Page 14 of Ravage

Dr. West turns his head, motioning to one of the other doctors behind him. I can't make out the words, but the other man nods, darting off down the corridor. I keep my position, even though my arm is feeling fatigued.

I expect him to continue to advance on me, but Dr. West stays put, waiting for something.

Less than a minute later, I hear footsteps approaching, confusion and trepidation gripping me. What is he planning?

Two people appear behind the other doctor, my eyes widening. Am I hallucinating from the drugs?

"Vivian?" I croak out wearily, still holding the glass.

Her blonde hair hangs lifelessly around her shoulders, her own eyes wide. She doesn't speak but her lips part, the two of us locking eyes.

She's still alive.

"See?" Dr. West says proudly. "All is okay. You're alright, aren't you, Vivian?"

Vivian breaks contact with me to glare at the doctor, the expression making me more angry. She's not okay—not in the slightest.

"Have they hurt you, Vivian?" I ask venomously.

Slowly, she nods without hesitation, confirming my worst fears. We're not getting out of here—they are targeting us one-by-one. Whittingham told us she was dead. How the fuck would she be able to go back to Lilydale?

People don't come back from the dead. Only their ghosts remain, haunting the people they left behind.

Oh, my God. Has Whittingham told everyone that I'm dead?

My arm suddenly drops to my side, my body tensing up as icy fear floods through me. If they think I'm dead… they won't come looking for me.

No…I tell myself quickly. Damon went looking for Vivian. He didn't believe she was dead. He knew something was up.

Taking advantage of my momentary lapse of judgment, Dr. West quickly rushes toward me. I try to quickly bring the glass back up, but his arms are already up, putting me in a vise.

I struggle against him. "No!" I scream, throwing my arm upwards towards him. He lets out a pained grunt and I realize I must have sliced him with the glass, but he's much stronger than me, my body being flung chest-first into the metal door.

The glass drops from my hand before more arms grab me, pinning me.

"Vivian!" I cry out.

"Avery!" I hear her reply, my head rushing with dizziness again.

Guards lift me up, restraining me as they carry me back towards my room. I glance around wildly for her, finding her pinned against more guards as she struggles to get to me, herown hope reflecting back at me in her eyes. They drag us in opposite directions, my voice shaking as I yell out to her.

"They're going to come!" I shout desperately, knowing that she knows who I'm talking about. "Keep fighting. We have to keep fighting."

Before she can reply, I'm shoved back into my room, my body landing heavily on the floor. The door slams shut behind me, leaving me alone in the room.

Please find us in time…I plead to myself. Because I'm fairly certain I just signed my own death warrant.

Chapter 6

Avery

It takes several hours before the drugs start to wear off. At some stage, the dizziness overwhelmed me and vomit now covers the floor around me.

My body is tired, unable to move as I lay sprawled out. Part of me wishes I was dead so I could end this suffering, while a larger part whispers to me to keep fighting.

All of us have lost too much already. I'm not prepared to be another faded memory to Theo and Grey. They would never forgive themselves for not being able to save me. I wish I could believe that they'd be fine if I was dead, but I know it's a lie.

Grey would detonate, destroying everything in his path. Truthfully, I think Theo would do the same. Their actions would cost them their place in Lilydale, and they'd be shoved into the federal prison system for the rest of their lives. In turn, Damon would lose his right-hand man—andCirque des Mortswould go down in a fiery death.

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