The Escape

The hidden door had barely closed behind them when something slammed against it from the other side.

The impact shook the stone beneath Rei's feet.

Dominic grabbed her hand.

"Run."

They raced down the narrow staircase as another blow struck the door above them. Dust rained from the ceiling, and the sound of cracking stone followed them into the darkness.

Rei nearly slipped on the uneven steps.

Dominic caught her before she fell.

"Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine."

"Keep moving."

The staircase twisted sharply beneath the academy. There were no lights, no signs, and no indication of where they were going. Dominic used the flashlight on his phone, but the beam barely illuminated the steps ahead.

Behind them, the hidden door finally gave way.

Men shouted.

"Find them!"

"Check the tunnel!"

"They're underneath the facility!"

Rei's heart pounded.

"They're coming."

"I know."

Dominic pulled her faster.

They reached the bottom of the stairs and entered a narrow stone corridor.

Rei glanced over her shoulder.

Three flashlights appeared at the top of the staircase.

"They see us!"

Dominic grabbed her hand and sprinted.

The corridor suddenly dropped several feet.

He jumped.

Rei didn't have time to stop.

She jumped after him.

They landed hard.

Pain shot through her ankle.

She stumbled.

Dominic caught her around the waist.

"Can you walk?"

"Yes."

"Don't lie."

"I can walk."

He released her carefully.

They ran again.

The tunnel narrowed until their shoulders nearly brushed both walls. Rei could hear their pursuers gaining on them.

Then the floor beneath her cracked.

She screamed as one leg dropped through a rotten section of wood.

Dominic caught her before she disappeared completely.

"Hold on!"

Her fingers clawed at the edge.

"I can't!"

"Yes, you can."

He dropped to his knees and grabbed both her arms.

The broken floor continued collapsing beneath her.

"Dominic!"

"I'm not letting you fall."

The words were strained as he pulled her upward.

Another piece of flooring broke away.

Dominic nearly lost his grip.

Rei looked down.

A deep shaft disappeared beneath her.

There was no visible bottom.

"Don't look down," Dominic ordered.

"That's easy for you to say!"

He pulled again.

This time, Rei managed to get one knee onto solid ground.

Dominic dragged her completely free.

They lay on the floor for several seconds, both breathing hard.

Then the sound of footsteps reached them.

Dominic immediately stood.

"We have to keep going."

Rei pushed herself up.

"My ankle hurts."

"I'll carry you."

"No."

"Rei—"

"I can walk."

He looked at her for a moment before nodding.

"Stay beside me."

They continued.

The tunnel finally opened into a large underground chamber.

Rei stopped.

The walls were covered in photographs.

Hundreds of them.

Some were decades old.

Others were recent.

Then she saw herself.

Her photograph had been taken outside her dormitory.

Another showed her working in the hockey equipment room.

Another showed her sitting in class.

Another showed her walking across campus.

The dates were from months before she'd ever arrived at Blackthorn.

"They were watching me before I came here."

Dominic moved beside her.

His expression hardened.

"Keep moving."

Rei turned toward him.

"What?"

"We don't have time."

A gunshot echoed through the tunnel.

Rei jumped.

Dominic grabbed her and pulled her behind a concrete support.

Another shot struck the wall.

"They have weapons?"

"Apparently."

"We can't stay here."

"I know."

He looked around the chamber.

There was a metal door on the opposite side.

"That's our exit."

They ran.

Another shot rang out.

The bullet struck the floor near Rei's foot.

She stumbled.

Dominic shoved her behind him.

"Get down!"

Three armed men entered the chamber.

Dominic shifted.

The transformation was violent and immediate.

His body expanded as fur covered his skin, his eyes flashed silver, and a deep growl echoed through the chamber.

The first man fired.

The bullet missed.

Dominic lunged.

He hit the man hard enough to send him crashing against the wall.

The second man raised his weapon.

Rei grabbed a metal pipe from the floor and swung it.

The weapon struck his wrist.

He dropped the gun.

Rei kicked it away.

"Move!"

Dominic fought the third attacker.

The man pulled a silver blade.

Dominic's eyes widened.

"Rei, get back!"

The attacker lunged.

Dominic dodged, but the blade sliced across his side.

Blood immediately darkened his shirt.

Rei screamed.

"Dominic!"

He staggered.

The attacker raised the blade again.

Rei grabbed the fallen weapon from the floor and pointed it at him.

"Back away!"

The man laughed.

"You don't know how to use that."

"Maybe not."

Rei's hands shook.

"But I'm willing to learn."

The man hesitated.

Dominic used the distraction.

He slammed into him.

The blade flew across the room.

Dominic pinned the man against the floor.

"Who sent you?"

The man smiled.

"You'll find out soon enough."

He bit down.

Dominic immediately recognized the movement.

"No!"

The man collapsed.

Rei stared.

"Another poison capsule?"

Dominic nodded.

"These people don't intend to be captured."

A siren began sounding somewhere above them.

Rei looked toward the ceiling.

"What now?"

