Tempting Darkness [17+] ✔

Chapter 31

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Chapter 31

       "What about Shorzin? And River, and Siena?" I asked uneasily as we headed closer and closer to the college's campus. Well, the part of it that hadn't been destroyed.

       "I'll deal with them."

       It was the way he said it, so assured and strong, that sent a chill down my spine. I was uneasy enough when human Adriel talked like that, but with angel/demon Adriel, it was a whole other ball game. The tone wasn't directed at me, but I still felt that sharp bite of fear. I didn't need to ask to know what he meant by 'deal with them'. It was already implied.

       He didn't have to go looking for those crazy psychos though. By the time we cleared the chaos and reached the courtyard of the campus, Shorzin and his group were waiting, minus River and Siena. Jess still stood awkwardly behind their 'leader', though she looked both relieved and nervous at the sight of us. The professor did not look happy.

       "Well, this is... unexpected." Shorzin's voice carried uneasily across the destruction of the mountain as Adriel pulled us to a stop a few safe yards away. Like before, he maneuvered me easily behind his back.

       "I told you this wouldn't end well for you, Jemison." The way Dri talked, with that raspy old accent, carried around the entire courtyard. No one spoke against him, as if fear itself held their tongues. I didn't blame them.

       "I had not realized she could wake you."

       "She's not an idiot."

       I stood a little taller as Adriel defended me but had to suck down my pride when I realized it was so not the time to be sassy.

       "Look, yes, dramatic measures were taken, but you can not blame us. The town has been in peace for five hundred years, we could not risk that." I could sense when someone was trying to back themselves out of a corner, and Shorzin was trying hard. Suck ass, moron.

       "You tried to kill my girl."

       "The lock is the key. We could not let her wake you, though that obviously didn't go so well."

       There was a brief pause between the two of them, though the tension strumming in the air was undeniable. "Close your eyes, Larkin." The second those words left his lips, Shorzin's group scattered. Like little rats running from the big bad cat, his group ran with all their might.

       "No, Adriel, wait." I grabbed onto his arm as he took a slow step forward, like he wasn't at all concerned about the runners.

       He glanced over his shoulder, one dark eyebrow raised in question as I ignored how nice his bicep felt. "They locked me up for five hundred years and tried to kill you—again."

      "I know, I just—don't hurt Jess."

       Both eyebrows raised at that, and his voice took on a scoffing incredulous tone. "The psychic?"

       I nodded and let go of his arm to step behind him once again. "She's the only reason I knew how to wake you. I heard her, in my head."

       Those dark blue eyes gazed over me curiously before softening. "Alright, I will not hurt her. You should still close your eyes." I knew better than to ignore him.