Page 2 of Cold Heir

Debris crunched beneath our feet and it was terribly unnerving, making it impossible to move in silence. Considering what we were on a mission to do—escape the grasp of the most wicked man I’d ever known—we needed every advantage we could get.

With missing steps and handrails, and with one gaping hole the size of a small car in one of the landings, descending the stairs got somewhat dodgy. Every step of the way, Levi kept me close, acting as my protector.

It was different having someone present with me, someone on the scene to watch my back. There was less worry that I’d screw something up in my haste to leave, because Levi was, perhaps, even more determined to get me out of this alive thanIwas myself.

The vestibule was massive, and I was admittedly afraid to cross it. There was a row of pillars to hide behind, but with them several yards away, I still felt we’d be too exposed. Only, Levi didn’t have nearly as much doubt as I did, and it was his drive and confidence that propelled me forward.

We moved swiftly across the aged tile, and into the shadow of the first pillar. It didn’t matter how hard I tried to steady my breaths, they were coming hard and fast. This never happened to me. Typically, I was level-headed and relatively at peace with my circumstances. However, on this particular night, I felt many emotions, but peace was not one of them. The only difference I could put my finger on, the one factor that set this experience apart, was Aaric.

Yes, this time I was running from a devil I’d seen face-to-face. One who’d proven to be the embodiment of what humans had feared for centuries.

His cruelty hovered above me like an ominous cloud. I’d never forget that soulless look in his eyes as he played Russian roulette with my life, wavering from one second to the next on whether to end or spare me. It wasn’t lost on me that the only reason I was still breathing was because Claiming me suited him more than killing me. At least itdid. There was no telling what he’d do if he caught Levi and I trying to break free.

“It’s chained,” Levi whispered, causing my heart to leap for a second time when I peered around him to confirm.

What followed was the sound of Tomas’ keys jingling again, and I could only hope and pray no one was close enough to hear them. The metallic rattling seemed to grow louder by the second, and perspiration dampened my hairline.

“What’s that?”

No air left my lungs after I asked. In fact, I didn’t even blink, keeping my eyes trained on the far side of the decaying vestibule, where I could’ve sworn I’d just seen a shadow. Levi’s gaze darted that way, too. This time, there was a rustling sound.

“It’s coming from outside,” Levi assured me, pointing toward the window missing several panes of glass. “Assuming I ever find the right key,” he sighed, “I’ll go out first to check that everything’s clear.”

This announcement was accompanied by the clanking of a thick chain gently being laid to the ground. He’d gotten the padlock off, but it took a moment for reality to settle in with me. Freedom was in the air, and there was finally hope that we would soon be leaving this hellhole behind us. All we had to do now was make it to the next checkpoint without getting caught and killed.

Horror movie-style creaking echoed through the open space as the hinges groaned. The sound bounced off the empty surfaces that surrounded us. It gave the impression that the brief racket we caused was coming from everywhere. As promised, Levi stepped out into the unknown ahead of me. When everything appeared to be clear, we crossed the threshold from bondage to freedom with cautious footsteps.

Approximately two weeks had passed since I breathed fresh air, so I drew it in deeply. Only, there was no time to fully savor it.

A ghastly growl tore through the darkness, too close for comfort. Things happened so quickly from there, I could hardly even make out the creature’s form before Levi lunged forward. With lightning-fast precision, he wrestled it down to the ground, locking its neck in the bend of his elbow.

The hound sputtered for air as Levi squeezed tighter to crush its windpipe. The pressure was so great, it couldn’t even manage a howl, which meant it couldn’t call attention to us. Knowing Levi’s strength, the thing didn’t stand a chance.

Watching it die a slow death, my nerves began to settle, thinking we were finally in the clear. However, the set of glowing, red eyes I stared into next suggested otherwise.

There was no time to call out to Levi, no time to run. Then again, neither of those actions would have done me any good anyway. Once a hellhound had someone’s scent, the chances of getting away were a fraction of a percent. Their pursuit was relentless.

Wind shot from my lungs when I was tackled to the ground, the back of my head stinging from the blow.

“Corina!” Levi’s voice carried loudly in the wind, which told of his desperation, his lack of concern that a guard would hear us. He seemed to only be aware of the beast snapping its nasty teeth toward my throat.

The hellhound’s bristly fur was gnarled in my fingers. Somehow, I managed to get a hold of it just behind its ears, and my weakening grip was the only thing keeping it from ending me. Several feet away, I was aware of the hound Levi restrained, aware that it was still trying to fight back, which meant I was on my own. If there were others on their way to check out the commotion, things were about to go from bad to worse.

Think, Cori. You’ve been in tough spots before. Everyone and everything has a weakness.

Getting focused took a moment, but I managed to concentrate less on fear, and more on my capabilities. No, I wasn’t immortal yet, but I was far from helpless. I’d never been this ‘friendly’with a hellhound, but my father had gone over a few things with me just in case I ever found myself in this predicament. For instance, he taught me that their underbellies were incredibly vulnerable, so that’s where my attention shifted.

The gap between the beast’s body and mine was enough to gain a small amount of momentum, enough to slam my knee into its gut. It yelped and flinched away, and I suddenly had a bit more of an advantage. Not much, but it was something.

My grip was more secure now, but I could feel the hound’s strength returning as I guessed the pain had begun to subside. Being pinned to the ground like this was about the worst possible scenario, but this was my predicament.

Snippets of conversations I had with my father came to me in flashes. His teachings were never far from my mind, and I had been grateful for this on several occasions, tonight being one of them. With so little time to think before acting, I lifted my leg, but not with intent to knee the hellhound this time. Actually, I was preserving all that energy, storing it in my muscles for the blow this thing had coming to it.

Pulling my thigh toward my torso, I thrust upward, powering the sole of my foot toward its soft stomach. The yelp that echoed through the air was sure to call attention, but it went without saying that desperate times called for desperate measures. As the hound hobbled away, I knew the kick had been successful. It wasn’t dead by any means, or even close to it, but it was stunned. That allowed me time to back away, allowed time for Levi to finish off the first hound that lunged when we walked out the door.

A gray blur breezed past, and the next sound was that of an abrupt whimper when my attacker met its end, having its head pummeled against a rock. Winded, I gazed up at Levi, acknowledging that our silent exit was a thing of the past.

We needed to run.

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