18. Let. Me. Out
EIGHTEEN
LET. ME. OUT
Jack
W e ran. The screaming siren was the only sound.
No.
Not the only sound.
Her breaths, short and sharp.
Her heart, fast but strong.
Her clothing, rustling as she moved.
Her boots, rhythmic on the concrete floor.
Let me out , the monster whispered. I shook my head, trying to shake the bastard away. It didn’t work.
Let. Me. Out.
Just … help me remember how to get the fuck out of this place.
Like I was compelled, my body turned along a side corridor. I tugged her along. She was warm against my side but tense.
Well, if there ever was a time for fucking tension, this was it.
I turned again, pulled on by some instinct.
You’re being pulled on by me , the monster growled. I’m your instinct . I paid attention when we came this way before. Let me out, and we’ll be gone faster.
But I gritted my teeth and held on to myself, even as my body hummed, begged to give into the beast.
I glanced down at her, striding along beside me. In the dark, her face was all grim determination. Her eyes were yellow … feline.
Let me OUT!
Fucking NO!
Up three flights of stairs, along another deserted corridor.
“This feels too easy,” she murmured, her voice husky. I sucked in a breath.
Red lights flashed on in the corridor.
“Shit!” I hissed. “Faster!”
I grabbed her arm and dragged her forward, but she shook me off, sprinting along beside me, her long legs pumping.
LET ME OUT!
Fuck.
I didn’t have a choice.
“We have to—” she panted, glanced up at me and gasped.
“One more flight, and we’re on the roof,” the monster spoke with my mouth. His voice was a deep, dark rumble.
And my—his—our mouth ached to taste her.
But he … didn’t.
He lifted her in our arms, ignoring her squawk of protest, and surged up the last steps.
Shouts echoed somewhere in the distance below. Footsteps pounding. Closer.
He barreled through that door at the top of the stairs.
And sucked in the cool, fresh night air.
What? But it was just breakfast …
They can make you think anything when they never let you see the sun, the monster growled darkly. He roved our eyes around the roof. There, in the center, was the chopper they’d shoved me in, blindfolded.
You really did remember the way here, didn’t you? I remarked, shocked.
You say that as if it is difficult to be aware of our surroundings, the monster sneered.
“Put me down!” Seven snapped, her fists beating against our side. The monster chuckled, not releasing her.
“Are you going to jump?” he asked, striding past the chopper towards the edge of the flat roof.
He leaned over.
Shit, that’s fucking high …
He laughed as she hissed in a breath and clung tighter to us as she took in the view.
The facility was built into the side of a fucking mountain! A river wended through a forest, so far below it reflected no moonlight. It was easily a hundred, maybe one-fifty yards down.
Fucking hell!
I wanted out. I wanted control of my body again. I wanted to step away from that sheer fucking drop. For my own sake … and for hers.
But the monster wasn’t letting go.
“Don’t … don’t drop me,” Seven stammered, her claws piercing our skin.
Stop fucking with her! I snarled.
The monster laughed. It’s nice, having her cling to us like this, isn’t it?
Not when she’s fucking terrified, you monster!
“I won’t drop you, Blossom,” the monster rumbled, tucking her closer against us. “We’re going down together.”
We’re fucking WHAT? I was rapidly discovering that I hated being the disembodied voice stuck inside my own head.
Oh, it’s torture , the monster thought back with glee.
“We’re what?” she echoed, her voice barely a breath.
He laughed again, leaning over to peer down into the drop. She sucked in a breath.
Stop being a dick, she’s petrified. She’s probably never been outside before!
“Don’t worry,” the monster reassured her, and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as that pain in our shoulder blades returned. “We’re not jumping.”
Burning. Searing.
Clothing tearing.
A whoosh behind us.
What the fuck …
He smirked down at her wide eyes, her parted lips as we beat our golden, feathered wings. He stretched them out, letting our body adjust to the weight of them.
“We’re flying.”