Chapter 99 Ninety Nine
DANIKA
I'm seated on the couch, clutching Kaziel's phone on my lap with Kira and Isaiah making calls. It’s been hours since my mate went missing. I feel helpless. Tears well up in my eyes, and I sniffle, trying to be strong. I’m painfully aware that Kaziel had been lying to me when we'd spoken earlier. Scratch that, I feel it in my bones.
I know my father has him. He's the only enemy left. He must've taken him for the ritual, and that means he's probably at the cult house. Eve might know where it is. Since she was close to her sister.
I watch Isaiah clench his jaw, his brow deeply furrowed, while Kira heaves a sigh.
They still believe this is a search.
It isn't.
It's a countdown.
I lower my eyes to Kaziel's phone, my thumb brushing over the cracked edge of the screen. If I tell them what I know, they'll stop me. They'll insist on plans and backup and waiting.
Kaziel doesn't have time for waiting. So the question isn't if I'm leaving. It's how.
How do I walk out of this room without either of them realizing what I'm about to do?
"I want to see Eve." The words leave my mouth casually.
Kira stops pacing. Isaiah turns from the window, his eyes wide.
"What?" Isaiah says.
I lift Kaziel's phone from my lap and set it on the table between us. "Eve might know where my father is. Or where the cult house is. She was close to her sister."
Kira's gaze sharpens. "Danika, that's not—"
"I know she's dangerous," I cut in before she can finish. "But she's the only thread we haven't pulled. And right now, Kaziel is missing. We don't get to be picky."
Isaiah exhales through his nose. "You're not going in there alone."
"I didn't say I was," I reply, my voice softer. "I just want to ask her a few questions."
Kira studies my face, searching for cracks. I give her none.
"She's restrained," Kira says slowly. "You'll stay within sight."
I nod immediately. "Of course."
Isaiah hesitates, then finally says, "Fine. We'll take you. But the second she starts going crazy, we pull you out."
"Agreed," I say.
They move fast after that—Isaiah grabbing his jacket and Kira already heading for the door. No one notices the way my fingers tremble when I pick up my coat. No one notices the way my heart is pounding so hard it hurts.
Eve's holding room is cold and dim, the air thick with the smell of blood and decay. She looks up when I enter, a slow smile curling at her lips. She truly looks psychotic.
"Well," she drawls. "Look who came to visit."
Isaiah steps forward. "Five minutes," he says. "That's it."
I turn to him, forcing myself to meet his eyes. "Can I have a moment alone with her?"
"No," he says immediately.
"Kaziel trusts me," I reply. "And you trust him."
Isaiah stiffens.
Kira steps in before he can argue. "We'll be right outside the door," she says. "One word from her that sounds off, Dani, and we're coming in."
Relief floods my chest, but I don't let it show.
"Thank you," I say, sincere enough to sell it.
They step out, and the door closes behind them with a solid click. Eve grins.
"So," she croons. "Are you here to hang out? I'm sure you already miss feeling like a supermodel. You must be feeling uncomfortable in your own body."
I ignore her childish statement.
"Where is the cult house?"
She laughs softly. "Kaziel is rubbing off on you."
My wolf surges, heat flooding my veins. I cross the room in a few strides and grab her by the back of the neck, slamming her against the wall. My claws dig into her flesh, and she gasps.
"You don't get to play coy," I snarl. "Not today."
She tries to laugh. It comes out wet. I tighten my grip, and blood slides down my wrist.
"Address," I demand.
She spits blood, shaking her head. "You won't—"
I press harder, and she whimpers, choking.
"North of Blackmere," Eve rasps. "Old Saint Ilya's grounds. Past the collapsed chapel. There's a service road no one uses anymore. Follow it until the trees thin out."
I lean in close. "Should've answered first."
I slam her face into the wall, and she slumps to the floor, her neck splitting in half with a disgusting sound, blood seeping onto the floor in steady streams. She looks like a broken puppet.
Kira rushes in, her eyes glowing. Isaiah's hand is already on his weapon.
"What did she say?" Kira demands.
I don't lie. I give them everything.
"We mobilize now," Isaiah says instantly. "I'll assemble a team."
"You can't come with us," Kira tells me, and I grit my teeth.
"There's no time, we both know that! Only I can stabilize him," I say, and Isaiah groans, pinching the bridge of his nose.
He glances at his wristwatch, a worried look on his face. "It's already 6:20PM."
"She's right about stabilizing Kaziel. Let her come with us," Kira points out, and he sighs.
