Page 128 of Knight’s Retribution
Kyler brutally shoved down the hope trying to rush forward as an image of the design on Rocco’s forearm popped into her head. It was swirled and intricate and indented into his skin. He’d told her it was a kind of body art. Was that his angel brand? “Even if I believed you, there’s no way I can get out of here.”
Scarlet gave her arms another squeeze. “I’m telling the truth, Kyler. I think you recognized I was genuine the moment we met. Let your instincts guide you in this.” She glanced at the door again. “We will find a way. We will get you back to Rocco.”
At the sound of his name on someone else’s lips, her heart raced. “So you…you’ve met him?” Why the hell was she doing this to herself? Of course Scarlet hadn’t met him. This was another one of Diemos’s tricks. It had to be.
The other female blinked rapidly. “I haven’t seen him in a…a very long time, but he’s like a brother to me, Kyler, and if he loves you, I do too. We’re family, and I won’t leave you here. The summer solstice is approaching, and the portal will open again. If we can get you out of here somehow, we might be able to push you through.”
Could this be true?
Could she allow herself to believe in it?
So far, only Taren and Diemos played with her mind. They’d never brought in anyone else. That didn’t mean that wasn’t what was happening now.
But what if Scarlet was telling the truth and Kyler missed her chance?
What if Diemos is testing you and you end up being tortured again?
What was a little more torture on top of everything else she’d already suffered? And maybe if he was angry enough, he’d actually kill her the next time, and she’d finally be free. “How long do I have?”
“Earth and Hell have different timelines, things are slower down here. Hours here translate to days on earth. A week, maybe two.” Scarlet searched her gaze. “You have an idea?”
Her stomach roiling, Kyler forced a smile. “If I want to get out of this room, I need to win Diemos’s trust.”
Scarlet’s gaze sharpened. “You think, you can do that?”
“I think so.”
What if she runs straight to Diemos and tells him?
Kyler thought back to all the times Scarlet had been in this room with her, and her gut told her she could trust this female. God, she wanted to trust her. She needed it so damn badly.
What did she have to lose? She’d already lost everything. “I need to convince him I’m in love with him.”
She knew Diemos wanted her love, he’d told her himself repeatedly. But to win his trust and make it believable, she’d need all the time she had.
“Kyler,” Scarlet choked out. “There’s no other way?”
Either this female was a world-class actor or Scarlet had been telling the truth about everything. Kyler prayed it was the latter. “He wants me to give every part of myself to him freely, his words…it’s the only chance I have.”
Tears filled Scarlet’s eyes, not crocodile tears, the real thing, and the hope Kyler was trying to hold down, pushed forward again.
“Don’t,” Kyler rasped.
“I’m sorry,” Scarlet whispered, straightening her spine.
Kyler held her gaze. “I hope you’re who you say you are, Scarlet, I really do.”
Scarlet pulled a blade from the satchel she carried and nicked her finger, then she grabbed Kyler’s hand, and Kyler watched as she did the same with hers.
Scarlet pressed their fingers together. “I vow, in my blood, in yours, that everything I’ve told you is the truth. If I’m lying, may I burn in the fires of Hell for eternity. A blood vow is binding. Now do you believe me?”
Kyler sucked in a shaky breath and nodded as she gripped the other female’s hand tight. “I can endure anything, if I know at the end of this, I can go home.”
The determination in Scarlet’s eyes was fierce. “You are the bravest female I have ever known, and I promise you, whatever it takes, we will get you the fuck away from that monster.”
The click of the lock came from the door and Scarlet jumped into motion, rushing toward the door. It opened and Diemos walked in, his yellow gaze sliding to Scarlet. “Get the fuck out.”
Scarlet dipped her chin and rushed out of the room.
