Escape from Harrizel (44 page)

There’s something there, something lingering
in his eyes, haunting them. It’s the kill. The
killer
staring back at me. Part of me wants to rush up and hold him but
the other part is frozen stiff. Reid’s an animal right now, a
lethal, unmatched predator.

He’s Rox.

I’m too in shock to really do anything
except stand here and allow the tree and Able to hold me up. But
even Able has withdrawn his arm from mine.

Reid glances around the circle, which has
erupted in cheers for him. He motions for Tucker and Jace and then
down to Mantis on the ground. The two Rogues run out and start
dragging the limp body back toward the mutated lot, everyone else
following. Sampson is at Reid’s side, the two in quick, quiet
chatter.

Able links arms with me again, directing us
behind the other Rogues. Still in too much shock to really do
anything, I allow Able to lead me away, trying to wrap my mind
around what just happened. What I just saw.

“Looper,” Reid says once he returns from his
chat with Sampson. “Your shift tonight?”

“Yes, Rox,” he’s a boy in his late teens and
has fragile hazel eyes which blink up to Reid with a slight hint of
awe.

Still full of heavy breaths, he gestures to
another kid across the way. “Aristen, stick with Looper. We’ll
retrieve you tomorrow before we begin. Be ready.”

“Yes, Rox,” they both say.

Reid nods to the other Rogues scattered
through the mutated lot. Most stand at the ready, as if another
order to fight was coming, as if they were ready to take the Castle
back
now
. All pumped with adrenaline from the scene they
just witnessed, they’re eager to join Rox, to bear the bloodied
knuckles and heroic sweat that paces back and forth like a lion
roaming in its den.

Keeping his head low, Reid rubs his hands
together. “You’ve done
excellent
Rogues. Everything asked of
you and more. And this,” he points to the lot of fallen Kings,
glancing around his own Clansmen. “
You
did this. But, the
fight is far from over. It hasn’t even begun. Tonight…” he takes a
few steps. “We can sleep knowing we’ve cleaned the Castle of its
termites. Tomorrow,” and now he stops, his stone body still as he
catches eyes with his Rogues, “we’ll rid it of its Vermix.”

The Rogues erupt in a mighty roar, each
throwing their fists high in the air. ‘Rox’ is cheered over and
over in triumphant praise, wave after wave filling the dark night
with the roar of his name.

Reid stands, hands on his hips, drowned in
cheers and gratitude by his Clan. He’s defeated the Kings and now
he’s on to claim the Castle, to give them back their freedom. Able
was right—Reid is everything to the Rogues. They’d do
anything
for him, anything at all. It doesn’t matter. Reid
is their leader, their fearless general to lead them into
battle.

He’s their Rox—unbreakable.

Reid motions back out of the lot, Tucker and
Sampson instantly joining his side. The three disappear between a
set of fat trunks, already lost in private words. Jace, Chief,
Harrison and Kelly follow behind them quickly, the rest of the
Rogues after that. Pratt keeps to my left while Able pulls me along
on my right, leading us into the stream of Clansmen.

We make our way back to the division, where
the misty field of Banyans meet the jungle and then through Ellae.
Finally, we reach the tunnels and make it to the Castle’s
stairwell, the Rogues departing one by one. Sampson, Pratt and Vix
all break off and eventually, it’s just Reid and I.

Thought after thought erupts in the slow
walk to his room, my chest booming like a drum. The scene plays in
my head, images of Mantis’s twisted head and limp body suffocating
me. I follow Reid to his room in silence, biting my lip while
trying to dispel everything I saw, everything that happened. I’m
not sure what I expected but it wasn’t that. And now,
now
I
know what Reid’s capable of. What he can do if he must.

Finally, we reach the familiar crimson arch.
He steps in and I’m right behind him, my heart ticking heavily,
sounding throughout my body like a countdown.

Reid moves for his mirror. He checks the
side where Mantis got his jab in but there’s no mark to indicate a
hit was even received. Exhaling, he examines the rest of his body
from earlier, in the Courtyard. There’s a tiny gash on his right
shoulder and some pink swelling down on his lower back but nothing
else. Finally, he turns his focus on his bloodied knuckles which he
flexes a few times. In silence he moves for the bowl and places it
atop his bed.

