Chapter Twenty-Seven （The Truth）

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN (THE TRUTH)

HAZEL

I woke up in my room. It was dark. I could sense someone with me. I shot up in bed.

"Who's there?" There was a shadow in the desk chair across the room. Two gold eyes stared at me, and I relaxed instantly, lowering my guard. I looked around, trying to get my bearings. What had happened?

My eyes slid back to Gonzo as I realized how uncharacteristic it was of me to calmly lay in bed when shit was hitting the fan. I groaned, dropping my head back on the pillow. He'd instantly made me feel calm and protected the moment I realized he was close by. We were mated now—no take backs unless I felt like stabbing him.

"Are you watching me sleep?" I asked.

"I've been doing it every night since you became my mate." That sounded like something a weird, sparkly vampire would do.

"Is it lights out? What happened?" I sat up as it came back to me—the Supra official and the orderlies. "Where's Zero?"

"I woke up shortly after they knocked us out. They were carrying us somewhere. I don't know where. I think the staff planned to kill us."

"Did you kill them?" I asked, wondering if I had to go find these orderlies myself.

"No, the asylum has gone insane." Gonzo sighed, leaning back in the chair. My eyes couldn't fully adjust to the dark. He was a large shadow with glowing eyes. I could smell him, though, and it made my body react. I pressed my thighs together and tried to ignore it. Someone had put my regular white scrubs back on.

"Wasn't it always insane here?"

"There was order before. Now, there's not. The inmates finally reached their breaking point. The Wards are in turmoil and trying to break out."

"Break out…" I slid my hand into my pants and felt the key card next to my lighter and the forbidden hall key. I looked over at Gonzo.

"When I woke up, Rabids were attacking the orderlies. I grabbed you and got away," he said.

"What's going on now?" I looked at the closed door to my room.

"War," Gonzo said. "Come on, we need to go." He got up from the chair and walked towards me. My heart rate picked up as he approached, and my face felt hot.

"Where?" I asked.

"To get Zero." He reached down, wrapping his hand around my wrist and pulling me up from the bed. He was much too strong for a single person, and I realized the care he must have always taken with me. His touches were always so soft until he wanted me held down beneath him.

Gonzo was still burning up, but it felt better than before. His fingers were warm, but they didn't sear.

"Do you think they hurt him again?" I asked. Gonzo's eyes glowed brighter.

"I don't want to think about that. I want to get him back. He needs me. That's why he made me his mate."

"He forced it, tricked you. That doesn't bother you?" I asked. It felt intimate talking in the dark of my room, standing face to face.

"That makes me admire him," he said with humor. "Fuck me, Hazel. They called him Patient Zero. He's an inmate here like everyone else. Do you know what that means?"

"We're fucked?" I asked. Why was I letting him hold my arm? We were too close. I wanted to push away, but more than that, I wanted to stay close.

"It means he's the most frightening, conniving thing in this place. How could I be angry having a mate like that? And like you," he added softly. His hands ran up my arms, leaving a warm trail.

"Oh?" My walls were rising. I needed to protect myself.

"You're indestructible. I don't know how I managed to get so lucky. My fierce, murderous mate. I'm glad you're a little insane, too." Insane?!

"Let's get something straight. I went through with the mate bond to save your life," I said, pulling away from him. He sucked in a soft breath.

"I thought…" Where was his normal confidence? He was making this harder for me. "I hoped that you forgave me."

"I forgive you." I swallowed thickly and took another step away. Distance was good. "You were just trying to survive. I'm your assassin."

"Then what's wrong? Please, Hazel, tell me." The need in his voice nearly broke me down. I let out a breath.

"I don't trust you," I admitted. Gonzo went silent, his eyes turning away.

"I see," he finally said.

"And I think you're going to hurt me again," I continued.

"Hazel," he whispered, rushing towards me. He grabbed my face, and his thumbs brushed my cheeks. "I won't hurt you. I promise." It sounded so good to hear those words. I hated myself for how easily it made me want to crumble. Was every day going to be like this now that we were mates; him saying tender promises and me dying to let him in. I couldn't though.

I pulled the key card from my pocket and pressed it to his chest. It fell to the ground between our shoes, and he ignored it.

"That's the key out. Baz gave it to me when he told me to leave." Gonzo didn't even look at it; his eyes held mine instead. His warm hands kept cradling my face. I pressed my fingers on his, telling myself I was going to pull him away. Instead, I settled them there, feeling the shape of his hands against mine.

"Take the key," I insisted. "I'm not going to kill you. You're free from my list and Verfallen. It couldn't have worked out better for you. Everything you wanted."

"I didn't dream of wanting more, but so much more has been given to me. Hazel, you know I can't leave you."

"So go get Zero and then leave," I hissed. I finally pulled his hands away. "Have him as your mate."

"I can't do that. Neither can you," he said softly. I snatched up the key card, shoved it in my pocket, and then stomped to the door. Gonzo ran over and shoved his foot in the way, blocking me from opening it.

