Turning away from the carnage of the prisonroom, Kyle grasped Melanie’s shoulders. He hugged her close beforekissing her. He broke away and nudged her toward Lucy.
“Go with Lucy,” he said.
He hated to part with her so soon afterfinally getting her back, but he couldn’t leave here without makingsure the others were also free. His family had put themselves atrisk to save Melanie, and he would make sure they all escapedbefore leaving here.
“I’m not leaving you,” she protested.
“I have to make sure everyone gets out ofthat room, and you have to go.”
Melanie started to protest, but Lucy pulledher away. Melanie planted her feet into the ground; it didn’t stopLucy from propelling her onward.
“Lucy!” She tried to shake off her friend’shold, but Lucy refused to release her.
“We have to get out of here, Mel,” Lucy said.“And after everything we’ve been through, I’m not leaving withoutyou.”
Melanie stopped resisting her friend’sincessant pulling and reluctantly followed her toward the stairs.As she climbed, she twisted her head to look back as Kyle returnedto the room with the cells. She stopped walking, but she couldn’tgo back as Vicky and Nathan blocked her way. When Lucy tugged onher again, she reluctantly went with her friend.
CHAPTER 51
Kyle ran a few feetinto the room, but no gunshots chased him, and other than the slapof his family’s feet against the floor, the room was eerily quiet.A couple of Savages continued to feast on the guards, but the resthad exited through the elevator or stairwell.
“Let’s go,” Ethan said as he ran pasthim.
Kyle waited until Ethan, Dante, Willow, andDeclan were through the doorway before following them up thestairs. At the back of the group, he kept watch over his shoulderfor any sign of a threat coming after them.
However, nothing pursued them as they climbeduntil daylight spilled through the entrance ahead. He hung back andwaited with Willow and Declan while his family climbed towardfreedom. Willow held her sword as she studied the passagewaysbehind them.
“That thing’s pretty… ah… interesting,” Kylesaid and nodded at the blade.
“It’s something,” she replied, and Declandistrustfully eyed the weapon.
When everyone else had climbed out, Declannudged Willow toward the exit. She sheathed her sword beforefollowing the others.
“Go on,” Kyle said to Declan.
His brother-in-law hesitated before followingWillow; Kyle was right behind him. Emerging from the hole, Kylelifted his hand to shade his eyes as he blinked against the sunshining down on him.
Melanie finally succeeded in pulling herselfaway from Lucy. She ran to Kyle and threw herself into his arms.When he grunted from the impact, she tried to pull away, but helocked his arms around her.
“Did I hurt you?” she demanded.
“No.”
“Kyle—”
“Even if you did, I’d endure it a thousandtimes over to hold you again. Stay with me, Melanie.”
She relaxed into his arms and slumped againsthim. He crushed her against his chest as he held her close andignored the discomfort of his gunshot wounds.
“How’s dad?” Kyle asked over the top ofMelanie’s head.
Aiden was abnormally pale as he gazed down attheir father’s unmoving form in his arms. “I don’t know.”
“He’ll be fine,” his mom said. “We have toget him out of here.”
“Then let’s go,” Ethan said.
Kyle kept his arms around Melanie as theyhurried toward the waiting vehicles. He no longer heard anygunshots or screams. Had any of the humans survived the raid?
