Page 67 of A Vampire Bewitched
“No, I’m going outside,” she whispered as she got up. “Youstay in the tunnel.” Grabbing up the little flashlight, she turned it on and quickly headed out of the cave.
Nik got up with her and followed her as far as he could. As they reached the entrance, he stayed far enough back so the suns’ rays wouldn’t hit him when she went out.
Looking back at him, she gave him a small, reassuring smile before lifting the branches just high enough to step outside into the late afternoon sunshine.
Chapter 37
Aminute went by. Then two. Then five. What the hell was she doing? Tanning? How long did it take her to piss for God’s sake? Nik started pacing up and down the tunnel. When almost seven full minutes went by and she still hadn’t come back in, he walked right up to the entry. Fuck the sun.
“Emma?”
Silence.
“Emma?” he yelled louder this time. Still no answer. She’d promised she wouldn’t go far. That she would only be a minute. Fear hit him hard in the chest as his worst nightmare unfolded.
“Emma!” He pushed the branches back a bit, ignoring the smoke and sizzling skin on his hand and arm. “EMMA!!!”
The birds sang happily in the sunshine, mocking his fear. He looked as far as he could in either direction, but saw nothing but trees and sun-dappled grassy patches on the uneven ground. Invisible hands squeezed Nik’s heart in terror as he jumped back from the light before it was too late.
A thunderous roar reverberated through the tunnel and into the cavern, dislodging debris from the ceiling, as Nik lowered his head and charged the branches disguising the entrance. Fighting his body’s natural instinct to stay far away from sunlight, he bellowed for Emma at the top of his lungs, and retreated only after flames broke out on his skin. He slapped them out and did it again.
Aiden appeared at a dead run through the dusty air. “Nik? Nikulas! What’s wrong, mate? What is it?”
As Nik jumped back inside, staggering into the wall and slapping out flames, Aiden tackled him before he managed to throw himself outside again.
Rolling around on the ground, Nik roared with frustration as he tried to rip Aiden off of him. But Aiden clung to him like a suction cup.
“Nikulas! Stop! You’re not accomplishing anything by turning yourself into a barbecue.”
Screaming with rage, Nik threw himself onto his back on top of Aiden, trying to break his captor’s hold. “Let go of me, you fucking asshole!”
Nik slammed him into any surface he could find, trying to dislodge him, but the harder he tried, the tighter Aiden’s grip became.
“Nikulas,” Aiden yelled in his ear, “if you don’t stop, I’m going to rip off both your bloody legs! Then how are you going to get to Emma while you’re stuck here regenerating them?”
Nik ceased his struggle, knowing damn well that Aiden meant every word. The bastard. Hewouldrip his legs off. He’d done it when Luukas disappeared to keep Nik from going off on a suicide mission to save his brother. It had only been one leg then, but growing it back fucking hurt like hell. And it took forever.
They lay there in the middle of the tunnel, Aiden wrapped around him like a parasite, catching their breath. When Nik’s chest stopped heaving and his body relaxed a bit, Aiden finally spoke, “All right?”
“Yeah, I’m good,” Nik gritted out.
Aiden loosened his hold, and Nik shoved him away and scooted back on his ass until he collapsed up against the wall. His face, chest and arms were black and blistered, but he barely felt it. He couldn’t feel anything except the fear running through him. He wasn’t sure if it was all his, or his fear and Emma’s combined. Just the thought of her hurt and afraid…
“So what did you do to her this time?” Aiden asked between deep breaths.
Blinking his charred eyelids, Nik tried unsuccessfully to focus on his friend. “She’s gone.” His voice was hoarse from yelling. “She just stepped outside to piss. She said she’d only be a minute. That she’d stay right by the entrance. But she didn’t come back.”
His entire body shook with fear and the effort it was taking him to sit still.
“She didn’t come back. She wouldn’t have just left. She’s not fucking stupid! She wouldn’t have left me. She’s hurt! Or something’s taken her…”
He couldn’t finish the sentence as the invisible hands squeezed his heart and he gasped, struggling to breathe.
Aiden gave a consoling squeeze to an unburned area on Nik’s thigh. “Don’t fret, mate. Emma’s tougher than she looks. There’s nothing to do for it now, but we’ll find her. As soon as the sun sets, we’ll head out, and you’ll be able to find her.”
As long as she wasn't too far away…and still alive.
Standing up, Aiden held out a hand. “Come on then, let’s get you back together. You’re in no condition to play the knight like this. Do you have any more of that bagged rubbish laying around?”
