Chapter Six. #2
I twisted to hear what Chance wanted when the door slammed shut. A cold wind blew through the room, and I shivered and screamed. Don’t ask me why, but I guessed I was in trouble. The temperature fell rapidly, and my breath puffed out in little clouds.
Without a second thought, I rushed over and yanked on the handle.
“Drake!” I screamed as the door refused to move.
“Phoe!” Drake yelled back, and I heard the fear in his voice. Drake shoved at the door, but it wouldn’t open.
A low cackle ran through the room, and I jumped and screeched again. Shit, I wasn’t alone! There was nothing to see, but I sensed I was being watched. Terrified, I backed against the wall as I searched frantically for what was here with me. The cackle repeated, and this time I heard a note of glee.
Fear crawled up my spine as I plastered myself to the wall. Even the shadows appeared to be moving.
“Mine to kill,” an eerie voice whispered, pulling another scream from me. My head flipped wildly from side to side until I spotted a shadow in the far corner. It seemed to be growing larger as I watched.
“Drake!” I shrieked. I inched along towards the door as it shuddered under my husband trying to get in. Two red eyes appeared and stared, before they suddenly darted forward. Petrified, I rushed away. Cold hands grabbed me, and I made a noise of pure terror.
Mindlessly, I bumped into the bed and scrambled over it. Dark laughter chased after me. In a clumsy mistake, I backed into a corner and trapped myself. The shadow was over six feet and continuing to grow.
I couldn’t distinguish any facial features but those red eyes. Two raised, clawed hands appeared as if ready to rake me from top to bottom. A whimper escaped me, and I screamed as those claws slashed towards me. In a panic, I fell to the floor and crawled away.
The room was freezing cold, my palms ached against the icy floorboards, and the fire we’d left lit spluttered and died behind the protective frame.
“Mine to feast on,” the voice said, and something grabbed my ankle.
I started kicking and screaming in fright as I was dragged towards the shadow.
It continued to grow in front of me, those red eyes burning deep into my soul.
I tried fighting my way free, but it was useless.
The shadow, now seven feet tall, leaned over me, and I saw a gaping maw with razor-sharp teeth.
One last scream left my lips, and I began whimpering.
A foul stench made me gag, and I heaved as I bucked, trying to escape. Weight pinned my legs in place, and the shadow crawled up my shivering body.
The door shuddered as something heavy rammed into it. Drake was coming, but he’d be too late. Nails as sharp as razors dug into my waist, drawing blood, and I fell quiet in pure horror. Wide-eyed, I watched as those claws were raised to the gaping maw, and my blood was sucked off them.
I could only watch helplessly—frozen—as the eyes levelled with mine.
Hatred and evilness whirled in red orbs, and the Lord’s Prayer ran through my mind. I couldn’t say the words out loud; my throat had closed in terror. Slowly, the featureless face began lowering to mine.
“Die so I can live,” the rasping whisper came.
I shut my eyes, not wanting to see my death.
The door shuddered again, and a crack appeared. They’d never reach me in time. Drake would find my torn, lifeless body, and I grieved for him. This would break Drake. Images of my children flashed through my mind, and I clung to them. A ray of brightness in the darkness I was surrounded by.
Sharp fangs bit into my throat, and tears leaked from my closed eyes.
“Claudias!” a voice boomed, and even through my eyelids, I saw a bright light.
“No!” the shadow hissed, and the teeth tore my skin as the creature was ripped away.
“Jacques, over here,” Eden cried, and suddenly I was free. There was a bang, followed by silence.
Darkness came over me as I felt blood trickle down my neck, and as much as I fought, I succumbed, not knowing if I’d wake up again.
Drake
Lucian and Daniel rammed the bench into the door a third time, and it cracked open. There was a brief glimpse of pure darkness before a bright light flashed through the room. I swore I heard Jacques and Emmaline’s voices, and then there was silence. Phoe wasn’t even whimpering.
“Drake, grab hold of the end,” Chance ordered. Panic rushing through me, I did as commanded, and the four of us slammed the bench into the door so hard it flew open.
I dropped it and shoved Daniel and Lucian out of the way. There, in the middle of the floor, lay Phoe.
An agonised cry left me, and I scrambled over to her, stumbling over something and crawling on all fours to get to her.
My beautiful wife lay pale and still, eyes closed, and I felt for Phoe’s pulse.
