Chapter 21

Octane

The tunnel is filled with the sharp, musty scent of dirt. It clings to my skin, making every breath heavy because of the dust that I suspect the group somewhere ahead of me has caused. Every so often, I have to climb down a ladder before the tunnel evens out again for a time. Down…down…down I go. Beneath my feet, the ground is slightly uneven. The walls are rough and jagged, coated in layers of damp soil that occasionally crumbles onto my head. It's evident that this tunnel was crudely dug out, probably by hand. There is the odd steel structure that has been put up at regular intervals. I'm sure it's to keep the ceiling from falling. Just like the tunnel itself, these structures are crude and might not offer much support. I try not to dwell on the thought of its instability, knowing that the weight of tons of earth could come crashing down on top of me at any moment. The darkness is suffocating, pressing in on all sides and filling me with a sense of claustrophobia. A sense of impending doom.

I ignore it and keep going.

I can do this.

Trinity needs me. Keeping a hand on the wall, I keep walking and walking.

I sigh when I see lights up ahead. I pick up my pace. It doesn't take long for the tunnel to change. It opens up. I no longer have to crouch over; I can walk upright. There are lights intermittently along the wall, illuminating my way. The structure is now properly reinforced with concrete and steel. I still don't like being down here, but at least it's a little more bearable.

After an hour or more, the ground gradually begins to slope upward. My footsteps echo off the cold concrete walls. After what feels like an eternity, I finally reach a set of stairs, which I ascend, counting four floors. At the top, I emerge into a bright opening that forces me to squint my eyes against the sudden burst of sunlight. I put a hand over my face to block the sun. Slowly, my vision adjusts, and I take in my surroundings.

There is a sign outside the tunnel that reads:

No Entry!

By order of the King

It's written in red. The general area has been fenced off. There is a padlocked gate up ahead. I climb the fence and start searching for clues on where they went. It doesn't take me long to spot a well-used pathway. If nothing else, it will take me to civilization, where I will be able to ask around. Hopefully, someone can point me in the right direction. Someone must know Igor and Titan.

I look around as I walk. I'm floored at how much like Draig this island is. It doesn't take long before I see a house…and then another and another.

They're normal everyday houses. Some even bigger than others.

I spot an elderly lady doing laundry out back. She is wearing a floral dress. Her long, gray hair is tied into a ponytail at the back of her head. She waves when she sees me.

If only she knew.

I'm a Draiger.

I'm the enemy. Only, I don't feel like the enemy.

I wave back and smile. "Good afternoon," I tell her. "Would you happen to know where I can find Titan and Igor? I believe that they live around here." I take a chance.

Her smile turns into an instant frown. "They're troublemakers. That old house has gone to ruin since Mirabel died. It's a crying shame. They make noise at all hours of the night…hollering and yelling. They play their music far too loud." She shakes her head. "You boys should be ashamed." She wags a finger at me.

She thinks I'm one of them.

"You misunderstand," I tell her. "I'm here to evict them by order of the King," I decide to add on a whim. I'm not sure that the king orders such things, but I go with it, anyway.

Her eyes brighten up. "Finally! Someone took my complaints seriously."

"We did, indeed. Am I right in thinking that it's the house next door?" I point at a large derelict building. I'm about to take it back when she nods.

"Yes, that's it, alright."

"I would go inside your house now if I were you, Ma'am, where it's safe. There might be some noise, but rest assured that we have it under control."

"You're not alone, are you? There's always a bunch of ‘em inside. You won't be able to evict them on your own."

A male starts screaming from somewhere inside the house. The scream is suddenly cut off.

"I'm not alone. I am late, though. Thank you for your time." I nod once and start running toward where the noise came from.

Please be okay.

Please don't let me be too late!

Trinity

"Suck me," he murmurs. "Be a good little whore." He rocks his hips. "I'm starting to get angry, Trin."

His eyes open just as I slam the knife into his belly. Igor starts screaming.

Crap! No! No!

This is bad.

I pull out the knife in a spray of hot blood. He clutches at his belly; his eyes are wide with shock. Then he clenches a fist and tries to punch me in the belly. His hand grazes my side. It hurts, but I know my baby is fine. He didn't get me in the right place. I'm sure he won't miss a second time. I need to end him.

In the next breath, I stab him in the base of his throat. The scream turns into a choking sound.

Igor tears at my hands, trying to get me to let go of the knife so that he can pull it out. I hold on tight, twisting the blade. I need him dead.

He bucks against me, but the added pregnancy weight is helping hold him down. Igor lets my hands go and grabs me by the throat with both his hands. He squeezes, closing off my air. I twist the knife harder; more blood spurts. Good! I think I got an artery. It shouldn't be long before he bleeds out. His hands tighten.

There is a knock at the door.

Igor makes a gurgling, moaning noise. Dammit! Dammit! If Titan finds me, he won't hesitate to kill me.

There is another knock. "Is everything okay?" It's Titan. It's him. The door isn't even locked. "Speak to me, or I'm coming in."

Igor moans again, softer this time.

Crap!

Then Igor lets me go. His hands fall limply at his sides, and his eyes go blank. He is dead.

I pull in a deep breath and moan as I suck in lungfuls of air. I yank the knife out of Igor's throat, preparing to fight Titan as well. I moan again, sucking in air like a mad person as I get to my feet.

"You're fucking?" Titan shouts, sounding disgusted. "Really? We're eating, and we're not saving any for you. I can't believe you would fuck her so soon after she was with another male," he mutters as he walks away.

Holy shit!

That was close. I don't know how Titan bought that was sex, but he did. I suppose it makes a strange kind of sense, screaming, moaning, and some heavy breathing.

Igor is dead. He's dead, and I killed him. I put my hand over my mouth to stifle any noise as tears course down my cheeks.

I didn't have a choice.

He would have raped me and hurt me. I know that he would have ended up harming my child. That was more than I could take.

I look at Igor's staring face.

I did the right thing. I did. I refuse to feel guilty. I touch my throat, and it hurts. It hurts to swallow, as well. Then I touch my mouth and wince; it's already swelling up.

I did what I had to do.

I wipe my eyes, realizing too late that my hands are covered in blood. I look down. I am covered with the stuff. I whimper.

I cover Igor with a blanket. If someone comes in, they might think he's sleeping. Then I go into the bathroom and clean off as best I can without actually running a shower.

Once I'm done, I pull on a shirt and try the window, but it is stuck fast. It looks like the wood has swollen, making it impossible to open.

Dammit!

What now? It's only a matter of time before someone comes looking, before they find me with Igor's dead body. I have to come up with a plan.