The Darkest Prison (lotu) by Gena Showalter

Author:Gena Showalter [Showalter, Gena]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: love_sf
Published: 2009-03-19T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

“Come with me.”

Nike’s heart raced at the sound of that deep voice. Hesitant, she rolled over on her cot. Sure enough. Her skin tingled when her gaze found Atlas. Gorgeous as ever, he stood at the bars-bars that were now open. His hand was extended, and he was waving her over. There was fury in his too-tight expression.

What had she done this time?

She’d tried to ignore him. She’d tried to pretend that she felt nothing for him. Anything to stop the madness. But gods, she couldn’t stop thinking about their kiss. She couldn’t stop wishing she’d allowed him to take her all the way. That she’d have experienced everything before being taken back to nothing.

So what if he would have tired of her afterward? So what if he would have been smug about her capitulation? So what if he found someone else and paraded her before Nike? For a few blessed hours-who was she kidding? — for a few blessed minutes, because it wasn’t as if either one of them would last beyond that, she would have known the joy of being with him again. Of simply feeling, giving, taking, sharing…loving.

Have all the rest, common sense piped up, but deny the love.

That would be my pleasure. But I have to get him to offer me the rest first.

“Come,” he repeated.

What did he have planned?

Slowly she sat up. Her hair was in desperate need of a brush, and gods, the rest of her needed a shower. How long since she’d had one? Prisoners were given a bowl of water each day and that was it.

“Why?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Do you want to spend a few hours outside the prison or not?”

Wait. What? Leave Tartarus? She was on her feet before her brain could process what she was doing. Her knees almost buckled, she’d spent so much time prone, bored, but she managed to stay upright. She even reached out and twined their fingers together. The heat of his skin should not have shocked her, but it did. The calluses should not have ignited a fire in her blood, but they did.

“You’re taking me outside?”

“Yes. But do not say a word when we reach the guard’s station. Understand?”

“Yes.” This could be a trick. A trick to build up her hopes only to dash them cruelly, but she didn’t care. If there was a chance, slight though it was, that he would actually stay true to his word, she would do anything he asked.

Without a word, he led her from the cell and down the hall. Other prisoners spotted her and gasped. Some began to murmur amongst themselves, gossiping as they’d once enjoyed doing in the heavens. Some gripped their bars and simply watched her through wistful eyes.

Erebos even shouted, “Hey, where are you going with her now?”

Atlas ignored him, and Nike followed suit. A sense of urgency pounded through her. If Atlas did this, took her outside, even for a few hours…Why would he do such a thing?

“Did you get permission for this?” she asked.

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