Chapter 46
Forty-Six
Blair
My heart beat in my chest like an animal trapped in a net as I sat there, waiting for Enzo’s next move.
He brushed the tip of the blade against my skin.
It felt so rough yet gentle.
Like a tiny poke that was supposed to be more painful.
The skin bunched around his eyes when our gazes locked, and for a moment, everyone in the room who wanted me dead faded away.
Enzo’s eyes softened as he dragged the blade against my cheek. Not deep enough to break skin.
Then everything happened so fast.
In one second, he dropped the knife from my face to my wrist. Swiftly, he cut it free, then did the same with the other.
“I told you to let me kill the cunt!” my father shouted when Enzo knelt to cut the rope around my ankles. “He’s too weak to do it!”
My stepfather pointed his gun at Enzo’s head. “Don’t be stupid, Enzo. You know the rule. Sons before everything.” He shook his head in disgust. “If you can’t do it, which is a weakness we’ll need to discuss later, then you let another one of us get the job done.”
Enzo yanked me out of the chair like a rag doll when my father charged toward us. He shoved me off to the side to punch my father in the face, knocking me down. While doing that, his phone flew out of his pocket and skidded across the floor.
My stepfather pulled the trigger, and Enzo tackled me to the ground just as the bullet buzzed by my head.
Enzo hauled me to my feet and shoved the knife and his badge into my hands. “Run, Blair. Run like the Fawn you are. Find Brooks and Emeri in the university.” He pushed me behind him, backing us up until I was closer to the door and making sure no Son got to me.
“No!” I screamed, grabbing his sleeve. “I’m not leaving you!”
For a moment, no Son made a move as they watched the scene play out in front of them.
A Son willing to die for his Fawn.
A Fawn willing to die for her Son.
This is how the power balance is meant to be.
This is the intention of their entire logic.
Why each of us has our roles.
He kept his eyes on those around us. “Go, Blair! No one is going to help us unless you get them! Go get help!”
I tried to hand him the knife back, but he wouldn’t take it.
He shook his head as the Sons got closer. “Go!” he screamed as he pulled another knife from his pocket.
My stepfather shot at us again.
“Go!” Enzo yelled. “I can fight these bastards off for a minute, but I need you to get help!”
I knew I had to go.
To leave him.
My heart nearly shattered when I slid through the opening in the door. My bare feet pounded against the concrete, my heavy steps echoing through the tunnel walls, and I prayed I was running in the right direction.
Footsteps thumped behind me, but I didn’t look back. I couldn’t waste my energy or slow down my pace.
I needed to find Brooks or Emeri.
Needed to find a Son I could trust.
But right now, I wasn’t sure who was on that list.
Somehow, as if God knew I wasn’t evil and was on my side, I pushed open a door at the end of a corridor that led exactly where I needed it to.
Fresh air hit my face, and I took in my surroundings. Trees closed in around me, but through the fog, I saw the university standing tall.
I took off running, branches and roots cutting at my feet. My lungs ached as I weaved between trees. A voice shouted behind me, but I did my best to tune it out as I picked up speed.
I was close—so fucking close—when my foot caught on a root, and I crashed into the ground. Before I could pull myself up, something hard slammed into the back of my head.
A shot of pain exploded through my skull and spread across my shoulders. I rolled onto my side, staring up at my mother holding a heavy branch.
She drew her arm back, ready to strike me again, but when she moved, I kicked out my leg. The branch fell from her hand, rolling away as she lost her balance and fell to the ground.
I jumped to my feet at the same time she did.
We both went for the branch, but she was faster and snatched it up.
“Hush, little baby,” she taunted with that manic smirk, swinging the branch at me.
I needed to keep her away from me, but didn’t have time to fight her and dispose of a damn branch so she couldn’t grab it again.
When she swung again, I ducked and plunged the knife into her thigh. Her ugly smirk collapsed, morphing into a loud cry like an attacked animal, and she fell to the ground.
She crouched forward, staring at the knife in her thigh, and then back at me. I’d made sure to go deep enough to hit bone for a reason. She needed to stay put.
I shrugged, not about to waste any precious seconds helping her pull it out or explaining why I wouldn’t do that anyway.
“Blair,” she said as I took off running again.
I paused for a second to look at her over my shoulder.
That evil grin was back on her face as she made sure to fully articulate her words. “I wish you’d died during childbirth.”
Disgust clenched inside me as I fastened my stare on her, mirroring her smirk. “And I wish I’d killed you during childbirth.”
Her eyes widened, her mouth opening to spout more words, but I didn’t waste my time hearing her response.
Nothing she could ever say could make me see her as a mother.
I had someone more important to save.
I picked up my speed, running as fast as I could, and ignored the pain in my lungs and head.
Unlike the last times, I wasn’t a helpless Fawn running in the woods.
I was a Fawn on a mission.
Running to save myself and the Son who I realized meant everything to me.
I hurt everywhere when I made it to the edge of the woods. I cut to the right, moving faster, when my body collided with something hard. I fell back a step but managed to stay on my feet, thanks to two strong arms.
Emeri’s emerald-green eyes met mine.
“Enzo!” I screamed at him, out of breath. “He’s in the chamber and in trouble!” I thrust both my fists against his chest. “He needs help! Go!”
His hold dropped from my body, and he sped past me. Brooks came into view next, sprinting, with Daphne close behind him.
She wrapped me in a quick hug, mid-run, as we chased them.
“Stay here!” Brooks yelled over his shoulder.
Yeah fucking right.
Neither Daphne nor I listened.
As we ran past my mother, she cried out for help.
“Should we?” Daphne asked through heavy pants.
I shook my head and ran faster, needing to save Enzo.
I still needed my devil here with me.
Hell could have him later.