Page 8 of Desecrated Saints
“What happened to him?” Sadie whispers.
There’s a sudden chorus of loud banging, like explosions are destroying our temporary home. We all look at the partition door, where the bedrooms lay beyond. The sound of a struggle filters through and something tells me it isn’t Two or Five making such a racket.
We all knew it was coming.
He’s awake.
“You didn’t tie him down again?” Hudson bellows.
Sadie’s face contorts with pain. “I just… I want to talk to him, even if it’s just for a moment. We can’t keep him sedated and locked up like an animal.”
The door crashes open. Tall, gangly, and wild-eyed, Seven stands unsteadily on his feet. He’s dressed in a borrowed pair of Hudson’s sweats, leaving his scarred, bruise-laden chest bare. I can still see the healing marks from the electrocution that nearly killed him.
He takes one look at us and goes on the offensive. A blur of bare feet and tangled brown hair, the animal that kept me company launches himself across the kitchen. Hudson intercepts him before he can attack anyone. The pair tumble to the floor, exchanging powerful blows.
“Stop! Let him go!” Sadie shouts.
With the pair wrestling and snarling like wolves, I don’t think anyone expects Seven to come out on top. Hudson’s the burliest of the group, carved from muscle and bad decisions. But they don’t know Seven like I do. Even with one hand, he’s a ruthless killing machine.
I quickly grab a knife from the kitchen block, dancing past Kade. I don’t need his protection. Seven slams his one remaining fist into Hudson’s face, becoming frenzied at the sight of fresh blood. Before he can kill the man I love, I throw myself at him.
We collide and roll across the hardwood floor, the sharp press of the blade trapped between us. One wrong move and we’ll both bleed out. Seven’s still weak from being half-starved to death, so despite his adrenaline rush, I manage to gain the advantage. I end up straddling his chest.
Hudson swipes blood from his mouth. “Grab her!”
“Wait! I can calm him down!”
Seven growls gutturally, but his eyes are wild with terror. Underneath the rage, he recognises me. His movements slow slightly. I press the knife to his throat, my teeth bared. He almost smiles before bucking and slicing his own skin without caring. He wants me to kill him.
“Seven! Stop it! You’re safe!”
The pain doesn’t register in his expression as his throat begins to bleed. Hudson looks ready to drag me away by my hair, so I throw the knife across the room and watch it embed in the floor right next to his left foot. He jumps back, giving me several precious seconds.
I grab Seven’s bleeding throat and begin to squeeze, easily crushing his windpipe. He stops fighting, succumbing to my bruising grip without complaint. His inherent trust in me is dizzying.
“Sev?” I repeat, softer. “You don’t need to be afraid.”
“His name is Jude,” Sadie barks.
“Is that really relevant right now?”
Staring into Seven’s eyes, my nails dig deep into his flesh. Blood begins to weep from the wounds. He’ll pass out soon. I wait for a trickle of awareness to return, keeping him on the edge of consciousness. I won’t abandon the man who kept me company when we had nothing but endless screams for comfort.
“It’s me, Eight. I’m not leaving you.”
When I loosen my grip a little, Seven gasps. His head crashes against the floor, his entire body going limp. He’s drained of the rage consuming him and surrenders completely. When his amber eyes meet mine, there’s a tiny flicker of awareness.
“Where are we?” he rasps.
“You’re free, Sev. No more Augustus. Consider us even now.”
The thinnest smile dances across his lips before it fades.
“We’re never free, princess. He’s in our heads.”
Too far gone to stay awake, Seven passes out. I quickly let go of his rapidly bruising throat, brushing a strand of limp hair from his forehead. Shoved aside in a split second, I’m replaced by Sadie, who cradles his body and checks his pulse.
“What was that for? You hurt him!”