He kept his eyes on those around us. “Go, Blair! No one is going to help us unless you get them! Go get help!”
I tried to hand him the knife back, but he wouldn’t take it.
He shook his head as the Sons got closer. “Go!” he screamed as he pulled another knife from his pocket.
My stepfather shot at us again.
“Go!” Enzo yelled. “I can fight these bastards off for a minute, but I need you to get help!”
I knew I had to go.
To leave him.
My heart nearly shattered when I slid through the opening in the door. My bare feet pounded against the concrete, my heavy steps echoing through the tunnel walls, and I prayed I was running in the right direction.
Footsteps thumped behind me, but I didn’t look back. I couldn’t waste my energy or slow down my pace.
I needed to find Brooks or Emeri.
Needed to find a Son I could trust.
But right now, I wasn’t sure who was on that list.
Somehow, as if God knew I wasn’t evil and was on my side, I pushed open a door at the end of a corridor that led exactly where I needed it to.
Fresh air hit my face, and I took in my surroundings. Trees closed in around me, but through the fog, I saw the university standing tall.
I took off running, branches and roots cutting at my feet. My lungs ached as I weaved between trees. A voice shouted behind me, but I did my best to tune it out as I picked up speed.
I was close—so fucking close—when my foot caught on a root, and I crashed into the ground. Before I could pull myself up, something hard slammed into the back of my head.
A shot of pain exploded through my skull and spread across my shoulders. I rolled onto my side, staring up at my mother holding a heavy branch.
She drew her arm back, ready to strike me again, but when she moved, I kicked out my leg. The branch fell from her hand, rolling away as she lost her balance and fell to the ground.
I jumped to my feet at the same time she did.
We both went for the branch, but she was faster and snatched it up.
“Hush, little baby,” she taunted with that manic smirk, swinging the branch at me.
I needed to keep her away from me, but didn’t have time to fight her and dispose of a damn branch so she couldn’t grab it again.
When she swung again, I ducked and plunged the knife into her thigh. Her ugly smirk collapsed, morphing into a loud cry like an attacked animal, and she fell to the ground.
She crouched forward, staring at the knife in her thigh, and then back at me. I’d made sure to go deep enough to hit bone for a reason. She needed to stay put.
I shrugged, not about to waste any precious seconds helping her pull it out or explaining why I wouldn’t do that anyway.
“Blair,” she said as I took off running again.
I paused for a second to look at her over my shoulder.
That evil grin was back on her face as she made sure to fully articulate her words. “I wish you’d died during childbirth.”
Disgust clenched inside me as I fastened my stare on her, mirroring her smirk. “And I wish I’d killed you during childbirth.”
Her eyes widened, her mouth opening to spout more words, but I didn’t waste my time hearing her response.
