Chapter 31 Elodie #2
There’s no one in my path, so I hurry toward the bowl and my eyes widen as I draw closer, noting the sharp glint of gold standing in the center with a pool of blood at the bottom.
Before I can change my mind, I press the tip of my index finger against the edge, wincing at the intrusion as my body trembles.
There’s no time for me to understand what it means as I’m drawn to the portal.
I don’t even manage to capture my breath as I enter, startled when I appear on the other side in a completely white-washed hallway.
It feels sterile.
My pulse pounds in my ears as I try to understand what it is I’m facing when a drop of my blood hits the floor with an echoed plop. The red droplet is stark against the white floor beneath my feet, but it doesn’t last long before it disappears, leaving no trace.
Running my tongue over my bottom lip, my attention is quickly distracted by the change of clothing I find myself in. The jumpsuit is something straight out of a high-security prison back home, but instead of the orange that you would usually see, it’s purple.
A shudder runs down my spine, making my back arch slightly when a gasp sounds from my left. Wide eyes find mine as my gaze locks on the girl from Institute Thirteen who continues to remind me of my little worth.
Brenna.
“Of course I’m bound to the one girl who can’t do anything,” she grunts, wiping a hand down her face. I want to charge at her and scream about how wrong she is, but instead, I silently vow to prove her wrong.
A huff comes from behind me, cutting through the tense air between us, and I peer over my shoulder to find Kael standing with his arms folded over his chest. “There are three of us?” I blurt when I notice he’s wearing the same color too.
“It seems you can’t escape me no matter how hard you try,” Kael mutters, distracting from the situation at hand, and I shake my head at him.
“I’m not here to listen to you two bitch and moan, and I won’t lose because you can’t get a grip on yourselves. So, let’s fucking go,” Brenna grunts, and I nod in agreement.
Taking off down the corridor, the three of us remain silent, searching for a door or a turn, but every step comes with more hallway before us. Racking my brain, I try to recall what I read about the bloodbound trial, but it seems I overread everything and now it’s all one garbled mess.
It feels like an eternity passes before a door appears on the left side of the narrow space, and my breath hitches as I pick up my pace, charging toward it.
It’s a fight for the lead as Brenna shoves past me, but I let her go, refusing to accept her negative energy when I’m sure there are bigger things we’re going to face.
The three of us spill through the door without caution, only to wind up at the end of another whitewashed hall—only this time, we’re not alone.
“Petal.” One word and I’m on the brink of forgetting that I’m mad at all of them. Rion races toward me and it’s impossible to deny the fact that my anger softens as he draws closer.
I’m a sucker for a golden retriever wolf. I’m a sucker for a damn asshole of a vampire too, but it seems our desire is fueled by anger instead.
Rion comes to a stop in front of me, his jumpsuit still purple, but more like a lilac in shade.
He grins down at me, winking like the insane man he is, but he’s quickly nudged to the side by Ocean, who is wearing the same color as him.
Understanding quickly washes over me and a wave of relief settles in my chest knowing she’s in safe hands.
I had been so insistent on getting away from Kael that I hadn’t considered the bigger picture, and I only wound up closer to him in the end.
“Are you guys okay?” Ocean asks, wrapping me in her arms for a brief second before she steps back, and I spy a familiar shadow fae behind her. He doesn’t say anything; he doesn’t have to.
“Now that your little reunion is over with, can we actually get on with winning this thing?” Brenna gripes, reminding me of just how fabulous she isn’t.
Ocean glares at her, but I shake my head and nod for us to keep exploring.
“Which way did you guys come from?” Kael asks, a thought I hadn’t considered, and they point toward a blank wall.
“A door from there, but it’s gone. So is yours,” Rion states, pointing behind us, and there’s nothing there either.
Continuing to put one foot in front of the other, I desperately search my brain. This is an absolute mindfuck, but why are we bloodbound while doing it?
Traipsing down the hallway, Brenna and Thorne lead the way. I remain at Ocean’s side while Rion and Kael bring up the rear. When a snarl suddenly rings from behind us, my spine snaps with panic as I whirl around to find Rion flat on his back with a red-eyed Tiran hovering over him.
