Free Ruthless (The Seraphim Series Book 2) by Sophia Stafford

through the crowd after Azrael.
    Lilliah walked through the emergency exit just in time to hear Azrael say, “Who are you?”
    “I told you, I’m just a man.” The man she had met earlier was up against the wall, his hands held out in self-defence.
    “Azrael.” She had wanted it to sound like a warning, but it had come out more like a squeak.
    They turned to look at her, the guy looking so helpless.
    “I want to ask him questions.” She stumbled towards them, keeping her eyes on the mystery man and his pasty complexion. “What’s your name?”
    He was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday.
    “My name’s Jamie.” He stared down at his feet. “I’m sorry if I hurt you earlier. I didn’t mean to.”
    He sounded so small, like a child being scolded. Lilliah wanted to reach out and comfort him in some way, and she was about to when Azrael held out his hand to stop her.
    “You didn’t hurt me.” She moved closer to Azrael and rested her head on his shoulder, still too drunk to think properly. “What happened to you? You went a bit crazy.”
    Azrael stood still, not talking, just watching. Every time Jamie moved, he tensed, ready for an attack.
    “I didn’t mean to. He was just inside my head!” Jamie slammed his palm against his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut. “He’s in here, all the time. I was stupid and messed around with stuff I shouldn’t have. Now he’s in here.”
    Lilliah lifted her head off of Azrael’s shoulder and reached out to him. “Who’s in there? Lucifer?”
    Jamie stopped moving, his eyes cast downward. “I’m too late. He’s already gotten to you.”
    “So he’s out?” Azrael crossed his arms, but the rest of his body relaxed. “You’re one of his followers.”
    “Yes. He said … he said I would be a king. A god. But I’m not. I messed around with stuff, things I should have never touched. I just wanted to follow him. I just wanted power. Now he owns me.” Jamie sniffed up and rubbed his hands over his face. “But I could save you. I knew that he was coming. He’s going to—”
    Jamie dropped to the ground, gripping his throat.
    “Azrael?” Lilliah watched in shock, but Azrael sprang forward and knelt next to Jamie.
    “Look at me. Jamie, look at me and calm down. He’s in your head. Lilliah, turn around.”
    Lilliah couldn’t move. Instead, she stood helplessly by as Jamie gasped for air, his face turning red, then purple. She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t speak or move.
    “Lilliah! Turn around,” Azrael ordered, still holding onto Jamie.
    “Run. Hide.” Jamie clawed at the ground, his fingernails cracking and bleeding.
    It was Lucifer. He was killing Jamie. As if a cold bucket of water had been tipped over her, Lilliah dropped to her knees next to Jamie.
    “Lilliah. Stay back!”
    She ignored Azrael and took Jamie’s hands in hers. His face twisted in pain. “It’s going to be okay,” she said. “We’re here with you.”
    Lucifer wouldn’t let this guy go. He was punishing him for trying to help her.
    Jamie held her eyes, blood dripping from his nose.
    “You can’t win.” The words had barely left Jamie’s lips. He wasn’t twitching anymore, nor was he gasping for air.
    “He’s gone. You can let go of his hands now.”
    Gently, Azrael pried Jamie’s hands out of hers.
    “He’s dead,” Lilliah whispered, tears already stinging her eyes, a lump forming in the back of her throat.
    “You couldn’t have helped him.”
    Lilliah hands started to shake as she stared down at Jamie’s dead body in front of her. “He’s dead because he tried to help me.” She was full-on sobbing.
    “He made his own choices,” Azrael said. He picked Lilliah up from the ground and carried her round the front of the building. She buried her head in his neck and ignored everything else.
    Azrael barked orders and she felt him stop moving.
    “The car will be here soon angel, then we’ll get you home.”
    “We can’t leave him there. We need