Page 48 of Hellfire

CHAPTER 17 - BLAZE

Ihad to do this. There was no way of getting around it. I was tired of being a prisoner within these walls. My mind screamed for nature and freedom of confinement, to leave this damn facility and not let this fear of kidnapping rule me.

“Ready?” Luna twisted in her seat and clasped our joined hands in her spare hand, warming my chilled knuckles.

I cleared my throat, my fingers aching from clenching on the steering wheel. “I think so.”

“We’ll take it at your pace. Whatever you need,” she said with all the patience of a saint. “Just remember, there wasnobig bad when we visited Gable last week.”

No, there wasn’t. Completing the outing safely lifted some of the weight from my mind. I needed to slough the remainder, questioning my security and scanning for danger, and this part was the hardest to lay to rest.

“Thanks for coming with me today, sweetness.” I gave my bonded’s hand a light pump, lifting it to my lips and kissing her creamy skin, tasting the salt from her bacon at breakfast blended with her sweet caramel.

Today, Luna was all mine, and we were going shopping for ingredients to cook her dinner tonight. Cole was with hismother, making the most of their brief time together. Talon was busy in The Eye, and she had a date planned with Gable next weekend.

“Are you kidding?” She let go of me to poke my side. “Polish dumplings, here we come! And you promised me chocolate desserts, mister.”

I let out a nervous laugh. To do that, I had to muster the courage to leave the Academy. I put off our cooking date for weeks, giving her every excuse under the sun, ashamed of my cowardice. She never complained, just stayed with me, kept me company, talking through my experience when I felt like opening up. I couldn’t have asked for more support.

Since my cleansing with the biker and my reappointment to light teaching duties, I felt more like myself. Ready to tackle the cooking… I just had to push myself to overcome this hurdle. Every time it would get easier, right? That was what the Academy psychologist said.

My heart rate picked up as I lowered my palm to clutch the handbrake. Luna’s reassuring smile encouraged me to disengage the brake and take the leap of faith that nothing sinister awaited me outside these gates.

“Here goes.” I pressed the gas of my Audi, rolling the vehicle several feet outside the magical wards, my skin shrinking over my bones, my chest instinctively tightening.

Luna maintained calm body language, and the animal in me relaxed that she didn’t sense a threat. “How does that feel?”

Daunting and unnerving. Anxiety soared in the back of my head, clouding my mind with fear that wanted to take control. Pressure mounted in my chest like my heart wanted to burst.

“Good,” I lied, my foot shifting to the brake pedal.

Luna patted the back of my hand. “Nice try.”

I was never good at hiding anything. I appreciated her candor when Cole and Talon treated me like an injured animal.

“That just shrank my balls.” I let go of the brake to continue rolling and inflate my manhood.

She clapped. “Keep going! This is your chance to grow them back.”

My confidence also inflated with her cheering. “Thanks for the reassurance, sweetness.”

I forced the gas pedal down, inching forward faster, fighting my thudding pulse.

I can do this. I will do this.

Nelle imprisoned me in my mind. Camus imprisoned me in the Academy. I wanted out. Wanted my life back. Wanted my damn powers back. And I’d be damned if I let that bastard win.

“You’re doing well.” I wouldn’t have wanted anyone but my bonded by my side for this task. “How’s your manhood?”

Her light, humorous mood prevented me from slamming my boot down on the brakes, turning the car around and driving back to my car parking space. “My manhood’s taken a beating.”

“They’ll grow back.” She winked and cupped my cheek, freeing herself from my iron grip, letting her circulation flow again.

This journey tested me like never before. I thought I was going to pass out the entire trip to the mall. Luna asked to take the wheel three times, and I probably should have obliged her, but I was determined to beat this at its own game. By the time we pulled into the parking lot, my lungs burned, and I needed a minute.

“That was incredible, Blaze.” My bonded brushed the side of my face with the back of her hand. “I can grab the groceries if you want to stay here.”

What if Camus apprehended her? We might never find her.

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