Chapter 43

I cradled Cora in my arms, her body limp and her breaths shallow. The adrenaline that coursed through my veins was the only thing that kept me going, the only thing that mattered now was getting her safe.

The maintenance tunnels were a twisted mess of concrete and steel, their walls closed in around us. The air was thick with the scent of rust and mildew which made it hard to take the deep breaths I needed. I moved with purpose, my footsteps echoed off the stone, the sound swallowed by the vastness of the space.

As we navigated the tunnels, I noticed a subtle shift in the air. A prickling at the back of my neck, a sensation that set my instincts on edge. I’d been in enough dangerous situations to know when I was being followed.

I picked up the pace, my muscles strained under Cora’s weight. I needed to find a place to hide, a place where I could protect her. I spotted an open storage closet and without hesitation, I slipped inside, gently setting Cora down on the floor. I brushed a strand of hair from her face, my touch gentle despite the fury that raged within me.

“I’ll be right back,” I whispered, my voice barely above a whisper. “I promise.”

I shut the door behind me, the click of the latch echoed in the silence. I reached into my pants harness and pull out my hunter’s knife, the blade gleamed in the dim light. I was ready for whatever came next.

I took out my phone and turned on the live stream to my red room. The screen flickered to life, the viewers’ comments scrolling by in a blur of text and emojis. I propped the phone up in a crevice in the wall and angled it so that it captured most of the hallway.

As the live stream began, I stepped back into the shadows, my body hidden in the darkness. I watched as the viewers eagerly joined, their excitement practically jumping off the screen. They were here for the spectacle, for the violence and the bloodshed. But they were about to get more than they bargained for.

I waited, my senses on high alert. The room was filled with an eerie silence, broken only by the rhythmic sound of water dripping somewhere in the shadows. And then I see her.

Selena.

She stepped into the hallway, her heels clicking against the concrete floor. She stopped, her eyes took in the image of the empty hallway and the phone propped up against the wall. A smirk played on her lips, a low giggle echoing off the stone.

She thought she was in control, that she was the one who called the shots. But she had no idea what was waiting for her in the shadows. She had no idea that she walked straight into my trap.

I gripped the handle of my knife tighter, my muscles coiled and ready to strike. I was not just fighting for my life. I was fighting for Cora, for the woman who’d managed to burrow her way into my heart.

I stepped out of the shadows, my presence filled the hallway. Selena’s eyes widened, her smirk faded as she took in the sight of me. She expected a victim. But what she got was a hunter.

The game was about to begin.

I stared into Selena’s cold eyes, my mind reeling from her revelation. “You told me you liked her. Why did you kidnap her?” I asked, my voice steady.

Selena sighed, the sound echoing off the concrete walls of the tunnel. “I found no other person who could have found your secrets, Haides,” she said, her tone matter-of-fact. “And no other person who was pulling Cora’s strings. I am just giving Cora the attention she was obviously wanting when she stuck her head into things she didn’t understand.”

My grip tightened on the handle of my knife. Selena’s words were like a punch to the gut. She thought Cora was nothing more than a naive girl playing detective, and that I was too infatuated to see it.

“You think Cora orchestrated all of this?” I asked, disbelief colored my words. “That she’s been manipulating me from the start?”

Selena shrugged, a smug smile playing on her lips. “I think you’re pussy blind, Haides,” she said, her voice dripping with contempt. “And I was dumb for believing a poor defenseless act that she was obviously putting out.”

Rage boiled within me, a tempest of fury that threatened to consume me whole. “Cora didn’t have that kind of ulterior motive,” I growled, my voice a low rumble. “She’s not like us.”

Selena’s smug smile faded, replaced by a look of frustration. “Fine,” she snarled, her eyes flashed with anger. “I’ll just take you out too.”

Before I could react, Selena lunged at me, her movements swift and precise. We clashed in the dimly lit corridor, our bodies a whirlwind of violence and aggression. I could feel the sting of her blows, the sharp bite of her knife as it sliced through the air.

In the heat of our battle, Selena deliberately smashed my phone, the screen shattering into a spiderweb of cracks. The live stream went dark, cutting off my connection to the red rooms. She smirked at me when she did it, as if she’d scored some great victory.

