Page 119 of Those That Are Lost
I lay a gentle kiss on the top of her head and rub gentle circles on her back as I reassure her. “I’ll be okay. I’ve got you. We’re okay.”
I allow a couple more seconds of peace before pulling back. Feeling strong enough to stand, I get to my feet and pull my mate with me. She eyes me warily, assessing, but relaxes when she sees I’m not swaying.
The room around us looks exactly like what it is, the scene of a bloody murder. Smashed furniture, blood splattering the walls and floor, not to mention the body.
“The pack?” Red gasps as we hear a particularly loud scream from outside.
“We need to get to them. Henry and Ash were coordinating the attack.”
“You need more blood first, that wound isn’t sealed.” I go to argue but see the ‘I dare you’ look in my mate’s eyes as she looks up at me. “If you think I’m letting you go out there, into another fight, with your chest exposed, you can think again.”
“If you think I’m staying here, whilst you go fight,youcan think again,” I warn her with a growl.
“There should be blood packets in the common room, we need to go there first,” she tells me with a tone that commands I don’t argue back.
I’ve always loved her fiery temper, so I simply grip the back of her neck and duck to kiss her. It’s not gentle. I force my way into her mouth, pushing past her stunned reaction. I make the kiss quick but hit her with the full force of my emotions towards her. It’s been days since my lips have been on hers and I need her more than my next breath. The taste of her distracts me from our current situation a little. I lace my tongue around hers again, the short kiss I intended turning a little longer.
We both pull away gasping. “I missed you so much, my brave, fiery mate.”
“Me too,” Red whispers, tears making her emerald eyes shine in the dim light.
The sudden pang of pain shoots through us both, landing us both firmly back the danger we’re still in.
Henry…
“Has he been hurt?” Red’s panic-stricken face searches mine for answers I don’t have
“Possibly. Something’s happened for sure. Grab a shirt and let's go.” Red steps back and looks down at the tattered material hanging from her body. The dress she’d been wearing does not cover much of her. With vampiric speed, she rips it the rest of the way off and quickly dons some leggings and a t-shirt.
“Follow me,” she directs as she races to the door. I have no option but to obey.
Keeping close behind Red as we make our way across my old house, I get flashbacks to the last time we were here. To the last escape attempt we made. The one where I didn’t make it out. This time will be different, and we don’t intend to leave.
We’ve already taken out the pack leader. The rest of the males living here will have felt it, their pack bond breaking. I don’t know how several will have reacted to that; they might surrender, others might double down and fight harder thinking they can take over. Either way, this night is far from over.
Red grabs my hand and interlinks our fingers as we reach the bottom of the staircase. The place is a bloodbath with splatter across all walls, the front door and the floor. The noise of fighting is all around, snarls and growls mix with grunts of pain and the smashing of furniture. There’s nobody in the entrance hall and it's hard to figure out which way we should head.
I close my eyes for a second and feel for the bond I have to Henry. I think he has to be our priority.
“We’re still going for blood first. I wantto get to Henry so don’t argue with me but I’m still not letting you into another fight until we’ve healed you a little more.” Red pulls me in the direction of the common room.
The bond to my best friend eases as we move down the hall. I think we might both get our way as it feels like we’re heading towards Henry and the place where the pack stores its blood.
The scene we’re greeted with is chaotic and reminds me of being back on the battlefield. Henry and Ash, in his wolf form, are engaged with Ronan and Cairn. Henry is holding one of his arms tightly to his chest as he swings with the other. The flesh hanging off the limb he’s shielding makes bile rise in my throat. It’s like he’s fought with a meat grinder and lost. The wolf fighting at his side is positively feral and causing a lot of damage as he shreds into Cairn’s torso with his claws, the male struggling under the weight of the sizeable animal.
Ronan seems to be pulling back but Henry isn’t giving him a clear shot at freedom. Freedom being through the door we’re now blocking. I see the moment Ronan spots us, freezes and goes visibly paler. He knows he’s not getting out of this room alive, and I let a grin split my face as I go to ensure it.
‘Sorry, Red,’I apologise to my mate before launching into the fight, getting blood for myself will have to wait.
Slamming into Ronan and forcing him away from Henry, I shove him back hard enough that he goes flying into the bar top. There’s a lot of smashed glass covering the surface and it must cut into his back as he lands against the wooden top as the scent of his blood permeates the air.
Red must’ve read my thoughts as I calculated my next move because she moves in a blur, darting around me and over the bar to grab Ronan by the hair and one arm before I can reach him. He kicks out as I approach and tries to twist inmy mate’s grasp, but he’s stuck, like a beetle on its back, unable to right itself.
“Fuck you,” Ronan snarls.
“You’re happy to see me then?” I toy with him.
“You killed him, didn’t you?” he snarls. “I told him to be more cautious, that this seemed like a trap.”