I was horrified when I saw blood on her neck.
Frantically, I began patting Phoe’s cheeks, needing her to wake up and look at me.
“Phoe, babe, please don’t leave me,” I begged as tears ran down my face.
Chance shoved me aside as he and Daniel knelt, and I moved to shove them away. Strong arms circled me and restrained me as I fought Vladimir, who held me back. I’d experienced this before. Phoe was badly injured and near death, and those feelings returned. Panic, fear, loss, and agonising pain.
“Wake Phoe up. Don’t let her leave me, please. I’ll do anything. Chance, bring her back, please, cousin, wake her up,” I pleaded as I struggled against Vladimir.
“Phoe’s alive. Drake, she’s alive but hurt,” Daniel cried as he and Chance checked her over. My fight fled as I collapsed back into Vladimir’s grasp. Sobs left my mouth as I thanked them all for saving her.
“Here, smelling salts,” Sabine said as she shoved a bottle in Daniel’s hand. Daniel waved them under Phoe’s nose, and seconds later, she choked and spluttered before opening her eyes.
Vladimir relaxed his grip, and I scrambled over, hauling her gently into my arms and rocking back and forth.
Phoe whimpered weakly, and her hands clutched my cut.
She closed her eyes and buried her head in my chest as she began to cry.
Our tears mingled as relief surged through me.
Phoe was alive; there would be no empty existence without her.
No existing without love and joy. This was the second time I’d come close to losing her.
The first was to her asshole ex-husband, who hadn’t been her husband.
Chance hovered over Phoe, as pale as I surely was.
Clio rubbed his back, offering comfort as Inglorious crouched by our side.
Without a word, Inglorious pulled us both into a tight embrace, and his tears mixed with ours.
Damn, the man felt deeply. This had been far too close.
For several minutes, we sat there as people watched, and I didn’t give a fuck.
Relief swamped me as I wouldn’t be explaining to our children how their mother had died.
There wouldn’t be another funeral. My life continued, and I was so damn lucky.
“Uncle Drake, we need to check Aunt Phoe’s wounds,” Rosie muttered softly. Rosie, being a veterinarian, had the most medical training of those present.
I nodded, but I was loath to let Phoe go.
“Uncle Drake, come on, let me and Calamity look Aunt Phoe over,” Rosie urged.
I didn’t want to release Phoe, and she felt the same. Inglorious helped turn Phoe in my arms. Stunned, I gaped at the ragged wound in her neck, and Calamity hissed. Between Rosie and Calamity, they cleaned Phoe’s neck and placed some butterfly stitches.
“There’s blood on her sweater. Prez, I need to lift it to see where Phoe is wounded,” Calamity stated softly. I nodded, unable to talk.
Rosie sucked in a deep breath. “What the fuck is that?”
Scared again, I glanced down and saw four puncture wounds on each side of Phoe’s waist.
“Christ,” Chance muttered as we stared. Rosie and Calamity got busy cleaning and inspecting them.
“They don’t need stitches, but we’ll wrap them up. Drake, take Phoe into the shower and get her clean, but mind her throat. As soon as she’s showered, we’ll bandage them,” Calamity said.
Phoe clung to me again, and I realised what was frightening her. She’d not been able to speak yet, but the fear was coming off her in waves.
“Someone needs to stay here. So Phoe feels safe,” I replied.
“We will,” Inglorious said as Nanci appeared by his side. Nanci wrapped her arms around him. The Unwanted Bastards’ president had a soft spot for any woman, but especially the old ladies. This had hit him hard.
“Do you need anything?” I croaked.
“Nah, I’m good. I’m going to guard you,” he forced out.
“We all will. Whoever hasn’t showered, collect your shit, and bring it back here. The second group will take turns showering here,” Chance ordered.
It was a sign of how upset everyone was that nobody argued. I surged to my knees and picked Phoe up. Daniel and Inglorious held me steady as I stood with my world in my arms.
Gratefully, I held Daniel and then Lucian’s gaze. “I owe you everything,” I said, putting meaning into my words.
They nodded together.
“Drake, I completely understand,” Daniel said, his gaze on Sabine.
“You owe us nothing; this is my duty,” Lucian replied, and I thought his answer strange but didn’t challenge it. I carried Phoe into the bathroom to get her in the shower, wrapped some Saran wrap from the first-aid box around the bandages to keep them dry, and set about the task of washing my wife.