Page 229 of Shadowman
“You go then.” Darcey’s voice recaptures my attention. “Please, Byron… Go check on them. I need to know that he’s okay—”
“I’m not doing shit for you,” I growl.
“Not for me!” he whimpers. “For Trevel. He’s with Lem… If they’re in trouble, you could help them.Him…” he corrects, noting the look on my face. “You care about Trevel, Byron, I know you do. Whatever you guys are doing, it doesn’t matter. You care…”
My jaw is tight, muscles straining all over. Because he’s fucking right,again, and I fucking hate it. I am freaking out a little…
Trevel could be hurt. Whatever that was came from the exact direction he was headed…
There’s a sinking feeling in my gut I can’t ignore. Fighting off the reality isn’t working anymore.
Something is wrong.
Giving myself a few more seconds to weigh the options, I inevitably give up and stomp over to Darcey, checking his restraints. I double-check the area around him to make sure there’s nothing he can grab to get himself out.
I can’t believe I’m about to leave him alone…
But I have to.I need to make sure he’s alright.
“Shut the fuck up and stay fucking put,” I grumble. “I’ll be right back.”
“Thank you,” he breathes out, voice uneven with fear.
“I’m not fucking doing this for you.”
Leaving the room, I have honestlyno ideawhat I’m doing or where I’m going. But I head for the stairs.’Cause why not?
I figure getting up higher will get me answers faster than running out into the woods. Plus, who knows where The Ivory is… His men could be searching for me and Trevel, being that we technicallyescapedand all.
I need to find Trevel before they find me. I assume they’d be less likely to shoot on sight if I’m with him… Right?
So far, this night feels like a manic dream. From the doors to the prison opening out of nowhere, to leaving—beingoutside, for the first time in years—to the sex with Trevel, thechase, and then thecaptureof our enemies…Man, a lot has happened in the last hour.
Typical Alabaster Pen… Years of nothing and then bam! A lifetime of exciting shit happens in a few minutes.
Climbing the large white marble staircase, I keep quiet, in case I’m not alone. It seems almost unfathomable that I would be. The place is absolutely gargantuan. It’s like three mansions in one. But I haven’t seen or heard anyone other than us since we’ve been in here. Still, that doesn’t mean much. It’s spread outenough that I doubt you can hear what people are doing in other areas.
I’m jacked up to the max right now, terrified that The Ivory is going to pop out from around every corner. It’s fully plausible that he could be here… And as soon as I reach the third floor, I stop to gulp. Because it would appear that I’m now on his floor.
Great. Just wonderful…
So this is where I die.
It’s immediately obvious that this is where he resides. This floor isn’t divided up the same way the second floor is, with bedrooms one by one. This level is its own mansion, and the whole place just screamsIvory; from the sheer excess of space, furniture, and lavish accoutrement, to the walls, adorned with erotic artwork and what looks like some kind of mural made of feathers and barbed wire. I canfeelhim up here… And it’s freaking me the hell out.
Keeping close to the walls, I use the lack of power to my advantage. Remembering my stalking days, I’m stepping lithely, breathing shallow. Staying in the darkness to avoid being seen.
I pass room after room—a gym, an office, a study. There’s a separate, smaller staircase, which appears to go both down and up.Maybe to the roof?
This building was clearly designed by the same person who designed Alabaster Pen… It’s a fucking maze.By far the most peculiar home I’ve ever been in.
At the end of a long corridor, I come face to face with the primary suite; a bedroom so large, it could fit three of Dr. Love’s rooms inside of it.
This is The Ivory’s bedroom.
Fuck…
I know I shouldn’t go in. It’s suicide.If he’s in there, I’m dead.
