A Beautiful Evil (A Beautiful Book. 1) #Wattys2015

Chapter Thirty-One - Wedding Crashers

Avery told me to avoid the main hallways, because that's where Charles, Lilith, and Ben would be searching for us. I listened and snaked my way through rooms and small corridors, clinging to the shadows with Avery tailing.

I could feel Avery behind me, his chest inches from my back. Even his warmth seemed to seep through the fabric of my torn gown. "Do you know where you're going?" he asked quietly, his breath tickling my ear.

"Yes," I hissed. "How do you not?"

"I do. I was just making sure you do."

I rolled my eyes and crouched low to the ground. Suddenly I heard the click of toenails on the hard floor and my heart jump started. "Move!" I snapped. But it was too late. A white bundle of fur turned the corner, blue eyes narrowing upon seeing us.

"Fillin," I whispered. The wolf cocked his head in my direction, as if debating whether to attack us with his fangs, or his tongue. "Fillin, boy. It's okay. It's just me. Mara."

Fillin's hackles raised and he exposed his razor sharp incisors. I could see the muscle bunching and coiling under his skin, making his fur ripple with tension. His eyes flashed a chilly silver, and the canine tossed his head and snorted. He blinked and his eyes were the color of the ocean once more.

He was fighting Asmodeus.

I still wasn't sure how my uncle had manage to take control of Fillin mentally, and I desperately wanted to help him but... Fillin was a liability. I had to subdue him now, or chance him turning on us and dragging Avery and I to Asmodeus like dead meat.

So I crept forward, my heart pounding in my ears and arm outstretched. The white wolf's eyes studied me, sitting on his haunches while his tail thumped happily at his side.

"Mara, what are you doing?" seethed Avery, his voice high and tight with anxiety.

Fillin's huge skull lifted at the sound of Avery's voice, his eyes flickering between silver and blue.

"Avery, shut up," I snapped, looking over my shoulder only for a moments to glare at the Horsemen.

Avery shrugged. "What are you doing?"

"I'm handling it," I growled.

"What are you going to do? You won't hurt the mutt."

Fillin snarled at Avery's word choice, making us both jump.

"Avery! Shut. Up!"

"Okay, fine. I will, but tell me what you're going to do."

I whirled around, turning my back on Fillin entirely and straightened my spine. "It was a mistake to bring you along. I should have just ran and took my chances. Honestly, I have no idea what I'm going to do, okay? I'm completely and utterly perplexed." I think we all knew I was talking about more than just Fillin.

Something warm, wet and soft touched my fingers. I jumped slightly and glanced down to see Fillin licking my knuckles. I rubbed behind his ears.

Avery rose from his crouched position and came up to me, pulling me into a tight hug when a golden tear slipped from my eye. "Princess," he whispered. "I'm not going to hold you back and out of danger. I've learned danger seems to be drawn to wherever you are. I'm not my brother. You don't have to worry about that. I'm always going to push you to your limits, whether it be physically, mentally, or even emotionally. I want the best for you." Avery took a breath and I glanced up at him. The gash that went from one side of his face to the other was nothing but a faint, pink scar now. And that meant the Holy Water was almost completely out of his system. Which also meant it was also almost completely out of my system.