The forest surrounds us for as far as the eye can see, at least in the moonlight that’s shining down on us. The moon is so big in the sky tonight, it’s beautiful. I take a second to appreciate it before refocusing on why I’m here. I look around as much as I can, but there’s nothing but trees. I guess the river is on the other side of this place.
At least I have my bearings a little.
I creep back towards the room where Fallon is still, I hope, sleeping. I pause at the door, but there’s silence inside, so I continue past it, the hall curving until I reach the staircase. This almost feels too easy, but if it hadn’t been so hard to slip those fucking shackles, I’d have thought this was a set up. Instead, I’m hoping that Nevin and Gabriel have just underestimated me as usual. Especially since they’ve put a stop to me accessing my power. Unfortunately for them, I’ve not had that power for nearly as long as I possessed it. While the lack of strength and senses might be fucking with me, I’m more resourceful than they might think.
I take a deep breath as I come across the next level down, and the wooden doorway leading to it. Moving past it as quietly as I can, I pick up my pace once I’m on the other side and continue my descent. Hopefully the kitchens aren’t too far from here.
The only thing that surprises me is the lack of people present, considering the noises I’ve heard since we got here. Though, I guess it is the middle of the night. Even dickheads have to sleep. I creep down the stairs as quickly and quietly as I can, until I reach an archway at the bottom. I steel myself mentally before looking around the corner to see where it leads.
Three halls.
Awesome. Three potential ways to go, couldn’t just be simple and say ‘exit this way’ could it? My gut says head right again, so that’s where I go, hoping that it doesn’t let me down when I need it most.
I follow the hall on silent feet, thanking the fates for my many swift missions as a Hunter. I slow at the sound of voices, my heart rate picking up. Being found is definitely not on today’s to do list.
“… you should have seen those legs though man. They’re enough to make a grown man weep. And that ass…” I roll my eyes. Bunch of fuck boys chatting about their latest conquest. Bully for them. The open doorway is an issue, so I peek around the doorframe, but no one is facing this way, so I tiptoe past and pick up the pace once I’m on the other side. The more distance between me and them, the better. Much as I want to destroy everyone in this building for doing what they’ve done, my first priority has to be getting out of here, and helping Fallon. Now I know who my enemy is, nothing will stop me wiping them from the face of existence.
So many doors line this fucking hall, luckily the doors are mainly open, but there’s no kitchens, just weird little dorm like rooms with bunkbeds. Apparently, they half modified these ruins before dragging my ass here.
I pass a bathroom, wishing I had the time to freshen up a little, but I can do that once I get home. Keeping my focus is harder than it’s ever been, but I’m putting that down to the lack of food. I turn a corner, but stop, and look back over my shoulder and smile.
Tucked away in the corner is a small doorway, which has stairs that go down. This has to be the way, so I backtrack and head down the darkened stairs, hoping like fuck that I found the way out of here.
“Oh look, a little Shadow Walker is out of bed.” I freeze at the words and my stomach rolls. Turning, I see Nevin leaning against the wall just a few steps behind me. Goddamn dulled senses.
“Figured I’d take a stroll, stretch my legs. Only so much sitting down a girl can take.” I shrug nonchalantly. If I can get away from here, I might still be able to find a way out and be able to come back for Fallon, even if the thought of leaving her here does make me want to vomit all over Nevin’s shiny shoes.
“Oh, I’m sure. It’s no fun being tied to one spot, stretching your wings is one of the best feelings in the world.” He smirks at me, and I want to wipe it from his goddamn face. He shifts and a glint flashes in his hand. A syringe.
Fuck no.
I walk backwards down the stairs as carefully as I can. He follows, keeping the same distance between us. I’ve never felt like the mouse in a chase before with Nevin, but right now, I’m weak and a little disorientated, I hate how weak he’s made me feel. Something I’ll never forgive him for. We can just add it to the ever-growing list.
“Surely you don’t think you’re escaping so easily? Did you really think I wouldn’t notice? Did you think you weren’t being monitored? I have to say, it was fun watching you break yourself to escape the cuffs.” My stomach twists again at his words. He’s been toying with me this entire time. “Using the leather of your pants was especially genius. Though, it did give me an idea. You should probably know that the tunnels have been sealed too. And that you’re about to hit a wall.”
I stop and look behind me.
I’m trapped.
This stairway just leads to a wall. What sort of fucked up place is this? Though, if it’s Nevin’s brain child, I’m becoming less shocked. He’s more twisted and fucked up than I ever imagined. He smiles down at me as he gets closer, but I prepare myself to take him on. I’m not going down without a fight, and if this place dulls my senses, it will be dulling his too. He might have cameras and extra people here, but I’ve always been able to kick his ass.
Maybe not on however many days of not eating, but I’m not going to go down easily.
He lunges for me, but I twist away in the small space and launch myself up the stairs. I smirk as he curses where he hits the wall, but keep pushing myself up. Why does it feel like there are a thousand more stairs on the way up than there were on the way down?
I reach the top and throw myself down the hall, not caring about which way I’m going so much, as long as it’s further away from Nevin and that inky bullshit.
“Oh little Shadow Walker… you’ll never escape me. Not even when you’re dead. I’m going to make sure your soul doesn’t diminish like other angels do. You will never be free from me. You stole from me, and you will pay for it your entire existence.” Nevin’s creepy ass voice sends a shudder down my spine, but I don’t let it stop me. I hook a left down one of the corridors leading from this one and come face to face with three people I don’t recognize, but they all look extremely pissed.
I look over my shoulder, and that asshole is just leaning against the wall again, smirking, spinning that syringe around in his hand. What a fucking prick.
“This is going to hurt you far more than it’s going to hurt me,” I say with a shrug, before I launch myself at the three guys in front of me. I might not have my usual edge, but whoever these guys are, they apparently don’t have theirs either. They’re slow, sloppy, even in my weakened state it doesn’t take me long to subdue them.
I’m panting as I throw a throat punch at the last of them when I feel the pinch on my neck.
“You were so close, just not close enough,” Nevin’s whisper in my ear makes me rage, but the drugs take hold and black spots appear in my vision. I stumble away from him, the last of his guys still on the floor trying to breathe. “The more you move, the faster your heart pumps the nightshade around your system, so please, struggle, panic. It makes it that much sweeter when you fall.”