Shackled (The Lord Series) by Carlos
366. Mose - I'm back

Olivia's wet cheeks and red eyes break something inside me but I'm so happy to be back, to have control of my body, that all I want to do is hold her in my arms and promise her the moon if that's something that she wants.

"Mose?" Olivia inquiries.

I nod vigorously while I say, "That's right, Beautiful."

Wanting to feel her warm body against mine, to fill my lungs with her sweet scent, to kiss her ripped lips until I had my fill, I go to her and snatch her from Ansel's arms. I expect her to push me away after what my demon did to her, but all she does is cling to me as she cries. If I had known that my demon would hurt her this way, I would have never allowed him to take control of my body. He tricked not only me but her and my blood-brothers by making them believe he was a good guy. Demon.

While I was his prisoner, I had access to his memories and learned that he was Azael's twin. There's no way to get him out of my body without destroying myself in the process, but I'll make sure he never harms anyone ever again.

Ansel stands, grabs my shoulder, and says, "It is good to have you back," but he doesn't sound happy. He and my demon became really good friends, and they have shared many secrets in the past three months. He's waiting for a few seconds for me to say something. When I keep quiet because I only want to bask in Olivia's presence, he adds, "She needs reassurance more than ever," before leaving Olivia and me alone.

Ansel doesn't realize that I heard everything he said to my demon. More than that. I know his deepest secret, a secret that once revealed, will put so many in danger.

While the wise thing is to tell the others about him, it is not a simple matter of going to my blood-brothers or the Elders and revealing the truth, as I fear that I'd put Olivia in more danger than she already is. I'll keep an eye on him while I pretend not to know anything.

I sit with Olivia on the armchair and gently rock her back and forth, as my mother used to do to me when I was little. My brows furrow. It's been a while since I thought of my parents. I'm still bitter that they discarded me so quickly when I refused to do as they wanted. They didn't even try to contact me since we had our fallout. Over the years, I had hoped that they would forgive me, but they haven't. Not that it matters anymore. Olivia and my blood-brothers are my family. Olivia keeps crying, and I rub her back. "I won't let my demon hurt you ever again," I promise, trying to calm her-nor anyone else. While I hated being at my demon's mercy, I learned more about Olivia than I expected. Her former life as an archangel who fought fiercely against the Blight until her world was destroyed fascinates me. She had to become human to enter this world, but she did so because she thought it was her only chance to end what she started-kill Samael, the Nephilim who commands the entire army of Ophyr. Samael and Olivia became mortal enemies a long time ago. She had to fight him many days and nights before she could escape his clutches.

Her body shakes with sobs while she keeps crying.

How can she have so many enemies?

I keep rubbing her back until she stops crying and she finally looks at me. Earlier, she looked at my demon with anger and disgust and I half expected her to give me the same look, but I can only see sorrow in her eyes. "I thought that you were gone forever," Olivia says.

She has been worried about me all this time? She seemed so happy with my demon that I never suspected anything. "When I allowed my demon to take control of my body, he almost consumed me. It was your bond that saved me." First Rueben. Then me. Who will be next? "My demon took advantage of my weak state and made me his prisoner. I could hear you but I couldn't communicate with you."

Olivia chews her bottom lip before saying, "I blamed myself for your soul being consumed by your demon. He never told me that you were still in there."

My demon planned to take total control of my body and eventually consume my soul. It was only Olivia's hatred for what he did to her that made him realize what an awful creature he really is.

"I hung on only because I hoped that one day I would take back control of my body." I press my forehead to hers. "I love you, Beautiful. You have no idea how much I missed talking to you."

I try to kiss her, but she pulls back her head. "I'm sorry, it's just that..." Olivia puts her palm on her stomach. Even if my demon was in control of my body when he was with Olivia, the baby couldn't be mine since he used his divine power to get her pregnant. "Everything is happening so fast. I need time to think."

I put my palm on top of hers. "If you want to get rid of the baby, I'll help you. I know just the place."

Olivia seems to consider it, but in the end, she says, "Ansel is right. I am not alone anymore. There's no need to make rushed decisions."

"But you don't want the baby. Right?" I insist.