by Rachel Jonas
Levi gave a nod, and the confidence in his expression let me know he trusted my judgment.
“We’ll scale down from here,” he suggested. “I feel stronger. My abilities have mostly been restored.”
I turned to face him when he proposed that we climb, staring as he opened and closed his hands to measure the potency of his strength. It had taken some time to rid his system of the mystery substance being slipped into his daily blood rations. For a while, I was able to help supplement with my own contribution, but thanks to Aaric’s untimely—and downright invasive—bond initiation, I wasn’t a viable source for the several days that followed.
However, Levi’s level of ability was not why I questioned the idea. I questioned it because time was not on our side. Those hounds had just proven as much. There was no way to know how many lurked about out here.
“It’ll be faster if we jump.” The words flew from my mouth without so much as a second thought. “I mean, Aaric and the guards are probably already on the way to look for us, right?”
My tone was frantic as my eyes darted back and forth, scanning for shadows that moved in closer. There weren’t any yet, but I knew it wouldn’t be long until we were swarmed. If we allowed that to happen, we would be taken back to that cell to rot.
“It’s too dangerous.” Levi spoke as if the statement was to be taken as law.
“It’s too dangerous not to,” I countered, holding his gaze.
A long stretch of silence passed between us and I knew he wouldn’t budge. To the princes, I was weak and fragile, a delicate possession meant to be locked away and protected.
“If that wicked current doesn’t kill you, the jagged rocks just beneath its surface will,” Levi insisted. “It’s too risky. If we climb down, we can swim out from—”
The sound of wind whooshing past my ears as I went airborne swallowed the last of Levi’s warning as I freefell, totally vulnerable and at nature’s mercy. Too much time would’ve been wasted if I hadn’t gone for it. He would’ve pissed away valuable seconds worrying about my safety, not realizing he jeopardized it even more by simply standing still.
Yes, there was a fifty-fifty chance I’d die entering the water, but those odds were better than waiting for Aaric’s men or more hounds to find us.
So, I jumped.
Chapter Two
Corina
Gurgling water distorted all sound as I plunged far beneath its frigid surface. The deep vibration that reached me a second later, followed by a surging wave, prompted my eyes open just in time to witness a shadowy figure entering right beside me. The cold had shocked my system, making it difficult to move my limbs, or even decipher which direction I ought to swim to, but my thoughts were intact. I knew I needed to come up for a breath, needed to position myself to use the current to my advantage.
Only problem was, actually managing to overpower it was much easier said than done.
The water’s choppy appearance from the edge of the cliff didn’t compare to wading through it. The water moved much faster than I realized, and its force was something I now knew couldn’t be gauged from a distance. Had it not been for the strong hand that gripped mine, I might have been taken further out despite my effort.
I drew a deep breath when Levi brought me to him, sturdy shoulders beneath my arms as I locked them around his neck. We floated face-to-face and I panted, grateful for each gulp of air I took.
“You’re insane, you know that?” He asked the question close to my ear, so I’d hear him over the commotion of waves slamming against the large stones that surrounded us. There was concern in his tone, yes, but it also seemed like the leap impressed him. If he’d known what my life was like before this, it wouldn’t have seemed so strange.
A smile filled with disbelief and wonderment flashed my way as he stared.
“Not insane,” I corrected. “Just not in the mood to be eaten alive, I guess.”
Even here, in the middle of this treacherous current, he was like a mountain fastened to the Earth. I only questioned how he managed it for a moment before remembering his powers. Whether he’d anchored us to something with his thoughts or used his abilities to command the surrounding water, he was in control.
As his heavy gaze locked with mine, I felt safe clinging to him. Like not even a force of nature could stop him, stop us. Only, that sense of safety was merely an illusion. A fact that was confirmed the next second, when a bright searchlight panned in from the left.
Levi took notice a half-second before I did.
“Deep breath.”
The hasty command hit my ears just as I was pulled under, still locked in his embrace. He took us deep, and I was reminded of my last rescue mission. The young orphan and I had to hide in a similar fashion, but then it had been to hide from hellhounds. This time, Levi and I hid to avoid recapture, and possibly a harsher punishment for causing such a disturbance within Aaric’s operation.
At the thought of him, Aaric, a wave of anger washed over me—acknowledging what he’d done, the bond he forged between he and I without my permission. I learned there wasn’t a connection more powerful than the one set in motion by a Claiming ceremony. And now, thanks to his violation, I found myself dreaming of him.
It wasn’t strange that the only time I longed for him—a monster in true form—was when I was asleep, vulnerable. Each time, I awoke angered by the idea that these feelings would never go away, disgusted that a rising need to be near him grew within me daily.
The bright glow the atmosphere had taken on when the light passed over was gone now, which meant it was safe to resurface. Swallowing a breath as quietly as I could, I swept loose strands of hair aside, and cleared water from my eyes.
We swam several yards, but I was notably slower than Levi as I continued to fight the numbness in my limbs. It wasn’t lost on me that once we made it ashore, there wouldn’t be warm, dry clothes waiting for me. I’d have to rough it for the night, soaking wet and cold, praying I didn’t freeze to death.
