Revolution (The Risen Series Book 2)

Chapter 22 ~ Bad Luck

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Chapter 22: Bad Luck
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Thin shards of pale early morning sunlight streaked across the huge storage room, making it difficult for vampires to find their way anywhere. The occasional hiss and curse as one or two got burnt by the light made for an interesting distraction. Every inch of the warehouse had been searched and there was no sign of how they’d escaped, though we knew there must be a tunnel somewhere. Our prisoners were locked away and questioned about Airell - humanely, Atanas had promised – but they had given up no more than we already knew.

Another soul broken yowl broke out from the basement.

 I covered my ears, rocking myself on the concrete step I’d collapsed on over an hour ago. I couldn’t stand to hear Gideon’s cries, or the rattling of his cage as he battered and bruised himself in an attempt to get free. Padraig looked as unnerved by the sound as I was, standing by my side with a furrowed brow, flinching every time Gideon started up again.

Lifting my head when Atanas and Kincaid finally came back into the room, I strained to hear what they were saying.

“The good news is they’ll be stuck somewhere in the mountains until nightfall too, if they even made it that far.”

“The bad being that they’re still hours ahead of us.” Blue eyes caught mine from across the room but he didn’t look perturbed to see me listening in. “We need to be ready to move before the sun goes down.”

The pair made their way over, sliding between the gaps in the light with care. It meant bending at awkward angles, especially for Kincaid who must have been regretting the short-sleeved tunic he wore. His Fly Plaid only provided so much protection, unlike the thick leather armour Atanas wore. Like spies avoiding lasers, they’re expressions were harsh with concentration.

“If you start humming pink panther, I swear...” Padraig glanced down at me with amusement glittering in emerald eyes. I grinned up at him and nudged his leg with my elbow.

“Aww, Padraig. I’m touched you know me so well.”

He chuckled and reached down to ruffle my hair so strands of silver covered my eyes and fell into my lips while I attempted to batter his hand away. Atanas tutted a few feet in front of us as if he’d caught too brawling toddlers.

“We’re secure here for the time being,” my mate promised. “Why don’t you find a room to sleep in, I’ll wake you at dusk.”

I shook my head, hugging my knees to my chest. “I want to be here when Ihrin has recovered. I want to hear what she has to say.”

Even while Nadia and Xiaodan had helped her out the cage, she’d muttered that one word in Romanian repeatedly with more fever the closer she got to me. The wide-eyed fearful look when she’d been led past me to find food and water for her, had shaken me to my core. Nobody had ever looked at me like that before. Such terror that for a moment, even I’d been afraid.

“She wasn’t herself, Libertas Mea-“

“If it had been you she’d called cursed, you’d want to know why too so stop coddling me!” I snapped, shoving myself to my feet. A quirked brow reminded me I was shouting at my King, in front of most of our warriors. Kincaid shifted uneasily while Padraig rubbed the back of his neck.