Tirade (Heven and Hell #3)(16)
Author: Cambria Hebert

What if Sam was dead and this was my punishment—finding his body? A whimper escaped my throat. I jammed my fist against my lips and shook my head. Ignoring the throbbing pain in the base of my skull I stepped through the door to see what exactly it was he wanted me to see.

I walked quietly, almost silently because of my bare feet. There were some moans and a few shrill cries from some of the occupied cells as I walked by, but I didn’t look in their direction. I kept my eyes focused on the cell I knew Sam was in. There was no door. A door wasn’t needed to keep him in. I could see the edges of the force field shimmering as I drew closer. I realized how horrible it would be to sit in there day after day and stare at the open door and know that you couldn’t just walk out.

As I drew closer, I felt the familiar feeling that I always felt when Sam was about to shift. He was shifting? But why? I peeked around the door and into the cell. A large hellhound was there, fully tensed and completely focused on something deeper inside. I couldn’t see what it was. His large body blocked my view. I stood there watching, not wanting to distract him.

Sam threw out a paw and something slapped against the wall. I strained my eyes to see what it was that laid there unmoving… It was a rat. And thanks to Sam’s hit, it was dead. Suddenly, Sam lunged and tore into the rat, eating it in two swallows. I made a sound and my hand flew to my mouth to muffle it.

The hellhound turned abruptly and saw me in the door. It made a low growl in its throat and shot into a darkened corner of the room. I could feel his embarrassment.

His shame.

He was ashamed that he had to eat rats to survive.

Mere seconds later, Sam came running out of the same corner, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans. He ran so fast, he was nothing but a golden blur, and when he smacked into the force field, it was with a sickening thud.

“Heven? Oh my God, Heven.” Both his hands flattened against the invisible barrier and his eyes roamed every part of me.

“Sam,” I cried, not even bothering to hide my tears. I threw my hands up against his and I marveled in the heat I felt radiating through the barrier. My eyes slid closed and I leaned my forehead between our hands. “It’s you.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m not sure. I was asleep and…”

I stumbled back when he slammed into the barrier. He ran at it again and again, trying to break through.

“Stop,” I said sadly. “It’s no use.”

“God damn it,” he yelled. “When I get out of here I am going to kill you, you bastard!” he screamed.

“Sam, calm down.” I went back to the barrier without hesitation and laid my hands upon it again.

Breathing heavy, Sam did the same. “He’s back in your head, then?” His eyes burned gold.

“I’m not sure, but it would explain how I got here.”

“Has he talked to you?”

“No. Have you seen him?”

“No,” he spat. “Let him come down here. I’ll rip his head off.”

“Sam!” I looked around. “Shhh…” It scared me he would threaten Beelzebub like this. What would happen to him?

“Shit,” he swore. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I’m not afraid.”

He looked me over, his eyes narrowing on the burns on my arm. “How are you doing?”

I was better than him. The dagger wound on his bicep was not healed, but swollen, and his ribcage was black and blue. “Why hasn’t that healed?” I asked.

He shrugged. “I can’t heal as good while I’m down here, I guess.”

I glanced behind him. “You’ve been eating rats?”

He lowered his eyes and one of his hands fell away. I cried out, trying to grab it back, but my hand hit against the force field. “I don’t have a choice.”

“I know that. I don’t care.”

His eyes came back up to my face and I drank in every inch of him. He was so utterly breathtaking. Everything inside me warmed just looking at him. “I miss you so much,” I whispered.

“Me too.”

I pulled away from the doorway and looked around.

“Hev?”

“I’m going to get you out of here.” I ran to the cell over from his and peered in. “Kimber?”

She didn’t respond at first and I yelled again. Then I heard this odd scrapping sound and she dragged herself over by the door. I gasped. Her hair was matted, blackened with dirt. Her cheeks were sunken in and her skin was gray and dead looking.

“Heven?” Her voice was a whisper of a sound.

I knelt down in front of the door. “You’ve got to convince your soul to get back into your body.”

“No use,” she said.

“Yes! I’m going to get you out of here.

“Why?”

“Because you don’t belong here.” I didn’t consider Kimber my friend anymore, but no one deserved this. She didn’t say anything so I continued. “Do you think you could weaken Hecate’s spell long enough to break down the force field?”

“Her magic is too strong,” Kimber said.

“Would you at least try?”

“No.”

“No?”

“Heven,” Sam called and I ran back to him. “It’s no use, honey. She won’t do anything without her soul to give her a reason to live.”

“Then we make her soul get back in her body.”

He was about to say something, but then he stiffened and his body began to shake; his eyes flashed gold and focused over my shoulder. “Run,” he whispered.

I turned to see what would make him so upset. My eyes collided with someone I’d never seen before.

“Don’t bother running, I would only catch you,” he said. He was tall, blond and thin, but I could tell he possessed a good deal of muscle and power from the way he carried himself. He had blue eyes and wide cheekbones. Most people would probably call him handsome, but I thought he was creepy. Maybe it was because of where we were meeting.

“Who are you?” I asked.

Don’t talk to him. Run the first chance you get, Sam warned.

“I came to check on the prisoners. Imagine my dismay to see someone trying to break one of them out.” He made a tsking sound. “Such action deserves a punishment.” He looked at Sam.

“No!” I cried. “He didn’t do anything. Punish me instead.”

“No!” Sam yelled. “Run, Heven.” He began throwing himself against the force field again, trying desperately to get out.