Page 43 of Fated to Her

His chest is ridiculously warm, but I snuggle back against him, hoping the warmth will lull me to sleep along with his scent. His hand rubbing my non-existent stomach seems to work, and I’m just about to doze off when alarms go off loudly, startling me awake.

Eli and Cyrus jerk upright instantly while I sluggishly climb out of bed. Rushing into the living room, Cyrus glares at the fire alarm. He jumps and hits it with his hand, smashing it from the roof; the noise stops instantly, but I can hear more alarms sounding off on the floor below. Opening the curtains, I can just make out people running into the street below.

Eli sniffs the air before he stalks over to the elevator. He presses the button, and the door opens, spewing smoke into the apartment.

“Shit!” Eli says before going to the fire exit.

He pushes on the steel door, but it doesn’t budge. Cyrus goes over and kicks it, the door bending and creasing in the center, but it doesn’t open. The entire place fills with smoke. I cough, choking on it as it spews in through the ducted air conditioning. My eyes burn and my lungs are searing in pain with each breath.

“The roof,” Cyrus says before running into the bedroom.

Eli rushes over to me, rubbing my back while I choke just as Cyrus trudges out with my dressing gown. I slide my arms into it, and he ties it in place before ripping me against him.

“Wrap your arms and legs around me, love. We are jumping,” Cyrus says.

I look at him. “Fuck no. I would rather die from the smoke.”

I hate heights. Cyrus ignores me even as I try to get out of his arms. He stalks off toward the back of the apartment to the stairs leading to the roof. He opens the door, rushing up the steps to open the door to the roof. Eli walks ahead, peering over the side, and I almost throw up at the thought of jumping off twenty floors.

“No, we can just wait here. Help will come,” I tell Cyrus.

“The floor below ours is on fire,” Eli says, staring over the side before he walks to the other.

“What about you? Can you get down, or do you need me to come back?” Cyrus asks, and I look at Eli.

“I’ll find a way down. I don’t think this was an accident. We can’t leave her by herself. Sam could be anywhere down there,” Eli says, going to the other side.

“Are you sure you can get down?” Cyrus asks him.

“I’ll find a way. Just get her to my sister’s,” Eli says, coming over to us.

“Wait, Eli isn’t jumping?” I ask, confused.

“No, I can jump from this height and be fine. Eli jumps, it could hurt him. Wolves aren’t made for extreme heights. Their bones break easily for the shift. A fall from this height will injure him badly.”

Eli comes over, kissing me on the forehead just as something below us explodes, the roof shaking, and the sound of windows exploding below us.

“I’ll see you soon,” Eli says, and Cyrus quickly kisses him then makes his way to the edge, climbing on the barrier.

“When I’m about to hit the ground, I’m going to toss you, but don’t worry, I will catch you.”

“What?!” I squeak.

“It’s not like in the movies, Addie. I jump, it’s going to jolt you. I will be fine, but there is no smooth landing, and I don’t want the sudden jolt to jar you. Just close your eyes.”

“Nope, nope, nope. Not happening!” I shriek in panic before he steps off the edge. The cold rush and the sound of the wind whipping past me are deafening, and my stomach drops, plunging somewhere deep inside me, when I suddenly feel Cyrus’s hands grip my arms.

“Sorry, love,” he says before I find myself going up while he continues down and I fall again. I scream, shutting my eyes, waiting for my death, but then I feel arms and skin.

“Told you I would catch you,” Cyrus says. I open my eyes to find him holding me. He places me on my feet, and I throw up as soon as he does.

Cyrus jumps, and I just miss him. Looking at the ground, it’s cracked, and we appear to be in some alleyway.

“Eli?” I ask, and Cyrus peers up. He nudges me with his elbow, pointing to a roof down the street. His silhouette is running across the roof, and he jumps to another then he disappears.

“We need to get you to Emery’s place,” Cyrus says, his arm wrapping around my waist as he wraps my legs around his waist.

I groan when I realize he is going to run; my stomach is not made to handle this sort of movement.