Soulless

S O U L L E S S: CHAPTER 19

"Tell us exactly what happened, Adriana."

Of course, Lennox had predicted something would happen. So, the Salvador's weren't all too surprised to find me at their gates near dawn, however, the barely conscious Sherry did come as a shock. All I could be grateful for was that my dad had eaten enough food to pass out.

"I...I was in the Downworld." I began still breathless from all the shock, "And she just appeared-"

Elias held up a hand with a bewilderment, touched with a hint of distress that made me want to scream out of my concerns, "You were in the Downworld, Adriana?" He asked in a slow voice, like I was some kind of moron, "How did you get there, to the Downworld?"

"I don't know, it just happened." I shrugged, not really believing that my presence in the Downworld is what should be priority just now. Not when Cedric, and Braedon, were carting an unconscious Sherry through to the library, "I think I was invited- I have a tattoo!"

I ripped the sleeve to my sweater up my arm, with such a ferocity that the material could have ripped, only to see nothing there. No ink marking me; just painfully pale skin. My mouth opened but there were no words to speak, because I had no idea of what I could say.

"I knew I felt a disturbance." Freya stepped out from one of the numerous doorways, I blinked in shock at her head. Stuffed full of curlers, I had never seen so many things in anyone's hair before. How could she sleep like that? "Was she touched by anyone, the girl?"

The mental image of hands reaching out to grab Sherry flashed through my mind, but I frowned, "I'm not certain." I admitted biting on my lower lip, and I sighed. Suddenly, an exhaustion like no other crashed down on me, and I swayed a little, "Lots of people were there."

"You need something to eat, come with me, honey." Aleia ushered me towards the kitchen with what I could only describe as a motherly urgency. I felt the need to profusely apologize to her, she was still dressed in her lavender flannel pyjamas, but I could barely keep my eyes open.

"Keep her awake, she could be summoned back down." A slap landed sharply against my side, jerking me into a more alert state but not by much. Lennox gave me a warning look, "You can't fall asleep. It's not safe for anyone in the Downworld, I can't protect you there."

I dropped my head into my hands with a low groan, feeling the familiar bitch of a pulse press against my forehead that promised another killer migraine. I didn't know which option sounded better now; to vomit, or just crash land on the ground for a nap.

A large hand wrapped around my head, and there was a low curse that would make the local ladies have a stroke, "Her temperature is rising." Lance muttered grabbing me by my shoulders, and forcing me to turn to face him, "She's in pain, Lenny."

To make matters even crazier, Lance was still fully dressed at this hour. Except he was wearing a pair of sweats with a T-shirt, it drove me crazy at how attractive he looked, and even his stupid hair looked perfectly messy. A real pain in this ass, why did they all have to look so perfect!?

It wasn't fair.

"I'm fine!" I snapped through a yelp when I was suddenly heaved upwards, with about as much grace as a bull in a China shop, and waltzed through the house. My cheeks flared bright red and I almost let out a literal growl, "Put. Me. Down!" I gritted out in frustration.

Lance arched a single blond brow at me, "Nice to see those improved manners." He muttered, placing me down, surprisingly carefully, beside Sherry.

My lips parted in surprise at how much healthier she looked, the colour had come back into her cheeks and her lips were back to a natural shade of pink, "Give me what she got." I muttered rubbing my own temples groggily.