Hunger (Damnation Book 1)

Chapter 19 - I Love the Way You Lie

A commotion at the end of the hallway draws Gabriel's attention away. At this point, I've stopped crying. I'm just slightly sobbing now, using his shirt as a tissue. His arms are warm, despite him being a kidnapper, killer, and all around ass monkey. He hasn't let me go, yet. The creepy crawlies I got from him are gone. I feel numb. I hear people yelling and I watch as the Fallen disappears, leaving his new fighter behind. I hear her calling after him but I keep my eyes downcast. I don't care what's going on.

"Let her go, Gabriel."

That voice. I know that voice. I thought I would never hear that voice again. Finally looking up, I see combat boots, a well fitted pair of jeans, a white t-shirt, and a big chest and arms. I see that golden skin, those honeyed eyes, and the warm sun kissed hair. It's Michael.

"Let her go," he repeats. "And I won't kill you right away."

Gabriel stands and puts me down, kissing my neck before letting me go. My legs barely support me so I grab one of the bars to stabilize myself. Michael moves out of the doorway and motions for Gabriel to leave the cage. Slowly, as if not to piss him off more, he moves past his brother, but his eyes don't leave me. I watch all of this quietly. Something in me screams as Gabriel walks away. Something deep in my gut wants him to take me with him. He nods at me once, as if he can sense that part of me, and turns and leaves. When Michael moves towards me, I stumble back. I don't want him touching me. He stopped caring. He didn't come for me. He left me here to die. He left me here with Gabriel. He said he didn't care.

"Ro, please," he whispers. "Let me get you out of here."

The pleading tone doesn't even get a reaction. I cock my head and stare at him. What can he possibly be thinking? After all this, did he really think I would just fly into his arms?

"Rosaline, let's go home," I hear someone else say.

Tearing my gaze from Michael, I see my brother. Gabriel has disappeared. I'm sure with all the cops coming in; he doesn't want to be arrested. "Gil?" I manage to say.

Gil motions for Michael to move away, which he does so reluctantly. Gil comes up to me and I try not to fall into his arms. I try to support myself, I really do, but my legs don't want to cooperate. "Gil?" I question again.

"Shh, I'm here, little sister," he says before I fall and black out.

When I come to, I'm in a hospital. I'm hooked up to a bunch of machines and the beeping is driving me crazy.

Drip drip drip.

Beep beep beep.

Fuck fuck fuck.

Man, I really hurt. My head feels like it's a pistachio being cracked open. I don't know if it's exhaustion from the months I've been fighting for my life or if I'm emotionally traumatized from the ordeal I've been through. It's probably a bit of both.

Turning my head, I find Daddy sitting beside the bed, his head in his hands. "Daddy," I croak.

His head shoots up. "Hey baby," he says quietly, as if speaking too loud would hurt me more. "What do you need?"

"Triny," I say just as softly. "I killed her. I need her to be sent back to her parents."

Tears pool in my eyes again. He nods. I'm sure he thinks I'm off my rocker and I can't possibly be of any use to him anymore, but I have to do this first. Cops come in and take my statement. Of course I lie. I say Chase and I were partying hard one night last November and some guys came and killed Chase in front of me and then they took me away. No, I never got a good look at any of them. Yes, they wore things that covered their faces. I regurgitate the lies my father has told me. I'm going to show him I can still be a good soldier. My brothers come and see me as I recuperate, but Portia is noticeably absent. No one lies for her though. They know we hate each other. I wonder if they know she used to come watch me fight. I still have the nightmares every night. It's a repeating cycle of memories from my childhood through now. The worst ones are of Triny, though. The ones where I wake up when her neck snaps break my heart over and over again.