I prayed that she wasn’t feeling this, I prayed that she was sleeping so soundly and whatever she was doing to keep him out of her head would prevent her from feeling anything. I prayed that she was safe and took comfort in the fact that since Beelzebub was here with me, it meant that he wasn’t doing something heinous to her. I would do anything to keep something like this from happening to her.
Even die.
But dying would only deny me the satisfaction of exacting some revenge.
He crouched down, shoving his face close to mine. I opened my eyes and stared directly into his. “Lay there and bleed. Think about what you’ve suffered to protect her. You have the information I want. Give it to me and I’ll set you free.”
And by that he meant kill me. Then he would chain your soul to the floor of hell to feed on for all eternity… something whispered in the back of my mind. Freedom from him wasn’t really free.
I spit in his face.
Fury burned in his eyes, but he only stood and walked away, right through the force field, which was far worse than the beating I just took.
“I know where the page you want is.” A voice came from out in the hall. Beelzebub stopped and turned. Kimber was leaning against her cell door, her arms falling through the bars.
“You know where the piece of the map is?” he said quietly, deadly.
“Yes. I saw it all.”
“Really?” Beelzebub glanced at me once more. I gave no indication I saw. “Well, isn’t that interesting? What do you want in exchange for the information?”
“My freedom, of course. He might be willing to be a martyr, but I’m not.”
“Tell me where it is and I will set you free.”
“It was destroyed. Burned up right after you fell in that pit.”
“What!” he screamed, slapping the whip across the floor.
“Hecate destroyed it because she was angry at Heven for ripping it.”
“No! That stupid witch!” he wailed. “I need that paper! I need to know that name!”
So that’s why he wanted the scroll. He wasn’t interested in all the names. Just one. And apparently he knew it wasn’t on the piece of Map he had.
“I kept up my end of the bargain. Let me out,” Kimber said once he quieted.
Beelzebub laughed. “My end of the bargain, you say?” He wiggled his fingers and the door to her cell opened. Kimber rushed (as much as she could) to the door. Right before she stepped over the threshold, Beelzebub said, “A warning. The minute you step out of that cell, you will break the binding that holds your soul in there with you. It will be set free and you will be soulless and then you will die.”
I watched her weigh his words.
“Well go on; you’re free!” He spread his hands with flourish. “Just what you wanted, but your freedom will cost you your soul, and without it, you will die.”
He turned his back on her as she crumbled to the floor. I actually felt bad for her. She wasn’t a bad person… just selfish.
He came back toward my cell, stepping inside, and stood over my pain-wracked body. “She’s coming for you, isn’t she? Well, I say we give her something to find.”
Heven
Pain lanced through my body, causing me to arch up off the bed. It burned. It burned so bad. I opened my eyes in panic, but not because of the pain. Strangely, I was getting used to pain.
“Sam,” I called out, reaching for him, but he wasn’t there. It was like the link we both held so tightly to during the night had been ripped away. Tears streamed down my face. Something was terribly wrong. I made a mistake waiting to go and get him.
Every muscle in my body ached and burned. Pain echoed through me and I struggled to push it away. Arms circled me from behind and pulled me back. “Easy,” he whispered.
I shuddered. “Something’s wrong. I can feel it. Sam…”
“I thought the Dream Walker couldn’t get in your head with me here.”
“He didn’t. He can’t. What if it made him mad and he’s taking it out on Sam?” I pushed back to look at Riley. Horror ripped through me and I shoved at him. “Leave. I have to go to sleep. Then he’ll stop whatever he’s doing.”
Riley’s mouth flattened. “No.”
“Yes!” I pushed against his chest, frantic to stop whatever was happening to Sam.
“Sam wouldn’t want you tortured. He can take whatever Beelzebub dishes out.”
“He could kill him!” I sobbed.
“Calm down. You’re going to wake up the house.”
“Don’t you tell me to calm down,” I growled, but it was in low tones.
“You don’t even know what’s happening.”
“Please, Riley, I have to make it stop.” Another tear slid down my face. Riley caught it with his thumb and I pulled away. “We have a Mindbond. Our feelings bleed to each other. Someone is hurting him. I can feel his pain. So much pain…”
“Have you tried to talk to him?”
My eyes widened. I was so frantic I didn’t even think of that. Sam. Sam what’s happening? Are you hurt?
He didn’t answer. “He’s not answering.”
My body was shaking violently and my head was pounding, but I hardly noticed. Sam. Please, Sam.
I’m okay. Calm down.
I gasped and gripped the front of Riley’s shirt. Sam? What is he doing to you?
Nothing. Please stop panicking.
I can feel your pain.
I can handle it. Don’t come here.
He’s mad at me, isn’t he? He can’t get in my head.
Whatever you’re doing to keep him out, don’t stop.
He’s hurting you.
I’d rather him hurt me than you.
No.
I’m just going to rest for a minute, okay, sweetheart? I could feel his pain and his exhaustion.
I was afraid to stop talking. I was afraid if I let go it might be for good.
I promise I’m not going anywhere and nothing will take away our Mindbond.
I glanced at Riley. He was watching me without any expression on his face. “I think he’s okay. But he’s hurt. He says he wants to rest.”
Sam, I love you.
I love you too. Oh and, Heven, Beelzebub does have the scroll and it’s open. He’s read it… His words faded as they came into my mind. I held back my shock because clearly there was something terribly wrong and he was fading.
Sam?
I’m just going to sleep. And then my mind was silent. I could still feel our connection, but Sam was far away. Fresh tears fell. I was here, in bed with Riley, and Sam was in hell being punished. This was a new low for me.