DESCENDED

OFF LIMITS

Sebastian removes the stranger's arms from around my neck, and I look up at the ceiling. The reflection is still descending over the stranger, and I can't watch him die. No matter how much he deserves it. Death by reflection is gruesome and merciless. His screams alone will haunt my dreams. Turning them into nightmares.

"Do something, it's going to kill him," I plead with Sebastian.

"If it kills him, it's because his soul is already damned, Angelique. There's nothing I can do to stop it. He chose his fate." Sebastian replies.

"Then take me away from here. I don't want to see or hear him die. I'll have nightmares and I won't be able to get the sound of his screaming out of my head."

Understanding shines in those pale blue eyes of his. Followed by a sympathetic smile.

"So be it," he nods. Kissing me on the forehead and shrouding me in darkness.

The next time I open my eyes, I am in my room at the girl's home. Lying on the sofa. The room is dark, except for a glare of light from the television, and my head feels like I just went through a Craniotomy without pain meds or anesthesia. My vision is also blurred.

"You might need to rest a little while longer," Sebastian's voice booms from somewhere nearby. Making my headache worse.

It takes a while for my eyes to adjust, and when they do, I realize my pillow has legs... and abs. Well sculpted abs that I trail all the way up to eyes that look like glaciers. Because Sebastian is staring down at me.

Groaning, I turn away from him to press my face into the pillow. I'm sure I look like all kinds of crap right now, and I'm embarrassed. But Sebastian tenses with the movement, going preternaturally still. And it takes several moments for me to understand why.

Lifting my head up slowly, I'm mortified by the realization that I just faceplanted into Sebastian's junk. No wonder he was afraid to move. My cheeks heat up, and ignoring my throbbing skull, I back away from him so fast you'd think he was on fire.

"Oh my God," I gasped. Turning away from him. Beat red.

"Not quite, but thanks for the compliment," he smirks.

Normally I'd have something clever to say. But I can't take my eyes off the growing thickness in his pants. Sebastian follows my gaze and moving faster than I can track with my eyes, he snatches a pillow from behind me and places it in his lap.

If he would've done that to start with, we could've avoided this whole situation...

"Isn't there something we can do for the headache?" I groan. Happy to change the subject and our focus to something less awkward.

"Yes... more rest."

"I'm not sleepy." I groan.

"Then lie there with your eyes closed," he gives me a look.

"Are we going to talk about that kiss?" I ask him.

"No."

Frustrated, I sit up to look him in the eyes. Wincing when the pain in my head threatens to make me hurl.

"Why not? Don't you think we should?" I manage to say without tossing my cookies all over him.

"No. Because it won't happen again. It's been determined that my presence here is doing you more harm than good. So, your point of contact from this point on, and until further notice, will be Amariah," he tells me.