I’m at his side, taking the container from
him. “Let me do it for you.”

“You want to?”

I rub the medicine onto his knuckles in
circular motions and do both hands slowly, making sure each bit of
torn skin is addressed. When I’m done with his hands, I have him
turn around. I rub some of the Vilbrees on the gash on his shoulder
and even some on his lower back, where the pink swelling has turned
a dark red. “There. All done.”

He nods, returning to the mirror to check
himself one more time. After a minute, he props his arm against the
wall, his head dropping. “I didn’t mean for you to see all
that.”

I frown, returning the bowl under his bed.
“Then why have me go?”

“Are you kidding? I couldn’t leave you
behind unguarded. But,” he wipes his hands down his face, “I didn’t
want you to see that. You…” he risks a glance at me, “are you
scared of me now?”

Am I?

“Why would I be scared of you?”

He turns around, leaning against the wall as
he crosses his arms. For a long minute he only stares at me. He’s
trying to figure something out.

“So it doesn’t bother you?”

“What?”

“What I did.”

I shake my head. “You did what you had to
do. You did it for the Rogues.”

“I did it for you,” he stalks toward me, his
body emitting feral power that sets fire to mine. Instinctively I
step back, my heart racing with each step he takes. Slowing, he
places his hands on either side of my face, on the wall behind me,
locking me to it. A lump rolls down his throat.

“Reid…”

His dark eyes dart over me and he leans in,
but stops before our mouths make contact. Hovering just above, he
inhales. “Tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“Tell me what you want.”

“What I want?” my heart races, fire sparking
throughout me. I’m not sure what he’s asking—what he’s doing. But
he refuses to budge, keeping me locked here beneath him, waiting
for an answer I don’t fully understand. “What do you mean what I
want?”

“I’ve made it more than clear what I want.
You
,” he leans in further. “I want you.”

His addicting scent mixed with his
proximity—I’m losing control. I know what I want, what I’ve wanted
for a while, but it seems silly when so much is at stake. What does
he expect me to say? “I…”

“You…”

I’m getting dizzy. With him so close and his
tantalizing breath, I won’t be able to say no. But I don’t want to
say no. It was too fast before but now… now all I want is this. Is
him.

“Fallon?”

“You…” it comes out an aching whisper. “…I
want you.”

His mouth lifts a fraction of an inch before
he slides his hands to my backside and lifts me, wrapping my legs
around his hips. He presses me to the wall and dives in hungrily,
opening my mouth with his and suddenly, everything is unleashed.
Everything I’ve kept in and wanted to hold back—it’s pouring out of
me and onto him. I kiss him furiously,
insatiably
, as he
carries to his bed.

He has me on my back in an instant but I
climb on top, straddling him. Unable to stop my hands, I graze my
fingers down his torso and back up, around his neck, pulling him
closer. He kisses me just as hard and lifts my arms, yanking my top
off. Our skin brushes and I’m on fire, especially as he unclasps my
bra and tosses it to the side. He groans, his hands running up my
front as he rolls me over, flattening me to his bed.

He kisses down to my chest and takes me into
his hand, squeezing. He pulls back long enough to strip my bottoms
from my legs before removing his own. My heart races as he covers
me again, his mouth grazing my neck. He trails his hand up my thigh
and I burn alive as he reaches my apex. I nearly cry out, but he’s
kissing me, groaning against my mouth.

“I’ve wanted this,” he whispers, separating
my legs with his.

Slowly he slides into me, his eyes rolling
to the back of his head as his mouth drops open in silent pleasure.
It sets me boiling, especially as Reid returns focus to me, burning
me with his adoring gaze. Electricity erupts as he starts rocking
his hips against mine, burying himself deep inside. A dark rumble
from the back of his throat and he pins my hands above my head.

“Reid…” I whimper, arching back, giving
myself to him. “
Please
.”

“God I want you,” he growls into my ear as a
needful ache grows. “You’re so beautiful.”

He moves faster and I’m breathless, amazed
at the way this feels, the way
he
feels inside me. I’m
already nearing my peak, on a level of ecstasy I didn’t know
existed.

