I tugged the tissue out of the box and wiped the blood from Sera’s face and hands. She grabbed for my wrist, her eyes wide, her breath growing choppy and irregular.
“I must. Tell. You.” She panted, agitation tugging at her voice.
“Sera, you need to rest.”
“No.” Her grip on my arm tightened. “He’s already…” She coughed even more violently, her withered frame convulsing.
“What?” I leaned in closer to understand her.
“Star-ted.” Like someone poked a deep hole in a water balloon, blood trailed from her nose and the corners of her eyes. “Stop. Him.”
“Oh god, Sera.” I clutched the back of her head as she fell back.
“Zoey…” she muttered my name, her lips covered in blood.
“Shhhhh.” I crawled on the bed, holding her. “It’s okay, I’m here.” So you won’t have to die alone.
“Save them.” Her body jerked, and she moaned in pain. “Rescue her.”
I couldn’t stop the whimper from pushing past my lips, and I gripped her closer to me, trying to hold her frame in place. Red liquid soaked my shirt.
She smacked her lips, trying to talk again. “I’m. Sorry.”
“Sorry for what? Rescue who?” I rocked her back and forth, not relenting on my firm hold.
“I knew...” With another fit of violent tremors, more blood poured from her nose and eyes. “Shhiisss—heeerrreee.” Her words trailed off in a hiss. She jerked again, gave a terrible series of gasps, and then went still. Both ice and fire cascaded over me. I shook my head back and forth, trying to stifle a cry.
“Nooooo.” I continued to sway her, but Sera’s body remained still in my arms. “No. Sera…”
She was dead.
Sharp cuts of sadness slashed at my heart, coiling me forward over her body in pain, echoing out in a sob. Grief I had held back from losing Lexie and Daniel swamped my chest, unfolding with even more density. I pulled her body firmer against mine, shaking.
“Bhean. Are you okay?” Sprig jumped off the side table, his little voice unsure. But I could not answer him. Her death hit me harder than I thought it would. Maybe because with Lexie and Daniel I never had time to fully mourn their loss. Or because theirs had hurt so deeply I wouldn’t let myself feel it. Sera’s had opened the barrier I put up, letting the utter agony of all the people I lost crash in. Hot tears slid down my face, choking my throat with cries.
An irritating sound came from the background, but I felt numb to sensations. The only thing I experienced was pain, loss, and being left alone.
“Bhean?” A tiny hand rubbed my leg. Through my blurry vision I saw Sprig beside me on the bed. “I hate to do this, but we got to go.”
The here and now came back in an instant. The annoying noise in the background was Sera’s heart monitor, letting everyone know she was no longer with us. Voices and movement coming from the hall pierced my ear.
The commotion moved toward the room.
Hell.
“Now, Bhean!” Sprig jumped off the bed.
It tore at my heart, but I moved away from her, letting her go. I knew Sera would not want me to get caught now. She wanted me to stop Rapava and have her death stand for something. I would not let her die being another unknown victim of DMG’s.
Sera, Daniel, and Lexie were my crusade. My reason to get up in the morning and keep fighting.
“Bhean!” Sprig screeched, jumping up and down underneath the open panel where we came down. The commotion was moving closer. We only had seconds.
Giving Sera’s hand one last squeeze, I dashed for the rolling table. It wasn’t sturdy, but it would have to do. I rolled it to the opening and climbed on. Sprig bounded up my back and through the hole.
Footsteps pounded outside the doorway. Nerves cringed my stomach. I only had one shot. Adrenaline hammered through me and with a grunt I sprang into the gap, pushing the table back toward the bed with my feet. My ribs cracked against the metal partition as I landed. I scrambled to inch farther up. Sprig uselessly tugged at my shirt, trying to help. People bounded in the room, my legs still exposed, partially dangling from the ceiling vent.
Fuck.
I held my breath, waiting to be discovered.
It sounded like three women’s voices as they moved around the bed. I stayed frozen for one more moment, confirming they hadn’t noticed me.