Dominic looked at the metal door.

"We get out."

He grabbed the handle.

Locked.

He stepped back.

"Stand aside."

Rei moved away.

Dominic slammed his shoulder against the door.

Nothing.

He tried again.

The hinges groaned.

On the third attempt, the door burst open.

Cold air rushed into the chamber.

Rei followed him through.

They emerged onto a narrow cliffside path behind the academy.

The ground was slick from recent rain.

The path dropped steeply toward the forest.

Rei looked behind them.

The attackers were already emerging from the tunnel.

"Dominic!"

"I see them."

He grabbed her hand.

"Run."

They raced down the path.

Rei's injured ankle screamed with every step.

The forest below was dense and dark.

Branches whipped across her face.

Dominic stayed beside her, slowing enough to keep her from falling.

Behind them, the men followed.

A shot cracked through the trees.

Rei ducked.

"Keep your head down."

They reached the edge of a ravine.

There was nowhere else to go.

Rei stared across the gap.

The old bridge that once crossed it had collapsed.

"That's not good."

Dominic looked at the ravine.

Then at the men approaching through the trees.

"We jump."

Rei stared at him.

"You're insane."

"We don't have a choice."

The ravine wasn't enormous, but it was far enough that one mistake could kill them.

"I can't."

"You can."

"My ankle—"

"I'll help you."

The attackers were getting closer.

Dominic grabbed her hand.

"Trust me."

Rei stared into his eyes.

For years, she had refused to trust anyone.

Now she had seconds to decide.

She squeezed his hand.

"Okay."

They ran.

At the edge, Dominic jumped first.

Rei followed.

For one terrifying second, there was nothing beneath her.

Then Dominic caught her wrist.

They landed on the opposite side hard.

Rei cried out as her injured ankle twisted beneath her.

Dominic rolled to protect her from the impact.

They landed in the mud.

For several seconds, neither moved.

Then Rei opened her eyes.

Dominic was above her.

His face was inches from hers.

"You okay?"

She nodded.

"You?"

"Ask me after we survive."

A bullet struck the ground beside them.

They both scrambled up.

Dominic pulled Rei into the trees.

They ran until the sounds of their pursuers disappeared.

Finally, they reached an abandoned maintenance building.

Dominic forced open the door.

They stumbled inside.

Rei leaned against the wall.

Her entire body was shaking.

Dominic shut the door and barricaded it with a metal chair.

Then he turned toward her.

Blood covered his side.

"You're hurt."

"So are you."

"I'm talking about you."

"I'm talking about you."

He stared at her.

Despite everything, she smiled faintly.

"You're impossible."

"So are you."

She tried to laugh, but pain shot through her ankle.

Dominic immediately noticed.

"Sit."

"I can—"

"Rei."

Something in his voice made her stop arguing.

She sat on an overturned crate.

Dominic crouched in front of her and carefully examined her ankle.

"It's swollen."

"Wonderful."

"You probably sprained it."

"Can you fix it?"

"I can stabilize it."

He tore a strip from his shirt and wrapped it around her ankle.

His hands were surprisingly gentle.

Rei watched him silently.

"Why are you doing this?"

He looked up.

"Because you're hurt."

"No. I mean all of this."

His eyes met hers.

"Because someone is hunting you."

"That's not what I mean."

He understood.

"You want to know why I care."

Rei nodded.

Dominic sat back.

"I don't know."

She frowned.

"That's not an answer."

"It's the truth."

He looked toward the barricaded door.

"When I first met you, I thought you were arrogant."

"I thought you were unbearable."

"I know."

"You were."

"So were you."

She smiled despite herself.

Then his expression became serious.

"But something changed."

"What?"

"I saw how you reacted when people cornered you."

Rei's smile disappeared.

"You noticed."

"I noticed everything."

She looked away.

"I don't like people touching me."

"I know."

"I don't like being trapped."

"I know."

"I don't like people making decisions for me."

"I know."

He paused.

"And I don't want to become another person you have to fear."

Rei looked at him.

Her chest tightened.

Before she could answer, her phone suddenly vibrated.

She looked down.

One new message.

From an unknown number.

YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED AT BLACKTHORN.

Another message appeared.

YOUR MOTHER IS RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

Rei's hands began shaking.

A final message arrived.

COME TO THE FARMHOUSE ALONE.

Dominic read the screen over her shoulder.

"No."

Rei looked at him.

"My mother is there."

"It could be a trap."

"I know."

"We can't go alone."

Rei nodded.

"Then we don't."

Dominic stared at her.

For the first time since this nightmare began, Rei wasn't running away.

She was choosing where to go next.

She stood carefully.

"We're going to the farmhouse."

Dominic rose beside her.

"Together."

Rei looked toward the dark forest beyond the broken window.

Somewhere out there, someone was waiting for them.

But this time, they were going willingly.

And neither of them understood that the farmhouse wasn't merely where Rei's mother was hiding.

It was where the truth about Elara Anderson had begun.

And where the first secret of the Vale family had been buried.