Page 107 of Barinov

The beeping slows.

“Now, Cade,” Luca says, his voice chipper again. “I can’t wait to see what art you choose to add to our little collection in twelve short days.”

He hums in amusement. “I loved the first one. Makes me all tingly inside and everything every time I look at it.”

“You sick bastard,” Lex barks at the speaker.

“Awh, Lexie. Name calling again? And here I thought we were getting close.”

“You’re dead,” he mumbles. His body swaying as red gushes through the fabric of his shirt. “Fucking dead.”

“You keep saying that,” Luca taunts. “And yet you’re the one bleeding from well… everywhere.” Another chuckle. “Anyway, you all have a safe flight back. Got to go get ready. I have a date with a beautiful little Italian dancer tonight and she gets mad if I’m late.”

The speakers crackle.

“Oh!” Luca exclaims. “One last thing before I go. If my men don’t make it back to Eden tonight because one of you gets a little jumpy—Rez, I’m looking at you—Izzy will pay the price.”

The speaker crackles again and then quiets.

Lex’s collar beeps twice. The red light dimming until finally the lock disengages with a click. He rips it away from his skin and hurls it across the cage. His body hitting the mat before the collar lands.

“Lex!”

Rez and Roman beat me to the cage, wrenching the door open with a snarl of rusted metal. I slide in behind them as fast as my body allows, the blood on the vinyl mat slick beneath my shoes.

“Sabine we need you!” Rez barks into his comms. “Now!”

Lex is slumped sideways, breathing fast and shallow. His lips are pale. So is his face. There’s a trail of red down his bicep. Another running down his thigh. Even more at his shoulder where Vlad’s knife split him open.

Roman drops beside him, rips off his jacket, and lays it over Lex’s chest. He shoves his hands on Lex’s shoulder, trying to stop the bleeding. Roman yells something over to Rez, but I’m not listening. I drop to my knees and grab Lex’s face with both hands.

“Hey… hey, look at me.” The words grate against my throat. “Baby, look at me.”

His eyes flutter open. Faded blue. Ice washed thin with pain.

“I’m here,” I whisper. “You’re okay. You’re safe.”

He blinks a few times like he’s trying to place me. His lips move, but no words come out at first.

“C-cold,” he whispers, though it’s barely audible.

I glance down and realize he’s shaking. His entire body vibrating with pain and adrenaline.

Sabine, Knox, and Tex rush into the cage. Sabine covers him with a blanket. Knox starts handing gauze pads and some sort of liquid in a bottle to Roman and Rez. Tex is on the phone yelling at someone on the other end.

“Cade, keep him talking,” Roman orders.

“Lex,” I say, trying to still the panic in my voice.

Knox pours the liquid over his thigh. Lex hisses. His body buckling in pain.

“Shh, babe. It’s alright.”

“I-I don’t,” Lex mumbles. “I don’t feel right.”

“I know, but you’re going to be okay.”

“No.” He coughs. “I’m cold, Cade… I-I.”