《Bound by Blood 》全部章節：第 61 章 - 第 70 章

ELARA’S POVThe storm cellar was freezing, pitch-black, and smelled like wet limestone, damp earth, and old dust.We sat packed close together on a narrow wooden bench pushed flat against the damp rock wall. Caleb sat sandwiched between me and his sisters, his heavy flannel shoulder pressing firmly against mine while he held Maya and Lily tucked tightly under his arms. The two little girls were completely silent, their small faces buried in Caleb’s sides, not making a single sound. They didn't even dare to breathe too loudly.Above us, through ten feet of solid granite and the heavy oak hatch, came the first sound.Thud.A heavy boot hit the wooden porch of the cabin directly above our heads.I went completely still, my heart hammering against my ribs so hard I was terrified the guards would hear it reverberating through the rock. My good hand instinctively reached out, clutching the coarse fabric of Caleb’s jeans in a death grip. He didn't pull away or flinch. He just adjusted his gr

ELARA’S POVThe fog didn’t just cover the mountain—it swallowed it whole.Within ten minutes of leaving the cabin, the spruce trees had turned into grey, towering phantoms, and the ground beneath my boots was a treacherous blur of slick pine needles and jagged limestone.Every single step was a fight against gravity. Caleb’s old work boots slid around my feet like wooden blocks, and every time I slipped, a violent bolt of pain shot straight up my left arm, radiating through my collarbone and making my vision go white at the edges. I had to bite the inside of my cheek until I tasted copper just to keep from crying out.Caleb walked a few paces ahead, the heavy canvas duffel slung over one shoulder, his rifle held low and ready. He moved through the terrain like he’d been born in it, his eyes constantly scanning the fog, taking routes that kept us beneath the thick canopy where the mud was less deep. Behind him, Maya and Lily walked in absolute, practiced silence, holding onto each othe

CALEB’S POVThe silence following the storm of our argument hung thick in the air, heavy with unspoken questions.I kept my back turned to Elara, staring fixedly down at the steaming metal kettle on the woodstove. My jaw was clamped tight, every muscle in my neck locked up. I could still hear the frantic, rapid rhythm of her breathing behind me—could still feel the phantom heat of her standing just inches away.I’d lost my temper. I’d let the raw, ugly desperation show through the cracks in my armor, and that was a dangerous mistake. Out here, slipping up even a little bit could get us killed."Eat," I said, my voice returning to its normal, low gravel as I poured the boiled water into two tin mugs, dropping a pinch of dried pine tea leaves into each. "You need the calories if you're going to keep your fever down."I picked up the mugs, turned around, and walked back toward the wooden table.Elara hadn't moved. She was still standing in the middle of the room, her hand clutching the e

Dante's POVI threw my tactical bag over my shoulder and turned back toward the heavy exit doors. My hand was on the handle when Congo stepped into the hallway, blocking the doorframe with his broad shoulders.Congo was my right-hand man, my stepbrother in every way that mattered. We had bled together in the trenches for five years. But today, his usual calm demeanor was replaced by a rigid, tense posture."Dante," Congo said, stepping closer and lowering his voice so the men out in the garage couldn't hear. "Before you roll out... what's the entry route? Are you taking the main breach on the north side, or are you swinging around to the old subway tunnels underneath the east wing? I need to know so I can coordinate our secondary extraction team."I stopped, adjusting the strap on my rifle. "We're taking the subway tunnels. The north gate is a decoy to draw their heavy armor""AAGGH! Damn it!"A sharp, high-pitched scream echoed through the hallway, instantly cutting me off.I spun ar

DANTE'S POVThe heavy wooden door rattled at the far end of the corridor.My chest caved in as a small, familiar figure stepped out into the dim hallway. Her dark hair fell around her shoulders, her pale face illuminated by the flashing red emergency lights."Dante!" she gasped, her voice echoing soft and clear over the blare of the sirens."Elara!"I dropped my rifle to its sling, closing the distance between us in three long strides. I threw my arms around her, pulling her tight against my chest, breathing in the scent of her. Relief flooded through my veins so hard my knees almost buckled. I had her. After seven days of absolute hell, she was finally in my arms."I'm here," I whispered into her hair, my hands shaking as I held her. "I've got you, Elara. I'm taking you home."She didn't answer.She didn't wrap her arms around my neck. She didn't cry.I pulled back half an inch to look at her face, but my hands caught on thin air.I blinked hard, the red lights flickering in my eyes.