New Enemy or Old Lover (Final book in the "Love or Lust" trilogy)

Chapter 27:

"God damn, you did a real number on me. Someone's been to the gym," Taylor muttered under her breath, rubbing her hand along her pale bruised neck. Her eyes looked it over in the mirror. I bit my lip, giving a hesitant smile.

"My bad," I apologized.

Taylor let out a laugh, "All good. Not like I've been beat in this hell hole before." I let out a soft sigh, followed by Taylor who soon turned around to face me. I gave a small smile, leaning back on one of the sinks. Taylor leaned back as well, folding her arms over her chest.

"What brings you here?" I questioned.

"I've been locked up in this damn joint for god knows how long," Taylor replied, rolling her eyes as she slid her uniform on. I did the same thing, letting it cloak me in somewhat warmth that came from it. It itched against my skin, but I shrugged it off and continued listening to her story, "Right after you were taken, Andy and I were on our feet. We searched high and low for you, day by day and night by night." She let out an angry sigh, "Of course, he couldn't go down in Hell, so I had to explore the realms all by myself."

"Oh my..." I whispered, "I'd be terrified if I had to do that," Taylor glared at me, and I sank back against the sink, "Yeah, next time you get kidnapped, try going to somewhere in— oh, I don't know— how about America!" Her voice rose a bit, and I chuckled.

"My bad," I faked an apology.

Taylor rolled her bight blue eyes as she shook her head, continuing on. "Yeah, but anyways, I obviously didn't find you. Harry found me roaming around, and he ordered two men to grab me. Of course, I put up a fight," She lifted her arm up, revealing a long burn scar that travelled up her forearm, "but so did they. They held me down and one of them burned me, tearing through so many layers of skin."

"After that, it's a bit fuzzy. But then I woke up and I was in this god forsaken place in the middle of nowhere," She huffed angrily, looking around. My lips curved down a bit. "I've been here for months— nobody knows where I am."

I shook my head, "Andy never even mentioned you," I whispered softly, looking to the floor, "I think he didn't want to scare anybody.."

She snorted, "Yeah. He would've came down here if he could've, at least I know that." I let my eyes fall once more to the floor, thinking about Andy. I could feel her stare on me, and I looked up to meet her gaze as she asked, "How is he? I mean, you must've—"

"He's fine," I said quietly, "And he's here.. He's down here in Hell." Both of Taylor's eyebrows shot up in surprise, looking at me skeptically. I sighed, and continued, telling her everything.

She stood there, arms crossed over her chest, as she listened closely. I started from the beginning— which was with Harry of course– and led on to my memory and finding Andy. Soon after, I trailed off down to the sewers with Andy, Behemoth, and I, and how we found Lucifer. Taylor's facial expression never changed, and she stared into my eyes as I continued on.

I told her how we ended up down in Hell, and everything that's happened. I told her about his wings and what he had said, which of course brought some tears to my eyes but I wouldn't dare let them fall. She nodded her head from time to time, slowly starting to understand every word that was escaping my mouth. It of course ended with me arriving here at the prison, and the contract that Andy had signed. I let out a shaken breath.

Taylor said nothing. Instead, she processed everything that I had said. From start to finish, I could tell it was all reeling around inside of her head. She was trying to wrap her head around it all, and her mouth slowly opened. "I can't believe this," She said quietly, her voice barely over a whisper. "I don't know what to believe first; the fact that he sold your soul for a human life, or the fact that he's not a real angel?"

I simply shrugged.

Taylor shook her head angrily, rolling her eyes as she huffed out, "I never thought Andy would do something like this... God damn, asshole." She muttered the last part, looking away. Her eyes trailed back to mine, and she added, "I'm really sorry, Madison. I swear, this is nothing like him."

Again, I shrugged.

"I'm worried for you."

"Why?" I asked softly.

"With Harry, and all," She said quietly, throwing a piece of hair back behind her ear. She let out a long sigh, kicking an old bar of soap across the dirty floor as she continued, "I wish there was something I could do.. I wish we could get out of this place."

"So do I," I choked out.

The conversation dropped as a loud alarm sounded through the small shower room. I clutched at my ears, as did Taylor, and fell to the floor. The screeching loud alarm traveled deep inside my head, and I couldn't hear myself think. Taylor called out my name, but it was muffled by the noises. A loud gunshot was heard in the small room, and I looked up.

Taylor collapsed to the floor, blood oozing out of her right shoulder. "Taylor!" I screamed, scrambling to my feet. The alarm still sounded as I made my way over to her. I reached my arm out to her only to be slammed back down against the ground. I cried out in pain as I felt my bones crushing under the weight of the massive combat boot. It pressed my arm down hard, allowing the rest of my body to collapse as well as another boot drove itself into my back. 

"Taylor!" I cried out.

"Madison!" I heard her cry, and my vision began to blur with tears. Taylor's image was soon just a blur, but I could make out two shapes. It was her, and someone on top of her. She was struggling, and as I blinked away the tears, I made out the shape of a guard. Pain washed over my body as I felt the foot dig deeper into my arm, and I looked up to find one of the heavier set guards.

"Get off!" I cried out.

The man pushed harder, and I felt my arm break. It was a burning hot pain that ran all over my body. Warm tears sprung from my eyes, and I felt as my body was lifted up from the dirty floor. The man slumped me over his shoulder. The smell of liquor and cigars wafted in my nose, and I felt my tears slide down my red cheeks.

"Please!" I croaked.

The man turned and walked slowly, holding me tightly on his shoulder. I could feel the cold air from the jail room already approaching as we reached the door way. I tried to wriggle away, I tried to kick myself out. I kicked hard against the man, but nothing worked.

My eyes trailed over to Taylor, and I felt a lump grow inside my throat. One of the men held her arms down while the other stood on her leg, keeping it firmly in place. I watched as the one slid his gun out from behind his back, reloading it. "No!" I cried out, reaching out to her. My arm burned immensely, but I tried anyways. I wanted to grab onto her, I wanted to take her away. I saw a tear slide down her pale cheek, and I cried out again, "Taylor! Taylor! Let her go!"

That's when the gun fired.

That's when the shot echoed.

That's when I lost another friend..