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

to go back and move him. We can’t leave him on the cold ground like he’s nothing.” She sniffed and lifted her head.
    “I’ll get someone to move him. It’s fine, Lilliah. I just need to get you out of here.”
    Fine. Nothing was fine about what just happened. There was nothing fine about a man dying.
    Lilliah heard the car pull up before she saw it. Azrael carried her still.
    “Anything else, sir?” A young man asked as they passed and Azrael lowered Lilliah into the car seat.
    “No.” He slammed the door and walked around to the driver seat. “Hold on tight, baby. We’ll get you home soon.”
     
    Azrael got them back to his apartment in record time and by the time they reached his door, Lilliah was no longer crying.
    “Do you need me to help you get ready for bed?” Azrael asked gently as they walked into his bedroom.
    “No.” Lilliah shook her head and took off her top. “I’m fine.”
    “Okay. I need to make a few calls. I won’t be long.” He left the room and Lilliah continued to get undressed for bed. She dropped down on the mattress without putting her pyjamas on and passed out a lot quicker than she thought was possible, only waking up again when the bed dipped with Azrael’s weight and he pulled her to his chest.
    “Sleep angel. I’m here now.”
    She drifted off again to her not-so-peaceful sleep.
                                                                     ********
     
    Lilliah jolted awake, the image of Jamie’s face still fresh in her mind. She had gone from warm and asleep to wide-awake and freezing in seconds. In her drunken haze she could vaguely remember Azrael getting into bed with her. She was still in Azrael’s bed and completely naked, but he wasn’t holding her the way he had been when she’d fallen asleep. Keeping her eyes closed, she stretched her leg out, feeling for him beside her, but he wasn’t there. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes. The room was dark; the only light was filtering in from the window.
    “Azrael?”
    He didn’t answer.
    Rising to her elbows, Lilliah scanned the room. She could see her breath fan out in front of her. Had they left a window open? She listened for a moment—silence. No, the windows were closed. She spotted her discarded dressing gown on the floor, not too far from the bed.
    “Right.” She breathed, working up the courage to brave the cold.
    In one quick motion, she threw the quilt away from her body and darted to the material on the floor.
    “Why is it so cold?” She wrapped the dressing gown tightly around her body and rubbed her arms.
    “Azrael?”
    Still nothing.
    The tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Azrael could hear a pin drop from five miles away if he was listening for it. Taking a deep breath, she walked over to the light switch and flicked it on. Nothing happened; the power was out.
    “Oh, my …” Her hands started shaking. Something was wrong.
    She pressed her lips together, her eyes watering. She shuffled farther into the room, her eyes darting everywhere. The darkness turned the otherwise ordinary room mysterious and freaky.
    She forced her legs to carry her out of the bedroom.
    “Hello, little Lilliah.”
    Lilliah swung around at the voice, heart thumping hard in her chest. “Lucifer.”
    Her whole body shook as she backed up, getting as far away from him as she could. He was standing at the end of the hall. Not even the darkness could mask his blood-red eyes. She tried to swallow.
    “This is a dream.” Her lips trembled. “You can’t be here.”
    Lucifer laughed and spread his arms wide. “Haven’t we already been through the whole dream issue? I’m very real. Come and touch me. Find out how real I am.”
    Turning on her heels, Lilliah ran in the opposite direction as fast as her legs would allow. She sprinted down the hall and into the open living room. Her eyes scanned the space and landed on the door. Azrael wasn’t