Sullied

Chapter 30

Thirty

Ru

The instant, and I mean the instant the sun disappears over the horizon, I’m on the move. Keycard in hand, I file into the dreaded building for what I hope is the last time.

Zoe offered to come with me, because of course she did, but I won’t even think of letting her charge into danger for us.

She’s already gone above and beyond to help.

So she’s waiting with the getaway car for when this is finally over, with strict instructions to save herself if the shit hits the fan.

In the meantime, Plan: Chaos is in full effect.

News vans congregate next to the semi-trucks. Sirens blare in the distance as more emergency vehicles make their way here. The ones that have already arrived flash their red and blue lights like they’re hosting a fucking disco in the parking lot.

I may or may not have called in a fire, a heart attack, a robbery, a bomb threat, a kitten stuck in a goddamn tree, fucking anything I could think of to get them all here.

I’ve probably broken several laws, but I used a VoIP (thank you, Malachi, oh god of all things tech) so there’s a chance I won’t get caught. But I don’t care.

I need Sully safe in my arms right the fuck now.

The elevator has never been slower.

I descend into hell, armed with nothing but my own fucking audacity.

The halls are eerie. I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t this. It’s quiet, and the bright blueish fluorescents flicker like the power is spotty.

Oliver’s office door hangs open. Angry voices ring out from inside, but not Sully’s, so I hurry the other way.

Down the hall by the security monitoring room is a bright red, rectangular fire alarm. I’ve never done something like this. It feels naughty. Like I’m going to be in trouble.

I’m in so much fucking trouble. So who cares?

I throw caution to the wind and yank on that alarm until the whole building is engulfed in the blaring horn of danger, danger, danger.

Sully

Time to leave II Tech behind me forever. The others should be out by now, and Hayworth knows my plan. Plus, he can take care of himself.

As I run, the fire alarm starts blaring. I have a second to think, wow, that was fast, when Ru appears in my line of sight.

I’m so glad to see him I fling myself into his arms. “What are you doing in here?”

He squeezes me in a bear hug then holds me at arm’s length. His eyes are wide as saucers as he takes me in. “Holy fuck, are you okay?”

“Better than ever. Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” He touches my hair. “It’s just you’re a little…singed.”

Right, that makes sense. I was probably too close to the fire. Whoops. First time arsonist problems. “I’m fine. What are you doing here?”

“Saving you. I pulled the fire alarm. Let’s get out of here.”

“That was you?” I’m only a little disappointed it wasn’t my actual fire that caused the alarm. “I can’t go yet. I have to burn the rest of it. You go. I’ll catch up.”

“No way. We leave together.”

“Okay, fine. Let’s hurry.” I grab his hand and tug him toward the cells. I shove a bottle into his hands. “Throw this for me. Let’s burn something.”

His eyes are still a little crazy, but he does as he’s told. Bottles smash with a satisfying violent shatter, jagged layers of sound crashing and popping as shards skid across the floor.

“Now stand back. This part can get a little hot.” I light another match and drop it in our wake. Another whoosh of air and heat bursts bright behind us as we flee.

We round the corner toward the emergency stairs at top speed. We’re seconds away from breaking out when Hayworth appears in our path.

Only he doesn’t look like himself. He looks scared. Even after everything that’s happened to us, I’ve never seen him scared. Defiant, often, but never scared.

Then I see it.

The evil glint of a scalpel rests at his jugular.

Oliver stands behind him, hiding like the coward he is. “Missing something?” he practically spits. “Not gonna leave without your precious Specimen 3, are you?”

I snarl. He’s right. I’m not.

I came back for my brother, and I’m not going to let anyone hurt him. Especially Oliver.

Ru tugs my arm. “Come on, we have to get out of here. It’s just Hayworth.”

Just Hayworth.

Just Specimen 3.

Just Specimen 19.

I whirl on Ru. “He’s not just anybody. He’s my brother, and I’m getting him out.”

“Not so fast.” Oliver slices a thin line on Hayworth’s throat. Not going for the kill. Not yet. A drop of blood rolls to pool at his collarbones. “Turn me, this instant, and I’ll let him go.”

I blink. Turn him? “You want to be a vampire?”

“Of course I do, you idiot. Do you think I’d babysit the lot of you all these years for anything less?”

I don’t know what to think. “Why me?”

“You’re the strongest in the program.”

I’ve never felt strong. But Hayworth is. Wait a minute. Hayworth is a hundred times stronger than Oliver. Why is he standing there and letting himself be cut?

Fuck. I’m seething as I realize. “How are you controlling him?”

The roar of the flames grows louder in the hallway behind us. Smoke gathers along the ceiling.

“My blood was used to create him,” says Oliver. “A powerful mage saw to it. My blood fills his veins even now. Hayworth is mine to control, just as you are Voijin’s.”

Ice swims in my veins.

I don’t like the sound of that one bit. I knew Voijin wanted me to drink his blood for a reason. I knew there was something he wasn’t telling me.

But I’m not stupid. “Well, unlucky for you. Voijin. Isn’t. Here.” With a feral growling sound I didn’t know I could make, I lunge at him.

Oliver’s reaction time is too slow to stop me. Too slow to injure Hayworth any further.

I slam Hayworth aside, grab the hand holding the scalpel, and crush it in my fist. Bones crunch with disgusting clarity.

Oliver yells out and clutches his broken hand to his chest. “You’ll regret that.” He darts his gaze to Hayworth. “Kill them both.”

Fuck.

Hayworth roars to life. His gaze snaps to me. “Get out,” he pleads even as he grabs my ankle and yanks me to the ground. “I can’t disobey.”

Oh shit.

