Page 133 of Elas

“Just right through here,” Xeni says, stepping through the door with the guard on his heels. As soon as they’re inside, Lillith grips the guard by the throat.

“What the—” he gasps, but she tightens her grip. Bones crack, and August flinches as the man hangs limplyin her hand. Lillith seems to realize we’re all gawking at her, and grimaces as she jiggles the corpse.

“Should I have drawn it out more?” she asks, uncertain. “I thought he might scream. He already pissed himself.” She gestures at the dead man’s crotch and the trickle of urine that drips from his pants, and I can’t help my snort of laughter.

“No, sweetheart, you did real good,” Taryn says, and Lillith smiles as she tosses the body aside with a dull thump. “Think you can do that again?”

“Oh, yes. I can do it as many times as you need!” Lillith cheerfully flexes her hands. “I am very strong.”

“Yes, you are,” Taryn agrees, and Lillith leans down to give her a happy kiss.

We move silently into the lobby, and Xeni pulls the same stunt. He steps outside and coaxes the guard to come in, and Lillith snaps the man’s neck before he even registers she’s there. “So very strong,” Taryn purrs, and Lillith’s chest pushes out as she blushes in pleasure.

“Have you thought this through?” I ask August, pulling him aside. “We can’t take all these people with us. What happens when we let them loose and leave them? They still have collars around their necks.”

“I planned for that,” Xeni says, and he steps beside us and pulls a key from his pocket. “May I?” he asks August, though he keeps his eyes on me.

“Please,” August responds, and I tamp my monster down as Xeni’s long fingers brush against August’s tan neck. August sighs in relief as the collar clicks loose, and he rubs the red, raw skin beneath with a wince.

“Your turn, big guy,” Xeni says. I glare at him out of habit, but obediently duck so he can reach. Once the thick metal is no longer weighing me down, I tilt my head from side to side and stretch my neck. He removes the collars from Taryn and Lillith, then leads the way to a locked room.

“Taryn, you two go explain to everyone what’s happening,” Xeni instructs. “Make sure they understand we can’t transport them out of here, only open the cages and get their collars off. They’ll be responsible for themselves after that.” The two women nod and return to the prisoner quarters, and voices inside murmur louder as they spread the word.

“Once these doors are unlocked, we have to move fast,” he says as we step into the control room, his arms tapping against his thigh anxiously. “I was planning to be safely back in my barracks by the time you guys became a battering ram.”

August’s lips pull down as Xeni clicks a few buttons. “You can’t stay here. You have to come with us.”

“What?!” Xeni and I bark in unison, and August’s frown pulls deeper as he looks at me.

“His keycard was used to do all of this. Even if he convinces them we somehow stole it, he’ll be punished. He’ll face the same treatment you’ve been getting.” I chew on my lip, glancing at Xeni with a scowl, but August isn’t done yet. “And Taryn and Lillith need to come with us, too. I… I know we can’t take everyone. I do. But these are my friends, Elas. I can’t leave them behind.”

“Fuck,” I groan, then cringe as he wraps his arms around me. “Baby, I’m filthy, and I smell so bad… they didn’t… I haven’t…”

“It’s alright,” he soothes in a whisper. “That doesn’t matter. I just need to feel you in my arms for a second… I need to know you’re real.” I sigh, allowing myself to melt into his embrace.

“Hate to break up the party,” Xeni deadpans, “but we’re on a schedule here. Once the doors are open, we need to move.”

“We’re ready,” I say, pressing a kiss against August’s hair before releasing him. “Go ahead.” Xeni nods and clicks another button, and the synchronized click of dozens of cells opening at once comes from the prisoner wing.

“We’ll leave the key for the collars with them, but we don’t have time to—” The sentence hangs unfinished as a searing white light fills the building, along with an excruciatingly loud alarm that tears through the stillness.

August

“Fuck!”Elasshouts,grabbingXeni by the arms and slinging him against the wall. “You didn’t say it would sound an alarm!”

“Like I fucking knew, you idiot!” Xeni bellows back, shoving away and flinging his hands in my direction. “It washisidea!”

“Don’t you fucking blame this on August,” Elas growls.

“Guys, can we do this later?” I shout, and they both snap to look at me. They take another moment to sneer at each other, and by the time we run into the lobby, we’re met with a flood of prisoners. A few have their collars off, but most don’t.

Taryn’s lips are pulled into a tight line as she jogs over. “Some of them won’t leave their cells because they don’t want to be punished.”

I open my mouth, but Elas interrupts with an apologetic glance. “We have given them the chance. If theyrefuse to take it, there’s nothing more we can do. Not when we need to run.”

“What about the ones in the apartments?” I ask, but Xeni shakes his head.

“There’s no way we can get over there with this alarm going off. Their quarters automatically unlock at certain times throughout the day, so whatever happens, they aren’t trapped. I’m not looking to become a martyr here.”

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