Judas left.
And I was still not feeling well.
My head was light, my body weak, but none of that mattered. Not when he had just walked away. Not when I had seen the look in his eyes before he left.
He was hurting, I could tell.
I didn't know why it made my chest feel tight. Didn't know why the sight of him storming off like that made me want to chase after him.
But I did.
My legs moved before I could think. I ran after him, my hospital gown billowing in the night air, but it was useless.
By the time I reached the exit, he was already in his car. Already gone.
My heart slammed against my ribs as I stopped at the edge of the hospital parking lot, my breath coming in sharp, uneven pants. Why did I care? Why did it feel like my ribs were caving in as I watch his car disappear?
I should go back inside. I should rest. But since when had I ever done what I should?
Where could he have gone this late at night?
Should I ask Kyle?
Yes. He'd know.
He was Judas's side-chick, after all.
The thought made me snort, but the sound was hollow. Because deep down, I knew Kyle wasn't just a soldier. He was Judas's shadow. His right hand. If anyone knew where he was, it would be him.
I turned back toward the hospital, intending to find my phone and call him.
But then-
A flicker of movement in my periphery.
Something fast. Something deliberate.
I barely had time to react before a sharp force slammed into my back, shoving me forward. My stomach smacked against the hood of a car, knocking the air from my lungs.
Then-
Cold metal pressed against my spine.
Oh, God.
Not again.
I couldn't afford to get kidnapped again. I couldn't keep being a pawn in a game I never wanted to play.
Panic exploded in my veins, hot and blinding. I tried to push up, to twist away, but a heavy weight kept me pinned.
"Don't fight," a rough voice growled near my ear.
Fuck that.
I threw my elbow back as hard as I could, catching him in the ribs. He grunted, stumbling slightly, and in that second, I turned and swung. My fist cracked against his jaw. Pain shot up my knuckles, but I ignored it, shoving him away.
I had to run.
Had to-
A thick arm wrapped around my waist, jerking me back.
No-
I kicked out wildly, catching another man in the shin. Someone cursed. Another hand grabbed my hair, yanking my head back. My skull screamed in protest, but I didn't stop struggling, didn't stop fighting.
Then-
A sharp blow landed against my temple.
Pain.
Blinding.
Then nothing.
Everything went black.
******
Pain.
That was the first thing I registered. A dull, throbbing ache in my skull, pulsing with every slow, disoriented beat of my heart. My body felt heavy, my limbs useless. I tried to move, but the weight of unconsciousness still clung to me like a second skin.
The second thing I noticed was the scent.
Sharp. Familiar.
Lucius.
Dammit.
My stomach twisted violently as I forced my eyes open. The world swam in a hazy blur before sharpening into something far worse.
A dimly lit room. Predictable. Concrete walls. A single chair placed under the harsh glow of a bulb that flickered, casting eerie shadows against the walls.
And him.
Lucius stood near the doorway, his arms folded, watching me like a predator savoring the moment before the kill.
"Finally awake," he mused, his voice smooth, laced with something I didn't like. Amusement. Anticipation.
I shifted, trying to sit up, only to realize my wrists were bound behind me. Rope. Tight. Secure. Shit.
"You're getting sloppy, Sera," Lucius continued, stepping closer, his polished shoes echoing against the floor. "Letting yourself get taken so easily. Tsk, tsk. What would Judas think?"
Judas.
Something twisted inside me at the mention of his name. He had no idea I was here. No idea what Lucius had planned for me.
I clenched my jaw. "Go to hell."
Lucius chuckled. "Already there, sweetheart. And lucky for you, I brought you along for the ride."
I swallowed hard, trying to suppress the rising panic clawing its way up my throat.
Stay calm.
Stay sharp.
Don't let him see the fear.
But God, it was hard when the scent of him-expensive cologne mixed with something darker, something cruel-was already making my skin crawl.
He crouched in front of me, tilting his head as he reached out. I flinched when his fingers brushed a stray lock of hair from my face, but that only made his smirk widen.
"What are you going to do this time?" I asked, my voice steady despite the storm inside me.
Lucius hummed, as if considering. "Good question. You've caused quite the mess, you know. Meddling where you shouldn't. Trusting the wrong people."
My fingers curled into fists behind me. "And what? You're going to punish me?"
He smiled. "No, Seraphina. I thought if I'm going to die, I'll take you with me."
My stomach dropped.
A cold wave of dread crashed over me, but I didn't let it show. Instead, I held his gaze, my breathing even, my pulse anything but.
He's bluffing.
He has to be.
Lucius wasn't suicidal. He was power-hungry, desperate, always clawing for control. Whatever he had planned, it wasn't death. Not yet.
I swallowed back the lump in my throat. "Dramatic much?"
His smirk widened. "Oh, sweetheart. You have no idea."
Before I could react, he moved. Fast. A flicker of motion, then pain-sharp, burning-across my cheek. His palm cracked against my face so hard my head snapped to the side. My ears rang. My skin stung.
Lucius sighed, shaking his head. "You never learn, do you?"
I turned my head back slowly, tasting copper in my mouth. "You hit like a bitch."
His jaw twitched. He crouched again, this time gripping my chin in his hand, forcing me to look at him. His fingers dug into my skin, a warning. A threat.
"Maybe I should cut that sharp tongue out," he murmured. "Would you still be Judas's favorite then?"
I forced out a dry laugh. "Judas doesn't have favourites."
Something flickered in Lucius's eyes. Amusement? No. Something deeper. Something sharp and knowing. "And yet, here you are. Playing the game you swore you wouldn't."
I clenched my fists behind me, nails biting into my palms. He wasn't wrong.
Lucius sighed like I was exhausting him, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife.
My pulse spiked.
He twirled it between his fingers, letting the dim light glint off the sharp edge before kneeling beside me. Without a word, he slipped the blade under the ropes around my wrists. The pressure of the bindings eased as the knife sliced clean through, and my arms fell forward, aching and raw.
I didn't move. Not yet.
Lucius tsked. "Come on, don't look so hopeful. If I was letting you go, you'd already be dead."
Before I could react, his hand shot out, yanking me to my feet.
Too fast.
My legs buckled, my body still weak from whatever they drugged me with. My knees barely caught me before I crashed, but Lucius wasn't feeling patient. His grip tightened on my wrist, and then I was moving-no, dragged-toward the door.
I stumbled, my bare feet scraping against the cold concrete. "Where the fuck are we going?"
Lucius didn't answer.
He shoved the door open, revealing a long hallway lined with steel doors. No windows. No exits in sight. Underground.
I gritted my teeth. "Lucius-"
His grip yanked me forward so hard I nearly tripped. "Walk faster, sweetheart."
I had two options-keep up or get dragged.
I kept up.
My mind raced. Every muscle in my body screamed at me to fight, to run, but I wasn't stupid. Not yet. Not when I didn't know where we were or how many of his men were lurking beyond that hallway.
Lucius led me through a metal door at the end of the corridor. A warehouse. Old. Rusted beams. The scent of oil and blood clung to the air.
And then-
Engines.
My eyes darted to the side just as a black SUV rolled to a stop near the entrance. Its headlights cut through the dark, illuminating the scene like a spotlight.
A man stepped out.
Lucius's grip on me loosened. "Right on time," he murmured.
My stomach twisted as his the lights hit his face. It was the face of the man I never thought I'd see again. The man I mourned. The man who was now looking nothing like the one I used to love.