The beeping of the monitor ceased. “Time of death. Twelve twenty-eight,” one of the women spoke, and I recognized her voice. Delaney.
Their focus was on Sera. For now.
I slowly pulled my legs up, inching them so as to not draw anyone’s attention.
“I’ll go let Dr. Rapava know and confirm what he wants done with her,” a deeper-voiced woman spoke. I knew her too. She was one who had come in a lot when I was locked in the room. She was the cruelest when injecting me. She loved to twist and dig her needle into my neck or arm.
Bitch.
The heavy tread of footsteps retreated from the room.
“Guess that leaves us with the paperwork.” The last woman sighed. “Bitch.”
Evidently I wasn’t the only one who thought so.
“It’s sad. Sera was one of us,” Delaney said, compassion clear in her tone.
“Please. That one was not one of us. Could you even call her human? She was a lab experiment.”
My teeth crunched down, biting back my incense.
“Tina,” Delaney exclaimed.
“What?” Tina paused. “Fine. She was human. But you can’t deny she was also a bitch. A Collector, seer. She thought herself above everyone. Every time she came here, her nose was so far in the air, it could have been ploughing the ground level, six floors above.”
Sera knew them? Had been down here? When I was a Collector, Rapava kept us far from this section. I knew there were scientists and testing going on, but I didn’t know the scope of it. And I hadn’t met any of them.
Peter, Liam, Marv, Hugo…all of them were here when I was trying to escape. They all seemed confident, as if they knew what was going on for a long time. Had they always been familiar with this area or only after I left? Were only Daniel and I not included?
Jeez! How blind was I?
Maybe I had wanted to stay in the dark. Deep down I sensed bad stuff was happening, but if I didn’t see it, then I didn’t have to acknowledge it and do something. With every turn, I realized I’d only scratched the surface of what was going on here, how deep it went.
“Bhean, come on. They’re gone.” Sprig yanked on my arm. I had been so lost in my thoughts I hadn’t even heard them leave. I shifted around, glancing down to be sure they left, and shoved the panel back in its place.
“Damn! That was close,” I mumbled. “Extremely happy you stayed awake. It would have been much more difficult to escape with you snoring.” I glanced over my shoulder at Sprig. “And…I spoke too soon.”
Sprig was passed out cold.
I snickered, embracing him with one arm. “I missed you.” I nuzzled into his soft fur. I never wanted to be without my ADD, narcoleptic, honey-addicted monkey-sprite.
Ever.
He curled on my back when I placed him there, and I crept on my hands and knees back to my room through the section of vents.
On my way to Sera’s room, I remembered some of the panels were fragile from age. Unfortunately, in the dark I couldn’t remember where they were. I slid my knees across the thin board, the material groaning under my weight. Sweat dripped down my forehead as I moved carefully over each section. I huffed with relief when my foot crossed over the weak square. “Let’s not do this again,” I mumbled to myself. A droplet of liquid fell on my lashes, blurring my vision. My hand automatically wiped it away, tipping me off-kilter. My hand shot out to the next panel to stop myself from toppling over. I heard wood creaking and then felt nothing under my palm. I leaned so far forward my body followed as my stomach bottomed out.
Whoosh. Air skimmed my ears as I fell. A startled cry came from Sprig, h
is nails digging into my skin through my shirt. Impact came so fast I didn’t even have time to scream. My face struck first, and instantly I knew I’d fallen on a person.
“Uuuffff.” Air rushed out of the figure I landed on.
Fear and shock overrode my immediate reaction to flee.
“Wow…this is crazy. A girl landing face-first in my crotch was exactly what I wished for tonight,” a man spoke.
The voice. I picked up my head. In the dark I could barely distinguish his outline.
“You even brought your own monkey... kinky. I like it.”
No. It couldn’t be. There’s no way. Against my will, hope ballooned in my chest.
“Croygen?”
A click of a button announced a light before it came on. The room dimly sparked with a glow from a small flashlight. The soft ray of light in his hand shadowed and illuminated the sharp, distinct features of the dark-haired pirate.
