Page 49 of Hell Storm

“Just plug it into your computer. It contains a link to a private network where we can communicate with live video.”

I examined it, thinking of the risk I’d be taking if I followed his instructions. “And how can I be sure it doesn’t contain a virus?”

He smiled. “You can’t really. No more than we could be sure this wasn’t an ambush.”

He had a point there.

“We’ll be on every night at midnight to check in with our own findings and to see if you two have gotten anywhere,” Silas added.

“We’ll be there,” Liv agreed.

Her gaze slipped to the bag Felix carried and although she didn’t thank us again, I knew the look to be one of gratitude.

“Later,” was all she said in parting, leaving Silas and I to stand alone in this new reality we had just created.

I, for one, was painfully aware of how negligent it was to let Liv and Felix just … walk away—two people who could only be fugitives, possibly terrorists. It sank in and it hit me hard. What we’d done here today, all for the sake of finding Levi and Corina, may have been the most blatant act of treason our Dynasty had ever known.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Levi

I knew she was tough—in every sense of the word—but something Ihadn’trealized was that a soft vulnerability existed within her too.

Sure, it was hidden deep, but I saw it plain as day now.

Last night, her episode went on for a full three minutes as I held her, and she shook violently in my arms. My intention had been to keep her from getting injured while it went on, and I meant to stop cradling her once it was over, but … I didn’t. Instead, I allowed myself to enjoy the warmth of her against my chest, the mild, feminine scent she carried. I hadn’t done that in a while; hold a woman just for the sake of holding her, not expecting anything in return.

As the tremors subsided, she regained a bit of strength. I fully expected her to shy away, or evenrunaway when she realized who’s arms she was in, but neither of those things happened. Instead, smooth heat encircled my neck when she locked both arms around it, resting her forehead in the crook of my neck, returning what had somehow become an embrace.

I didn’t think this was possible—for my attraction for her to become anything more than that, but it was beginning to I feared. And thanks to Silas’ bestowal, I was positive it was real.

No hocus-pocus from the Claiming.

Just my true feelings seeping from within.

Corina seemed to come to her senses all of a sudden and loosened her grip. Two whispered words breezed over my ear before she backed away.

“Thank you.”

I simply nodded in return.

There was amazement in her eyes when she did finally meet my gaze. Maybe it surprised her that I hadn’t been turned off by witnessing her seizing, or maybe it was the realization that I cared enough to look after her until the episode ended.

It wasn’t lost on me that things between us weren’t nearly as tense as they should have been. After all, had it not been for her running off in the middle of the night, we wouldn’t be in this situation—held prisoner at the infamous Blackthorn Sanatorium by some unknown captor. Still, even acknowledging that she’d been the one who got me into this, the hint of anger that plagued me was dwarfed by the manyotherfeelings being near her brought to the surface.

For one, I could hardly keep my eyes off her. It wouldn’t be long until I could add my hands to that list as well. Even though she infuriated me, I wanted her.

She awoke this morning with little to say. It was hard to tell if it was due to embarrassment, or if this was her way of keeping me at arm’s length because she felt it too—the hunger, the pull. I definitely felt it for her.

Jax and his lacky arrived shortly after to bring Corina a meal and a small shot of blood for me. Afterward, she was escorted to the facilities as promised. And here I stood, pacing like a madman, awaiting her return. I felt more tense every second she was away.

It was impossible not to imagine this was what Julian must have felt, discovering she’d gone, having no way of knowing if she was safe, or if she’d even return at all. The Claiming had done a number on us both. I’d never known him to pine over anyone, but there was no missing that glimmer in his eyes every time he saw or spoke of Corina. The bond was more powerful than anything I could have ever imagined, and it was enough to convince me Julian was somewhere on the outside, doing all he could to find us.

Frequently glancing at the door, I wore a path in the soft floor, directly in front of the cot where Corina had slept. I, on the other hand, had chosen to stand guard all night, propped against the wall as I watched over her. My eyes focused on those words she read to me before convulsing: “BLACKTHORN SANATORIUM”.

I was certain we both knew the significance of this place, what had gone on here. It was a blemish on Ianite history, and I firmly believed it to be the deciding factor that eventually drove Dr. Percival into hiding.

Asylums had been obsolete for nearly a century. However, long after this facility served its original purpose, it became ground zero for some of the most heinous experiments anyone had ever heard. And the mastermind behind them all?

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