Sapphire Bones

Devotion

"Secrets out, I guess," the rogue sighed, shrugging and stepped back from the bars. He gained several feet from where he was planted before and went to turn but hesitated. "Don't get too comfortable, Roderick. You're next."

Roddy gulped, a visible shiver making its way up his spine.

"I'm not going to let them break your sobriety, Rod."

"We don't have a choice," Roddy shook his head. "It's either they keep feeding you that shit or I take a couple sips of liquor."

"You and I both know it'll be more than that," Cole argued. "They're planning on ruining our chances of ever escaping. I doubt they'll let you off easy with one drink."

"I'm not letting them pump your arms full of anything else," Roddy countered. I flipped my head back and forth as they continued bickering. Passion and love outweighed anything else in their conversation. Neither wanted to give up the others sanity, and I didn't blame them. But it wouldn't be long until the rogue leader returned with another needle full of drugs and a fully stocked bar for Roddy to indulge.

"It's either you let them do to me what they will or neither of us have any chance to get out of here," Cole said, his words lolling as he troubled for focus. "Please, Rod, I can't lose you again."

"If you two would quit bickering I'd be able to reveal my little twist in the plan," the leader snapped and hit a hand on the wooden cage. I shivered away from it.

Cole's head snapped up, "well go ahead."

"A day alone," he started, and fixed his attention on me. "With her," a grin I couldn't see stretched from ear to ear on his face.

Tears pricked at the edges of my eyes, but my fingers slid underneath the lower lashes before anything fell down my cheeks. They would do anything for each other, give up their lives for one another. Despite our predicament they both remained hopeful we'd find our way back to Emerald. There was nothing I could do to help and even if I did find a way to help either I couldn't succeed on my own. And now they were forced make a decision based upon me.

"No," Roddy said. A hiccup surged in my throat but I held it in my mouth with a hard swallow.

"You didn't even let me finish," the leader said. "A day alone with her and I'll spare little Roddy of breaking his sobriety."

Cole's eyes flashed in willing sacrifice. I gulped and looked toward Roddy for confirmation that he wouldn't give me up.

"I'll give you a minute to decide, but I don't give second chances on these twists in my games." The rogue leader stalked off, further than my infrared vision could see. I watched him leave and then snapped my attention back to the two men sharing the cage with me. I needed to plead my case the best I could.

"I can get out of here," I squeaked from my spot in the cage. Both heads swiveled my way, blinking as they stared through me and at the cage bars behind me. Their glares were haunting and while I couldn't see their piercing pupils surrounded by bright iris' I could feel them – shouldered down on me as my own words betrayed me. I wouldn't survive out in the world by myself, especially in a state unlike New York. Maine tasted different. The air was colder, saltier, and it smelled cleaner altogether. Before the Ruby attack New York smelled like my mothers cooking and the fresh forest air surrounding the pack but since then? All I could sense was blood and death, two things directly connected to the events surrounding me for the last year.

"What?" Roddy scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "No offense, L, but there's no way you can do that on your own."

"You didn't escape the first time," Cole said flatly as if I didn't already know about my third failed escape since my time with Peter.