Page 28 of His to Slash

"S-Sarah," she stammered, her voice barely audible.

"Sarah, you're safe now. We're going to get you out of here, okay?"

As the last of the ropes fell away, Sarah collapsed into my arms, her body shaking with sobs. I held her, feeling her terror and relief as if it were my own.

Grayson appeared in the doorway, his imposing figure filling the frame. Sarah tensed in my arms, a whimper escaping her lips.

"It's okay," I assured her. "He's... he's with me. He won't hurt you."

I met Grayson's gaze, silently pleading with him to stay back. To my surprise, he stepped aside to clear the path.

Supporting Sarah, I guided her out of the room. Her legs were weak, and she leaned heavily on me as we made our way through the corridor. Grayson followed behind us, his presence both comforting and unnerving.

As we emerged into the cool night air, I felt a weight lift from my chest. We had made it out. But the relief was short-lived as I realized we were far from safe.

"We need to get her to a hospital," I said to Grayson, who stood silently beside us.

He shook his head, pointing towards the shadows of the nearby buildings. I understood his meaning - we couldn't risk exposure. Not with Cain still out there, and not with the town elders pulling strings from the shadows.

I sighed, pulling out my phone with shaking hands. "I'm going to call an Uber for you, Sarah. It'll take you to the hospital."

Sarah nodded weakly, still clinging to me. As I arranged the ride, I felt Grayson's presence looming behind us, a silent sentinel in the shadows.

When the car arrived, I helped Sarah into the backseat. "You're safe now," I whispered, hoping it wasn't a lie. As the car pulled away, I watched until its taillights disappeared into the night.

twenty-five

I stumbledthrough the dense underbrush, my legs burning with each step. Grayson moved ahead of me, his massive form cutting a path through the foliage. The industrial site faded behind us, but the memory of our encounter with Cain lingered like a fresh wound.

We emerged into a moonlit clearing, and I doubled over, gasping for air. My hands were slick with blood—mine or Grayson's, I couldn't tell anymore. The silver light cast long shadows across the grass, transforming Grayson's mask into something otherworldly and terrifying.

As my breathing slowed, the questions that had been gnawing at me since our escape finally burst forth. "Why did he stop?" I asked, my voice raw and hoarse.

Grayson’s entire body went rigid. He turned to face me, his eyes blazing behind the mask. For a moment, I thought he might actually speak. His chest heaved, and I could almost see the words forming, struggling to break free. But then, like a door slamming shut, he retreated into silence once more.

I replayed every moment of the fight in excruciating detail. Cain’s words echoed in my head:“Not yet.”A chill ran down my spine as I realized there had been no external trigger for Cain to back off—no sound, no scent, nothingvisible.

Which could only mean one thing.

"It's me," I whispered, horror creeping into my voice. "Cain was watching me more than you during the fight. He was waiting for something."

Grayson’s head snapped towards me, his attention laser focused.

"That's why he stopped," I continued, the pieces falling into place. "It's not that he couldn’t kill you. It’s that he wasn’tallowedto. Not until…"

I couldn’t finish the sentence, but I didn’t need to. Not until I completed my transformation.

Grayson’s entire demeanor shifted. He stalked towards me, his movements predatory and intense. His hands gripped my arms, fingers digging into my skin as heinspectedevery inch of me. It was as if he was searching for something—some visible sign of the change we both knew was happening.

As his hands roamed over my body, I felt a surge of... something. Power? Energy? It rose beneath my skin like a dark tide, making my nerve endings sing. Grayson must have felt it too because he let out a low, rumbling growl that sent shivers down my spine.

His eyes never left mine, and in them, I saw a swirling mix of emotions—hunger, fear, and something that looked almost likeawe. He sensed the change in me, thegrowing powerthat even I didn’t fully understand.

And then it hit me—Cain’s hesitation had nothing to do with mercy. It was hunger, pure and simple. A hunger to claim me once I was fully transformed.

Grayson’s grip tightened, and I winced. “You’re hurting me,” I said, but my voice lacked conviction. The pain felt… different now. Almostelectric.

He released me abruptly, taking a step back. His chest heaved with rapid breaths, and I could practicallyfeelthe tension radiating off him in waves.

---