Tempting Darkness

Aleera

My stomach twisted, yet I welcomed the pain-anything to stop the memory of them all laughing, anything to stop the sight of my mates just watching. Darius had brought food in earlier and set it down. I just stared ahead; I had no appetite, no will to do anything. Darius lingered, and I remained where I sat. I hadn't moved from the spot since, even though it was now dark and the entire day had passed by.

"You should shower," Darius said. Silence was all he earned in response; I didn't even acknowledge his existence. I didn't care if Darius killed them. He still watched what they did and only interfered at the end; he still allowed them to get to that point. They still allowed them to humiliate me. I heard the door lock when he left.

If he said anything else, I didn't hear him. Eventually, I got up and showered. The blood coating me made me itchy as it dried. I was numb to everything; I couldn't even feel the water beating down on my skin. It offered no warmth. Getting out, I walked back to my room, only to hear the bathroom door lock a few moments later when one of them showered.

I looked for clothes only to remember Darius had emptied my room, and everything was in their room. The only thing left was a fresh pair of underwear and a sports bra from the clothes he had given me this morning. The punishments never ended. I slipped them on before climbing into bed.

All night I shivered, freezing cold from only having a sheet, my teeth chattering after the fire had gone out earlier during the night. I only woke up when I heard the cawing sound of my phoenix, making me jolt upright. I rushed toward the window, trying to shove it open, but the damn thing was stuck, and I saw him fly to the window next door.

He had done it before, but Tobias luckily shooed him off before Darius spotted him. I wondered if Tobias had fed him for me but since he was at the window, I doubted he had. I tapped on mine to get his attention and divert him away from their window. Panic seized me, and I banged louder. I knew they were all in there f*****g, judging by the power that emanated from the room and seeped under the bathroom door. I could also hear the shower running in the bathroom.

It was only moments later that I heard the glass shatter, and my eyes flew wide as Ryze, looking for me, barged through and broke their window. I hit the door so hard that I nearly knocked myself out in my panic.

The shower cut off, and I started pounding on the door, praying they would open it. I could hear Ryze screeching, Darius's angry voice, Lycus yelling, and things being smashed. My heart sank, and tears blurred my vision. I burst through when the bathroom door finally opened, nearly slipping on the wet tiles.

I didn't know whom I barged past because all I cared about at that moment was getting to Ryze, who was squawking loudly. Bursting through into their room, everything was getting knocked over as Ryze flapped around, trying to avoid Darius's magic as he tossed it at him, but he had no escape.

"Shit!" Tobias hissed behind me, barreling into the room as Darius blasted him, and I screamed. The sound was blood-curdling, and Darius scooped him up by his neck, only for him to flap his wings frantically. Ryze turned his head to latch onto his hand. Darius growled and let go.

Ryze was trying to escape when I saw Darius lift his hand, stunning him in the air. My body crashed against Darius as I tackled him, and we both hit the ground. I landed on top of him before turning to look for my phoenix. Lycus grabbed Ryze, who was stunned, holding him by his neck. Tobias rushed over, grabbing Ryze from Lycus, who looked happy to be rid of him.

I let out a breath, got to my feet, and rushed toward Ryze in Tobias's arms as he moved toward the window. I ran over, and Tobias looked at me before his eyes went behind me. Within seconds, I was ripped backward by my hair and dropped on my a*s at Darius's feet.

“F*****g kill it and be done with it. F*****g thing broke the window," Darius snarled, and I screamed at the thought, trying to get up only for Darius to growl at me. Tobias looked torn and clenched his jaw.

"What the f**k are you doing in here?" Darius snapped at me before wiping his mouth where my forehead had connected when I tackled him. Blood trickled down his chin, and my eyes went to Lycus and Kalen, who stood around looking stunned by the situation or maybe they feared my phoenix; I wasn't sure.

"No, he's mine! I yelled.

"Kill it," Darius said dismissively, and I wondered if he had heard what I said.

"No, Tobias, don't do it!" I begged.

Darius jerked my head back painfully. My neck craned so far back that I actually fell back against his legs. Darius snarled and let me go. Ryze shrieked again and started flapping, ruffling out his feathers and using his beak to climb up onto Tobias's shoulder. Tobias froze while Lycus gasped as Ryze fluffed out his feathers and puffed before glaring at Darius.

Tobias, too terrified to move, made a strangled noise as Ryze started grooming his beak through his wet hair. I tried to get up to go to him when Darius jerked me down by my shoulders, and Ryze lost it; he flew off Tobias's shoulder and started attacking Darius, clawing at him and snapping his sharp beak at him, tearing him to pieces up with his talons. Tobias, shaking himself out of the stupor, rushed toward Darius as he flung his magic blindly, and Tobias was blasted back.

Sticking my fingers in my mouth, I whistled, and Ryze stopped, flying back to me and settling on my shoulder. His talons dug into my shoulder, piercing my soft skin as I tried to calm him while Darius got up, his chest and shoulders bleeding and torn to shreds. I rushed toward the window to toss Ryze out, only Darius commanded me, and my feet halted. I choked on a sob, and my eyes went to Tobias near the window.