The Claiming

Chapter Twenty

An engine sounds throughout the woods outside. It's faint, but only because of the window and the height we're at. I know it's coming from down below.

I push the covers off of me and untangle my legs from Alec's. He wakes as I do so. "What's up?" he asks.

I stride to the window on the left side of the bed, opposite the door to the room. When I look down towards the front entrance, I see a white van and men pouring out of it in uniform.

Bayfell uniform.

"They're here," I say as panic takes over me. I feel a sudden urge to cry out, but Alec is to his feet and runs to me as quickly as possible.

"Get everything together," he says as he grips my arms. "We've got to get out of here."

"How?"

Alec looks out the window himself, but then ducks down. I follow him. He peers out from the bottom of the window now. "I think if we can make our way down the hallway to the stairway on the opposite end of the entrance, we can bolt out the back, but we have to move quickly and quietly so we don't run into them."

I nod.

We pack up everything as quickly as possible and make the bed so that it will appear as if we were never here. We both get dressed and then we're ready. So we head out the door and down the hallway as quietly as possible to the stairwell at the end of the corridor that the Bayfell guards are not likely to take. But knowing our luck, they probably will.

Thank goodness the halls are dark without the power. I can hardly see in front of me, but Alec leads me with confidence by holding onto my hand. He opens a door slowly, but it still makes a little noise. I hold my breath and tighten everything in my body, fearing the worst.

Nothing.

We climb down the stairs, feeling our way with the railing and the wall. Five flights of steps and we reach the base floor. Alec, thankfully, notices the faint outline of an Exit sign above a second doorway under the steps, opposite the door leading into the first floor hallway. Alec shoves the door open and fresh sunlight pours into our eyes. A pain surges through my head, but we can't stop now.

The forest behind the hotel seems more than inviting at this point. We take off running, Alec not letting our supplies slow him down.

"They're outside!" a voice shouts.

"Don't let them get away!" another screams. A familiar voice—Walden.

Boy, do I feel honored that the prince felt the need to come find me himself. The idiot.

A gunshot fires, and the sound makes my heart jump into my throat. Alec's grip tightens around my hands, and I feel something in my index finger snap. I let out a sharp squeal, but adrenaline is still dominating my body.

"Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!" Alec rasps.

More gunshots follow our trail, rustling the leaves behind our heels. We seem to run faster and faster until the guards are out of range. They must have been shooting from the hotel windows.

We don't stop running for anything. I can hardly breathe, but I'll take an asthma attack over being separated from Alec again.

We eventually slow our pace after five or ten minutes to a light jog, listening hard to everything surrounding us.

"We need a place to hide," Alec huffs. "Any ideas?"

I shake my head, unable to speak. We come to a stop behind a large oak. I lean against the trunk to attempt to breathe once again.