Chapter 3

Buried Alive

Ladina

"Unlock the door," I said.

My voice was shaking, but I forced the words out. I stared at Gabriel’s pocket. He had just hidden the big iron key inside it.

Gabriel leaned back against the wooden door. He crossed his arms. A mean, slow smile grew on his face.

"Or what?" Gabriel asked. "You'll call your mommy? She's on a private jet right now, spending my father's money. She isn't coming back for you."

"Gabriel," Oliver warned softly from right behind me.

I was still trapped perfectly between them. Oliver’s broad chest was just inches from my back. I could feel his body heat. If I took one step backward, I would bump right into him.

"Turn the lights on, Gabe," Oliver said. He didn't sound mad. He just sounded bored. "I’m tired."

Gabriel rolled his eyes. He reached out and flipped a switch on the wall.

Bright lights flooded the hallway. I had to squint. When my eyes adjusted, my jaw dropped.

The cabin was huge. It wasn't really a cabin at all. It was a giant, open mansion.

"Take your coat off, little sister," Gabriel said. He pushed past me, bumping my shoulder hard. "You live here now."

He walked into the living room, threw his coat on a leather couch, and went straight to the liquor cabinet.

I stood frozen in the hallway, hugging my stomach tightly.

"He's right," Oliver said.

I jumped. I forgot how close he was. Oliver stepped around me and walked into the light. He took off his thick winter jacket and threw it on a chair. He wore a dark sweater that showed off his wide shoulders.

Oliver turned and looked at me. His golden eyes moved down my body, stopping on my hands. I was gripping my coat so tightly my knuckles were white.

"You look like you're going to pass out, Dina," Oliver murmured. He watched me without blinking. "The bedrooms are upstairs. Take the first door on the right. It’s next to mine. You'll be warm there."

It sounded like a choice, but it felt like an order.

"No," I said quickly. My voice cracked.

Gabriel stopped drinking. He slowly turned his head to look at me. His icy grey eyes narrowed.

Oliver just raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"I don't want the room next to yours," I said. I forced myself to stand up straighter. I couldn't let them see me break. "I want to be as far away from you two as possible."

Gabriel let out a loud, dark laugh. "She has teeth. I like it. Let her sleep in the guest room at the end of the hall, Ollie. Let's see how much she likes the cold."

Oliver didn't laugh. He just stared at me for a few more seconds. 

"Fine," Oliver finally whispered. "End of the hall. But remember, Dina. You chose it."

I didn't wait for him to change his mind. I grabbed my bag and practically ran up the wooden stairs.

I hurried down the long hallway. The walls up here were glass, too. Every time lightning flashed outside, the whole hallway lit up in bright, terrifying white.

I found the last door at the very end. I rushed inside and slammed it shut. My hands shook so badly I could barely turn the lock. When it finally clicked, I let out a loud cry.

I slid down the door and sat on the floor, hiding my face in my knees.

I was trapped. My mother really left me here. Gabriel wanted to break me, and Oliver wanted to take me apart. I didn't know which one scared me more.

I sat on the floor for a long time. The house was dead quiet.

Then, the wind started.

It started low but quickly grew into a massive, deafening roar.

I stood up and walked to the big window in my bedroom. The storm outside was violent. The snow wasn't just falling down; it was blowing sideways. The tall pine trees were bending in the crazy wind.

I pressed my hands against the freezing glass and looked down at the front yard.

My heart completely stopped.

The road was gone. Just an hour ago, the helicopter landed on plain dirt. Now, there was nothing but a huge wall of white snow. It was piling up so fast. It was already burying the bottom windows.

The temperature in my room suddenly dropped. The air felt like icy needles on my skin. I shivered violently. Gabriel was right. This room was freezing. It was too far away from the heater.

I couldn't stay here. If I fell asleep, I might freeze to death.

Taking a deep breath, I unlocked my door and slowly crept back downstairs.

The living room was quiet. Gabriel was sitting on the couch with a drink, staring at the empty fireplace. Oliver was standing by the glass windows, watching the blinding snow.

"It’s getting worse," Oliver said quietly. He didn't turn around, but he knew I was there. "The road is completely blocked. A snowplow won't be able to get up here for days. Maybe weeks."

"Good," Gabriel grunted. "No visitors."

I walked slowly into the room, rubbing my freezing arms. "It's so cold," I whispered. "Can we turn the heat up?"

Gabriel looked at me. His eyes roamed over my shivering body. "Come sit on my lap, little sister. I'll warm you right up."

My cheeks burned. "I'm not sitting near you."

"Your loss," Gabriel smirked.

Suddenly, the bright lights above us flickered.

They buzzed loudly, went totally dark for a second, and then flashed back on.

I froze. "What was that?"

"Just the wind," Gabriel said. He didn't look worried at all. "The power lines get hit all the time. The backup generator will….."

Before he could finish his sentence, a massive crash of thunder shook the whole house.

The lights didn't just flicker this time. They blew out completely.

The loud hum of the heater died instantly.

We were plunged into total, pitch-black darkness. I couldn't even see my own hand. The only sound was the screaming wind rattling the glass walls.

"Gabriel?" I whispered. My voice shook with pure terror.

No answer.

"Oliver?"

Silence.

My heart raced like a trapped bird. I took a step backward in the dark, desperate to find the wall.

Instead of a wall, my back bumped right into a hard, solid chest.

I gasped.

A large, burning hot hand clamped tightly over my mouth, stopping my scream. A thick, strong arm wrapped around my waist. He pulled my back flat against his hard body.

A hot mouth pressed right next to my ear in the dark.

"I told you it was cold down the hall, Ladina," a deep, rough voice whispered.

I couldn't tell which brother it was. And in the freezing dark, I had nowhere left to run.