“Just a little further,” Levi called out, slowing his pace so I could catch up to him.
The bright light was already circling back for another scan, and I’d only made it a few yards closer to him. We had no choice but to go under again. This time, I forced myself to focus on something other than the cold. Instead, I thought of my loved ones—Liv, Felix, and the rest of my team.
Making it back to them had been my only priority, and I fought so hard to change things. Still, despite putting forth my best effort, I failed. The fact that I gave everything I had was my only solace.
I allowed myself to imagine what it would have felt like to embrace them, to tell them everything I experienced during my time away. Liv would have loved to hear about the dancers who gracefully leapt over ceiling beams at the Quincentennial gala. Felix would have been over the moon with all the tech upgrades in Julian’s cars.
And just like that, my thoughts shifted to him—Julian.
Somehow, being away from him had been just as hard as being away from my team. It seemed impossible to feel so deeply for someone I hadn’t known very long, but I did. After Levi helped me put it all in perspective, I no longer questioned whether any of it was real. There was no sense in denying that I was as connected to these two as I was to those I’d known all my life.
My arm was taken and used to snatch my body above the vicious waves.
“We’re in the clear, but you’re slowing down. Let me help you,” Levi practically pleaded. “Only a little further.”
He didn’t wait for permission to take over when my strength waned. A firm arm gripped me across the ribs, pulling me through the water effortlessly. The cliff we jumped from seemed so far away now, making me aware of just how far we swam.
The sound of sloshing around us was different when the waves beat against a jagged shore. We were finally on land again. Levi let my body settle on the tiny rocks and sand before he stood to hover over me.
“Are you all right?” he asked, helping me onto m
y side so I could catch a breath.
“I’m fine, just cold.” Hearing me practically hack up a lung after speaking probably did nothing to reassure him, but there was no time for coddling. We had to move.
“Let’s get into the woods. The trees will shield us,” he urged, securing his hands beneath my arms. “His men will be on this side of the channel soon.”
I didn’t doubt that for a second, so I accepted the help when he hoisted me from the ground. What I expected was to be led into the shadows to hide, but instead, I was lifted completely and brought to his rock-solid chest. His strength made me feel weightless as I was carried, noting how the long swim across the channel hadn’t left him winded or fatigued in the least. Meanwhile, the journey had nearly killed me.
A swift reminder popped into my thoughts, bringing to mind that, in roughly a month, that would all change.
Levi’s strength had shown through in many ways while we’d been locked away together—like his willpower when I made a move to seduce him. Again, when he controlled his nature, and deprived himself of blood in order to cleanse his system of whatever substance had dampened his abilities. Now, his physical strength was apparent as he moved quickly even with me in his arms, hurdling stumps and stones, dodging trees as I was simply taken along for the ride.
Our fast pace added to the cold I’d taken in, chilling me to the bone. I shivered so violently my muscles were beginning to tense and ache.
“I’m sorry,” he sympathized. “I know you’re freezing. We’ll stop as soon as we’ve put enough distance between them and us.”
The promise had likely been the result of the nonstop tremors that ripped through my body.
“I’m f-f-fine,” I stammered through chattering teeth, the pitiful sound doing nothing to ease his mind, I was sure.
His arms tightened around me, and only then did I notice how mild heat had begun to emanate from his skin.
It seemed this situation, his concern for me, had been enough to spark his ability to become warm. Whatever the case, I welcomed the heat, encircling my arms tighter around his neck, pressing my cheek to his. It didn’t do more than knock the edge off, but it was something.
We stopped after about twenty minutes to change positions—Levi switching me to his back to block me from the wind. I kept my face buried in the crook of his neck most of the way after that, only opening my eyes to glance behind us, searching for anyone on our trail. From what I saw, we were in the clear, but I waited for the one of us with supernatural hearing and vision to confirm that.
We eventually came to a stop after roughly two hours, and once my feet were again placed on solid ground, I braced myself against a tree. A set of concerned eyes scanned me from head to toe.
“I’m okay,” I assured him. “Thanks to you.”
His response was nothing more than a gracious nod.
This was the first moment we had to slow down since our escape, and my prevailing thought was that I was grateful. Grateful in general that we made it out alive. Grateful to Tomas, to Levi.
My hand was taken, but not to lead me anywhere. He held it simply because he craved the contact, just like I did. It no longer surprised me that I liked being touched by him.
“So, what now?”
My question prompted his silver stare to glance from one end of the nothingness to the other.
A hard sigh puffed from his lips.
“We should keep heading in the same direction,” he suggested. “It’s our best bet. With any luck, we’ll come to a town, or a road to follow. Once we do, we’ll try to alert someone of our whereabouts.” He quirked a brow when I peered up at him. “Unless you have a better idea?”
His willingness to consider another option—if I had one—went a long way with me.
“No,” I answered. “That sounds reasonable.”
We took a few steps as he nodded, but then his gaze drifted back to me.