"Where are you going?" He demanded.

"Fuck off," I said.

"It's dangerous."

"I'm going to find answers," I admitted with a sigh. I pulled out the antique key to the forbidden hall.

"We need to get Zero. They have him, and I don't know what they are doing to him. Hazel, we can't leave him. He's waiting for me—" He was spiraling.

"We can't help him until we know what's going on," I said slowly, trying to break through his panic with logic. "If we take him now and run, then we'll never know how to help him. He's got that witch curse, and we need to know how to get rid of it. He can't tell us himself. It's part of the block."

"But—"

"They don't want him dead. They would have killed him already if they did. He's useful to them. And he's strong, Gonzo. They think he's immortal."

"Thinking and being are two very different things. And there are plenty of terrible things between life and death."

"If we attack the staff, we'll have to run, and we'll never know how to help him. I'm going to the forbidden hall. Let me out."

"Two pains in my ass," Gonzo growled. He scooted aside as I opened the door. Then he burst into the hall in front of me, grabbing my wrist and pulling me along.

"Oh, thanks. Wasn't sure I could fucking walk on my own."

"Shh," he whispered. I looked around and saw all the doors open despite it being lights out. We stopped and listened. In the distance, a low whine snaked through the halls. Gonzo gripped my arm and took off. I stumbled after him, trying to keep pace as we raced for the basement. We rounded the corner, and he came to a screeching halt. I ran into his back and then peeked over his shoulder. Nemo, who was currently a monstrous wolfman, was staring at us. And he was standing in front of the basement door.

"Don't try me," Gonzo growled. "It won't go like last time." Nemo snorted in amusement and backed away from the basement door. Gonzo stared at Nemo for a second, then pulled me along quickly. We went into the stairway, and Nemo closed the door behind us.

"I guess I mated into the family," Gonzo said with a chuckle as he hurried down grimy stairs with me in hand.

"Where's Baz?" I asked quickly.

"He's fine."

"He's mortal," I snapped, surprised at my own tone.

"Not into killing your brother anymore?"

"Fuck you," I hissed. I was irritated with myself for caring about Baz.

"He's fine, Hazel. No one can touch him, and he's protected by the fastest things in here. You only got so close because he wanted you to."

When we got to the bottom of the stairs, static began to hiss from the archaic speakers on the walls. If I strained to listen, I thought I heard murmured words whispering nonsense.

"What's going on?" I asked. It felt odd down here.

"I don't know. I've been to this hall before, though. Follow me." We walked through decrepit halls until we came upon a large metal wall with a keyhole. I slipped in the key and twisted. Mechanisms inside strained and clacked, and then the entire wall moved. The wall itself was a large door blocking off the forgotten hall.

We slipped inside and closed it back. I put the key back in my pocket while we silently padded past rooms, looking for information. The silence felt weighted. I didn't like it. It left me with my thoughts and feelings. My concern for Baz was fresh in my mind.

"I didn't want any of this," I whispered quickly. Gonzo jerked back like a kicked dog, misunderstanding what I was talking about. He looked at me with wide eyes.

"I don't want to kill my brother," I told him. Fuck . What was I going to do? "I'll never kill Baz, and I'll never be free. What's the point of leaving here? I've been more free here than I have my entire life."

"Hazel." Gonzo reached for me, pulling me into his arms. I let myself be comforted, dropping my head to his chest. I breathed in the scent of wood and oranges and relaxed. I kept my arms at my side, not allowing myself to hold him back.

"I didn't want this either—you and Zero," I said. His arms tightened, hugging me harder.

"You do want it," he said. Infuriating me.

"I can't," I argued.

"You can," he whispered, brushing his hand down my head.

"I shouldn't." My voice was small. I felt so powerless.

"Maybe not," he conceded. "But it's too late for that. You're mine, and you're Zero's too." I felt a large knot in my throat, and my eyes stung. Theirs .

"This place is creepy," I said, pushing away from him. I wiped my eyes quickly. Who said I was crying?

"Shhh," Gonzo whispered. "There's things here we don't want to wake up." We peered into another room and saw filing cabinets. This had to be it. We went inside and split up, opening and closing drawers, looking for anything on Zero. Most of it appeared to be old inmate files. I kept glancing over at Gonzo. I was in disbelief that we were mated now. Forever attached. He said he couldn't leave me. That I was his. That he'd never hurt me again.

There was hope whispering that I wasn't alone. It was telling me they could help me, and give me everything I never had. But I didn't want to believe it and end up hurt.

"So Zero made you mate us?" I asked. Gonzo dropped the folder he was holding, slipped on it, and fell into one of the cabinets. He cursed.

"It's a long story," he said, straightening himself. I sighed. He was still playing his cards close to the chest. "But I'll tell you." I looked at him in surprise, and he gave me a sad smile.

"Okay."

"I pissed off the wrong people. I always am. I like stealing from bad people. Except these people found a hitman… an immortal one."

