Page 84 of Venomous Lies
“You can’t hide from nightmares,” I said softly, knowing he’d be able to hear me despite the fresh wave of screams. “There is no hiding from yourself.”
Chapter 26
Isla
SATURDAY
It took ages to get out of the greenhouse.
Okay, maybe not ages, but it sure felt like it as we stumbled around, trying to make it outside.
When we finally succeeded, we were surrounded by chaos.
Even this far into the forest, I could hear screams and cries coming from campus. It sounded the way I imagined a war zone would.
I stepped closer to Echo’s side, keeping a death-grip on his hand. There was no way I wanted to be separated when I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face.
“Isla, now would be a great time to try to figure out that magick to get us back to the library.”
“I don’t even know what kind of magick it was!” I told him, huffing when he chuckled. “But I do agree that it would be super fucking useful right now.”
‘I can’t see anything either, so I won’t be of much help. But I do think the library, where the others were, would be the best place to go.’
“If they’re still there,” Echo replied.
That would take some getting used to—someone else being able to talk and respond to Cas.
Part of me felt defensive or maybe even jealous that someone else had been brought into this private bond. For so long, Cassius was solely mine, and I’d felt a streak of possessiveness take over when he had appeared on the glass wall looking straight at Echo.
If Cas hadn’t been in my mind, would he have chosen to know me at all? A stupid fucking question, I knew, but emotions were rarely, if ever, logical things.
A loud boom sounded, and the ground shook hard enough that I almost stumbled onto my ass. Yeah, those thoughts were better left for another time.
“But how are we going to figure out where we’re going if we can’t see anything?” Echo asked grimly. “Night vision is definitely not one of my abilities.”
‘See if you can sense Bones or Julian, beastie. If you can, that will at least give us a general direction to head in.’
“Julian?” Echo sputtered, clearly shocked. “Hellsing? Thelibrarian?”
“Echo,” I said warningly, sensing his jealousy popping up.
“I was just going to ask what it was with you and professors here, witch.”
“Oh shut up.” I knocked my shoulder into his as I rolled my eyes.
‘Beastie.’
‘Yes, yes. I’m focusing,’I grumbled at Cas.
Channeling my energy inward, I searched for anything that reminded me of my two mates. How the fuck did I even end up with two mates!? I took a deep breath, pushing my doubts and fear to the side for the moment. I could unpack those issues later.
I tried to find the calm, cool sense of Bones. Running along the magick I could sense inside of me, I searched, scouring every corner to no avail.
Switching to Hellsing, I called upon what I knew of him. Dangerous. Vampire. Books.
Sadly, that was all I had to work with.
There was nothing there that called to me, nothing beckoning me, drawing me towards them.
