Broken Knights (Gifted Academy #4) - Michelle Hercules Page 0,22
peeking from the shadows is his fiery eyes.
He lifts his arm, palm facing us, and says, “Go.”
My body is yanked back by a great force, and the island of horrors vanishes from my sight. There’s a brief moment when I feel and hear nothing, but then I’m back at Nathaniel’s party, the sound of merriment suddenly too harsh in my ears after the absolute silence of my trip back. The lights are back on, and all the guests are acting like nothing is amiss. I peer to my left, finding Nathaniel there, looking as astonished I am.
“Who was that man?” I ask.
He rubs his face, not meeting my eyes. “You’d better leave, kid. I think I’ve had enough of high-octane adventures for one evening.” He walks away still slightly hunched.
I should follow him and demand answers now that he’s vulnerable, but something holds me back and I don’t know what. It’s not a premonition, I don’t think.
Damn it. This evening turned out be a complete bust. Instead of answers, all I managed was to acquire more questions.
I begin to move toward the ballroom’s exit when I remember Andromeda. Shit. I’m really out of it. I search my surroundings but find no sign of the lavender-haired girl or Stephan.
Hell. Where did they go?
9
Phoenix
I wake up with a gasp, panicked. I’m in an unfamiliar room, but that’s not the reason my heart is beating so fast that it seems it’s going to crash through my rib cage. I had a nightmare, and judging by the sweat on my forehead and the lingering feeling of disgust underneath my skin, I can guess what it was about. I don’t dare even think of his name.
After the morning’s fiasco with Daisy, I returned to my assigned room. I lay on the bed with zero hopes that I’d fall asleep. I had upset Daisy, and that didn’t sit well with me. But I guess I was too exhausted, and my body ended up succumbing to it in the end.
I shove the heels of my hands in my eyes while I try to calm down. He’s gone forever. He can’t harm me anymore. I repeat the mantra in my head until my breathing returns to normal. I wish I could erase all the awful memories still branded in my brain.
My phone pings, alerting me to a text message. Groaning, I reach for it. Maybe it’s news from Morpheus or Bryce. My chest feels tight when I see the message is from my mother. I haven’t thought much about her since she rescued me from the police station. I caved back then and let her comfort me, but now the old wound is open and bleeding again. She let me suffer all those years at the hands of that monster. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive her completely.
I toss my phone aside without reading what she wrote. I don’t want to deal with her now. She can choke on her guilt for all I care. The best I can do is keep moving forward.
I untangle myself from the sheets and get out of bed. My bedroom shares a bathroom with Rufio’s, but it’s empty now. I head for it, wincing when I turn on the bright lights. A quick peek at the mirror makes me wince again. I look like shit. Bloodshot eyes, disgusting hair sticking to my forehead, dark circles. Fuck. I could be featured in one of those hospital posters for some horrible disease. A shower and shave are top priorities.
The second door opens, and in comes Rufio with messy hair and barely open eyes. He veers for the toilet and, without even acknowledging my presence, takes his dick out and starts to pee.
“Dude. Come on! I was here first.”
He yawns and then speaks. “Sorry. Didn’t see you there.”
“Are you blind?”
“No. I’m so damn tired.” He flushes and then nudges me to the side so he can wash his hands.
“Couldn’t sleep?”
“No. I slept like the dead.”
Jealousy rears its ugly head. Of course he did. Awesome sex will do that to any guy.
“Lucky you.” I don’t hide the venom in my tone.
My comment seems to fly right over his head. The old Rufio would be shooting daggers at me with his eyes, but there’s no change in his demeanor. It’s pretty unnerving to be in his presence and feel nothing but a big void where his power used to be.