"Me." I opened another drawer and saw more useless files. The patient numbers were still in the two-hundreds even though they looked ancient. How long had Zero been here?

"I knew I was fucked," Gonzo said. "I could spend hundreds of years running, but you'd still be there. The world would be ending, and you'd still be chasing me with a throwing knife."

"That is why I'm hired. A guarantee, no matter how long it takes." I looked at him searching through stacked boxes. "You found out about my brother."

"Yes. The basilisk you were determined to kill. The only thing that can kill a phoenix."

"I never found him."

"Were you really looking?" He asked. I looked back at the files and didn't answer. "I had to confirm he was here, though. It was only a rumor until I got here. Then I had to see my plan through, make sure you died."

"You sent the anonymous letter to me, telling me where Basil Fury was."

"I never really wanted to kill you, Hazel. It was just necessary in order to not die."

"I get it. Keep going." I sighed. It was annoying how he was justified in his actions.

"I went to Zero and made a deal. I love deals," he chuckled. "Remember ours? Kisses for help."

"No, I forgot," I said sarcastically. "So you made a deal with him?"

"Zero wanted to do secret experiments, and I said I would comply if he sent off my letter to you. That was the trade. I had no idea he's been trying to get you here, too. Bastard outsmarted me the entire time, from day one." Gonzo smiled warmly at the boxes he was moving.

"The experiments gave you mates?" I wanted to make sure I understood it all and I wanted to finally hear him be truthful.

"I'm a trickster. It's a special kind of shifter. We don't have mates." He was silent for a moment. Gonzo moved more stacked boxes and bent down to open the one left on the floor.

"Zero found a way to activate my mating ability. He also found a way to make me mate with him." He lifted the top of the box and peered inside.

"Zero said he didn't force you to mate with me."

"No, you were always my mate. I just didn't have the ability to know that." It was odd thinking we'd never have known if Zero hadn't switched the ability on. Why was I his mate? Did that mean we were perfect for one another? I blew out a breath and slammed the file cabinet shut.

"Why did Zero want you here? Did he tell you?" Gonzo asked. He pushed the box aside and began looking at the next stack.

"I think my immortality fascinated him," I said.

"Just that?"

" I fascinated him for some reason. He couldn't say why." I thought about his words from before. I've been asleep for hundreds of years, and you've awoken me. What did he mean?

"He likes you," Gonzo said.

"Yes." My face felt warm. Gonzo chuckled. We searched in silence a while longer.

"Will you ever trust me again, Hazel?" I stopped moving, my fingers gripping another cabinet drawer, ready to be opened.

"I'm scared to," I said softly.

"Why?"

"I'm not allowed to be happy," I whispered. Gonzo looked at the file cabinet in front of him like he wanted to torture it. His hands started to shift into claws, and his eyes burned gold.

"I'm going to fucking kill your uncle." His threat to murder my family member made my chest warm. I bit back a smile.

"You can't. And this is about you, too. I foolishly took you at face value. What if I let you in again, and you betray me?"

"You've already let me back in," Gonzo said. I winced and felt nerves in my stomach. I wanted to deny it, argue with him that I would never. But of course I fucking did. I'd just spilled my guts out to him. I whipped around, glaring at him, ready to fight about it anyway.

"I found something," he said, holding up a water-damaged cardboard box. I walked over as he dropped it on a table. Dust rushed around us, and we both sneezed. I bent down and took off the top. There was a pile of VHS tapes.

"Videos," I said, pulling one out. Beneath the VHS was a magic form of recording, archaic film spelled to hold people's memories. I pulled one out and read the label, then I searched through the VHS tapes and found one labeled with the same details: Project Portal 002.

"They match."

"Must have updated them for the modern age. They have to have a VHS player around here somewhere," Gonzo said. We looked around but found nothing.

"Let's go to Orson," I offered.

"Alright," he said with a strange smile. He kept smiling as he grabbed the box, and we left the room.

"Why are you smiling like that?" I asked in suspicion.

"Because you're allied with your brother's friends."

"So what?"

"Have you fully accepted it now?" He asked.

"Accepted what?" I sighed. "That I'm a failure?"

"That's not failing. It's growing up. Fuck your uncle."

"No thanks," I said, disgusted.

"Hazel," he sighed. "I didn't mean literally."

"Oh, yeah. Ha ha," I forced the laugh out. "I was joking."

"Okay, princess. Whatever you say."

"I was joking!" I yelled once the forbidden hall was closed up behind us. I was still insisting on it when we burst into Orson's office. It was empty. I looked at Zero's watch on my wrist. It was six in the morning.

"He'll be here soon if he still plans on coming." We sat down and waited in silence. Except it wasn't all that silent. In the halls, we could hear fighting and screaming.

"We find out what we can, get Zero, and then leave this place," Gonzo looked over at me. I didn't say anything. I didn't want him upset that I wasn't leaving too.