I understood beings with restricted emotions.I’d been around the hounds nearly my whole life.Before they found their mates, they only felt anger, lust, and loyalty to their pack.To fit in, they studied others, learned to mimic beings more capable of emotion, learned how to appear “normal” so as not to freak people out.Silas had thousands of years under his belt to perfect the good-guy routine.He’d been a puppet, with God pulling his strings, telling him what and how to feel, but it wasn’t real.It wasn’thim.
Angels were selfish by nature, driven, and would tear the world apart to get what they wanted, to fulfill their purpose.A being like that didn’t call someone precious.Those words, out of an angel’s mouth, were nothing but fucking lies.The only thing precious to his brethren, fallen or not, was power.I’d forgotten that for a second.A shudder slid through me.Angels were cold-blooded reptiles.I couldn’t let myself forget that again.
Pushing away from the door, I strode to the bathroom.
Now that I knew who I was dealing with, I was taking back control of the situation.I could lock down my emotions just as thoroughly as he could.I’d done it before, I could do it again.
Eleven
Ursula
The next morning,we stood in the field in front of the manor as Felditch grinned at us with sadistic glee.Not good.I glanced up at Silas, and he looked as concerned as I felt.We hadn’t talked about the night before.We’d gotten up, gotten ready, and headed out here like nothing fucked up had happened between us.He was obviously as keen to forget as I was.
Felditch was dressed in red silk this morning, his hair flowing around him from an invisible breeze that only he could feel, and when his clap came, booming across the field, several people jumped.“Today’s event is very exciting!”he called.“This time, your only adversaries…” He paused for dramatic effect, his burnt-orange gaze sliding to each of us.“Will be yourselves!”
My stomach churned.
“Only those of you with ironclad mental fortitude”—he winked—“and, for some, cast-iron stomachs, will walk away from this task unscathed.”He clapped again, and another boom rolled across the field.“Today, each of you will be faced with your biggest fear.”
I fucking knew it.I wanted to lean forward and toss my cookies all over the ground.This was my worst nightmare.
Felditch, his orange gaze sharp with anticipation, lifted his staff and spun it over his head.Doors appeared behind us, just the doors, hanging in midair with nothing behind them.They were all different colors, with the same emblems as our rooms on the front.
“When I point to you, your team will step through your door, and your tasks for this event will be revealed.You both must walk out together when you are done.Walk, not carry or helped in any way.”
Feet shuffled, and concerned looks darted between teammates.I didn’t look up at Silas again.I couldn’t bring myself to do it.I didn’t do vulnerable, especially not with an audience.Even an audience of one was too much.The shit I’d locked away inside me was not for spectators, but it looked like I was about to be torn wide open, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
“Remember,” Felditch said.“Your fears, whatever they may be, cannot kill you.Only giving in to that fear wholeheartedly will allow that to happen.”He spun again, aiming his staff at the door behind the vampires.“Team Vampire, you’re up.”
With a cocky expression, one of them shoved the door open and they stepped inside.As soon as they shut it behind them, the door vanished.
“Angels, you’re next.”
The angels went through their door, then the witches followed, stepping through theirs.
Felditch turned to us last, his hair flying around his face now, his chest heaving.His excitement had increased as every team had walked into the gods only knew what.
“And finally, Team Hell,” he all but roared.
Silas gripped the door handle and glanced down at me.I nodded.There was no backing out now.He pushed the door open, and we stepped through.It slammed shut behind us.
It took a moment for my sight to adjust.“Shit.”
We were in a dungeon.It was small and cold with black stone walls.Water dripped, and roars and cries came from somewhere above us.There was a table across the room with a row of small bottles lined up on top of it.
“What happens now?”Silas asked, his silver gaze watchful, wary.
I motioned to the table.“I assume those are for me.”
“How do you know?”he said.
“They’re poisons.I can feel it.”I strode over to the table.They were lined up, numbered from one to five, but there were two of the same in the number-four spot.One of them had an S etched into the glass, all the rest were marked with a U.“Oh look, you get one as well.”
He frowned.“You’re Lucifer’s taster, how can poison be your worst fear.”
I looked up.“The poison isn’t, but what some have the ability to do…is.”I hated admitting any kind of weakness, showing it, and I was about to be laid bare in front of Silas in a way I would never recover from.
“What will they do?”