“If you’d prefer to be carried,” he offered with a cheeky grin, “I didn’t exactly mind it.”
Warmth touched my cheeks when I smiled. “I’m fine to walk, but you get points for offering.”
For fear of how it would make my heart leap, I refused to meet his gaze when I felt it shift toward me.
“There’s a point system? Would’ve been nice to know you’ve been keeping score,” he teased. The confidence in his tone was always so intoxicating. “Care to tell me how I’ve measured up so far?”
Heat spread to my neck, and I suddenly wished I hadn’t stuck my foot in my mouth. He’d never let me get away without answering.
“Let’s just say you’re racking them up quicker than expected.” That was the truth.
His eyes did a slow sweep of me as we trudged through the underbrush, our fingers still intertwined. The heat pulsing through from his palm and into mine was comforting if nothing else, a reminder that I wasn’t alone. If it hadn’t been for his company while locked away at Blackthorn, I might have lost my mind. The solitude, and the fear of the unknown, would’ve driven me insane after a few days. It wasn’t lost on me that Levi’s strength had gotten us both through it.
“You ready to tell me what you said to the kid?”
Smiling when he inquired about Tomas, I peered up at him. He still hadn’t let it go.
“Isn’t it enough to know that whatever I said, it was enough to buy our freedom?”
The long sigh leaving his mouth made my smile broaden, using my free hand to rub my bicep, bringing temporary warmth to it.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful and all, but … you can’t blame a guy for wondering.” This time, when he glanced over, I did the same, getting swept away in his allure. “You’re just such a mystery to me,” he admitted. “And I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to get deeper inside a woman’s mind as badly as I want to delve into yours.”
I walked, I breathed, but both actions were performed subconsciously as my thoughts were consumed by Levi. He had a way with words, yes, but there was so much sincerity there—a feat I had no idea he was capable of achieving. Before we met—and admittedly for a while after—I thought of him as a shallow creature incapable of emitting any real feeling. Yet, now that we’d spent this time together, now that the Claiming had forced us to see one another’s truth, I knew better.
Staring at him only made me flustered, so I looked away. What appeared to be a bright blue image on the trunk of a distant tree caught my eye. Levi followed my gaze that way when I pointed.
“Are my eyes playing tricks on me?” I asked.
Keeping silent, he zeroed in on the image, but didn’t answer right away.
“That can’t be right,” he mumbled to himself, moving closer with me in tow.
Initially, I only focused on the blue I first noticed, but then realized it was simply one of many colors. Vibrant red, yellow, and green images came into view as well, pictures carefully painted on the tree trunks. Distracted, I released Levi’s hand when we stood in the midst of them. I spun to get the full view—hundreds of them surrounded us. Some were faces, some were depictions of nature, but they were all beautiful. The entire display was like one big, collective work of art.
“What is this place?”
Levi stared in shock just like I did, but I got the impression his reaction was for a very different reason.
“Have you been here before?” I asked when he failed to answer the first question.
“I have, but … it’s been years,” he mumbled distractedly. “We must have walked much further than I realized.”
His sentence trailed off when his weight slumped against a nearby tree. He scanned the area, taking it all in.
“Who painted these?”
A nostalgic smile touched Levi’s lips. “A very old friend. One who’s more like family.”
His outstretched hand beckoned to be held, and I didn’t keep him waiting. “Come on. I’ll take you to meet him, and hopefully, he’ll be able to help us get back.”
The response was still vague, but I gue
ssed I wasn’t exactly in the position to demand a more in-depth response, considering I hadn’t been so forthcoming with my own answers. Instead of asking another question, I just followed because I trusted him.
After all, he’d earned it.
Chapter Three
Julian
It was difficult to tell which emotion Elle felt more strongly—excitement or worry.
When she first asked to accompany Silas and I tonight, I wasn’t sure it was the best idea. It had been tough enough to gain Felix and Liv’s trust. I couldn’t be sure adding Elle as a new dynamic would go over well. However, I only needed to be reminded once of the bond she and Corina had begun to form, and that had been the deciding factor. She was just as concerned and eager to help us find her as anyone, so for that reason, I allowed it.
Silas trailed us in a huge delivery truck stocked with food. It had taken us a while to secure our first run without drawing attention to ourselves a week prior, but we managed to come through with the donation we promised Felix and Liv for their people. And here we were again, hopefully providing them with enough to sustain them for a while. Without knowing how many were in their camp, it was hard to say how long it would last, but we could only hope we were making a difference.
“Do you think they’ll like me?”
A quiet laugh slipped out when I took my eyes off the road for a moment to peer over at Elle. She was a bundle of energy as she sat beside me. It was that excitement that prompted me to drive, instead of letting her navigate tonight. More and more, as she evolved, she’d shown me that her own judgement and nature were stronger than the tech she’d been outfitted with initially. This meant she was thinking for herself in ways she hadn’t before, and there was no room for error in this endeavor.
“They’ll be skeptical of you at first,” I warned, “but once they get to know you, they’ll see that you’re trustworthy.”
