Page 48 of Demon Hunger
“Don’t worry about it. I’m fine.” I slid off the bed and took the shower caddy out of my closet, along with a pair of black jeans and a forest green sweater my mother gave me for Christmas. I headed for the door.
Drevan took two strides, grabbed the doorknob before I could, and blocked my path. He was but a couple of feet away from me, so I took a step back to create some distance. His eyes flashed red. His nostrils flared as he breathed in and out.
“I’m going to kill him,” he said.
I had nothing to say to that, so I just stood there, looking at him straight on.
“What did… he do to you?” he asked, his words halting.
I thought for a moment, then said, “Why don’t you take a guess?”
Drevan shook his head, an edge of panic cutting across his face.
When he offered no answer, I huffed. “I have a feeling you know exactly what he did. Can you please get out of my way? I need to take a shower so I can get rid of this awful, dirty feeling, and then I can try to study for my test.”
“He had no right,” Drevan said. “He’s not supposed to…” He pressed a hand to his forehead and rubbed it hard, as if he had a headache he wanted to dispel.
“Khargon?” I said.
His gaze met mine briefly, then fell down to the floor in embarrassment.
“There’s nothing between us. I swear.”
“I can’t talk about this right now.” I didn’t think I could talk about it ever, though knowing how persistent Drevan could be, I doubted I would be able to escape the conversation.
“I wish I could explain, but I…” He seemed to choke, then shook his head. “I can’t. You just have to believe me.”
So there would be no conversation, no explanation. “I don’t have to believe anything you say, Drevan Morningstar.”
I took a step forward, pushed his hand off the door handle, and exited the room. I couldn’t stand to be in his presence any longer. It hurt too much.
An hour later, freshly showered and with a protein bar in my stomach, I joined my friends in the library.
“Hey!” Jenna greeted me when she noticed me walking toward the table.
“Hey back.”
“Ouch!” Sage pointed at his jaw. “What happened there?”
The bruise covered a good portion of the left side of my face, running from my jaw to the bottom of my cheekbone.
I glanced at Jenna. Had she not told them? Didshenot know? How did I even make it back to the league?
“Drevan said Jophiel must have gotten to you after he dropped you off from your…?” She left the worddateout, her statement sounding like a question. “They found you unconscious on the front steps. I feel horrible, Lucia. I didn’t even know you weren’t with Drevan. I thought—”
“It’s not your fault. It’s nobody’s fault but my own, really.” If I hadn’t run out of the league like an excited school girl… What? Would still be in the shadows about Drevan’s ongoing string of lies? Would be basking in the warmth of his arms, aching for the kiss of a master deceiver? It seemed like a good thing I’d acted like a complete idiot last night.
“So you’re saying Jophiel did that?” Sage pointed at my face.
I nodded.
“Shit!”
“I can’t get over the fact that an angel is doing all of this.” Benjamin shook his head, looking incredulous.
Jenna snapped her textbook closed. “Me either.”
“Not to sound callous,” Benjamin said, “but he just punched you? I thought he wanted to kill you?”
