Kiss Me Deadly

Chapter Twenty Six

I stop breathing.

My airways squeeze shut and I'm left staring wide-eyed at this familiar intruder as he smirks and clasps his hands on top of the metal table. My heart is a jackhammer in my chest, trying to break through my ribs. My eyes stare hard at the blue eyed, black haired man as if willing him to be just a figment of my imagination.

Everything inside of me wells up and tightens, until it releases as I breathe out the name.

"Ryder."

The name is so painfully familiar.

I'm assaulted by images and memories of him. Ryder. Octavian's perfect son. Ryder. The ruthless, bloodthirsty monster. Ryder. The man who stood in the rain and let me run away after telling me he loved me.

But all of that was over two years ago. I've no idea if the man before me is the same person I knew.

Ryder is looking at me too.

His strange, icy blue eyes rake over me slowly, taking his time. Those eyes don't miss anything. His gaze hovers over my mending ribs and his lips pull into a small frown, as if he knows I'm hurt. Through my fear, I almost smile. Even after all these years apart, he can still read me like a book.

Ryder's eyes flick lazily back up to mine, full of mischief. "You look good, Viridian." His lips move over the words as if savoring them, like he'd been waiting to say them.

I snort softly, though my heart is racing.

I could say the same thing about him. The years have done him well. His black hair is much longer and shaggier than his usual short cut. His white button up shirt is partially unbuttoned, revealing a much more defined and impeccably sculpted chest, than the sixteen year old Ryder I'd seen last. Even his eyes have changed. They hold a hardness that wasn't there before, a cold knowledge that sends a shiver down my spine.

"I'm not in the mood for pleasantries, Ryder. Get to the point," I say with the slightest tremble to my voice. The faster we get this over with, the faster I can leave him behind forever.

He's not to be rushed, however.

The incubus leans forward in his seat, head cocked innocently. "What is it, darlin'?" He jerks his chin towards the two way mirror where Archer and Dax stand unseen. "Afraid if we talk too long they'll hear something nasty?" he taunts.

I bite my tongue. That's exactly what I'm afraid of.

Ryder sees it on my face and rolls his eyes. He stands up abruptly and screams at the two way mirror, "look over here! Viridian knows the big, bad son of Angelo Octavian!" He drops the pseudo scandalied face and stares at me, deadpan. "I do not care what they know. I don't care about their feelings and I certainly do not care about yours, Viridian. I am here to do a job and that is it."

Standing up light that, he towers over me, strong and dark. He's so tense that his muscles are nearly ripping through his already strained shirt. His long inky hair falls into his face as those gorgeous icy blues glare at me.

I've never been truly terrified of Ryder until now.

I try to regain my composure by crossing my arms and glaring back at the much larger man. "And what, might I ask, is this job?"

My mind won't keep quiet. It keeps whispering fears into my ears until I can't help but to listen to them.

If Ryder is here on a job, it's not going to be good. His jobs usually end in death and destruction.

Ryder doesn't answer right away. Instead, he takes his time to sink back into his metal seat, intense eyes never leaving mine. Once again, he's cool and collected, no sign of his earlier outburst on his face. I was always jealous of how he could control himself like that, almost like flipping a switch. I envy the control he exercises so flippantly.

Leaning back into his chair, Ryder presses two fingers to his lips. Then, he says like we're merely two old friends having a nice chat, "why, to bring you home, of course."

I should have expected his words, but they still come as a bucket of cold water. I find myself asking "why me?" for what seems like the umpteenth time in my short life.

I shoot a nervous glance at the wall Dax and Archer stand behind, praying that they haven't put two and two together yet. This isn't how I want them to find out about who I am. I want to do it face to face, allowing myself the chance to explain everything. This is not ideal.

The incubus, however, catches my glance. A slow smile of dawning realization spreads across his face. The dread I feel as a result of that smile is immediate.

"Oh, how precious," he comments, teasing me with his new found knowledge. "They don't know do they?"

"Ryder, please," I cut him off, fear making my heart work over time. My wide eyes beg him to be quiet, to leave me this one piece of happiness. "Please stop."

His blue eyes are wicked.

"Oh, Miss Steel, why would I do anything for the daughter of Fenrir and Katrina Steel?"

My blood is frozen in my veins.

My breath leaves me.

My mouth is open in an 'o' of surprise.

Ryder is smug, proud of how he's destroyed me with a single sentence.

I turn from him and sprint to the door. I rip it open with as much strength as I can muster and rush through, not caring if Ryder escapes due to my negligence. Nothing matters to me other than explaining myself to Archer. I need him to know that I'm not a monster anymore. I'm not Viridian Steel anymore.

I stop still in the doorway.

A shapeshifter and a hybrid are staring at me in shock, but there's only one pair of eyes I care about right now. Those green eyes are staring at me in utter betrayal.

I step forward, try to explain.

"Archer, I-"

He holds up a hand to silence me, not even looking at me. He turns his head to Dax and says so quietly words that shatter my heart.

"Take her." He looks at me without really seeing me. "Miss Steel, you are under arrest."

My heart pounds. "What? Archer please! Just listen to me," I yell, panicked.

This can't be real.

This can't be happening.

No matter how many times I chant this in my head, Dax is still coming closer and Archer is getting farther away.

The shapeshifter takes hold of my arm, not harshly, but firmly, and begins to drag me away. I try to fight him, to get a glimpse of Archer's retreating figure but the shifter is too strong.

"Archer! Please, let me explain!" I cry out desperately, but he doesn't turn around.

Hot tears fill my eyes as I stop fighting. I let Dax drag me away from the only happiness I've known in my short, miserable life.

The first drops begin to fall as the door to both the interrogation room and my life with Archer slam shut.