The Scarlet Dagger (The Red Sector Chronicles, #1)

Chapter 16

I was breathless and hurting more than ever by the time I reached the mausoleum. I almost missed it; it was a somewhat small white marble structure sitting off by itself and surrounded by a sentinel of plastic rosebushes and a handful of cross markers sticking out of the synthetic grass, the only "greenery" I had seen here. I looked around. As far as I could tell, no one had followed me. My thoughts drifted to Aden, who was fighting for our lives back in the alley.

Please don't be dead, please don't be dead, I thought over and over as I gingerly walked up the steps. Though my arm throbbed relentlessly, my earlier dizziness was beginning to pass.

I flung open the door and closed it behind me once I was inside. A ceiling light flickered to life, casting an eerie yellow light on the tombs around me. I'd guess the building was about 500 square feet with about twenty or so tombs stacked all the way to the ceiling. Cobwebs hung in the corners, but other than that, the place looked well maintained.

I plopped down on a tomb that jutted out from the others, knowing I should feel ashamed to sit on someone's grave, but I was in too much pain to really care. My fingers brushed the epitaph as I leaned back, throwing a shadow over the grave. Squinting, I peered at the message. "We walk in darkness so we may dance in the light," I read aloud. It didn't list any dates or names. In the center was a carving of an angel. He/she – I couldn't tell – was rising out of the ground, reaching for Heaven.

I stared at it, wondering why they had chosen this symbol, when a hand covered my mouth and I choked on a scream.

"Ssh," Aden whispered into my ear. "It's just me. Did anyone see you?"

Heart racing a mile a minute, I took a steadying breath. "No, I don't think so."

"Good." Blood splattered his face, but he appeared unharmed. There wasn't so much as a bruise or scrape to show for his battle. "Here, stand up a minute. We need to open this and get inside."

He gently helped me to my feet and began pulling back the heavy marble lid. It slid to the side. Dust and the smell of the earth floated up from the gaping black hole.

My brows furrowed. Strange... it's not just a hollow stone box. Does this tomb connect all the way to the ground?

Aden motioned me over. "We need to hurry. I held them off, but there are more on the way. I know one of them spotted me as I was leaving."

I stared at the hole, images of being buried alive running through my head. "I'm not going in there."

"If you want to live, you are."

Gritting my teeth, I walked to the open tomb and sat on the edge of the hole. "There's a ladder right in front of you," he said. "Just go down, and I'll be right behind you, soon as I close the lid."

Uneasy, I did as he instructed, lowering myself onto the ladder and into the ground. It was somewhat of a struggle descending with one hand. I kept my injured arm as close to my body as possible, trying not to rattle it.

At last, my boot hit soft earth and I let go, stumbling into an earthen wall. The air was cooler here, fresher. Light spilled from the opening for a few seconds before Aden closed the lid, and we were submerged in total darkness.

I felt along the wall, my energy leaving me as I slid to the floor, collapsing on my good side. A moment later, I heard a match strike, and Aden lifted a gas lamp to my face. My eyes fluttered closed as fabric tore, and I was rolled on my back.

"Hang on, Sloane," Aden said, sounding far away. "I'm going to get the bullet out."

Normally, I would have blanched at the thought, but my entire body felt numb and very cold. I vaguely registered someone was digging around in my shoulder right before there was a sharp pain and then nothing. Pressure was applied to my arm, followed by a jerk as Aden tied off the tourniquet. Propping my head up on his knees, he dribbled something warm and sweet into my mouth.