Chapter Ten
Miles
“Fuck,” I grit out as I hit the ground. The slide I just pulled off looked cool as hell but fuck, I have gravel burn on my ass and thigh now. The pain only adds to my adrenaline.
I stand up quickly and look around, my eyes wide. My heart is beating wildly against the inside of my ribs as I get my bearings, still unsure that I’ve actually just jumped into the underbelly of the city. If this is what it takes to win Timalah, then this is what I’m going to do. For us.
I look around, waiting a moment until my eyes adjust to the darkness.
From what I can tell, I’m in a stone, circular room.
There are eight openings all around me. Timalah says he trusts this passage, he trusts his ancestors to lead us together and I hold onto that faith, hoping like hell he’s right.
There’s a tug in my belly and I tentatively follow it into the mouth of the Eastern entrance.
The walls and ceiling and ground are all made of stone.
There’s a rumbling and I freeze. The ground beneath my feet shakes and I cry out, leaning against the wall as the ground I stand on is jarred into motion.
The section I’m standing on slides to my left and I grip onto the vines growing on the wall I’m plastered against.
“Fuck,” I grit out when everything comes to a halting stop. My legs are shaky and off-balanced as I move forward out of this tunnel, staring at the maze in front of me made of vines and moss and stone. There are openings all around, I just have to pick the right ones to lead me to my matron.
My mate. Letting myself think that has my stomach quivering with excitement. Timalah is my mate and I’m going to do this fucking trial and win my Layperry. I will fight tooth and nail until I can’t fight anymore if that’s what it takes.
I pick an opening and run through, trying not to second guess every single decision I make.
I take a deep breath as I walk, taking in the scent of the undercity.
It’s muddy and musky and dark. I grip Timalah’s knife a little tighter as I hear something move, my heart picking up speed.
I don’t know what the fuck to expect but I prepare myself for anything.
My skin feels like it’s crawling and my heart leaps as something scurries across the ground in front of me.
A set of bright red eyes open in front of me, standing right in the path I was about to take.
Whatever this might be is much larger than me.
Thankfully, the ground begins to shake once more and the tunnel I’m in shifts to the left.
For a split second I wonder if I’ll ever see the sun again.
Did I leave Earth for an opportunity to learn only to be trapped below a city navigating moving tunnels for the rest of my life?
The only thing keeping me from completely unraveling is the knife in my hand and the knowledge that eventually, I will find my way out of here.
As soon as the tunnel stops moving I stumble out, only to jump back as the opening I was moving towards slams shut.
“Jesus Christ,” I hiss, almost falling on my ass.
I squint at the opening only a moment before moving to my left.
Using Timalah’s knife, I cut away some vines, finding a new opening.
I have to hunch slightly as I walk but there’s something about it that fills me with excitement, a rightness in my heart.
Is this the feeling Timalah tried to explain to me? Is this the ancestors guiding my path?
“Is this you showing me the way?” I say to no one, my voice echoing against the stone all around me.
I don’t get an answer in return so I keep walking.
Something scurries up the wall in front of me, looking down at me from the ceiling.
I slow my steps and raise my knife. The thing on the ceiling reminds me of the biggest fucking bug I’ve ever seen with huge pincers instead of a mouth.
I crouch, just as Timalah showed me, holding the blade up.
We stare at each other for a long moment.
Part of me thinks I should just turn around and go a different way but the bigger part of me holds my ground.
It’s a good thing too because the creature jumps down.
Its pincers open wide, a hiss ringing through the air.
My fight or flight instinct takes over and like hell am I running, not when I have so much to fight for.
The swiping motion Timalah taught me comes in handy.
My blade finds its home in the creature's throat.
Green goo spews out as it gurgles its last breath.
I shove the bug away, stepping over its twitching body and continuing on my way.
My hands shake as I try to wipe the green sludge off.
I know what happens next. I have a high amount of adrenaline running through my veins, making me run a little fast, jump a little higher.
But soon enough, that adrenaline will be running out and I’ll end up crashing.
