Page 53 of Stitches

She was screaming at the top of her lungs, her fingers twisted in her long black hair, her eyelids squeezed closed. I scrambled to untangle myself from everyone, but before I could get to my feet, she was out the door in her bare feet, streaking through the night in her white nightgown.

“Fuck,” I snarled, shoving Cady off me as she tried to get up and go after Sirena. She pushed me back and I hit my elbow on the end table, a snarl coming from my mouth at the electric jolt it sent through my arm before she dove on me again.

Bryce tripped trying to get over me to go out after Sirena, but it may be because Ashes grabbed at his leg. He tumbled forward and his foot caught Stitches in the forehead, knocking him backward.

“Get the fuck off me.” I bucked Cady hard from my body and she fell backward onto Ashes, making him grunt. I was on my feet and out the door in moments.

I had no idea which way she’d run, but I took the main trail, hoping to find her. When I rounded the corner and she was nowhere in sight, my heart thundered hard in my chest. Ashes clapped me on the back as he stopped beside me.

“She’ll be OK,” he said, slightly breathless from running.

“She was losing her fucking mind.” I stared into the darkness, no sign of her. “She’s not going to be fine. We need to find her.”

“Stitches, Cady, and Bryce are looking too. Let’s check the cemetery.” The way his voice shook let me know he was just as worried as I was. I don’t even know what the hell happened. Maybe I’d scared her. All I knew was that I wanted to hold her and tell her everything was fine. It was completely unlike me, but I wanted it more than my next breath.

“Come on.” I broke into a run again, Ashes beside me, as we made our way through the darkness to the cemetery. I hoped beyond anything we’d locate her there.

I went straight to the willow tree and bench, praying with each step I’d find her curled beneath it, waiting for me.

When we broke through the limbs, it was to empty space.

“No,” I whispered, the hope dying in my chest. “Fuck. Sirena!” I shouted into the night, desperate to find her. “Specter!”

“Sirena!” Ashes joined in calling her name. Of course, we were greeted by silence. The one fucking time I needed to hear her screaming and it wasn’t there.

“Sirena!” my voice cracked. If Sully got her, he’d haul her straight into the facility without a second thought. I knew that fuck would call my father. Shit would go from bad to worse. My father was simply biding his time. Watching. Waiting. Observing. He wanted to see my desperation. Losing Sirena for any amount of time would make me absolutely insane.

I’d be pliable. Usable. We both knew I’d do anything for her even if I hated admitting it out loud.

She’d ensnarled me, and I was hooked. I didn’t want her to let me go, and I had no fucking desire to release her.

Shit was going to get bad if someone else found her first.

“I’ll call Stitches and see if he’s found her,” Ashes’s voice cut through my thoughts. I said nothing as he dialed Stitches. I stared into the dark cemetery before walking through it slowly, hoping to catch a glimpse of her pale skin or white nightgown hiding among the garden made of stone with its bone roots.

“Please, Sirena,” I whispered into the night, stopping next to the old mausoleum. “Come back.”

ASYLUM

“Come on.” I gestured for Sin to get off his ass and follow me out of the dorm.

“Fuck off.” He gave me the finger to emphasize how much fucking I could do.

Sighing, I rolled my eyes. “I’m not in the mood to do this with you tonight. Come on. I want to show you something.”

“It’s midnight, dick. I’m tired.” He continued to stare up at the ceiling.

“I didn’t fucking ask. I’m telling you to get off your ass and come with me. This is important.”

Grumbling, he sat up, his blond hair a fucked-up mess as he gave me a sour look.

“What’s so damn important that I have to go out into the cold at midnight?”

“Everything. Trust me.” I pulled the door open and gave him a pointed look.

“I fucking hate living with you.” He got up and pushed his pajama bottoms off before tugging on his jeans and a hoodie. He shoved his feet into his boots and scowled at me as he stormed past and went into the hall.

“You’re being a little difficult,” I commented. “No reason to be that way.”

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