When we entered my neighborhood, Dana sighed and reached to the bar in the limo again, breaking our eye contact and releasing me from his hold.
“Here,” he said, handing me a small mirror and a box of tissues. “Clean yourself up.”
I looked at my reflection, not really caring about my appearance after what I had been through. However, I looked like hell. I removed the runny mascara from my cheeks and did my best to look normal again. He watched me, still fascinated. When I was finished, I handed him the mirror and the box of tissues.
“…thank you…” I choked.
He took the box of tissues first, carelessly placing them back on the top of the bar. He then took the mirror from me, his fingers lingering on mine and sending the cold pangs of fear into my belly again. I looked up at him, frightened, and he smirked, triumphant.
We finally pulled up in front of my house.
“Thank you again,” I whispered hurriedly, waiting for him to unlock the doors so I could escape.
“You best be on your guard, Little Lily,” Dana whispered. “You are far more delectable than you realize.” His hand went to my knee and I jumped, but I could not move further. His hand went up my leg, tracing my inner thigh and coming to rest just before the apex of my legs. I shivered and his mouth went to my neck, carefully kissing my racing pulse.
“Just remember something,” he breathed. “You. Are. Mine.”
He smiled and kissed my pulse again.
“One day, Little Lily, I will take you and you will never be able to escape.”
“Sir,” Sean said, “curfew is in a half-hour. The bus will be here soon. Her parents will wonder where she is.”
“You are right,” Dana agreed. He backed away, his hand leaving my skin. “Good night, Little Lily.”
The doors unlocked and I clamored out of the car, though my legs were wobbling and I was sure that I would collapse in our front lawn. I stumbled my way to the front door and opened it clumsily, falling inside and closing the door quickly behind me. When I registered that I was home, I stood, not wanting my parents to see me in such a state. I straightened and carefully made my way toward the stairs, trying to listen for any sign that my parents were awake. They were so sure I was coming home by curfew that they rarely waited up for me anymore. They were also tired, since both were involved in extra work since joining the Commission of the People.
When I heard nothing from their room I heaved a sigh of relief.
I moved through the living room and ascended the back staircase. As I was climbing the stairs, I saw a light at the top coming from Mykail’s bedroom. I turned to his large, barred door. He was sitting on his bed, staring directly at me as I rounded the corner. I jumped, unable to get used to his silent staring.
His stunning blue eyes were staring into me as I looked him over, seeing his wings resting heavily on the bed.
I sniffed my tears back and cleared my throat.
“It’s time to sleep now, Mykail,” I told him. He continued to stare, unblinking. “Turn off your light and go to sleep,” I told him, trying to adopt a stern tone. “I mean it, Mykail.”
He continued to stare.
I lost my temper.
“What the hell is wrong with you?!” I snapped. “You just sit there and stare at us all day! You never speak and you never seem to fucking move! Why don’t you say something?! Why are you being such a dick?!” I slammed my hand against the bars of his door and turned to walk away.
“I didn’t mean to be a dick,” he said when my back was turned. I whirled back around, my eyes wide.
“You…you can talk?”
“Yes,” he said with an accent I could not place.
“Why haven’t you said anything before?”
“No one was speaking to me,” he answered.
I wrapped my hands around the bars and fell to my knees, officially at my limit for surprises in one night.
Chapter Eighteen
“This can’t be happening…” I whimpered.
Mykail walked to the bars, crouching in front of me.
“I apologize for startling you,” he murmured. “But you looked as though you needed someone to talk to.”
I looked up at Mykail, feeling my cheeks get hot immediately. Being so close, I was under the full power of his eyes. My heart skipped a beat at the tender gaze.
“But…you’re…” My brain was overloaded.
“I’m sorry I frightened you,” he repeated. “I just wanted to…” He trailed off, becoming awkward with the conversation as well. “You…looked really upset.”
The tears overcame me as I looked into his bright blue eyes. I tried to hold them back, but the evening had been so horrible that I could not keep my emotions in check.
“It’s…fucking Dana,” I growled, hiding my face in my hands, grinding my teeth.
“Say no more,” Mykail said knowingly. “I understand.”
I looked up, sniffing back my tears.
“I’m sorry…” I whispered. “I have no right to talk after what you’ve been through.”
Mykail looked at the ground, his wings ruffling. When he looked back at me, he sighed, motioning his head into the room.
“Do you want to come in and talk?”
I blinked, taking several long moments to understand the invitation. My first reaction was to say no, but I didn’t want to be alone, not after everything.
I looked down at myself and was suddenly very self-conscious of my appearance. I was still in my alley-dirtied club dress. I was sure my face was mess, too.
“Um…I’m going to change…” I whispered, forcing an awkward smile.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll be here.”
I smiled, as did he, and pulled myself to my feet, my legs still shaky. I decided a shower was a bad idea. I might slip and crack my head open. Once in my room, I slipped out of my dress, going into the bathroom and looking in the mirror.
I scared myself I looked so horrible!
