57. Liam
Chapter 57
Liam
W e’re huddled in the shadows, praying the vampires don’t spot us. Suddenly, they emerge from the Hargrave mansion—Blake, Levi, and... a woman. My heart stops when I recognize her: Willow, Colt’s girlfriend. Colt’s frozen in shock, his eyes wide as he stares at her. I grab his arm, trying to keep him quiet.
“Colt? Hey, stay calm,” I whisper urgently.
“What is she doing here with them?” he says.
”It looks like she’s in on this with them. Do you think she would do that?”
Colt’s face crumples. I see the pain and betrayal in his eyes. “I don’t understand. Why would she…?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know, Colt. But we need to focus on finding Selene. And we can’t let them see us. Are you okay to keep going?”
Colt nods, getting a handle on his emotions are quickly turning to anger. “You’re right,” he says in a steady voice. “Let’s go.”
We slip away from the mansion, keeping to the shadows as we wait for Levi, Blake & Willow to leave. Every sound makes my heart race, but we are determined to find Selene and get her out of this nightmare.
“Liam,” Colt whispers.
“Yeah?”
“I am here. I won’t let anything happen to you. To either of you.”
I turn to look at his softening brown eyes. My brother. “Thank you. I am just scared that we are too late. That I wasted too much time before coming to find her.”
“We are not too late. We are here now. We will get her out.”
I nod.
We stay hidden until a car leaves the premises. Stopping for a moment was good for Colt, too. He seems a lot calmer now.
Determined, we sneak our way back toward the entryway and into the Hargrave’s mansion.
The stench hits us like a punch to the gut as soon as we step inside. It’s a sickening mix of decay and blood swirling around us, making it hard to breathe. Colt grimaces, his hand clenching tightly on my shoulder as we press forward into the darkness.
“Damn, what the hell is that smell?” Colt mutters, wrinkling his nose in disgust.
I shake my head, trying not to grimace. “I don’t know, but we need to find Selene.”
We move cautiously through the corridors, our senses on high alert. Every creak of the floorboards, every whisper of movement sends a shiver down my spine. But I push the fear aside, focusing on the task at hand.
As we search the dimly lit corridors, our eyes scanning every inch for any sign of life or clue to our mission, we come across what appears to be a dead end.
However, something about the arrangement of the stones in the wall catches my attention.
“Wait,” I whisper to Colt, reaching out to touch the seemingly solid wall.
With a slight push in the right spot, the stone gives way, revealing a hidden passageway.
Colt’s eyes widened in surprise. “Nice find,” he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper.
Heart pounding, we step through into the darkness, the air heavy with the scent of dampness and decay. Our footsteps echo softly as we cautiously navigate the narrow passage.
Suddenly, a faint glimmer of light ahead catches our attention.
Moving closer, we find ourselves standing before a hidden cell tucked away in the shadows.
Inside, seven women huddle together, their faces drawn and gaunt. They look malnourished, their eyes hollow with despair. The sight of them sends a jolt of anger and determination coursing through me.
Selene! Is she here?
A quick survey confirms my fears. She is not among the women.
Where the fuck is my mate?
Colt’s breath catches in his throat as he takes in the sight. “Holy shit,” he breathes, his voice barely above a whisper.
I nod grimly. “We need to get them out of here.”
Colt nods, his jaw set with determination. “I’ll call Raskogr and Ariana,” he says, pulling out his phone.
I watch as he dials their numbers, my mind racing with worry for Selene. She could be anywhere in this maze of darkness, and it feels like time is running out.
Unable to contain myself, I slip away as Colt continues his phone calls. My footsteps echo in the silence of the mansion as I move through the corridors. My senses are on high alert, searching for any sign of Selene, but she’s nowhere to be found.
Where is she?
Finally, I reach a locked door, which makes my gut churn with dread. The air is thick with the metallic tang of blood, and I know, deep down, that this is where Selene is.
With a surge of adrenaline, I throw my weight against the door, and the wood splinters, forcing it free. As it swings open, my worst fears are realized. Selene lies before me, pale and unmoving, her skin cold to the touch. Beside her is the lifeless form of a young woman.
I rush to Selene’s side, and with trembling hands, I lift her limp body into my arms. Panic grips me as I struggle to rouse her, but she remains still.
Frantically, I slice my arm with my claw, drawing blood that drips onto her lips. “Wake up, Selene. Please, wake up.”
She is deeply unconscious, her chest barely rising with each shallow breath.
Suddenly, Colt bursts into the room, his eyes wide with alarm. “Liam, what’s happening?”
“She won’t wake up,” I manage. “I don’t know what to do.”
Colt gently reaches out to touch Selene’s cheek. “We need to get her out of here. The council members are on their way.”
