“You know what I mean.”
He grinned. “Come closer, and we’ll negotiate.”
“Kat, don’t,” Carly choked out.
I forced a small smile. “It’s gonna be okay.”
Daniel’s grin grew to an outright smirk as I walked over to them both. I came within arm’s reach, and sure enough, he flung Carly backward, her tiny blonde frame dropping out of sight. I lunged to the railing still in place, leaning over to see Carly splayed on the ground…with Reese and Mark sprawled out beneath her. Groans erupted from below, and Daniel sneered in disappointment as the guys pulled Carly up to her feet.
“Catch her,” I’d mouthed. And they had understood.
Car yelped as she put pressure on her right foot, and Reese quickly caught hold of her before she tumbled back to the floor. Daniel snatched a hold of my jacket, prying me over to him as he let out an ear-aching whistle. There was no doubt that he’d just called for reinforcements.
I let the cool chain stuffed in my sleeve slide out into my palm as I bellowed, “Go!” I jammed the cross necklace into Daniel’s face, and he howled as the silver seared his cheek. Breaking free from his grip, I bolted to the door, practically falling down the stairs to the gym. The double doors burst open, and figures piled into the entryway. Countless yellow eyes gleamed even through the swelling fog that now billowed up overhead from the sudden rush of air. Reese shoved Mark and Carly back toward the side exit. Mark raced over to the door, driving Reese’s spare sword down on the padlock.
Carly shrieked as Trace emerged and charged at her. Reese hurled his last dagger, catching him right in the chest. Bolton staggered back, his fists clamping around the steel in confusion. Just like the others, his body disintegrated into a pile of ash. Reese barked at her to run, and Carly clumsily hobbled towards the exit just as the padlock brokenly clanged to the floor. Mark yanked the chains out of the door, flinging it open. He swept Car up into his arms, and the two disappeared outside.
Knowing where my fallen classmates rested, I managed to gain an edge over my attackers as I darted across the gymnasium. Everyone else stumbled or outright fell over the bodies amid the blinding haze. I followed Reese’s instruction, ducking as he swung his blade through the air. And I didn’t dare steal a glance behind me, hearing what I knew now to be flesh slicing open. A hand brushed my back, and I jumped, only to find Reese at my side a second later. The chilling October air took my breath away as we raced out the side exit. Not three steps later did Reese suddenly vanish from my peripheral vision. I whirled around, seeing a hulking young man throttle Reese against the side of the building.
Blackburn brought up his blade, but he wasn’t fast enough. The stranger grabbed Reese’s wrist, twisting it until it snapped at the most unnatural angle. Before I could reach him, arms ensnared me from behind. I thrashed and kicked and flailed, only to feel a sharp single stab to the side of my collar.
“If only you played nice,” Daniel laughed wickedly with a sneer.
My vision clouded over, giving me just enough time to see the stem to an empty syringe being ripped out of my neck.
“Sweet dreams.”
The muscles in my arms screamed as I came to, finding myself suspended up by the wrists. My feet dragged on the floor, and I found I could stand upright to take the weight off my aching arms. I couldn’t see anything, assuming amid my disorientation that I was in a dark room. But as I shifted, I could feel the fabric. There was a sack draped over my head. Like I was a hostage. A prisoner.
And that’s precisely what I was. Shackled and hooded and left alone in the deafening silence.
The restraints clamored as I yanked at them. Metal on metal. Was I wearing…handcuffs? My fingers traced over the material and up to whatever I was fastened to. A cold metal rod, about three feet long. Even with the hood over my head, I could still smell something, ever so faint.
Lilac.
I knew exactly where I was.
The old workout room. I was handcuffed to one of the pull-up bars.
Shit.
Mark had still used it when he came in here fooling around, and the damn thing never budged. Given that he weighed nearly twice as much as me, I seriously doubted I’d be able to pull it out from the wall.
Which was probably why my captor found it fitting to chain me up here. Plus, I was on the top floor of a presumably empty building where nobody would hear me screaming for help.
Perfect.
Goosebumps raked my exposed arms, and the thought only sickened me all the more. Someone had removed my jacket. What else had they done? I continued fussing about, only stopping once I heard the door squeak open.
“Aww, look who’s awake,” laughed the familiar voice. Daniel.