“You,” Sebastian roared and pointed his finger at V. “Don’t fucking look at her.”
The human finally had the sense to take a step back.
“I’m going to have fun slowly killing you”—Sebastian’s deep voice dropped even lower—“I’m going to make my mate a necklace out of your fucking entrails.”
I knew he wasn’t asking about one of the guards who’d tortured me over the last year, but specifically asking if this was the one who’d cut my wings.
At my silence he made a threatening sound and took a step forward, his hand still on me, his nails now turning into claws as they dug into my side, keeping me pressed to his back.
“Come on, motherfucker.” V took a step closer, but I didn’t miss the way he stumbled forward. He shook his head as if he were having trouble concentrating. More blood spilled down his temple, and his eyes took on a glossy cast. “You and your kind deserve to be gutted like the pigs you are.” He lifted the knife and pointed it toward both of us.
I would’ve found the false courage he spewed humorous if not for me being pulled back into the past by the very sight of him.
It was strange how strong your mind could be, keeping you locked in a time that was in the past, your body physically healed but the pain was still there. My back burned with the memory of the knife going into my skin.
But the longer I stared at the human, the more pissed I got.
Sebastian started chuckling, but there was no humor in the tone. It was twisted and corrupt, as if he were thinking of all the ways he’d make the human pay.
Sebastian looked down the hall Torvic had just left, and the sounds of the fighting and gunshots seemed so distant now.
When he faced V again and took a step forward, his hand slipped slowly off my waist, his body now completely in front of mine like a shield.
I curled my hands so tightly that my nails cut into my flesh, but that sting of discomfort made me feel grounded.
Sebastian reached back to gently stroke my side, as if reassuring me that everything would be okay. And it would be.
Because I was done being afraid.
I was done having nightmares.
And I was sure as shit not going to let some human bastard take away the happiness I could finally have.
“Oh… foolish human. Another time, another place I would’ve gladly had fun with you.” Sebastian moved closer. “I would’ve strung you up and taken a paring knife to your skin, peeled it off layer by layer until I got to muscle.” Another step closer. “I would’ve taken a pair of pliers and ripped off your fingernails. One by one.”
He chuckled ominously as if picturing the very acts pleased him.
“I would’ve taken a pair of rusty, dull scissors and cut off your balls before making you wear them like a necklace.”
“Stay back, demon bastard,” the human shouted.
There was a boom, then a crash as the ceiling down the hall caved in, rubble and debris causing a pileup so the entire hallway right behind the human was now blocked.
Sebastian had covered me with his body to protect me from any fallout, and once the dust settled, we both straightened.
V glanced over his shoulder, the only exit he had now blocked. And then he was retreating. One step back at a time. But there was no escape.
“Where do you think you’re going, motherfucker?” Sebastian hissed out.
He turned his attention to me after a prolonged second and cupped my cheek, gazing into my eyes for a moment.
“You stay right here. You keep your back to the wall and stay right here. Do you understand, Ada? This will be quick.”
I nodded once before Sebastian leaned down and kissed the center of my forehead. And then he was striding toward the human.
The human barked out an almost pained sound and started swinging his arm frantically, the knife slashing through the air back and forth.
But Sebastian only laughed. And when the human’s back was to the rubble, nowhere else for him to run, my mate was on him.
This entire situation could have only taken sixty seconds. It was so fast, yet it seemed like it played out in slow motion.
He gripped V’s hand that held the knife and lifted it high, slamming his arm against one of the rocks so hard I heard the bone crack.
The man wailed and screamed in pain.
The knife clattered to the ground. Sebastian was lifting the human with his other hand, his palm wrapped around the man’s neck, the human’s toes now dangling and barely touching the floor.
Sebastian hissed and brought his fist to the side of the man’s head, hitting him so hard blood sprayed out of his mouth and painted the rocks red.