CHARLOTTE
My stomach is in my throat the moment my body materializes in the demon realm. I gag and slap my hands over my lips as I stumble forward. The ground hardens beneath my feet, the feeling of it only worsening my discombobulation as I bend over and heave.
Gray's grabbing my torso a second later, his hold preventing me from toppling headfirst into the cement. I flail in my panic, and he wraps his arms around me as I struggle to regain my balance and find spatial awareness.
This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me. And that's saying something.
I go limp after emptying the contents of my stomach, the side of my head smacking against Gray's ribcage as I hold on to him for dear life. He doesn't say anything as I fail to collect myself, and he holds me silently as I squeeze my eyes shut and pant.
After a couple of seconds, I find the strength to open my eyes, forcing myself to unclench despite still feeling like the world is spinning around me. The moment my eyes are opened, though, I wish for them to be closed again.
I'm met with the sight of Gray's ruined shoes, my sick having landed all over them and his pants.
Shit.
"It's fine. One pair of shoes is hardly going to upset me," he assures me, probably feeling my body tense as I stare at what I've done.
He tightens his hold as I try to twist out of his arms, my hands releasing his biceps before pushing him away. Gray lets me go before he seems to change his mind and grabs me once more.
"We might as well rip the bandage off. I'm going to teleport you now. It shouldn't be too bad," he says just as everything begins to spin again.
The pressure in my skull reaches an all-time high as I lose control of my neck muscles and my head lolls forward. I can feel my vision tunneling as the ground disappears from underneath me again, my consciousness fading as Gray teleports me.
"Fuck, I'm so sorry," he says, wiping the wetness on my cheeks as I blink away the momentary loss of awareness. "I didn't realize how weak you are, and I thought it'd be best to get the travel over with quickly. I should've waited another minute or two for you to get adjusted."
I groan, his words going in one ear and out the other as I try to make sense of what's happening. My stomach roils as I look around, but it's hard to focus when Gray's face is only inches from mine. He looks worried, his eyebrows pulled tightly together and lips pursed.
I blink slowly as I become aware of my back on the ground, and I turn my head to the side to confirm my thoughts. Am I lying down? Did I fall? I'm not sure.
Gray straightens as I come to, his expression of concern remaining as he watches me push myself up on shaky elbows. We're in the middle of a large entryway, with tall ceilings and a wide corridor leading into what I'm sure is some grand estate.
My lips twitch, and an intense shock of pain radiates down my tailbone as I sit up. I suppose that answers my question about whether or not I fell. Shifting my weight off my butt, I flip onto my knees before taking a moment to catch my breath.
The power filling this room is suffocating, the intensity of it overwhelming my dazed mind and weighing me down like a blanket. I assume it's a mixture of Gray's and that of the two other males he lives with. It feels like being caught in a smoke-filled room, and every inch of my body is on high alert. I hate it.
I continue slowly working my way up, desperate to stand on my own feet. The last thing I want is to get caught on my back when meeting the elusive Silas and Aziel. Gray might not be able to take my innocence against my will, but that limitation does not affect the other two.
