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The hallway was empty but something cold creeped down my spine, stopping me in my tracks. Layne nearly toppled over me. My vision was wavering, thanks to the alcohol, and even my panic was delayed. I’d picked an awful time to start drinking.
“What do we have here?” The warden’s voice had me freezing, and I pushed Layne to the wall, my body shielding hers.
“Kol! Monty!” My desperate pleas only made the warden laugh.
“You think your little commander is going to save you here?” he questioned as he stepped closer. “Maybe I should see what that commander is so captivated with.” His words were laced in innuendo, and bile rose in my throat.
“I’d like to fucking see you try, demon.” Kol’s voice reverberated through the small hallway. It was so low and gravely it almost seemed painful. I’d never been happier to see a gargoyle in my life.
Kol lunged at the warden, but he disappeared before they clashed. There was no flare of shadows like Monty, he just simply wasn’t there anymore.
Kol growled and slammed his fist into the stone, but he was quickly turning around to make sure we were okay.
His eyebrows furrowed when he stepped close, leaning in to take a deep breath. “Are you drunk?” The question had Layne bursting into laughter which only made me laugh along with her. Soon we collapsed in a heap. The adrenaline was dropping away and the world was spinning rapidly.
“You saved me! My hero,” I cooed at Kol who loomed over me, breathing heavily and looking at me like I’d lost my mind altogether. I lost that long ago. That thought only made me laugh even harder.
“I’ll always save you,” he whispered. Kol was so serious it almost sobered me for a moment. I wanted to spill everything to him, tell him I didn’t want to die. But the alcohol only made me slur the words into an incomprehensible garble. He lifted me in his arms and the moment I was embraced by him, darkness overtook me.
ChapterNineteen
Harlow
Monday Morning
Third Floor Common Room
“Can we not fight?” I groaned, clutching my head. Drake barked out a laugh and it was purposefully louder than it ever had been. He had no mercy for my hungover ass.
“We’re not the ones who decided to drink a bunch of whiskey last night.”
Monty let out a growl. “I thought you were against it.” I looked up to talk to him but the oozing dark creature was not my demon. It took three tries and three figures to finally find him. If they ever doubted I was crazy, this might have convinced them I was.
My brain was still off-line, and I couldn’t figure out what the hell he was talking about. This was too much for this early.
“Against what?” I asked.
“Alcohol,” he deadpanned. “Or did you forget your whole past?”
“Forgetting was exactly my intention, last night,” I shot back. “However, it had nothing to do with my past.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Hiro asked. Leave it to him to read between the lines. My head lolled to the side, and the moment I saw his concerned face, I knew I had to give him something. It just might not be the truth.
“I’m just so overwhelmed,” I said. “There’s a lot going on.” It was honestly the best I could give him right now without breaking down. Plus, what else was I going to say, that Hel would sacrifice me to the fucking portal?
Before we could say anything further a red-headed god was standing in the center of us.
“I have need of the humans,” he said imperiously, reaching out and placing a hand on both Hiro and me before we could object. His plan was likely to snag us before Monty and Drake could freak out. Though, I knew they’d both be panicking until we returned.
We dropped in the middle of a library of sorts. My jaw hit the floor as I took in the expansive room. I couldn’t even see the other side, and the shelves stretched so far above us I couldn’t make out the ceiling.
Rows of shelves were lined with more books than should be possible. The leather and worn spines stood out against the bright white walls and stone interior.
The entire library was filled with the scent of old books, leather, and coffee. I didn’t know what heaven smelled like until this exact moment.
“Holy shit,” Hiro breathed out as he clutched my hand. “This is amazing.”
“Welcome to the library of the gods,” Loki said, waving his hands like he was showing us something he’d created himself.