“We have to save her,” I whisper fearfully. I can barely hear myself think over the pounding of my heart.
I lift Selene’s unconscious form into my arms and follow Colt out of the room.
Outside, the night air is cool against my skin as we hurry through the darkened streets. When we arrive at the rendezvous point, the council members are awaiting us.
Ariana’s face is drawn with concern as she approaches, asking, “What happened?”
I swallow hard, my throat tight. “We found her like this. She won’t wake up.”
“I can’t help you, Liam. I am here for the humans.”
I hold Selene closer to me, willing her to wake up. “Please. She has been nothing but helpful to us, and now she needs our help.”
“But her brother…”
“Her brothers are the reason she is like this right now. She is on our side, Ariana. Please. I have been looking for her for way too long. This cannot be it. This cannot be the end.”
Ariana nods solemnly. “Alright. We’ll need to get her back to the council chambers.”
“Okay, but why can’t we just do it here?”
“We can, but it would be slower. I have a supply of Elderwood in the chambers. It will help amplify my powers. We will need to act fast since I’m assuming you don’t know when this was done to her?” Ariana asks.
I shake my head.
“Then we don’t know how much time we have,” she says.
“Thank you so much, Ariana! I appreciate your willingness to help!”
Ariana’s gaze softens with sympathy, but her expression remains resolute. “Liam, she’s a vampire. Her kind is dangerous… but I can see that she is important to you.”
“Yes, she is. She’s my mate, and I can’t let her die like this.”
Ariana’s eyes widen with surprise, and for a moment, I see a flicker of understanding in her gaze. “Very well,” she says, her voice softer now. “Raskogr, Colt, round up the humans and follow us. We’re taking Selene to the chambers.”
Relief floods through me as Ariana gives the order, and I gather Selene into my arms once more, holding her close as we head to the council chambers.
Together, we lay Selene on the altar, the soft glow of candlelight casting shadows across her pale face. Ariana’s hands move with precision as she begins to chant, her voice rising and falling in a rhythmic cadence.
I watch with my heart in my throat as Ariana’s magic swirls around us, enveloping Selene in a shimmering veil of light. With each passing moment, I pray for her to wake up, my hands clasped tightly in silent desperation.
And then, as if by some miracle, Selene stirs, her eyelids fluttering open to reveal the vibrant green of her eyes. Relief floods through me like a wave as I reach out to touch her cheek.
“Selene,” I whisper, my voice choked with tears. “Thank the goddess, you’re awake.”
She smiles weakly, her hand reaching out to grasp mine. “Liam,” she murmurs, her voice barely a whisper. “I knew you would come for me.”
I brush a tear from her cheek. “I’ll always come for you. No matter what.”
She looks around, her eyes wide and unfocused, and then they widen in panic. “Are we in the council chambers?”
I nod. “Yes. We had to bring you here after I got you out.”
“We can’t be here, Liam. We have to go,” she says urgently.
I wrap my arms around her, holding her close as I try to calm her racing heart. “We will, baby . But first, you have to feed.”
Selene shakes her head, her hands trembling at her sides. “I can’t,” she whispers, her voice choked with emotion. “I won’t.”
My heart aches at the desperation in her voice, but I know we can’t afford to delay any longer. “You have to,” I insist gently. “It’s the only way to regain your strength.”
“Emmett?”
“Emmett is okay. Mom and Layla helped him. He told us everything that happened.”
“Blake, Levi. Liam, they are going to your parent's house.”
That makes me stiffen. “I just killed Katya.”
“What?”
“They attacked us. That is how I knew where to find you. We have been looking for you.”
She gasps. “They are going to be furious. They have a witch with them, and she is so powerful.”
Before Selene can protest further, Ariana steps forward. “I’m going to help the humans now. Once they’re ready, we can all leave together. Selene has silver in her blood. I got rid of most of it, but she has to feed before we leave”
Relief floods through me at Ariana’s words, and I nod in gratitude as I turn my attention back to Selene. “Come on,” I say softly, guiding her towards a secluded corner of the chamber.
“But Liam…”
Before I can voice my concerns, Colt rushes in. Seeing Selene up and awake, relief floods his face. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Thank you,” she responds. Then her eyes fill with tears as she tells Colt about Willow. Colt’s expression darkens with anger, but he quickly composes himself.
“I’ll call Layla,” he says, his voice firm. “We need to find out what’s going on at home.”
As Colt hurries away, Raskogr and Ariana lead the humans into the chamber. “We’re ready to leave,” Raskogr says steadily.
I nod as I lift Selene into my arms once more. “Let’s go outside so I can take care of you.”
“Alright. ”