Page 96 of Those That Don't Exist
She’s not mortally injured,I have to tell myself. I rub the back of her neck and take a second to breathe in her scent. It's still fully hers which means Adicious didn’t manage to complete the bond. It doesn’t mean he didn’t get close though, so I force myself to find out.
“Did he…” The words choke in my throat. “Did he manage to penetrate you?” The second she takes to answer is the longest of my life.
“No,” she releases on another sob, shaking her head. I pull in a deep relieved breath. I stopped him in time.
I ease my hand up to her hair, carding my fingers in the strands, and use it to gently pull her back so I can look at her face. Her eyes are red and swimming with tears and there is a smudge of blood across her right cheek. I lean forward, placing a kiss on her forehead. Breathing in her scent once again to ground myself.
“I’m going to get the keys. I’m pretty sure Adicious will have them on him,” I tell her. Her sobs increase.
“Don’t, don’t. Please don’t leave me.” I barely make out the words as she begs me.
“I’m not. I need to just step over there and grab the keys, ok? Then I can let you out.”
Fresh tears run down her face as I step back, utter panic back in her face. I continue talking soothingly as I move back over to Adicious. I need to get her out of here. We don’t have much time before someone comes looking I’m sure. I’m surprised wehaven’t been rumbled already. These dungeons are soundproof, even to vampire hearing, but one of the pack will no doubt come to check on Adicious and Ronan if they’re down here too long.
More relief floods my system as my guess proves correct, Adicious has a key in his jeans pocket. I extract it quickly and dart back to Red.
It takes me longer than I would’ve liked, with only one hand, to fiddle with the locks and get them undone, but I manage the first before Red snatches the key from me to do the second. As soon as she’s free she’s in my arms properly. Clinging to me like I’m her only lifeline. I would like nothing more than to never let go.
CHAPTER 38
AURORA
“We need to get out of here.” I feel Ty’s voice vibrate through his chest because I’m clinging to him so tightly.
I didn’t think my fear over Adicious forcing a bond on me could be outstripped but seeing him fighting Ty was the most terrified I’ve been in my life. Not that Ty looked like he was losing, but it was entirely possible he could have. If Adicious had turned the tables I would've been stuck, chained, and forced to watch him kill Ty. I’d have been completely helpless to stop it.
I sob anew into his chest, clinging to him even harder, the feeling of him in my grip isn’t enough to prove to my mind that he is alive.
“Are they dead?” I whimper.Please let them be dead.
“Sadly not. My hand is too broken. I would need both hands to snap their necks and sever their heads from their bodies. I’ve done enough damage, they will be out for long enough.”
I nod, taking a couple of deep breaths, Ty’s scent is potent as he’s bleeding from several wounds. I take it in by the lungful. He pulls away way too soon.
“We need to move, Red,” he says softly, placing his good arm around my waist and easing me towards the door. My legs feel more wobbly than those on a newborn foal.
My gaze gets distracted by the glass on the floor, which is shocking still intact because the stool isn’t. There’s still a mouthful of blood left in it, which sits calling to me like a beacon. The rest is soaking into the floor.
Ty spots where I’m looking and steps away from me for the briefest moment. With a burst of vampire speed he grabs the glass and is back, offering it to me.
“Drink it. It’s not much but it’ll give you a small boost,” he instructs.
I take it from him and lift the rim to my lips. I tip the small amount straight down my throat, feeling it ease the burning. Almost immediately it jumpstarts my system. A tiny bit of strength returns. I throw the glass back into the room and it shatters.
“How are we getting out of here?” I ask.
“There’s only one set of steps out of the basement, once we’re up those we’re fairly close to the front door. It’s down the hall to the left. You can’t miss the entryway as it's got this open staircase wrapping around it leading to the upper floor,” Ty reels off a description of the layout for me.
I nod along, trying to memorise the instructions as Ty leads me to the door, cracking it the tiniest amount. He pulls me into his chest once more as he stops talking to listen intently. I’m content hearing the thump of his heartbeat. I focus on it to calm my breathing, not wanting my sobbing to give us away.
“Shit, I think someone’s coming. We need to move.” Ty laces his fingers with mine and darts us out the room, pulling me with him. Thankfully, the small mouthful of blood has steadied my legs and I’ve enough coordination to move at a fast pace and not land on my face.
Ty doesn’t turn toward the stairs but rather away from them, across the small corridor which is lined with a few doors.Are these all cells like the one we were chained in?
He pulls us into one of them and closes the door surprisingly quietly considering the speed. It’s pitch black in here but I don't sense any other beings. I don't hear any other heartbeats than our own. I do, however, feel the caress of multiple shadows wrapping themselves around me. I could stay here, in their safety for a long, long time.
“Are we going to have to fight the whole pack to get out?” I whisper.
