her she needed her as well. Without another thought, Elise grabbed Layla’s hand and pulled her over to the stage. Two seats sat on top of the wooden setup. She kicked one into the curtains at the back of the stage and turned to Layla.
The reaper still wore a perplexed and frustrated expression. Her mouth twitched like she had a million words for Elise but couldn’t settle on just one thing to start with.
Elise pointed at the chair. “It’s your turn to listen to me now.”
Layla lifted a brow. “Excuse me?”
“Sit,” Elise demanded.
Though she heard onlookers struggling to get close enough for a good look onstage, to Elise, the room might as well have been empty save for Layla. The look of pure stunned awe the reaper gave her captivated Elise. Something tender pulled at her chest as the corner of Layla’s mouth ticked up briefly before she pursed her lips into a thin line. Elise sank onto her lap, her stomach already heating when Layla’s hand came up to gently brush her back.
Elise’s breath shuddered out of her as Layla’s palm pressed more firmly against her spine, keeping her upright. “This has to look realto them. It shouldn’t be weird.”
Layla coughed out a laugh. “You’re sitting on my lap in front of a room full of people and reapers. Two days—might I add—after you attacked me.”
“Should I ask for forgiveness for how I behaved after witnessing my mother’s brutal murder?” Elise leaned closer, snaking her arm around Layla’s shoulders. “In that case, you should be on your knees begging for mine.”
Pain shone in Layla’s eyes, and a flicker of guilt pulsed in Elise’s heart. “I guess we have matching wounds then. I would gladly accept you on your knees for me.” Her fangs dug into her lower lip hard enough to draw blood. It pooled around her teeth, soaking her tongue until the inside of her mouth was entirely red. Layla’s fingers pressed into Elise’s back like she was hanging on to her self-control. “Why did you come here?” she asked.
Elise ducked her head to whisper into her ear. “I need you.”
Layla stiffened beneath her. “What?” she asked, her voice choked.
Her reaction gave Elise pause. She furrowed her brows and hissed, “What is wrong with you?”
“You,” Layla snapped. She swallowed, and Elise swore the veins on her face jumped. Her fangs seemed to grow even larger, drawing more blood.
Elise released a heavy breath. “You’re starved.” If she didn’t know any better, she would have assumed Layla was losing her battle with what little self-control she had left.
“Don’t mention it. There’s enough blood in this place to drown aperson. I just need to make it through this.” Layla wrinkled her nose. “Stop moving so much.”
All Elise had been doing the past few moments was breathing. She glanced down, only just noticing how much her body had shifted to be closer to Layla. Unconscious, like the dormant venom still sought to reunite with its maker. She swallowed past her dry throat and met Layla’s dark gaze again. “You were right.”
“About what?” Layla breathed. Her chest, rising and falling quickly, brushed against Elise’s with each breath.
