The smell of flesh burning hits my nose before I feel it. Pain rips through my side. Excruciating stabbing pain as the iron barely hisses over my skin. I bite down, refusing to scream, refusing to struggle, as the rage builds in my throat, choking me.
Ethan pauses, stopping mid-fucking-brand to look behind him. The pain from the partial brand is unbearable, but it’s not over yet. It’s not even started.
There’s the sound of the basement door opening and someone coming down the steps.
Is that Adrien back to fucking watch?
“V, looks like I came just in time.”
My heart fucking races. I lift my head, adrenaline and hope tearing my insides apart. There at the bottom of the basement steps is a blond, blue-eyed fucking devil with a sadistic grin.
I’ve never seen Dante angry.
I see it now.
* * *