I just taunted her, my voice echoing off the walls. “Couldn’t take the fact that the red rooms would see your fall to my knife?” I asked, a wicked grin spreading across my face.

We fought for a while, our bodies moving in a deadly dance. But just when I thought I had the upper hand, I heard a commotion behind me. I turned just in time to see Callie charging toward us, her face a mask of fury.

“Cora didn’t deserve this!” she screamed, her voice ringing out in the tunnel.

Callie raised a cinderblock above her head and brought it down on Selena with all her might. The impact was sickening, the sound of Selena’s skull cracking beneath the weight of the block echoed in the silence that followed.

Selena crumpled to the ground, her body going limp. Callie stood over her, her chest heaving and her eyes wild with rage.

“I told you to stay in the car!” I hissed at Callie, my heart pounded in my chest. The adrenaline was still coursing through my veins, the aftermath of the fight left me on edge.

Callie’s eyes met mine, her expression defiant. “I couldn’t let you just clean up my mess,” she said. “I was the one that put Cora in this situation.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. “What? …” I trailed off, struggling to process what she just said. The implications were staggering, the pieces of the puzzle suddenly clicked into place. “You know what, wait until we get out of here, let’s get Cora checked out first and then we can discuss what you just fucking told me.”

I turned away from Callie, my mind racing. I couldn’t believe I didn’t see it before. Callie, Cora’s best friend, had been involved in this mess from the beginning. She had been the one pulling the strings and manipulated events to suit her own agenda.

I shook my head and tried to clear my thoughts. Now wasn’t the time to confront Callie. Now wasn’t the time to let my emotions get the best of me. Cora needed us, needed me to be strong, to be the man she fell in love with.

I moved toward the storage closet, my steps purposeful. I needed to get Cora out of here and needed to get her to safety. I pushed open the door, the sight of her huddled on the floor sent a wave of relief to wash over me.

“Cora,” I said, my voice soft. “We’re getting out of here.”

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with fear and confusion. But there’s also a glimmer of hope, a spark of trust that hadn’t been extinguished by the horrors she’d endured.

I kneeled down beside her and gently untied the gag around her mouth. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “I promise you, I’ll make this right.”

Cora nodded, her eyes never leaving mine. She didn’t say anything, didn’t need to. Her silence spoke volumes, her faith in me unwavering despite everything.

I scooped her up in my arms, her body frail and trembling. I could feel the heat of her skin, the rapid flutter of her heartbeat against my chest. She was alive, she was breathing, and that was all that mattered.

I carried her out of the storage closet, my gaze hardened as I passed by Callie. She had a lot of explaining to do, a lot of questions that needed answering. But for now, I needed to focus on Cora, on getting her the help she needed.

We made our way through the museum, the sound of our footsteps echoed off the stone walls. I settled Cora into the backseat of my car, her body cradled in my arms. I could feel the weight of her, the fragility of her existence. I promised her again, my voice a low murmur in the dark.

“I’ll keep you safe,” I said, my hand gently squeezing hers. “I’ll always keep you safe.”

As I pulled away from the museum, I couldn’t help but glance at Callie. She was sitting in the passenger seat, her gaze fixed on the road ahead. I could see the tension in her shoulders, the worry lines etched into her forehead.

The drive to the hospital was a tense one, the silence in the car thick with unspoken words and hidden truths. But I didn’t let it distract me. I kept my eyes on the road, my mind focused on the task at hand.

When we finally arrived at the hospital, I carried Cora inside, her body limp in my arms. The doctors and nurses rushed to her aid, their movements swift and efficient. I watched as they wheeled her away, my heart aching with the fear of losing her.

I turned to Callie, my gaze hard.

Callie’s eyes were filled with regret. “I’m sorry, Haides,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I never meant for any of this to happen.”

I didn’t respond, didn’t acknowledge her apology. I was too angry, too hurt by her betrayal not to me but to Cora.

She was the one who mattered, the one who had been caught in the crossfire. And I’d do whatever it took to protect her, to keep her safe from harm.