Page 97 of Tethered to the World
Only when he nodded did she allow herself to relax.
Determination hardened his eyes. “What do you need me to do?”
“Do you have some rope?” she asked with a bright smile.
* * *
As Annora walked down the hall, her hands bound in front of her, the connection between the guys flickered faintly to life, leaving her with just a vague impression of their emotions.
Anger.
Fear.
Worry.
Relief at knowing they were unharmed weakened her knees, and she cleared her throat to relieve the tightness. They were coming for her, somehow, some way. She just had to hold out long enough for them to find her. The ferret chattered happily in her ear, rubbing his face along her neck to comfort her.
The rope between her and Terrance went tight, and she realized she’d slowed down.
He turned and gave her a questioning look, the hope in his eyes dulling. “We can turn around if you have doubts. This isn’t your battle.”
He couldn’t be more wrong.
“No, people are dying. These people need to be stopped.” She cocked her head to the side as she stared at him. “Have you changed your mind?”
“No.” He licked his lips before looking back down the hall. “But we need to go. If we wait much longer, they’ll get suspicious.”
Annora grunted in agreement, then turned her head slightly. “Does the wound look fresh enough? Maybe you should hit me.”
He blanched as if she’d asked him to cut off his balls and hand them to her. He backed away and held up his hands. “Your face is one massive bruise, the wound is still split open, and your hair is matted with blood. You haven’t healed at all. If I hit you, I’m afraid I’d end up killing you.”
If only he knew.
“Good. That’s good.” She gave him a reassuring smile, brushing at the wound, grimacing when she felt the crusted blood crunch in her hair. “I deliberately stopped the healing process. I need to look weak.”
His throat bobbed as he swallowed, and he nodded. “Mission accomplished.”
She lifted up her bound hands. “Are you sure you’re up to this?”
He lifted a brow at her, then straightened his spine. “Let’s do this.”
They hurried down the twists and turns of an old warehouse, or possibly an abandoned apartment building of some sort. The farther they traveled, the better the condition of their surroundings. Things weren’t as broken-down and crumbling. More lights worked. While still dusty, the place was otherwise swept clean of debris and rat droppings.
After one last turn they stood outside of a set of double doors to an office of some type. Raised male voices could be heard through the door. Terrance stopped a yard away, glancing questioningly at her over his shoulder, and she gave him a nod.
After a brisk knock, he threw open the door, then yanked on the ropes. She lowered her eyes, not even having to pretend to trip when he nearly pulled her off her feet. Rope burns stung her wrists as the bindings tore off a layer of skin, the bite of pain helping to ground her.
“There! I told you!” Tyson yelled and pointed at them. “They’re working together.”
Terrance actually growled. “That fucking idiot is losing his shit, ranting and raving about how only he can be trusted to release and move people. I caught this one wandering the halls after he let her out.” He lifted the rope dangling between them. “He’s been taking too much of the drugs, dosing himself a couple of times a day just to function. He’s as batshit crazy as Tanner before you decided to…put him out to pasture.”
“The fucker is lying!” Tyson shot forward, his snarl promising retribution and pain.
Terrance quickly kicked a chair between them, knocking Tyson to the floor when he failed to leap over it in time. Tyson went sprawling, his eyes flashing a feral yellow as he glared at her.
“This is your fault.” He focused all his rage on Annora. “You’re ruining everything.”
“Enough!” Director Erickson’s order thundered through the room, his voice echoing strangely in a way she was coming to associate it with when an alpha gave a command.
