Page 27 of Corrupted Lies

Chapter

Seven

October 16th

9:12 P.M.

They weren't going to make it out in time.

That fear almost paralyzed him.

A delay of seconds that really could cost them both their lives.

“Jump out,” he ordered as he shoved the piece of paper she’d handed him into one of the pockets of his zippered hoodie and threw himself out the open car door.

Thankfully, he hadn't closed it behind him. The car was approaching them quickly and even that delay, especially combined with his moment of panic could have been all it took to steal their chance of survival.

They didn't just have to get out of Alannah’s car, they had to get far enough away from it in case the burning car slamming into hers was enough to have hers exploding.

As he rounded the car, he found her scrambling out of the passenger seat, her eyes wide with fear shoved away some of hisown terror because he was so damn sick of seeing his best friend afraid for her life.

She didn't deserve this.

All she deserved was everything good the world had to offer. Love, acceptance, safety, and protection. Her life should always be as sweet and sunshiny as she was.

Grabbing her hand, he yanked her away from the vehicle. Jake knew how much she loved this parking space. Alannah was a good driver, but she had a thing about parking. She hated it so much that he’d seen her park a ten-minute walk away from her location just so she could avoid parallel parking.

This spot was a dream for her because of its easy access, but now the ease at which this space could be accessed could wind up costing them their lives.

When Alannah stumbled, Jake didn't hesitate. He bent his knees, used his hold on Alannah’s hand to turn her so she was facing him, then his shoulder went into her stomach, lifting her off the ground, all without slowing down.

They were about six spots down from Alannah’s when it happened.

Diving behind the nearest car, Jake threw them both to the ground, turning at the last moment so his body took the brunt of the connection with the concrete. Then he turned again so that his body was covering hers.

Pressed tightly against her as he was, chest to chest, he could feel the way her heart hammered wildly. Her fingers curled into his hoodie, clinging to him, and she pressed her face against his neck.

The sound of metal hitting metal filled the air, a horrible screeching sound that he knew would live on forever in his mind, mixed with the small whimper Alannah made.

This was unacceptable.

It had to stop.

Whatever he had to do to get her out of the line of fire, Jake would do.

Nothing was off the table.

There was no way he would be able to handle losing Alannah and knowing that it was because of him and his family’s quest. She had to remain in this world. The darkness inside him needed her light. Craved it. It kept him holding on, clinging to control, when the anger inside him wanted to take over.

Thankfully, there was no explosion, and after waiting a solid minute, Jake cautiously lifted himself off Alannah’s body enough that he could look through the windows of the car they’d sought protection behind. The car that had rammed into Alannah’s was still burning, the front of it a twisted mess of metal as it tangled with the mangled back of Alannah’s car.

“Is it safe?” Alannah asked. Her voice strained, but she was doing her best not to fall apart, and he couldn’t ask anything more of her. Despite her terror in the face of the nightmare she’d been thrown into completely without warning, she fought to keep control of herself and not let the weight of her fear crush her.

Honestly, he couldn’t be prouder of her.

“Yeah, I think we’re okay.”

“Do you think he’s here? The man who loves fire? He has to be, right? Someone had to set that car alight and then push it toward mine.”

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