Chapter 131

"Seems like it's hot in here. Are we interrupting?" Asher asked as if everything in his life was a comedy.

He was the Quarterback of the American football team at Olympus University, my college. We walked down the same halls. We had seen each other at some parties. That millionaire ass, son of the biggest owners in the city, was also a piece of shit.

I felt pathetic for accepting that he had become a scummy womanizer. The truth was that his roots had been watered with blood, and they were marked by it.

"She's going to run away," Cole stated.

"No, she won't," Dante said. "Right, Emília?"

The five of them stared at me.

My limbs trembled, and my heart bombarded my ribs. I tried to stay calm because I wasn’t going to show how the energy reacting in my body was purely for survival. And if I needed to survive, it was confirmation that there was danger, and that danger was nothing but them.

"Faceless Faces, huh? Is that the name you gave yourselves? Isn't that a bit dumb? It used to be just the kidnapping guys. I liked it better that way," I mocked, stepping back.

"Faceless Faces, gods of death... People are so creative." Asher laughed, and Jaxon joined in. They still shared the same neurons.

"You don't scare anyone. In fact, you’ve just created a legion of female fans who’d love for you to fuck their panties off."

"And even after fucking their panties, the girls still don't give us the information we want. I don’t know what we’re doing wrong," Cole said sarcastically.

"We need to improve our reception," Jaxon joked.

"Maybe it's the lack of a more comfortable bed. I’ve already suggested it, but no one listens to me. Our victims need to go to hell in peace," Asher continued with his mockery, and I swallowed hard.

"Your ideas are worthless," Cole retorted.

"Come on, buddy. I was the one who brought up the cover idea. I thought we agreed that I was the genius of the team. Or do you still prefer Vance?"

At that moment, I searched for Vance. His existence was almost like a legend to me. He remained discreet, silent, dangerous. He was the only one not enjoying my presence, and yet he would be the only one not hesitating to drain the blood from my system.

The knife danced in his fingers as Campbell remained seated, mapping me out for any sign of fear.

And God, no matter how much I tried to avoid it, the fear of that creature always dominated my lungs and the way I breathed.

His orbs locked onto mine, and I froze.

Since I was a child, he sent chills down my skin. Now it was much more. It felt like rubbing against a glacier, each hair freezing and breaking from the cold that Vance exuded.

"So, Emília, shall we sit and talk?"

Dante's voice echoed.

He tried to approach, but I quickly grabbed a wooden chair and threw it at him.

Surprisingly, Dante deflected it with his arm. The force was so great that I heard the clash of his bone against the object. He had been injured. The scar on his skin was new and draining blood, but Faulkner didn’t care. It was a minor itch for the reckless structure he wore.

"Don’t think about touching me!" I declared.

"Or what?" His tone was much fiercer than before. "I don’t remember your body being private for me. I can very well remember what you promised me and how much you were enjoying the idea of it becoming real."

My mouth turned bitter.

"You’re sick. Completely insane."

"Don’t undermine me. I prefer creative."

"Disgusting," I cursed.

"I’ve always said this mouth of yours was a problem. Damn, Emília. Wouldn’t it be easier to give us what we want?" he murmured. "We won’t leave you in peace."

My expression hardened.

"What you want to rip from me, I don’t have. But if I did, you'd have to take it from my corpse. Nothing that’s mine will be yours. Nothing."

"You’re very mistaken. Everything in front of me belongs to me." Our distance was short, and his eyes devoured me. "Everything here is mine. I’m just asking for it back, and for now, it’s just a map I need. And you have no idea how hard I work for what I want."

"I’ll be yours when I’m dead."

"Then let’s handle that."

I shuddered the moment he tried to grab my arm. I kicked between his legs, running away at the first opportunity.

I was prepared for the energy that would come from fighting against four guys much stronger than me; however, they didn’t care. They watched me run without moving a muscle.

My desperation grew. Why had they let me go? Had they realized there was nothing they needed from me?

I couldn’t keep thinking about it for too long.

I just ran as fast as I could, trying to find some exit. But that place felt like a labyrinth. For every corner I turned, it seemed to lead to the same place. There were no doors or windows. Maybe even the oxygen was an illusion, as my lungs were no longer able to stay healthy.

Fatigue was destroying my body. My bones were weakening, and I felt like they would break any moment.

I tried to breathe. I tried to continue. However, my consciousness was getting heavier. My eyelids trembled and I closed them every damned millisecond.

What was happening?

I stumbled to the side. To the other side.

I was weaker than I should’ve been.

"Lost, Gray?"

Dante reappeared before me, his bare chest and hands shoved in his dark pants pockets.

His posture was imposing. There was power in every movement, every breath, every syllable, every damned thought that governed that mind.

"Did you poison me?" I asked, experiencing the functions of my body becoming independent.

I no longer had control.

He didn’t answer, as if he didn’t know what to say either.

My legs gave out, and I was pushed backward by the force of the drug hitting hard. I don’t know when or how I had been fed opium, but I should’ve known they were experienced at putting their victims on their feet.

Dante caught me before I hit the ground.

I wanted to move. I wanted to hit him. But I could barely think clearly.

Faulkner lifted me, my body cradled in his arms as he walked.

"I promise I won’t cause you pain. Not much."

My spine trembled with the threat.

"I’ll kill you..." I whispered, drenched in sleep.

"I’m already dead. But try, pulchra. I’ll enjoy watching you try."