Overpowering Oliver hadn’t been hard, but fighting Hayworth? I can’t. He’s older, and no matter what Oliver says, he’s stronger too. And more importantly, I love him. The last thing I want to do it hurt him.

Hayworth grabs me by the waist and throws me against the wall. The drywall cracks. My head bangs backward, and the world flickers.

Oliver stalks toward Ru. “Traitor. Cousins turning up out of the blue, my ass. You’re helping him!”

“You’re damn right I’m helping him.” Ru holds his ground.

Hayworth growls, “I’m sorry,” and punches me in the stomach.

I fold in on myself, gasping for air.

His fist comes flying at me again. I catch it this time, my hand tingling from the force of it. He twists, trying to wrench free and slams his forehead into mine.

Bone meets bone with a loud crack.

My pulse pounds in my ears.

Around us, the smoke thickens.

I hear Ru cough. I remember his asthma.

I panic. “Hayworth, stop! Stop, stop, stop, it’s me.”

“I can’t. You have to kill me. Go for my throat,” he says as his fingers curl around mine.

My gaze lands on his neck. There’s a split second in which I could bite, maybe rip his throat out, maybe damage him enough to break free.

But it passes. I can’t make myself do it.

Hayworth drives his knee into my chest, and I feel something shift inside me. Not break. We don’t break easily. But it’s not good. The pain flares and though I gasp, I can’t take in air.

He shoves me down the hall, boots skidding on polished tiles. My back slams against the fire extinguisher cabinet.

Glass bursts and shards rain around us.

My lungs suddenly work again. I suck in a breath and beg, “Hayworth, please. Fight it.”

“Can’t.” He snarls. “Run.”

Heat rolls over us in waves. Smoke stings my eyes.

Hayworth barrels toward me.

I grab the fire extinguisher and block his path. His head slams into it like a battering ram. The impact jars my arms up to my shoulders.

Hayworth goes down, but he won’t stay down long.

“Ru, catch!” I throw the extinguisher as he turns. I hope he catches it, I can’t watch because Hayworth takes a swing at me.

I duck. His first punch misses, but he strikes out with a foot that hits my shin. I tumble to the ground, glass in my palms as I brace myself for whatever comes next.

Like a bull toward a red flag, Hayworth charges again.

I don’t hold back. I slam my elbow into his jaw. His teeth knock together. Smoke coils between us.

The fire extinguisher hisses from where Ru confronts Oliver. If they’re saying anything, I can’t hear it with the pounding between my ears. Please let Ru be okay.

An acrid, chalky scent fills the air.

Powder floats around us, making it impossible to see clearly.

I climb to my feet just in time to be slammed sideways by Hayworth. We go down in a tangle of limbs and cursing.

He wrestles his way to the top, traps me with bulky thighs over mine, and pins both my hands with one of his. Molten air licks at my fingers.

Panic flares bright and bursting. I can’t move. “Hayworth, don’t hurt me.”

The crazed look in his eyes doesn’t bode well. His lips pull back and fangs descend.

I flinch. “Please.”

Just as I think he’ll strike, and all of this will be over… he stops.

He freezes, not breathing, not talking, his stare blank. Then his body loosens like it’s made of jelly. He collapses over me like he’s gone boneless.

I flail, still trapped under dead weight as he sprawls, half on me, half on the ground.

Somewhere close by, the hiss of the fire extinguisher washes over us again, sending me into a fit of coughing.

“Get up!” That’s Ru’s voice, infused with an urgency I’ve never heard from him before. “Oliver’s down. We have to go.”

Ru yanks me to my feet. I see the crumpled form of Oliver slumped on the tile floor. I can’t tell if he’s breathing. I kick him anyway. “That’s for cutting Ru’s sweater.”

“Forget my sweater. Get Hayworth, and let’s get out of here.”

I grab Hayworth’s shoulder and shake the life back into him. “Wake up! Come on.”

He’s sluggish, but now that he’s not fighting anymore, I can manhandle him up and over my shoulder. Ru helps, shoving his legs into place.

The fire is closing in on us.

“This way.” Ru grabs my wrist and yanks.

We sprint toward the stairs.

Heat pulses against our backs.

We race up and up and up. Ru wheezes and it feels like the stairs will never end. Alarms blare. Firefighters rush past as we dash through the upper floor. Lights flicker and dim.

A sea of vehicles flashing blue and red lights swarms the exit. We’re lost in the gathering mass of humanity as we flee into the chaos.

No one stops us. There are no questions. No officers waiting to throw us in jail.

No one knows what’s going on.

It’s perfect.

“Come on.” Ru coughs, worrying me. But he has me by the hand and isn’t letting go. “Zoe’s waiting with a car to get us out of here.”

Hayworth comes around. After a few strides, he pushes himself off my shoulder and is able to run with us.

We cross the giant parking lot and duck behind a semi-truck.

“What the fuck?” Hayworth seems lost, gaze darting in a wide arc past the semi toward the forest. His first time aboveground. I remember how overwhelming that feels. Too bad we can’t linger.

I spot Zoe’s car. Ru and I usher him toward it.

“Inside,” I say. “She’s a friend.”

“A friend,” Hayworth mumbles as the three of us file into the safety of Zoe’s car.

“Holy shit, holy shit, are you guys okay?” Her voice is laced with panic. “Who the hell is that?”

“We will be,” I say. “This is Hayworth. Please for the love of cream cheese frosting, get us out of here!”

Hayworth and I must look like shit, both of us bruised and bloody, but it’s Ru I’m worried about. Ru who’s got his inhaler at his mouth, sucking desperately.

His eyes are wild, but they’re focused on me and he’s nodding like he’s trying to tell me he’s all right.

I hold his free hand between mine. “Easy. Just breathe. We’re safe now. You saved me.” A smile tugs at my lips. “Again.”