Daughter of Nyx (Book Three)

Chapter Eighteen

When she made it back inside, Jaylen watched her carefully.

"Sorry," she said and he smiled.

"I think I'm flattered."

"If you like the idea of me burning alive for you, then yes. You should be," she said.

"Well, there has always been something between us, so, I can't blame it all on the blood."

"As long as you realize that," she said, still keeping a little distance between them. Though her body had cooled, it wouldn't take much to get it started again.

He must have felt it as well. He tossed a wire bound book on the island between them. "A lot happened in a short amount of time. In addition to the information I was going to give you, there was also that. I didn't read it all. And I see no reason for you to have it. But that was what I found in that house. I wanted to throw it out so many times, because I felt it would only hurt you, but... that's not my call."

She stared at the book with slightly yellowing pages. He didn't have to tell her what it was. She could feel it. The same evil that permeated the books she found so long ago, in Jonathan's closet clung to it, only far more sinister.

"Thank you, Jaylen. I'm not going to read it now, but who knows. Some day in the future, I might want to know what she was thinking."

"How do you know it wasn't Roger?"

She pulled her eyes from horror and met his beautiful deep brown ones. "I can feel her on it."

Draven came in from the yard, eyes meeting hers before moving on.

"I'm going to show you the way out," he said and Chevonne closed her eyes, feeling the blood drain from her face, thankful that Trey had chosen to get some sleep. He didn't need a walk-through of his own personal hell.

Hands pulled her close and how could she tell it was Caleb by the feel of his body against hers?

He didn't say anything and he didn't have to as her arms wrapped around his back.

"Don't breathe," she whispered.

"I won't. I promise."

A long moment passed before she lifted her hear and met his silver-blue eyes. "No regrets."

"I know."

Straightening her back, she stepped away.

She took a step to the hallway before looking back at Draven. "Should I lead?"

He hadn't moved and one perfectly sculpted eyebrow rose at the challenge in her voice.

"By all means."

Without looking back, she led her lovers to the room that housed her blood and screams.

~~~ 

Her hand trembled as she reached for the knob that would take them downstairs. No one could see it because her body blocked it, but she flushed at her weakness.

"Jaylen, above and before anyone else, don't breathe," she said before looking up at the ceiling. A deep breath on her part and she twisted the familiar knob and pushed the door open. In her time away, she had forgotten how dim the light over the stairs was, and now, it seemed perfect for a horror movie.

But she didn't falter as she led them down and then she was on the dirty floor and looked up at the chains that hung from the wooden beam across the ceiling. A ceiling she knew well as she studied it for the hours she was strapped to that table before he finally figured out how to break her and heal her.