His black eyes danced with humor. “Now, don’t let me interrupt. You were about to make me believe in the power of wishes.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Croygen.
He was here.
Tears sprang to my eyes, different emotions moving through me. Before I even realized it, I leaped forward, burying my face into his neck.
“Oh, no. No. No. No,” Sprig whined from where he had fallen on the floor. “You? Thought we got rid of you.”
“I-I can’t believe you are here,” I whispered and lifted my head, reassuring myself he was really here and not a figment of my imagination.
I had seen his eyes the night Rapava drugged and locked me up. I thought it had been my mind trying to find comfort in all the fear and pain. I had forgotten about it till now.
“Yeah. Me neither.” He let out a heavy sigh.
“You don’t have to be.” Sprig scuttled up the side of the bed next to us. “Can this be like the TV show where we vote you off?”
“And I was hoping, rodent, you weren’t included in the package.” Croygen laid his head back.
“Wh-what? I’m not a rodent.” Sprig’s chest puffed with indignation.
Croygen snorted, the vibration humming against my body. It was then I realized I was lying on top of him with his hands on my lower back.
“How are you here?” Shifting, I sat at the edge of the bed, heat prickling my cheeks. “Why are you here?”
“Why are you covered with blood?” He propped himself against the wall, his gaze moving down my face to my shirt. The room was rectangular and only big enough to fit a metal cot, a tiny sink, and toilet in the corner. It was a white-walled prison, but instead of bars, a thick plated window was next to the door so the captives could be observed.
At least my room came without a peek window.
“Not mine.” I glanced at my stained shirt and hands. I shook my head, hoping the images would go away. I couldn’t think about her right now. “Did DMG catch you?” I asked, but I already knew the answer. “No, you don’t get caught. What are you doing here, Croygen?”
He snickered, folding his arms over his chest. He was wearing the thin gray scrubs they issued to every prisoner. Nothing was left to chance, like personal clothes or items. Even if they told me I was not an inmate here, I knew different. They dressed me the same as the fae. Giving me my boots back was the doctor’s way of trying to instill a sense of security. Something of mine. A gesture of goodwill. Or maybe a way to control me.
No personal items. “Wait! How did you get a flashlight?” I pointed to the four-inch torch.
Croygen scoffed. “Please. It was unbelievably easy to nick off the doctor. I’m a professional, remember?”
My lids narrowed. Everything about Croygen was a bit dodgy.
“Look at you, all full of suspicion. You think I’m on DMG’s side?” Croygen arched one eyebrow.
“I. Don’t. Know.”
Sprig crawled up my leg. “Don’t trust him, Bhean. Pirates are liars and thieves.”
I nodded and both of us turned to Croygen, our arms crossed.
“And what are you?” Croygen challenged. “But a liar and thief also.”
Sprig and I continued to stare at him.
“Seriously?” he exclaimed. “After all I did to get to you, you really think I’d go against my own to help the DMG? Humans?”
“For the right price,” I replied.
“Wow.” He shook his head. “I think Ryker has influenced you way too much.” Suddenly his face was only an inch from mine. I sucked in air. Being this close to him unnerved me, but not for the reasons they used to. Croygen was quite attractive; there was no denying it. I used to see fae first and find myself repulsed. Now I only saw the beautiful man across from me. “I want to know what your instinct says. What do you feel, Zoey? Am I here to betray you?”
I watched him, his features growing sharper the longer I stared. My gut said he was friend not foe. It could be wrong. Croygen was good at deceiving.
“No. I don’t think you are.” My fingers wrapped around his collar and pulled him in. “It’s why I really don’t trust you. Now tell me why the fuck you’re here.”
A wicked grin engulfed his face. “Damn, I am really starting to get what Ryker sees in you. That was hot.”
“Croygen!” I tightened my grip on his shirt.
“All right.” He brushed my hand off, leaning back. “You take the fun out of everything.”
“Talk, thief.” Sprig bristled.
“Tradesman.”
“Croygen,” I warned.
