Page 75 of Burn for the Devil

“What if he comes here? Will we ever be safe?”

Ramone clasped the nape of my neck, bringing my head to rest near his shoulder. “I cursed the knife before I stabbed him. It will be a while before he can do anything at all. The veil is so weak that I was barely able to get you here. I took a chance to bring you, to bring myself. It’s likely no one can get in or out right now.”

Staggering a step backward, I moved his arms. “What about food? Clothing? Will my phone work?” I spun in a circle. “What is this place? Whose house are we in?”

He placed a hand on my shoulder. “Calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down. Fuck your ‘calm down’. I don’t know what to do,” I said, rubbing my hands down my face. “You said this place is dying. How can we stay here?”

His eyes shuttered as he took a deep breath. “All those things will be taken care of. This is my home, and essentially my world. Your phone won’t work.”

Ramone walked across the room to a desk. “Adam will be here in a second, he’ll help us.” He dug through some papers and lifted his eyes. “My butler and driver. You’ve seen him.”

I pressed my lips together and nodded. I wanted to tell him I hated him, but I didn’t. Whatever this mysterious connection was between us, it had transformed into love at some point. The need to explain it to myself was there because how could I love someone so fast? Or without knowing a lot about them—never mind what he’d done to me. It was an unjustifiable reality for me and one that brought me into a whole new existence.

Watching him move stuff around on the top of the desk, I asked, “What will we do? What will people think happened to us?”

“We’ll rebuild. People will think we died. My men will come up with a reason why we’re gone, what happened to us.” Ramone moved to a built-in cupboard and pulled out a wine bottle, setting it down near a stack of paper.

“What is that?” I strode to the desk. “Is that the blood wine?” The bottle was similar to the one he’d picked up in the castle the last time we were here.

He removed the cover and lifted the container. “It is.”

My mouth dropped open. “Isn’t it cursed? Why would you drink it?”

Ramone shook his head. “I don’t have a choice."

“Why?” I watched him tilt the bottle and drain the contents, his throat bobbing as he swallowed.

Setting the bottle down, he approached me and tugged me close, resting his chin on my head as I hugged him. “Some friends of mine discovered it's the way to break the curse. There’s only one bottle left. Ilya will probably take it. I left the one we grabbed here in my home back there.”

“What’s going to happen to you?” Staring at wall across from me, I focused on the wooden molding while I waited for his answer, looking at the thick coating of dust that covered the craftsmanship.

Sliding his chin off me and straightening, his arms dropped to his sides. “It gives me more human-like qualities. It's a bonus for you. For me, as well.” He rubbed his chin.

“You already seem pretty human to me,” I remarked. “Other than your lack of conscience.”

Ramone sighed. “I do have a conscience, now.”

“And what does your conscience tell you about imprisoning me?” I wasn’t as angry as I’d been before. Not anymore. I knew I was freaking out over where this whole journey had led us, with Ramone’s insane father forcing us to stay here in this foreign land. What to do with myself now escaped me.

Ramone snarled, “Are you still going on about that?”

I hung my head. “I don’t know. I don’t know what to do or think.” Backing away from him, I sank onto the couch, dust filling the air under my weight. “Everything’s broken now.”

He followed me, sinking to his knees in front of me. “You broke me first. I love you, Samantha, I’m trying to do right by you. Give me time.”

Ramone lifted an arm and pulled me forward. Resting my head on his shoulder, I nuzzled his neck and let a few tears fall. I was still confused by so much of what happened, but I knewI loved him, too. “I do love you, Ramone, as impossible as that should be.”

He shook with a laugh. “Not impossible.” I felt myself smile and I relaxed against him.

The man I remembered, who turned out to be Adam, showed up soundlessly. Ramone looked at him and then he walked away. “What was that?”

“He doesn’t talk much. Ever, really. With him, I’m able to speak telepathically and I gave him instructions.”

I raised my brows. “Oh. Huh. Well, I’m very thankful you can’t read my thoughts.”

Ramone huffed. “I don’t need to; your body and aura say everything I need to know.”