Divine Descent

Chapter Twenty-One

My legs carry me through the halls at a startling speed, the grimy dream still stuck to my skin. The space between my thighs is pulsating, both aroused and traumatized by what just occurred to me.

Nothing here makes sense.

I cannot tell what is real and what is not.

My paced walk becomes a jog, my bare feet slamming into the ground, making the soft satiny material of my nightgown billow against my ankles. The corridors and hallways are silent, vacated in the dead of night. The only reason I know that is by the clock reading 3 a.m. in my room.

Still reeling from the absinthe, I turn the last corner it takes to reach Samael's room. My suspicions are answered when I see two men on either side of the double-doors, guarding their master. I wasn't sure if he'd be here.

Seeing me coming, they try to block my path, refusing to let me inside.

"Let me through. I need to talk to him," I growl angrily.

"Mistress, he's sleeping."

"I don't give a fuck! I'm going to speak to him!"

They do their best not to physically touch me, only gently pushing me away. "Mistress—"

My temper is quick, set off by the tricks I'm sure are plaguing me. "If you don't move aside, I swear I will make you fucking regret it—"

One of the monstrous doors suddenly opens, revealing Samael, who is shirtless, wearing black pajama pants. His tired eyes squint as he pushes a hand through his mussed hair.

"What the hell is going on?"

I push off of one of the handsome guards with an enraged growl, and they release me when Samael holds up his hand, ordering them to.

"Come in, Cassandra."

I shoot the men daggers as I pass through them into his room.

"You will not bar her from any room here, do you understand?" I hear Samael say to them. "And you will not touch her again. Ever."

"Forgive us, master."

"Don't let it happen again."

My eyes sweep his room, dejected when I see the sheets on his bed are slept in, his pillow flattened. The door closes, and I turn towards him, on guard. Samael remains by the door, crossing his arms with a quizzical look on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"What did you do? What was that?"

"I'm... not following."

I begin to search the corners of the room, behind the bookcases, the standing mirrors, around the indigo curtain drapes.

Samael chuckles unsurely. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for a door."

"I have two in here. Both you just walked through."

I don't believe him. I can still feel the bite marks on my legs. I couldn't have been a dream. It couldn't...

"Cassandra, spit it out. What happened?"

I turn to look at him, eyes wide. "You were in my room."

He stares at me like I'm insane. "I've been sleeping..."

"No," I snap, holding up my hand. "NO. I know it was some trick, some fucking trick you're playing on me. Don't give me your innocent act now. Own up to it."

"I have no fucking clue what you're talking about, but it sounds a lot like you're intending to accuse me of something, so you better start with that."