Page 44 of Devil Within

“Fuck! I found her!” Nero called out.

Jade ran over, and what he saw devastated him. The damn wooden thing had been a sweat box. She was unconscious and looked dead. Her wet hair hung limp around her shoulders, sticking to her bright red skin. He couldn’t even tell if she was breathing.

“Shiloh!” he cried. “Wake up! Please, baby, wake up.”

Nero carefully pulled her out of the box and laid her on the ground. He placed his ear to her chest, then placed his finger against her neck to find her pulse.

“I don’t think she’s breathing,” he muttered and immediately started CPR.

“Come on, baby, don’t do this,” Jade pleaded. “Don’t you fucking die on me.”

After compressions, Nero listened again.

“I have a heartbeat!” he yelled and slung his bag off his shoulders. “Quick, quick, quick! She needs help.”

“What can I do?” Jade asked.

“Monitor her breathing.”

“Shiloh, hold on,” Jade pleaded.

Nero pulled out 0.9% normal saline and quickly inserted the IV needle into her arm.

“Here,” he instructed, shoving the bag to Jade. “Hold this up.”

Jade took it as Nero broke several ice packs to release the chemicals in order to drape them over her skin. Then, he took a few water bottles and poured them over her torso.

“Is she going to be okay?” Jade asked. Silently, he begged Nero to say yes.

“I’ve stabilized her, but I can work on her better in my van,” Nero replied instead. “Give me the saline bag, and I’ll hold it while you pick her up.”

“Okay.”

They synced up, then Nero counted.

“One. Two. Lift.”

She weighed almost nothing. Something wet touched his hands, and he glanced down. Blood. The bastard had whipped her again. Knowing he had to stay focused, he pushed it all aside. Save her first, then help her heal. He and Nero moved quickly back across the yard and through the house. Nero pulled out his fob and unlocked the doors of his van. He entered first, and then helped bring Shiloh in and placed her carefully on the narrow bed in the back. He immediately got to work hooking her up to the machines, reading all her vitals while Jade sat out of the way.

“What can I do to help?” Jade asked, desperation tinged on the edge of his words

Nero spared him a quick glance. “You can encourage her to live. Tell her the Sect is gone. Tell her she’s safe. Tell her, her nightmare is over so she can heal.”

Jade leaned low, stroking her hair as he whispered in her ear.

“You’re safe, Shiloh. We tore the Sect apart, and your stepfather can never hurt anyone ever again. I asked my brothers to hold the asshole so I can properly send him to hell. Wouldn’t you like to see that?”

The entire time he talked, Nero continued to break ice packs and replace the ones rapidly losing their coldness. He placed them in her armpits and across her neck before remote starting the van, then cranked up the air conditioning as high as it would go. The fan overhead kicked on, bringing the temperature way down. All the while, Jade kept talking to her, whispering endearments. Telling her how much he loved her. Begging her to come back to him. To open her eyes.

Then, she did just that.

Chapter Fifteen

Shiloh found herself on a pulpit. Before her lay the congregation, except the believers were those who died through the years. They hummed Amazing Grace, over and over until she wanted to scream. Black silk draped through the small church. Stained-glass windows, the dais, the pews, even the congregation. She looked down at herself, realizing she wore an elaborate prom-like dress of dark gray and ebony lace. Reaching up, she pulled a tiara off her head. Diamonds glittered in the overhead light.

What the ever-loving fuck?

It was clear that she was dead, but the afterlife was nothing like what she expected. A princess? Really? Where was heaven? Wasn’t that at least what she deserved after all the shit she’d endured? Before her was nothing but ... Hell. The song started over, grating on her nerves so much she banged her head on the wooden lectern. Slowly, the church melted, starting with the walls. The floors. The pews and people. The humming ended, bringing relief, but where was she? Standing alone in an empty room.