Aoi nodded. “I expect nothing less from the next leader of the nyxians.”
“Yeah, singing my praises still won’t save you. Let’s go.”
“Right,” Aoi said. “Stay close to me. The ones who are waiting for us will be on the other side of the hill.”
Hill? Where the fuck are we? And who are the other ones?
Jordan had so many questions, but he knew that he would have to ask them later. They walked to the door and Aoi cracked it opened and looked up and down the hall before walking out, Jordan was right behind him following close. There was no one standing guard and Jordan thought that it was strange. The hunters and his grandfather must have been certain that he was not going to get away and didn’t post any guards. They crept down the hall with Aoi leading the way. They walked a bit further and with every corner they turned, Jordan expected someone to be there to stop them from leaving.
“We’re almost there,” Aoi whispered. They stopped and froze when they heard footsteps coming their way as an alarm sounded. Red lights started flashing, Aoi cursed. “They realized you’re gone. Can you shift?”
Jordan looked down the hall and realized that there was nowhere for them to hide. “Um…” Jordan went to answer but stopped when he saw the worried look on Aoi’s face.
“Please, tell me you can shift or use your powers?”
“Then I won’t,” Jordan told him. “What about you? Can’t you shift, phase, or use your powers?”
“No, those are powers only given to those in the royal line. There are some things we low born can do, but nothing to the magnitude you royals can do. Fuck, we are in trouble. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Hey, asshole, you didn’t ask, and I still don’t know if I can trust you yet,” Jordan snapped at him. “Look, they’re getting close so let’s try and find a way to get the hell out of here.”
Aoi didn’t respond, he simply grabbed Jordan by the arm and they started running, but they didn’t get far enough.
“Aoi Nakasima, stop!” Jordan heard. “You’re a fucking traitor just like your brother!” the voice screamed. Aoi stopped running and put Jordan behind him. “How could you do this, Aoi?” Jordan couldn’t see who was talking.
“You know this is wrong, Isao. He is trying to kill the prince and his mate. And what about all the things he’s done up until now. Can you honestly tell me you are fine with all that’s going on?”
“He is your king!” Isao yelled. “It is not for you or me to question him.”
“That man stopped being my king the night he killed his daughter’s mate!” Aoi roared. “How can you stand by and watch another repeat of history by an insane king?”
“That’s because he’s our king! I pledged my loyalty to him.”
“And he is our prince. I cannot stand by and watch as another war starts because of his hate. Join me, Isao, join us. Let’s get the prince to safety and fight against King Bergstrand.”
“I will never betray my king, Aoi,” Isao told him.
“Then you are a fool,” Aoi said to him. “I pity you, and the rest who still consider that man their king.”
“I do not want your damn pity!”
Jordan tried to peek around Aoi, hoping to see the other man but was stopped. “When I charge at him, I want you to run and get away. The others will be waiting for you. I need you to survive, tell my brother I forgive him.”
“What about you? Who’s your brother?” Jordan asked him.
“Don’t worry about me, just go!” Aoi yelled as he pushed Jordan towards the direction they were running before and charged after Isao.
He was about to start running, but Jordan took a quick look back to see what was going on. He wasn’t sure if he should leave or stay. Aoi was helping him and any minute he was going to die trying to help him. He couldn’t have Aoi’s blood on his hands. For all his talk of killing, Jordan was sure he couldn’t hurt a fly. People say and do stupid things apparently when they are in danger. The two men were rolling around on the floor, Aoi currently had the upper hand.
Jordan was about to run but that nagging feeling that made him stick around told him to help Aoi. The other two men that came with Isao tried to get into the scuffle but were thrown to the side by both Aoi and Isao. He needed to think of something quick or neither he nor Aoi would get out of there alive. He looked for something that he could use to incapacitate Isao, spotting the fire extinguisher down the other hall.
He ran and grabbed it off the wall. Turning back, he went back the way he came and stopped when he saw another person coming his way. He couldn’t tell if the man was a hunter or one of his kind, but he had no personal attachment to either. Besides, the man was coming after him to kill him. He swung the weapon in his hand, knocking the person out. Another man was coming after him and he did the same, but that time the guy was ready for him and kicked the extinguisher out of his hands. Jordan was thrown off balance and he couldn’t recover in time to stop the blow that was coming towards his face, sending him back and causing him to trip over the first guy he knocked out.
Jordan was starting to get sick and tired of people hitting him in his face. The guy he was fighting with went to jump on him to hit him again and that time Jordan threw his hand up to block his face. His hands felt hot for a second before he heard a loud wrenching scream. Moving his hands from his face, Jordan’s eyes widened in shock as the man he was fighting with was burning and tumbling down the hall.
“Holy shit!” He looked at his hands and then at the man who was burnt to a crisp.How the fuck did that happen?
“Don’t just fucking sit there!” yelled Aoi as he ran towards Jordan and grabbed his arm, pulling him up. His clothes were torn and his face bloody, but he was alive and that was all that mattered. “There’s more coming!”
