Page 52 of Hysteria Rises
At this point, my lip is caught so tightly between my teeth, it hurts.
“I know you probably won’t believe me. And”—he grits his teeth—“I probably shouldn’t say so, but I’m sorry, siren. I didn’t mean for any of it to happen.” Then, more quietly, he murmurs, “Forgive me.” And with that, his eyes crash shut, though I don’t know whether it’s because his trip to the shower wore him the fuck out or because he wants to put an end to the conversation. Either could be the truth.
As I back toward the end of the bed, something on the floor catches my eye.
A bottle. More specifically, an empty liquor bottle. My brows raise, and I flick my focus back to Arrow.
From downstairs, multiple voices become audible, and Arrow’s reaction is unsettling as his eyes dart to and pin on what I assume is contraband. There was plenty of stuff we weren’t allowed to have at the home. Punishment for being found with it was severe. I can only assume it’d be the same here.
I don’t know what possesses me to try to help him, but I quickly tap the bottle with my foot and let it roll under the bed.
As soon as it’s out of sight, our eyes connect.Concern slashes his features. And that, combined with one urgently spoken word throws me off balance. “Go.”
In my haste, I stumble backward, ramming into the end of the bed behind me with a thud. I clamp my lips shut so I don’t make a sound, then spin around, taking a step backward. As I do, something catches my attention—movement under the sheets.
My eyes widen as a snake wriggles free and falls to the floor. I’m unable to stop the strangled scream that tears raggedly from my throat. The sound echoes off the ceiling of the large room. From there, all I can hear is the wild pounding of my heart and the blood rushing in my ears as that thing slithers toward me, menacing. Its beady eyes are focused on me, its tongue flicking the air. I struggle for every breath as I stare wide-eyed and out of my mind as fear dumps adrenaline into my veins.
A shout reaches us from somewhere outside the bedroom, and feet thunder up the stairs.
Oh,fuck. Anxiety pulses under my skin. I shouldn’t be in this room, and the exit is blocked, my feet rooted to the floor.
A second later, there’s a rough grunting gasp of pain from behind me, and I’m pulled firmly against the hard wall of Arrow’s chest. All I can do is stare, unmoving. The angry serpent is prepared to strike.
TWENTY-SEVEN
CROSS
My mind racesas I sprint down the hall toward the entryway.What is going on?With my heart pumping hard, I skid to a stop at the bottom of the staircase as another shriek of terror sounds from one of the upper floors. I’m completely clueless as to what I’ll find when I locate the source of the madness.
We’d been surveying the crumbled state of the bridge, and trying to come to a decision as to the best way to get started on building a new one when I’d been sent inside to tend to one of the little ones who hasn’t been feeling well.
Sure as fuck wasn’t anticipating any of this.
A masculine bellow of surprise drowns out several female screams. But it doesn’t sound like Arrow, who I know to be upstairs resting. That wasHayze. He was supposed to be checking on how long it was going to be until lunch was ready.So what happened?
I clench my jaw as I begin my ascent. Just as Iround the curve in the stairwell, Sixteen and Twenty-one appear and push past me in a mad dash down the steps. Their frantic, pale faces don’t tell me much, only that whatever has happened, they want no part of it.
By the time I ascertain that the location of the commotion is our shared bedroom, my heart is knocking a harsh rhythm in my chest. I burst inside to find nothing but sheer bedlam. My eyes land on Hayze first as he stealthily advances on Arrow and Twenty-three. Those two are locked together in an odd embrace, and for a quick second, my brow furrows. The longer I look, the more prominently I feel the divot creasing the center of my forehead. Strain is apparent on Arrow’s face. Not only that, but he’s fuckingnaked.
There’s no time to ask questions, though, because Twenty-three’s gaze is wide and frightened as she gasps for air. Her lips tremble, and fingers claw at Arrow’s forearm where it crosses her chest and holds her firmly to him. He’s whispering something in her ear as he edges backward.
What in the fuck is going on here? Three quick strides forward gives me the answer I’m looking for. I immediately come to a jerking halt. Because there, between my bed and Arrow’s, is a monster of a snake. “Oh, shit!” I bite out.
Hayze’s eyes connect with Arrow’s. “Get her out of here.” It’s unclear whether it’s registered with any of them that I’ve entered the fray when he mutters, “I’mgonna send it that way,” and points toward the far end of the room.
Gonna what? How did a snake wind up in our bedroom?I have so many questions.
Hayze edges forward, then scoops up the serpent by the stick end of the broom. It hisses as he flings it to the far side of his bed. It’s thick enough that it lands with an audible sound.
“Fuck,” I bark out in surprise.
Finally glancing at me, Hayze shakes his head before lifting the broom.
I eye him with his makeshift weapon and wonder if his father, the former military man, would be proud. “What’re you gonna do?”
“I’m gonna fucking kill it.” His chest rises and falls fast as he stalks toward the slithering creature. “I’ve got this. Help him with Twenty-three. There’s something wrong.”
Frowning, I pivot, noting that her breathing is choppy and labored. She hasn’t taken her eyes off the direction the snake was thrown, but even though she’s out of imminent danger, she can’t seem to control the way she pants and struggles for air. She looks scared, but I don’t know if it’s simply that the snake rattled her or something more.