I quickly washed my face, ridding it of the stains of makeup and tears.
“What the hell are you doing, Lily?” I breathed, staring at my reflection.
I’m not sure how I rationalized with myself that going into the cage with the “angel” Dana Christenson had given my family was a good idea. In fact, the more I thought about it, the worse the idea seemed. I considered not going back to his door at all…
I concluded that sitting outside the bars of his room and talking would be safer.
I pulled on my sweats and a tank top and checked myself over once more before nervously rejoining Mykail. I felt more comfortable and the shakiness of my legs had slowly ebbed. However, I had a nervous knot in my stomach, embarrassed and worried about discussing the events of the night with someone I hardly knew.
“Lily?” Mykail called as I lingered just beyond his sight. “I can hear you.”
I took one more deep breath and stepped forward. He was still sitting by the bars, his heavy wings resting on the floor. He smiled.
“You look better.”
I felt a hot blush rise to my cheeks. His eyes were so warm, I felt safe, the anxiety pushed away by his tender gaze. I lowered to my knees, smiling like an idiot but unable to stop the moronic expression.
“Why haven’t you said anything before?” I asked. “What do you mean no one was talking to you?”
“Well, maybe I should say no one was calling me a dick,” he teased. I cringed.
“I’m sorry,” I groaned. “It’s been a rough night…”
“What happened?”
I turned to him again, looking into the bright, warm eyes. A strange thought washed over me, as though I would sully him by telling him of the horrible events of that night.
When I didn’t speak for a long time, he smiled.
“Are you going to come in?” he asked.
“Um…I…I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said, a small part of me worried he was trying to get me in the room to hurt me. Despite his warm demeanor and capti
vating eyes, I knew I could not trust him—not yet.
“Okay,” he said. “That’s fine. Whatever you feel comfortable with. But I do want to know what happened tonight. I’m worried…”
I blinked, surprised at how easily he had agreed to me staying on the other side of the bars.
“A-are you sure?”
“If that asshole Dana did anything, I swear…” he growled, his lip curling in disgust. “What did he do to you?”
I looked down at my lap, wringing my hands nervously.
“Um…he…well…you know, it’s not that big of a deal…” I shrugged it off. I could feel his eyes on me for a long moment before he sighed.
“I’m sure that some of the things he does are a little…embarrassing to talk about, but believe when I say that I will understand. I spent eight months with him. I know how he is.”
“What do you mean you spent eight months with him?” I asked. “Is that how long…” I trailed off, staring at the wings.
“No, the testing only took two months. The other six months were just when he was fascinated by what he had made me into and decided to test the rest of my family the same way.”
“Wait, the rest of your family? The same way? He said that you were the only one…like this,” I explained. “You mean the rest of your family is still there?”
He looked at the floor, falling silent.
“I…I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“No, it’s not you,” he said. “My older brother, he’s still in the Commission. But my younger brother and sister…they died about two months ago.”
“What happened?”
“My young brother died during his testing,” Mykail said quietly. “My sister went into a coma during testing and that bastard Dana continued to test on her, even in a coma. And, just like my brothers, when she came to with her wings, she had lost her mind…so they killed her.”
I stared at him, agonized by the immense pain in his eyes and the tremor in his voice. Before I could stop myself, I was reaching forward, my hand resting on his around the bars.
“I’m the only one who was a success…” he murmured, his eyes falling to the ground.
“What happened to your brother who survived?” I whispered.
“He’s still there, still being tested on…he did not fare as well as I did.”
“I am so sorry…” I whispered, squeezing his hand.
“You have no reason to be sorry,” he said. “Out of curiosity, what did Dana tell you about me before he brought me here?”
I opened my mouth, unable to form words at first. I stared at him, trying to decide whether or not I should tell him what Dana had explained about his past.
I swallowed hard.
“I want to know what he told you about me,” Mykail said strongly. “He must have told you why I was taken into the Commission. Please tell me what he said.”
“But…you know Dana, I’m sure what he said was a lie,” I evaded. I had problems believing my own words.
“Exactly why I want to know.”
“Why? It’s not like it will help the situation,” I avoided gently. “It will only make you angrier.”
“Oh, being angry will help,” Mykail assured. He leaned closer and I started to get nervous, mostly from the fire in his bright eyes. For a brief moment, I was reminded of Dana’s eyes in the limo earlier. “I plan to kill Dana.”
Now, I was interested.
He smiled darkly, but I was no longer frightened by the cold expression. I was intrigued, starting to believe that, if Dana was dead, my family could get out of the Commission of the People.
“I am going to kill that evil son of a bitch. Anything you tell me about what he’s done will just fuel me.” His grin was terrifying, but I found myself intrigued. “Tell me what he told you about me, and then tell me what he did to you tonight.”
I swallowed hard, deciding that I wanted to stoke that fire. I wanted to kill Dana. I wanted to get away from him.
“He…he told me that you were a homosexual…and that your lover was your older half-brother…and that you smuggled drugs across the border.”
He blinked at me with a shocked expression and then rolled his eyes with a groan.
