Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two

ONE LAST KISS

M y pillow is soaked. I don't think I can cry any more. But every time I think about losing Kyle there's a fresh bout of tears. I remember how his face twisted when Father mentioned the pits, and can't bear the thought of him being sent back there to die.

There's guilt, too. I'm the one who asked him to run away with me. I hadn't thought it through. He's going to be sent away, and then it will be over. He probably hates me now, anyway.

It's been about an hour since my outburst, since Kyle was taken from me. I can't lie here any longer. I don't know where he's being held, and I can't just wander the house looking for him, but I need to do something . He would fight for me. I need to do the same for him. I sit up and wipe my face, drag fingers through the tangle of my hair. My gaze falls on the fireplace, an idea taking shape. I need to move fast, though. I've wasted enough time already.

I pull my boots towards me and put them on. Then I go to the fireplace, pressing on the carved leaf. Stepping through the opening, I flick the torch on my phone as the panel closes. The stone wall is cool beneath my fingers as I descend, heading for the library.

At the small landing I shine my torch around, looking for the lever that opens the basement passage. I swore I would never go down there again, not after the screaming I heard. But my need to find Kyle is stronger than any fear. I flick the lever, a section of stone swinging back to reveal more stairs. I start down them, my hand on the wall for support, until I reach a wooden panel. I put my ear to it, holding my breath, but can't hear a thing. I push the panel until there's a click and it opens, revealing a hallway. My torch throws circles of light across the dark blue-grey painted walls, the slate tiled floor. There's no one here, thank darkness. Directly opposite me is another door. Looking both ways, I step out of the passage and open it.

Shit. It's the feed hall. The room is large, wooden benches scattered across the black and white tiled floor. It's also deserted, thank darkness. Except for the food. There are cages suspended from the ceiling, in each one a human either sitting or lying down. The bases of the cages are padded, and there's water and food for them. I suppose my parents think that makes it comfortable. My elbow aches at the memory of the guard feeding from me, the pull in my veins.

Most of the occupants of the cages are sleeping, except for a man who's lying on his side, reading a book by the glow of a candle-lamp, and a woman, who's sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. Her head turns as I creep past, her dark eyes watching me. I put my finger to my lips. I have no idea if she knows who I am. She doesn't speak; whether it's due to my gesture or because she simply has nothing to say, I don't know. I want to do more, wildness in my chest at the thought of setting them free. But where would they go, in the darkness, alone? I suppose they're safe here, but I see now how wrong it is, how fucked up everything is.

I cross the room to another set of double doors. I pause to listen. Nothing. Carefully, I turn one of the handles. The door opens noiselessly… to reveal a room filled with rows of bunks. Shit. I close the door as quickly as I can, then lean with my back to it, gasping, my heart pounding. Guard quarters. But where the hell do I look now?

‘Psst!'

I jump. Turning, I notice two more doors in the far wall. One is part-way open, revealing a small metal-lined room containing a casket. The other is closed. There's a small grille set into the metal. Someone's face is pressed up against it.

‘Kyle!' I run across the room, almost skidding into the door.

‘Steady on.' He's laughing. After all he's been through, all I've put him through, he's laughing. My heart clenches with love.

‘Are you all right? I'm so sorry.' I thread my fingers through the grate and feel the touch of his lips.

‘It's not your fault. I shouldn't have taken you.'

‘I shouldn't have asked you to!' I'm half sobbing, half laughing with relief that I've found him.

‘Emelia, my love?'

‘Yes?'

‘You need to get me out of here. Your father wasn't joking about the pits. I can't go back there. Please. Let me go. I'll take the passage and escape that way, through the woods. Please.'

There's such yearning in his voice that I swear I can feel it, his distress my own. There's pain, too, because I know what this means. Once I let him go, I'll never see him again. I have to give him this chance, though. He's already saved me.

‘Kyle, I—' My voice breaks. ‘It – it's why I'm here, to save you.' My world is shaking upon its foundations, bitter salt in my eyes. I feel his lips on my fingers again, his cool breath. Then he releases me.

‘Be quick, my love,' he whispers. ‘They'll come for me soon.'

‘How… um…' I stop, gulping. ‘How do I open this?'

‘It's the wheel lock, on your side.'

I step back. The door is solid metal with three bars running horizontally, two more running vertically, locking into the metal door frame. It's magnetically sealed. No point simply locking a door against a vampire – they'd be out in seconds. But magnets and metal will hold them for longer, long enough for any escape attempts to be overheard. There's a wheel set at the centre of the door, the bars running through a central locking system. I put both hands on it, straining. It doesn't move.

I groan, twisting harder, my hands slipping on the metal. There are noises behind me, rustling and faint metallic clangs. I turn to see that more of the caged humans are awake. They're all watching me. ‘Please, don't say anything,' I whisper. There's no response.

‘Emelia, try again. You can do this.' Kyle sounds frantic, and it spurs me on. I brace myself, my teeth clenching as I push and twist at the metal wheel. It gives slightly. I stop, panting.

‘Are you okay?' Kyle stretches his fingers through the grating.

‘I'm fine. Just need a moment.' I give it one more try, the muscles in my arms and shoulders protesting. Finally, it turns, a dull thud as the bars disengage. The door swings open and Kyle is out in a flash.

‘Oh, my love.' He buries his face in my neck as I cling to him. I want to stay like this forever, but we need to keep moving. I take his hand, leading him past the cages, trying not to look at the faces watching me. Faces like mine, human. Yet I am here and they are there, a world between us. Something I'm going to change. But for now I need to get Kyle to safety. I pull him into the hallway, where the passage is still open. He blows out a breath.

‘Genius.'

‘C'mon.' I pull him through the opening with me. The panel closes and we're together in the darkness. He lifts me off my feet, kissing me over and over. My hands are in his hair as I kiss him back, tasting salt and blood. My heart is breaking.

‘Where do we go from here?' he says, once he can speak.

‘We go up, to the library passage, then to my room. And you know there's a passage from there to the outside. Will you… are you going to be okay?'

‘I think so.' His arms are still around me.

‘Where will you go?' I ask between kisses.

‘I have a place I can hide out for a while.' He runs his hand along my cheek. I sigh, curving into his touch even though my heart is snapping in two, tears leaking from my closed eyes. I can't stop touching him, because I know this is the last time.

‘I'll come and find you, once I'm Raven, I promise.'

‘One last kiss, before I go.' His lips touch mine and it feels as though I'm flying, his body curving around mine, his arms lifting me. I close my eyes, enjoying the sensation, as though I'm at the centre of a storm.

When we stop, we're still in darkness. He releases me. I can't see a thing.

‘Kyle?'

‘Emelia?'

Oh, thank darkness. But he doesn't come closer. I hear his voice again.

‘Do you still trust me?'

‘Yes.' Of course I do. It's Kyle . He loves me and I love him and?—

A cool hand comes around my neck and I hear him sigh. ‘Well, you shouldn't have.'

‘Kyle.' My voice is strangled by his grip. It tightens, and everything goes black.

And my world shatters.