Chapter 42

Lynda charged to the door, but the fire’s heat drove her back a few steps. She had to get to Mihnea and Pierre before this building exploded.

“We have to leave now!” Natasha shouted from the windowsill, her brow pinched and sweat beaded across her forehead. Vampires and half-bloods didn’t perspire. “I'm using all the magic I have to keep your unleashed power from igniting, but I can't hold it for long.”

All the more reason to get to my men. She dashed to Natasha's closet and ripped out a blanket.

“Lynda!” The half-vamp yelled from the window.

“Get everyone out that you can. I'm going after Pierre and Mihnea.” She flung the blanket over herself and barreled to the door. Flames licked at the material. Heat scorched her skin, but she couldn't stop now. She kicked the door to open it. Except it didn't budge. Natasha's voice echoed in the room, but Lynda kept trying to open the door.

Again, she kicked. The fire covering her blanket, blistering her skin.

With all strength and the thought of being able to see Pierre and Mihnea soon, she kicked out the door. A burst of flames shot out in the hallway. Lynda leaped out of the bedroom. She tossed the fire-infused blanket on the floor.

Her flesh ached like she'd boiled herself. She ran to the stairwell and climbed down to Mihnea and Pierre's room. Along her flesh, pinpricks danced. Must be the magic soaking through the floors.

This place could blow any moment and what about the vamp-zombies? They didn't have time to draw more of her blood and heal them. But she had to get her men first. Then they could shackle the zombies and go somewhere safer.

At the door, she pushed it open and ducked inside. Strewn across the bed lay Pierre and Mihnea, exactly where she left them. Unmoving.

Her breath caught as she watched them for a second. How was she going to wake them? The sun hadn't set yet, but who knew how long before her magic detonated?

She rushed to the bed and shook both of their shoulders. “Pierre! Mihnea! Wake up. Please, wake up.”

But they lay as still and cold as marble statues.

She shook them harder, one at a time. “C’mon!” What if they didn't rouse in time and she lost them? “Please...we have to go...it's not safe.” The words cut her throat like shards of glass.

Taking Pierre's arm, she dragged him off the bed. Then she tugged Mihnea off. She had to carry them out of the room and to the elevator. Get them out of the building as quickly as she could. Her heart clamped at the thought of leaving even one of them behind.

The fire alarm shrilled on the floor above. Had the flames gotten to that level already?

Shit. She grabbed Pierre under his arms, slowly towed him out the door and into the hallway. Her muscles cramping from the strain of moving him. Then she grabbed Mihnea. He was heavier than Pierre because of his muscles. She huffed and puffed, her arms and legs cramped as she moved centimeter by centimeter to reach the spot where Pierre lay.

The elevator stood down the hall and around the corner. No way could she get them down all the flights of stairs.

Her focus shifted to Pierre again. After she pulled him to the elevator bank, her breaths burned her lungs. Fire flickered along parts of the ceiling.

How long before the floor above them collapsed? Seconds?

She ran back to Mihnea and yanked him by his feet. His head and upper body scrapped along the carpet, but she couldn't help that. They had to get out of here.

Finally, with both her men in front of the elevator, she slammed her hand against the down button.

“Please work, please.” If she had to, she'd roll them down the stairs. Even though it really wouldn't hurt them, the idea of it made her stomach lurch. Though it was better than all three of them dying. Maybe she should take the stairs. Wouldn’t be faster though because if the elevator was working, they’d reach the lobby faster than she could descend eight flights of stairs pushing two vampires ahead of her. But what if the elevator wasn’t working?

She leaped over Mihnea to the stairwell, but the door wouldn’t open. Locked?

Again and again, twisted the knob to see if the door was just stuck. Fuck! She kicked the door as hard as she could near the lock. Finally, the door cracked a splinter enough to see inside. Flames from a support column chewed along the edge of the stairwell while the other half blocked the door.

Maybe she could get past the mound of debris and metal column. She rammed her shoulder into the door, trying to pry it open. Her body shook from the strain, but the door didn’t budge.

Was there another stairwell? She dashed to the you-are-here map. Shit, shit, shit. The other set of stairs was on the opposite end of the building. Her lungs heaved, there was no way she could get Pierre and Mihnea all the way over there and the place was falling apart around them.

Ding. The elevator doors swung open and a cry of relief and joy burst out of her.

She moved Pierre in first, using his legs to keep the doors open as the censor saw a blockage.

Now, for Mihnea. Her heart pounded against her chest and she stumbled to her feet. Twice her grip on the vampire slipped.

The elevator buzzed with an alarm that the door was opened too long. Its dull tone setting off against the high shrill of the fire alarm.

A crash echoed in the hallway a few feet away as part of the ceiling collapsed. At least it wasn’t near them. But how long before more fell? She pushed her body against Mihnea's to shove him with Pierre.

Inside, she moved Pierre's legs, then pressed the down button. The elevator doors slowly closed.

She gasped for breath, slid down the wall, and let her body shake as her adrenaline and nerves fizzled out.

The elevator shook and rattled. Lights overhead flickered.

No, no, no! Don't stop. They had several more flights before they reached the lobby.

With a lurching jerk, the elevator skidded to a halt.

Her heart jackknifed into her throat.

She stood on shaky legs and pushed the lobby button again. Nothing.

Are we stuck between floors?

What if they couldn't get out? She pushed the open door button multiple times. They had to get out of here, she'd come this far. When the elevator refused to budge, she hit all the buttons including the fireman one. A busy signal answered her.

Fuck! It had to be almost sunset, right?

She placed both hands on Mihnea's cheeks. “You have to wake up now.”

Somewhere above them, a boom sounded. The elevator rattled and shook. Her breaths lodged in her throat.

Then she turned to Pierre and brushed her lips across his mouth, whispering, “Please. I can't lose any of you.” And they still had to find Andrei.

She kissed Mihnea too. Tears clogging her throat. Why weren't they waking up?

It had to be dusk by now, it had to be.

“Please…”

Why weren't they showing any signs of waking?

She bit her lip as the fire alarm trilled and the elevator occasionally shook so hard she thought it would drop any moment.

What about my magic? True, she couldn't control it, but maybe she could get them the hell out of here.

It was too dangerous to try and wake either vampire as her magic was unstable. The fear she might hurt them sat like an elephant on her chest. She had to open the elevator doors and take the stairs with them.

Cautiously, she placed her hands against the metal doors. She closed her eyes and concentrated...imaging them opening...of her and Pierre and Mihnea dashing out to safety.

Metal ground squealed and popped. But the elevator didn't open.

“Damn it! Work,” she shouted.

More grinding. Yes, it's going to open. She pushed out deep inside her like Natasha had said. The magic snapped along her skin like an electric current.

The elevator doors partially opened and she heaved out a breath. The doors stood half open. She'd done it.

They were between floors but she could squeeze herself and the men through if the doors would open more.

She placed her hand on the doors, trying to pry them open a bit more. But they weren't moving.

She was so exhausted, but she and her men had to escape. Freedom was so close.

Okay, time for more magic.

She placed a hand on the door and drew on her center.

A loud crack vibrated down the elevator shaft and up into her arm. She screamed from the pain like a lightning bolt hit her. In her mind, a vision blinded her. With the elevator brakes failing and them plunging to their death.

“Help,” she managed to scream a split second before the elevator jerked. Then it plummeted down, throwing her, Mihnea and Pierre against the ceiling.