“
Now
…” I cry, “
please
…”

Threading our fingers together, he locks
himself to me and pounds away. He sends me higher and higher and
just when I think I can’t take it anymore, he drives himself in for
the final blow. I scream his name as he shatters me, ripple after
ripple erupting through my body, which glows in response to
him.

Through a strained voice, he calls for me
too, his body tensing over mine. Suddenly he pulls out, shuddering
himself, my thigh instantly wet. Panting, Reid falls on top of
me—his body, one massive heap crushing mine. Still coming back
down, I lick my lips, trying to slow my thundering heart.

“Is that…” I catch my breath, “…that what
you wanted?”

“Yeah,” he gulps, his chest still heaving.
“You… I wanted you.”

“Good.”

Another minute passes. Running my fingers
through his hair, I feel his heartbeat press into me. Who knows
what tomorrow will bring or even a year from now—if we’re still
alive to see it—but in this moment, I’m happy. And suddenly, an
overwhelming urge to express my feelings grows.

“Ansley was an idiot,” I whisper, stroking
his scalp.

He’s silent, his chest expanding into mine.
Another long minute passes before he mutters into my skin, “…Said
she was confused.
She
was confused,” he laughs, “yeah, cause
I
was expecting it.”

“How’d you find out?”

“Pratt.”

“Pratt?”

He nods but doesn’t elaborate.

I brush his hair back, whispering into his
brow. “
I’m
not confused.”

Finally, he looks up, resting his chin on my
chest. He picks up a curl and starts playing with it, a dopey grin
crossing his face. He loops the curl around his finger, mesmerized
until it uncoils and drifts down the rest of his hand. When it
falls off his pinky, he frowns momentarily, selects another curl
and starts again.

“You know I’ll keep you safe right?” his
eyes fly to mine with a sense of protectiveness I’ve never seen.
“Tomorrow.”

“I know.”

“I will
never
let anything hurt you,”
his eyes shift between mine as a lump rolls down his throat.
“Never.”

Sinking his head to my shoulder, Reid
nestles into my shoulder and eventually, after a few quiet minutes,
he falls asleep. I stay awake for a while longer, staring into the
babeebs, afraid to admit what’s been growing inside me all along.
But I need to say it. Just so I can hear it aloud. Once. Even if he
doesn’t know; I can’t keep it inside me any longer.

Brushing my lips against his temple, I
whisper the quiet, terrifying truth, “…I love you, Reid.”

It’s almost time.

The bell to dismiss us from Rebuilding is
about to blare and I’ve been waiting all day to hear it—the last
time we’ll be ever be dismissed. Even with the Kings gone, Reid had
Able escort me for the day. It was like watching the dead walk with
some of the looks I got once I emerged outside.
Fallon’s still
alive?
She hasn’t been seen for days!
Hour after hour
and the stares didn’t stop. I wouldn’t mind so much if I didn’t
already feel exposed knowing what we’re planning for tonight.
Everyone thinks this is just another day at Rebuilding and that
they’ll be coming back tomorrow. Assuming everything goes
smoothly—and we all don’t die terribly, of course—they won’t.

Maybe I should’ve pushed Reid for more
information on what we’re doing. All he said was
stay
nearby.
How do I prepare with that?

Ssccreeacch!!

This is it.

Able motions me out of the trench and keeps
behind me, casual like normal. He’s hasn’t flinched all day.
Actually, besides acknowledging me in his escort, he hasn’t talked
all day. It’s like he wants to stay as quiet and under the radar as
possible. Which I guess makes sense.

Climbing out of the trench, I follow the
crowds across the pen, funneling into the open portcullis. Able has
my right arm hooked in his but Reid is suddenly at my left hip, a
determined stride leading us through the Courtyard and toward the
closest stairwell. Glancing over my shoulder, I see the rest of the
Rogue Commanders along with the Carpenters falling in behind us and
scattered throughout the ever-thinning crowd. Tetlak stands in the
middle like usual, gesturing his three-daggered staff in the air,
demanding that we move quicker.

Reid slips his hand in mine, leading us up
to Sampson’s room on the fifth floor. There are eleven of us in
here: Reid, Tucker, Able, Chief, Jace, Kelly, Harrison, Rooney,
Drenz, Sampson and me. It’s an insanely tight squeeze and just when
I’m about to ask about the others, Sampson beats me to it.