“Yeah. Okay.” He huffed, standing up. “I’m here because I don’t have a choice.”
“What do you mean?”
“It means I am no longer obligated to Ryker.” He walked to the small sink against the wall and leaned over it.
“What?”
“I don’t know how it’s possible. Nothing about you or how you got Ryker’s powers is normal. All I can gather is when they finally claimed you, the oath binding me to him transferred to you.”
“Say that again, buccaneer?” Sprig crawled off my leg, moving to the middle of the bed.
Croygen glanced over his shoulder, his black eyes going right to mine.
“It means I follow you now. If you are in trouble, I sense it. No matter where you are I will be able to find you.” All humor dissipated from his features. “Where you go…I go.”
My mouth parted. He was not pleased, but his words caused a strange intimacy between us. Something I never imagined having with Croygen. Ever.
“I’m gathering this is not something either one of us can change or stop.”
He shook his head. “No.”
The intensity of his gaze forced me to look at my lap. I thought back to when Ryker’s powers became fully mine. It was around the time Croygen started to treat me differently. I remember being a little confused by his change of attitude toward me. Never in a million years did I think he was “attached” to me.
“So what do we do?” I motioned between us. “How does this work?”
“We don’t do anything.” He grinned. “Well, unless you have something in mind.” He winked.
I rolled my eyes. Here was the Croygen I knew.
“Zoey, it’s not something you can do anything about. It is what it is. It cannot be broken until I fulfill my obligation.” He rotated around and leaned against the sink.
“You mean, unless I am about to die and you save me, we will be... attached?”
“I like to think of it more as screwed or nailed together.”
I rubbed my head.
“It is different from what I had with Ryker.”
My head jutted up. “What does that mean?”
“Yeah, what do you mean, swine-buckler?” Sprig walked to the end of the bed. “Don’t think your sword is mightier than the axe.”
“Sprig.” I grabbed him, pulling him back on my lap. “If you stay quiet for five minutes, I will try to steal you honey from the break room.”
“Sweet love of the golden gods. Honey—”
Sprig fumbled for his tail and shoved it into his mouth. “Vee, tis wops ee rom ralking,” he garbled, pointing at his tail.
I grinned.
“Keep stuffing; we can still hear you.” Croygen smirked.
Sprig threw both of his hands in the air and flipped him off. Croygen glanced at me, an eyebrow lifted.
I shrugged. “I didn’t say he couldn’t talk with his hands.”
Croygen’s tilted back his head and chuckled.
“Now, what do you mean it’s different from Ryker’s?”
Croygen frowned. “The link to you seems stronger, more out of my control. Which doesn’t make sense. He was the one who saved my life, so why is it stronger with you?”
I couldn’t answer that any more than he could. “How did you get here? I mean, you came all the way from Peru? For me?”
“It’s not like I flew coach. I wouldn’t do that for anyone,” he stressed. “With our connection I can easily track you through the fae doors. It also wasn’t hard to figure out where you were being taken once I saw them put you on the private plane in Cusco.”
It felt strange to hear about what happened to me from someone else, when I couldn’t remember it myself, like a weird video of my life. The movie flickered back to the last memory I had after Garrett, one of Vadik’s men, chloroformed me.
“You were there that night,” I stated. “I remember. I saw you in the alley.”
Croygen nodded. “Yes. By then I already had the link to you, and I sensed you were following me out of town, trailing me. And when you suddenly pulled back, I got curious.” He paused, glancing at his feet. “It was too late by the time I reached you. Garrett already had you. Unlike Ryker, who threw himself in the middle, I stayed back.”
“Yeah, you’re my hero,” I quipped.
Sprig’s middle fingers flew in the air again, wiggling around, muffled grunts coming from his mouth. I stroked the top of his head to calm him down.
“Look how well it worked out for you and Ryker,” Cryogen retorted.
“Do you know where he is? Is he okay?”
“All I know is Vadik took him... and Amara.” Her name came out strained. “I guess she went willingly.” He shifted against the sink. “Ryker is no longer my concern. Finally.”
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