Page 40 of Poison Ivy
His eyes narrow dangerously. “This isn’t over, Poison. I will find you.”
“Good luck with that,” I say with a smile.
Without wasting another second, I turn and sprint through the forest, ignoring the sting of branches whipping against my naked skin. I hear Bram roar in fury behind me, followed by the ground shaking under my feet, throwing me off-kilter. Fuck. He’s breaking free.
I push myself harder, running blindly through the trees. My lungs burn, and my legs ache, but fear keeps me going. I have no idea where I am or how to get back to civilisation. All I know is I need to put as much distance between myself and Bram as possible.
I finally break through the treeline onto a deserted road. I pause, gasping for breath as I try to get my bearings. Taking the few precious seconds to shift back to Ivy, not that it will stop Bram from knowing it’s me, being naked, forest bedraggled and all, I scan the area quickly. Launching forward as I recognise where I am, I’m not that far from Vex’s place. I hate that, but I need him. If Bram gets his hands on me, I’m dead meat. Vex is my only option unless I want to risk running around campus to my own house and bursting in naked with Josh there.
“Fuck,” I mutter and lunge forward and up the steps to Vex’s front door. I hammer on it. “Vex! Open up!”
Seconds later, it swings open to show the warlockfrowning at me. Then his eyebrow goes up as he takes in my naked status.
“Help,” I wheeze, pushing past him. “Bram… Syndicate… check in.”
Vex slams the door closed and leans against it, effectively blocking me in. “Are you asking for my help again, little shifter?”
“I just need to use your connection on the dark web, and I’ll be on my way, but maybe a t-shirt, if you have one.” I can’t show fear to Vex about being here like this. It will only draw him further in. Dismissive, and like it’s not a big deal to be running around in the middle of the night with no clothes on, is the way to go.
He takes in my flushed face and strips off the black shirt he still has on from the club. “Here,” he says, throwing it at me. “You can’t contact the bosses like that.”
Surprised, I catch it and hastily put it on, my fingers shaking as I do up the buttons. “Thanks,” I mutter and follow him down the hall to his office, where he taps into the keyboard, and a screen flashes up on the monitor that connects to the dark web. I hover anxiously behind him, glancing at the door every few seconds.
“Relax,” Vex drawls. “This place is warded. No one’s getting in here unless I let them.”
I snort. “Forgive me if I don’t find that entirely reassuring. I got in, didn’t I?”
He shoots me an amused look over his shoulder. “You always have an open invitation.”
“Oh, fuck off,” I retort.
Vex chuckles. “You’re connected. Make it quick.”
I sit and type in: Completed. Poison off duty.
I wait as there is an unnaturally lengthy pause, then: Good.
Gulping back my relief, I stand up. “I should go.”
“Is it safe?” Vex asks, looking too concerned for my liking.
“Bram doesn’t know who I am. He’ll be looking for Poison.”
“What happened out there?”
I shrug. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Except you came battering down my door looking for my help.”
“Because I was naked and needing to check in,” I grit out.
He narrows his eyes as he searches mine. “You sure that’s all it is?”
“Why do you even care?” I shove my hand into my hair in frustration.
“If anything happens to you, Vera will have my head.”
“Ah, okay,” I say, it all making sense now. “So, this is about you, not me.”
