L'appel du Vide

Chapter 6

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My heavy breathing filled the silence of the room.

I was slumped against the bookshelf behind me and had not moved an inch from my position since Ezra had left me here. One of my hands was covering my wound, desperately trying to stop the blood from leaving my body. Through my blurry vision I could barely make out Lux on the other side of the room and how he was staring up at Ezra.

My body started shivering and I groaned when the dull throbbing in my abdomen increased tenfold. It was like Ezra had set my insides on fire and was now just tending to the flames to keep them licking at my existence like firewood.

Talking about Ezra:

He had not looked at me again once he had retrieved his dagger.

That fucking demon was now standing in front of Lux, the blade that still remained in his hand gleaming in the light of the fireplace. Rotating the hilt of the dagger in his hand, he moved it closer to Lux. Ezra's arm, hand and especially the dagger were still dripping my blood onto the floor. The small pitter-patter drowning out the sounds of the crackling fire or my laboured breathing.

The blood-smeared tip of the dagger made contact with the skin underneath Lux's chin and with a flex of his hand, Ezra prompted the seated demon to look up at him.

"Take care of him for me," Ezra said slowly. The please was implied in his order.

"You're drained," Lux noted with a nod.

A heavy sigh escaped Ezra, he had already abandoned his smiles a while ago.

"Rose reinforced the barriers around her brothel," Ezra said. "It took more energy to force my way through."

For fuck's sake.

How powerful was this demon?

He had forced himself through a barrier, used his power to manipulate the lights and other objects inside the brothel, used it to get into my head and compel me and then even teleported the two of us to another location. Ezra must come from a very influential lineage.

With swift fingers, Lux loosened Ezra's grip around the dagger and took it from his hand. He evaded the blade perfectly. Then he stood to his full height and searched Ezra's empty eyes. They were now chest to chest and Ezra's bloody hand was close enough to touch Lux. He, however, did not.

Lux just tilted his head to the side and reversed their positions so he could push Ezra down onto the couch in front of the fire. Amber eyes flashed in my direction, sending another shiver down my spine.

"I'll take care of the mutt for you," Lux growled.

His steps toward me were heavy and I had no clue what he wanted to do with me. He cracked his knuckles as Ezra had done before touching me. Cold fingers startled me when he placed them at the back of my neck. I felt like a clueless puppy being picked up by an aggravated elder. Lux's grip was harsh and it forced me to slump forward. I winced at the pain flaring in my stomach again.

I was limply watching the wooden panels on the ground.

And as if I weighed nothing, Lux dragged me further into the room and out of my dark corner. May I add that he did all that with just the one hand at the back of my neck?

He dropped me in front of the fireplace after he had hauled me down a small ledge separating the room from the fireplace. The impact was enough to rattle my bones and make a silent scream get lodged in my throat.

I was now laid on my stomach and I turned my face to the fire so that he could not see my pain or the tears escaping my eyes.

"You were supposed to be the one that fed last," Lux started. "You should be healing faster than this."