"What do you mean, Luella? Of course, it’s me. I am here for you. Let me love you for tonight, so you can feel at peace when you dream."
She had no chance to speak; his mouth descended upon hers. Nipping, biting, tongue shoving past her lips, brushing the roof of her mouth.
Her right hand screamed in pain as she placed it on his chest and shoved with all her might. He broke away, but not from her strength, from her gasp of pain that fell into his open mouth.
His lips were wet, shiny with their saliva.
Luella stumbled back, hand cradled to her chest. Her ankle twinged. The pain reminded her of where she was.
"You’re not Az," she whispered, staring at him.
A coldness gripped her ankle and surged up her leg, tightening beneath her shift until she felt shadows in her hair, against her wings. Her mouth opened in a silent, desperate plea for a final breath, as they wrapped like a vine around her neck, forcing the spikes on her collar to dig in. Harder, deeper.
Blood trickled.
Her head grew light from lack of air.
And the last thing she saw was Az’s amber eyes, lips swollen, as he watched her fall to the floor in an unconscious heap.
She dreamed again, but could not remember it.
When she awoke, her head hurt worse.
With trembling fingertips, she touched her skull, wincing as she did so. She lay on her side, shivering against the chilled stone.
Luella didn’t sit up this time, staying prone. Each blink brought thoughts to the forefront of her aching mind?—
Something about Az…
Had she dreamed of him?
She coughed weakly.
Right before she drifted off, she had a sudden moment of clarity. She was growing sick from the distance to her Vincire. She’d felt this before. The nausea, the pounding head, shaking, fevers, and chills. She was so sick that she must be hallucinating.
The thoughts drifted away like sand through a sieve.
Luella shifted to get comfortable, and her cheek pressed to the ground, aching as if bruised.
Days passed, and she dreamt of Az again. He’d tried to kiss her after telling her he would not save her. She had cried, and he did nothing but hold and shush her. She wanted to scream and plead with him.Get me out of here.
But he only kissed her brow, then his amber eyes had grown dark as he’d taken her lips. His tongue had been cold as it had swept through her mouth.
She’d shoved him away and hit the wall, wings crushed behind her. Then she knew nothing else; she’d woken up—to sore wings and a dry mouth.
Caliban appeared, forcing her to drink and eat, his eyes glinting as he left.
Time blurred in sickness and sleep. Her headache grew worse, her stomach churning with nausea.
Shadows crawled over the ground, tickling her feet.
Weakly, she looked toward the bars, clutching her swollen wrist.
From the shadows, a familiar figure formed—Bastian, whose red eyes immediately fell to Luella as he pressed a shaking hand to his mouth to stifle a low sound of anguish.
"Luella, look at you. Gods—I am so, so sorry. What has he done to you?"
She didn’t move as Bastian knelt by her side, pressing a cool hand to her brow. The coolness was not out of place; she was accustomed to his flesh holding a chill. She couldn’t help but lean into his touch.
