I hit the button, and it lets me talk, transcribing my words. I don’t know if it replies with the correct things I say or not, but I try.
Aura: I’ve felt this way for days. Please find him.
They don’t respond, and I nearly call them but change my mind at the last minute. I think of the people we saw the night of my welcome-home party. There were so many faces, any of them could’ve seen Hunter, yet no one has come forward with information. My father said he went over Aunt Diana’s evening in detail, however, her name keeps nagging me in the back of my head. Is it because of her icy welcome she’s shown me, or could it be something else entirely? She’s family, I shouldn’t think of her this way, but I do.
What would it hurt if I asked her again? Maybe she’ll remember something new. One thing’s for certain, I can’t see the evil queen looking a total mess. She wasn’t fond of my jeans and leather the other day, so that’s exactly what I’ll be wearing. I need any advantage to throw her off-kilter a bit, and if I can achieve as much with an outfit, I’m definitely going to try my luck. Something tells me Diana is a worthy adversary, and I need to find out what makes her tick.
I hop in the shower, grateful for some semblance of a plan, no matter how small it may be.
HUNTER
A noise rouses me from the uncomfortable nap I was taking. Not by choice or anything but after being kicked in the fucking head, I’ve been dozing off randomly. I have a concussion, I can tell by the way certain things become blurry, and I feel nauseous from time to time. There’s also my memory turning foggy occasionally and the falling asleep. Fuck, I hate this shit. I make a terrible captive. I won’t plead or cave, so I basically just lay here and rot.
Diana’s henchman took me for two bathroom breaks since I’ve been here and none today I’m aware of. I’m pretty sure I’m all out of fluids, and it will only further help to fuck me up. I need to be alert and strong, so the first shot of freedom I have, I can take it. Knowing what she said about me becoming dehydrated is starting to come true only serves to piss me off even more. With the anger comes a rush of clarity. There’s something going on—yelling or arguing. I don’t know if the voices belong to Diana and her goon, but I suppose they do. Good, I hope they rip each other’s fucking eyeballs out and slowly bleed to death.
This situation damn sure didn’t go how I anticipated. I’ve been beaten up fairly badly in the past by random criminals, so this shouldn’t faze me, yet it does. Not due to my failure to escape, but because Aura’s safety and well-being are on the line. I despise feeling helpless and fucking worthless. With a painful scowl, I try to glance around the room. It’s not an easy feat since the past few times I’ve attempted as much, I’ve nearly puked my guts up. My hands fist, my fingers biting into my flesh to keep my vision clear.
“You haven’t seen him? You’re a hundred percent sure?” I hear in the background. “Why do I find your lack of information hard to believe?” The voice is familiar, yet it doesn’t hit me yet.
I try to speak, but nothing leaves my lips. Shaking my head, I try again, “Hello?” My head rings with the words, and so help me, I wish I could grip it and rest it in my palms, but there’s no way for it to happen since my hands are tied up. I try to wiggle my body, but it’s too sore and stiff to do much of anything.
“I heard something.”
More arguing. I feel like my mind’s going to blow apart. I must only be catching bits and pieces of their conversation.
“No! You’ll let me through right now because I said so. Move.”
I blink, and then Aura’s storming into the room. My eyes widen, shocked to see her, but also not sure if she’s real. “Hunter!” she screams when she notices me. Diana comes up behind her, and I remember why I want Aura anywhere but here.
“Behind you,” I manage to groan and watch Aura spin around. She’s just in time to dodge Diana’s swing with a big black vase. I’d put money the monstrosity is made of thick glass and would knock my woman out.
“My knife’s on her desk.” I attempt to concentrate on what needs to be done, rather than lead by my emotions. We have a minuscule window before Diana comes up with a way to hurt Aura or call for backup, and I need to be free before then.
Aura tosses a desk chair and manages to clip Diana’s side with it.
“Bitch!” Diana growls. “This time I’ll make sure you’re dead!” she threatens.
Aura pays her no mind, grabbing my long knife. She quickly unsnaps the handle and pulls it free from the case. “Stay away from me,” she demands, holding the blade securely. She points it toward her aunt, looking ready to jab if necessary. My woman is fierce, not looking the slightest bit intimidated to be facing off with her abductor.
“I told you it was only a matter of time.” I mock in Diana’s direction, distracting her. The moment she turns her head my way to yell at me, Aura shoots off in my direction. She doesn’t stop until she’s behind me with the blade.
“Stay back, I swear to God, I’ll stab you with this thing,” Aura warns, sounding beyond pissed off. She’s ready to fly off the handle like a rabid dog to protect me, and I’m so damn proud.
“You’ll do no such thing, you’re harmless. Besides, I have just what I need to put you to sleep for good.”
“Place the blade in my hands, my love, and prepare to defend yourself,” I coax, hoping like hell Aura remembers the few moves I taught her during her stay with me. I need her to go full-on girl fight with her aunt while I work to get myself free.
She does as I ask, leaning down to place the blade in my hands. They’re numb, so I use every bit of concentration and strength to hold it. I could drop it, and I’d probably never feel it, but thankfully, it doesn’t happen. Aura leaps over my body, getting in the defensive position I taught her. While they yell back and forth, threatening each other, I work at sawing the rope around my body. My blade is sharp as fuck, so the line across my back snaps fairly quickly. I’m able to sit up on my knees and point the knife down to cut the rope securing my feet.
A loud crash echoes, snapping my attention back to the women. Aura’s throwing anything she can find at her aunt while Diana scrambles to touch Aura with the plant she brought down here, swearing it will kill Aura. It’s all the extra motivation I need, quickly rolling my legs in front of me and using my feet to hold my knife still enough to saw my hands free.
The rope snaps just as Diana’s accomplice rushes into the room. I snatch my truth seeker up and run for him. He was never expecting me to be free and come at him. He also didn’t realize I had my favorite weapon in hand. He roars as his fingers reach for my throat, and my blade sinks deep into his belly. He gapes, stunned to his core. His mouth moves, opening and closing several times before I twist the handle and drive it to his side. It’s long and sharp enough that it’ll pierce his kidneys, and he’ll painfully bleed out. He deserves it, they both do after everything they’ve done. Speaking of, I twist around, allowing his dead weight to drop.
Diana lunges for Aura again, this time tossing the plant at my woman. The leaves gaze her flesh, and I see red. Charging for Diana, I waste no time with a hefty slice to her throat. Blood splatters everywhere, and in a fit of rage, I stab her straight through the heart. “Fuck you dead, bitch. I told you to stay away from my woman.”