"Kaziel is going to kill me. Come on, let's go. Backup is coming with us. You can't do anything on your own, do you understand?"
I nod, following them down the hallway. My mind darts back to Eve's bleeding neck. Is she dead? I wonder. If she is...good riddance.
I cringe, a lump forming in my throat. Jeez, what am I becoming? A monster?
...
The moment we step onto the grounds, the smell hits. It's the smell of copper and rot and something disgusting. My stomach lurches. Kira swears under her breath. Isaiah's jaw tightens as the backup soldiers fan out, their boots silent on the snow, their weapons drawn.
Then the chanting reaches us. It's loud enough to vibrate in my bones.
My hand rests on my stomach, my palm flattening over my bump on instinct.
'Please,' I think desperately. 'Please be okay.‘
The building looms ahead of us. The stone walls are blackened with age and neglect, the windows glowing faintly red from within. The backup splits, encircling the structure.
"I'm going around the perimeter," I whisper before anyone can stop me.
Kira turns sharply. "Dani—"
"I just need a moment," I say, already moving. "Please."
Isaiah hesitates, then he nods once. "Two minutes. Then we breach."
I don't answer. I'm already moving.
I crouch low as I circle the building, my heart hammering so hard it hurts. The chanting grows louder the closer I get to the back. My breath fogs in the air, my boots digging into the snow. I press myself against the stone wall and inch towards a narrow window pulsing with red light.
I peek inside, and the air flees from my lungs. Kaziel lies shirtless on a metal table, large cuffs digging into his wrists and ankles. His skin is slick with sweat and blood. His head rolls weakly from side to side, a muffled moan slipping from his throat as his body convulses faintly against the restraints.
My knees almost give out.
"Oh God," I breathe, my hand clamping over my mouth to keep myself from screaming.
I don't bother signaling others.
I pull back, my fingers trembling as I scoop up a stone from the snow. I hurl it hard towards the far end of the building.
Glass shatters loudly.
The chanting stops for a moment. Voices rise in alarm.
I move quickly, smashing the glass with my elbow, ignoring the sting as it slices my skin. My breath comes out ragged as I haul myself up, my heart pounding so loud I'm sure they can hear it.
I climb through the shattered window, landing on my feet inside. I'm at his side in seconds.
"Kaz," I whisper urgently, grabbing his face. His skin is burning hot, and his lashes flutter as his head lolls. "Kaziel, look at me. Please."
He lets out a weak gasp as if he can’t catch his breath.
My hands settle on the restraints without thinking. The moment my fingers close around the metal, agony crackles up my arms.
"Shit!” I gasp.
I stare at my hands in horror, angry red marks already blistering across my skin.
"No—no—no—" I choke, panic choking me. "I can't—"
"Of course you can't." Kira's voice snaps through the room.
Before I can turn, she's suddenly by my side in lightning speed. She smacks me lightly upside the head.
"Ow!" I yelp.
"That," she hisses, already bending over Kaziel, "was for being reckless."
Relief crashes into me. "You followed me."
"Obviously," she mutters. "I'm not letting you play hero alone."
The chanting grows louder somewhere above us.
"Kira," I whisper frantically. "The restraints—"
"I see them."
She thrusts her hands forward, her tails popping out.
"Stand back."
The energy slams into the restraints with a shrill screech. The metal glow purple and shatters into fragments that scatter across the floor.
Kaziel gasps as his arms fall free.
"Kaz!" I grab him instantly, supporting his shoulders as his body slumps. "Hey—hey—stay with me."
His head lolls forward, his eyes unfocused.
Kira presses two fingers to his temple. "He's slipping. The Hollow's right there."
"I know," I say hoarsely, pulling his face towards mine. "Kaziel. It's me. Dani. Look at me."
His gaze finds mine, a weak sound slipping from his lips. "Dove...?"
"I'm here," I sob, gripping him tighter.
His hand twitches, his fingers weakly holding on to my sleeve.
"Focus on her," Kira urges, bracing his other side. "Kaziel, listen to my voice. Anchor yourself to her.”
I press my forehead to his.
"Stay with me," I whisper fiercely. "You promised."
His eyes squeeze shut as he groans. Then he inhales deeply.
"There," Kira encourages. "That's it. Hold onto that."
The chanting turns into shouting.
“We have to leave now,” I utter urgently, and Kaziel shakes his head.
“He’ll hunt me again,” he pants. “I know it. I’m not leaving this place without beheading him.”
I exchange a bewildered glance at Kira, and suddenly, the sound of several approaching footsteps reaches my ear. They’re coming. Shit.