AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So we just let her walk out after attacking a guard?” The guard dropped his voice so it didn’t carry far. “All these other shades saw it. We’re going to have a riot on our hands if they think they can get away with that shit.”
Deacon clenched his jaw, as if trapped between two bad choices. I hated the pain on his face, the uncertainty. I’d put that there. Even if I’d done it for him, I’d never wanted to hurt him. “Okay, we take her into custody, but be careful.”
“I’m sorry,”I signed, looking right at Deacon. The others no doubt saw it as an attempt to get out of trouble, but I could only hope Deacon truly understood it.
Or rather, that he would in time. I wanted him to know I was sorry for what I was about to do, for leaving, for everything.
He rushed forward, as if to tackle me, to stop me, which meant I’d run out of time.
I clapped my hands hard, then shoved those sound waves outwards. I did it in all directions, which threw not only Deacon back but all the guards as well. It was the most powerful time I’d done this, though I was careful to hold back some. I didn’t want to risk walls or the building, but I needed to make one hell of a mess.
Those waves crashed out beyond our little group as well. The scraping of the tables against the floor as they moved, the slam of bodies against the ground, it all said it had gone far.
I turned to find nothing standing in the huge room. Every person had gotten thrown to the floor and the furniture all pushed out toward the walls. I was entirely alone on my feet in the center, staring at the chaos I’d caused so easily.
It was the first time I really wondered if I was the monster others saw me was.
I swallowed hard, meeting Deacon’s gaze as he forced himself off the hard ground, blood leaking from his lip. He must have struck it when he fell.
He took a step toward me, but a sharp pain in my shoulder blade caught my attention. Before I could even turn, another hit me.
I spun to find two guards at the doorway, rifles in their hands, pointed at me. A look over my shoulder showed two darts sticking out of me, and the wave of dizziness told me what was obvious.
The drugs from the tranquilizers swam through me so fast I couldn’t prepare myself before my knees gave out. The world lost its sharpness, everything blurring around me, the sounds all mixing together until they were slush in my mind.
“Well, well,” came a voice I recognized.The Warden.“As much as I wanted to keep you here, it seems you’retoo dangerous. I did warn you, didn’t I? If you thought it was bad here, just wait until you experience the hospitality of the North Tower.”
Those were the last words I heard before the darkness dragged me under. I gave in to it, a smile on my lips.
Finally, I was going to get out of here.
* * * *
Brax
Seeing Hera hauled out of the cafeteria was more than I thought I could take. Everything inside me had wanted to rush in, to stop what was happening in front of me.
In fact, I had no idea if she knew I’d been there. I’d followed her, unable to help it, unable to stay away. I knew she’d make her move, even if I didn’t know what that move was, but I hadn’t expectedthat.
It reminded me that Hera was more powerful than I’d ever realized. It was easy to not notice it. She seemed small and sweet. She couldn’t yell, didn’t show aggression the way I did, the way most shades did. Believing her weak was an easy trap to fall into, but judging from what she’d done, it was a clear mistake.
She had brought an entire room full of dangerous, powerful shades and guards to their knees without breaking a sweat. Even I had fallen to my knees, unable to stand against the blast of her power.
Had she ever looked as beautiful and terrifying as she did standing there in the center, her hair twisting around her, her chin held high?
But I’d done nothing when the guards had shot her with a tranquilizer. I’d forced myself to remain stilleven as my teeth changed, as blood filled my mouth from the fangs catching my tongue, as my entire body hummed with a desire to rip apart anyone who dared touch her.
The desire overwhelmed me, and I wondered if I could resist it at all. I’d never felt that before, even when Knox had been in danger. That instinct inside me that roared in my ears terrified me.
Even now, an hour later, sitting on the top floor near the bridge to the North Tower, I couldn’t calm myself. Where was she? Was she okay?
What would I do if our plan worked, but she didn’t make it? Was there a fucking point of getting out if I ended up alone?
I leaned forward, my elbows on my knees, and tried to slow my breathing, to soothe the rage inside me. Maybe seeing Hera, even a glimpse, would calm it.
She’d done it before, eased my berserker, made it quiet with her touch. If I couldn’t get it back under control, I’d do something to risk everything we’d planned.
A door opened, but it wasn’t the person I wanted to see. Instead, Knox came up to me and took a seat to my left.