“You must have said something to piss him off or make him prove a point,” he noted. “What a bastard.”
“Is it true?” I asked slowly.
“The part about me smuggling drugs is true, yes. But I am not gay, and I don’t have any half-brothers. He knows that.” He ground his teeth together and shook his head.
For some reason, even though I knew he had to be a criminal for the Commission of the People to take him in, it still surprised me that he had smuggled drugs.
“You smuggled drugs?”
“Hard not to when that’s the family business,” he sneered, his eyes focused elsewhere. I backed away a little, startled by the tone, still nervous around the boy I did not entirely trust. His eyes softened. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
“No, i-it’s fine…” I looked at the ground. Mykail took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
“What did Dana do to you tonight?”
My heart raced and the fear returned. Considering recounting the events aloud was more terrifying than I expected. I felt as if I could make the entire night disappear if I didn’t tell anyone, and I never spoke of it again and told myself it was a bad dream.
Mykail placed his other hand on mine.
“I understand it’s painful, but if you keep it inside and push it away, it will come back to haunt you in some other way,” he said. I looked into those stunning blue eyes and my entire body relaxed, melting. “I’m here to listen.”
I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
“I was at the club…” I started quietly, my eyes averted. I began to spill the story, finding myself close to tears and hyperventilating when I explained my time in the limo with Dana. Mykail’s hand kept me anchored to reality. He didn’t seem to care that I was crying again. I tried to continue but I was unable to go on, trying to stifle my sobs in my hand, recalling how terrifyingly powerless I had been.
His hand reached through the bars and he carefully wiped the tears away from my face. I blinked, my sobbing ceasing immediately when his warm fingers came in contact with my skin. I stared at him through blurry eyes and saw his eyes full of compassion. I sniffled, trying to stop my crying as he continued to wipe the tears away with his knuckles.
“I’m sorry…” I hiccupped. “After everything you’ve been through…this…this is nothing.” I shook my head, mentally slapping myself for thinking that my problems outweighed the horrible torture Mykail had suffered at Dana’s hand.
“No, what he did to you is unforgivable,” Mykail hissed angrily. “No one has a right to treat anyone like that. I don’t care if they’re a homeless man or Dana fucking Christenson, a man should never do something so horrible to a woman.”
I sighed heavily and shook my head.
“But he is Dana fucking Christenson,” I groaned. “He can do whatever the hell he wants.”
“Not for long,” Mykail said. “Don’t you dare give in to him,” he said strongly, his eyes locking mine in a determined stare. “Don’t stop fighting him. Because I’m going to kill him one day and you will be free. But if you give in, he will take you down with him.”
I smiled and took his hand in mine, holding it.
“You’re very together, considering everything you’ve been through,” I said with a smile, sniffing back more tears.
“The only thought that keeps me going is of one day killing that son of a bitch,” he snarled.
“Can I help?” I asked, only partially joking.
“After what he did to you, of course you can.”
“Mykail…” I started, “he’s not going to stop, you know.” Mykail sighed and pressed his hand to my face, moving his thumb against my skin. His hand was soft and warm, and I felt comfort in the small gesture.
“I
know,” he whispered. “Try to bear up to it. Keep fighting. Don’t let him overtake you.”
I bit my lip, thinking about the fantasy where Dana and I had been dancing. It was so easy for Dana to enthrall me and make me a puppet in his hands. How could I continue to avoid him when all it took was a glance to set my body on fire?
“What is it?” Mykail asked, studying my expression.
I shook my head, coming back to the present.
“Nothing,” I assured. I took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I’m tired.”
“Of course,” he nodded. “You should get some sleep.”
I stood, as did he, but I hesitated before going to my room.
“Mykail?”
“Yes?”
“Could I ask a favor?”
“What is it?”
I opened my mouth, hesitating.
“Do you think…I could have a hug?” I chuckled, feeling embarrassed for asking the silly question. He smiled and nodded.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the key, excitedly turning the lock and opening the door, trying to slow the bolt down so it was as quiet as possible. I remembered the discipline clicker in my pocket as well, but was sure I wouldn’t need it. He had already proven to be a very sweet, docile person.
Once I had slowly worked the loud door open enough for me to slip in, I extended my arms. He wrapped his arms around me and held me for a few moments.
It was the best hug I had ever received.
My arms circled his neck, my fingers accidentally brushing the wings. They were soft and I wanted to keep my hands on the pristine feathers, but refrained, not sure if such actions would make him uncomfortable.
“Thank you for listening to me tonight,” I whispered. “I really needed someone to talk to.”
He pulled away, but kept his arms around my waist.
“If you ever need to talk, I’ll be here.”
“Ooh, better be careful about saying that,” I laughed lightly. “I can complain a lot if I want to.”
“Well, I will listen, but I don’t mean just when you have something you want to get off your chest. I mean, if you just want to talk to someone. I like talking with you. I’ve been wanting to talk to you for quite some time, but…I wasn’t sure how you would react.”
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