Fuck. I need to get to an exit before that happens.
A tiny ray of light shines ahead of me and I run full out, hoping like hell it’s my ticket out of these tunnels and into Timalah’s arms. I ache for him in the most desperate way, I need him as much as I need the air I’m breathing.
The light is coming from above me and I’m thankful for my strength and my height, using it to my advantage.
Sliding my blade into my belt, I get a running start and leap as high as I can, my fingers digging into a ledge as I heft myself up.
Overhead, there’s a small opening, the sun shining through.
I shoulder my way through, uncaring that dirt and grime are falling onto my head and shoulders.
At this point, really what’s a little dirt?
I crawl out of the ground. Once on my hands and knees, my fingers dig into fresh, soft grass.
I have a moment of bone deep relief as I suck in a sharp breath, getting fresh air in my lungs instead of the musky smell of the undercity.
I look around, finding myself outside of town near the beach.
My eyes scan the beach until I see a figure sitting in the sand.
My breath catches in my throat and tears prickle my eyes.
Emotion hits me so fast I’m dizzy with it, threatening to keep me on my knees.
“Fuck,” I breathe as my head grows light. “Thank you,” I whisper. If the ancestors are real, I need them to know I’m grateful, and that I promise not to waste this chance they’ve given me.
My steps stumble as I try to get up, all of my limbs growing shaky as I come down from the adrenaline rush.
When I get to my feet, I focus on putting one foot in front of the other until I’m striding forward.
Once my steps are sure, I don’t slow down, instead turning my steps into a run.
Movement at my right makes my heart skip a beat.
I look over, finding Tenstar. His eyes lock with mine before looking over onto the beach, then looking back.
He stops, getting into a crouch and hissing at me, his long fangs protruding from his pale green lips. “Fight me,” he calls out. “It’s the Layperry way.”
But the thing is, I’m not a Layperry. And I never will be.
So instead of stopping to fight Tenstar, I give everything I have left at running towards Timalah. I hear a growl sound behind me but I already have a head start. I don’t look back. I don’t slow down. I run.
“Miles!”
His voice is so close, so fucking close. I’m almost there, I almost have the man I love within my arms. Knowing he’s right here gives me all the strength I need. One moment I’m running, and the next I’m being caught.
“Timalah.” My voice breaks as my arms go around him, holding on with everything I have.
His arms hold me just as tight as he falls to his knees, bringing me down with him.
Distantly I hear Tenstar curse, his steps leading away.
“Timalah. I found you. You’re mine. Fuck you and your fucking ritual and your fucking trial. I’m human and I won.”
Timalah’s hands are almost painful as they dig into my flesh with how tightly he’s holding me but that only adds to the moment, to the desperation we’re both feeling. My skin is burning up as my need for him somehow grows beyond what I’ve ever experienced before.
My body, not needing to fight another second, goes limp within Timalah’s arms. I slump against him, burying my face against his throat. He stands up, his strong body carrying me away from the beach.
“Where are you taking me?”
Timalah nuzzles the side of my head and when I turn to look at him, I find silent tears falling down his cheeks. He smiles, letting me know they’re tears of joy, not sorrow. “Somewhere I can properly mate you.”
A fire is ignited in my belly at his words. My body might be exhausted, but being with Timalah, held in his arms, is renewing my strength. His presence is like a breath of fresh air, making me come alive.
I let the fire take me away. I close my eyes and let my mouth move across Timalah’s throat. Timalah makes a deep growling noise in his chest and I feel it. My cock fills with blood as excitement replaces all the other emotions swirling around inside me.
“Please tell me this place isn’t far. Because I need you, Tim.”
“Stop butchering my name,” he grumbles, his hand squeezing my ass in teasing.
I smile against his throat, joy welling up inside me.
Timalah pauses, kneeling down and helping me to wash my hands until all the green sludge is cleaned from my skin.
Then he stands back up, walking a little further.
“Right here,” he tells me, setting me on the ground.