“You think you’re better than me, huh?” he growls, enraged as he bares his teeth at Rion, who shoves at his chest, easily sending him back a few steps before he launches to his feet.
“What’s your fucking problem, man?” Rion bites, glaring at the delirious vampire before us.
“You. All of you. You’re all my fucking problem,” Tiran snarls, his shoulders almost touching his ears, they’re coiled so tight as he aims his finger at each of us.
“I haven’t got time for this shit either,” Brenna declares, and Ocean does some weird, frustrated scream under her breath, but it’s me Tiran has his sights set on.
I’m too busy gaping at him to react, and he gets within a hair of grabbing my throat when he’s knocked back by Rion as Kael grabs me around the middle, sweeping me up off the floor and pinning me against his chest.
“Don’t ever hit a girl. Especially mine, motherfucker,” Rion roars, the sound booming in the enclosed space as he charges at Tiran.
Struggling in Kael’s grasp, I fight to interject, but it’s clear he’s not letting go. When I have no alternative, I scream from the top of my lungs. “Don’t fight him because of me, he’s not worth it.”
Brenna cackles, the sound humorless as she whirls around to face me. “You can’t actually think they’re fighting over you, can you? You think you’re prettier than me, is that it?”
I rear back at the insanity in her voice and freeze.
The bloodbound trial: bound by blood, sentenced to insanity, and destined to expose the insecurities that claw at their minds.
She might be insane on a regular day, but right now, it’s not her fault she’s bat shit crazy. I lift my hands in the air, ready to explain what’s going on to hopefully calm the mess that threatens to unravel around us, when another voice cuts in from behind me.
“No one is going to fight over this bitch. Nobody wants her with all the baggage she comes with. Whore.”
Willow.
I’d know the voice of that bitch anywhere.
Kael turns, still holding me against his chest, and Willow wastes no time taking action.
Helpless in Kael’s arms, I’m an easy target as she lunges at me with her claws ready.
Instinctively, my hands lift defensively, but she hits up, knocking my elbows, and I miss my attempt at slamming my palms against her chest.
Willow doesn’t miss her target, though.
Her claws sink into my sides, piercing between my ribs.
I can’t scream. I can’t breathe.
The world moves in slow motion, hot liquid trickling at my sides as I gape down at myself. Willow’s claws tear from my flesh as Kael knocks her back, turning to shield me from her determined stare.
My gaze fixes on Ocean’s, who gapes at me in horror, but our connection is quickly broken when Kael starts moving again.
“I’ve got you, Elodie. I’ve got you.”
Pain sears at my sides, making me whimper, and Kael takes off down the corridor, running so fast my vision blurs. Nausea churns inside of me and I’m certain I’m ready to meet the edge of darkness again when Kael opens a door, carrying me inside.
It’s pitch black when he closes the door behind us. He fumbles for a moment, and a second later, a dim light switches on, revealing a small, empty square room. He lowers me to my feet but I can’t stand, my legs turning to jelly instantly.
With a little maneuvering, I’m propped against the wall as Kael stares down at me, confusion bunching his eyebrows together.
“When she cut you last time, there was no reaction,” he states, his gaze travelling to my side where I’m attempting to stop the blood with my bare hands.
“Holy shit. She went deep.” His skin whitens as he gulps. “Elodie, I—”
I lift a bloody finger to his lips, silently pleading with him to shut up, and for a moment, it works.
Attempting to take a deep breath, my eyelids flicker, then I hear the sound of the door creaking open behind Kael and he stiffens. His eyes shutter without him even blinking as he relaxes his hold on me so I slip down the wall. He guides me all the way, but there’s a difference to his touch.
My head lolls to the side as I swipe my tongue over my dry lips, scared and consumed with pain, but it pales in comparison to what I feel the moment my eyes settle on the new addition to the room. I choke on my breath as he crouches before me, a wicked grin on his lips as he leers at me.
“I’ve been waiting, Little Weapon,” he states, standing tall while dusting the invisible lint off his pants. His gaze lingers for a breath before he turns to Kael, his grin growing wide as he nods. “You had me worried there. I thought you were going to let me down, little brother.”
Or continue reading for a glimpse at Raven’s story.