Page 75 of The Dark Obsession

Instead, he’s still and as steady as if he is a statue, staring at the floor.

I follow his gaze, and my eyes adjust to the mess on the mat outside the door. A wilting rose lies in a dark puddle on the floor. My eyebrow lifts. “Well …” I lean down to touch it.

An arm hits my stomach like a barrier. “What the hell are you doing, Rose?”

I cough loudly, trying to catch my breath. “I just thought—”

“That’s blood.”

“What?” I grimace.

Rafael shouts for Adriel.

Adriel rushes down the hallway and skids to a stop at the door.

Rafael grabs his shoulder, face pale. “There’s blood outside and on the window.” Rafael pushes me to Adriel and wraps Adriel’s hand around mine. “Hold her for me.” Rafael runs up the hallway to the kitchen.

Adriel notices my shaking hands and kicks the door shut, then locks it. “I think we need to get out of here.”

I nod. “There’s a rose in a pool of blood on the doorstep.”

Adriel’s eyes flitter towards the front door. “A distraction to—” A loud click sounds. The hallway disappears into complete darkness. Adriel’s hand tightens over mine, and he guides me towards the wall.

“Adriel,” Rafael shouts.

I can just about hear the crashing and thuds that echos down the hallway over my staggered heartbeat.

“Rafael,” Adriel whispers as footsteps approach us. Adriel’s arm slides protectively around me, moving me closer to his chest. “It’s not Rafael,” Adriel’s voice quivers. He inches me along the wall towards the front room.

I struggle to decipher anything in the complete darkness. Only a single line of light shines through the front door panels. My legs stiffen with each small step. I take several deep breaths, trying to catch up with my heart. My eyes adjust to discern a tall shadow standing not even three meters away.

Adriel’s breath catches in his throat, and he shoves me backwards.

I tumble through the open doorway and into the front room, smashing my elbow on the hardwood.

“Move aside,” a voice snaps.

The outline of Adriel’s shoulders push forward in an act of defiance. “Step back!” Adriel edges backwards, his arm shaking as his hand clamps onto the doorhandle and throws it closed behind him.

Alone in the dark, I stumble to my feet. Several bangs from the other side of the door send my body into frenzies. The single door, which may be the only thing standing between life or death, muffles the distinct sound of blind punches. My mind goes into a panic, blurring so not one single thought is processed, I think of Adriel, as thin as he is, against the burly shadow that lurks outside.

I hear a thud; someone has fallen to the floor. “Adriel,” I gasp, my instincts taking over.

“You won’t ever have to leave the safety of my arms, Rose. We can make it forever,” Dale’s voice speaks into the night, the door opening slowly.

A stray tear momentarily blinds me. I stare wearily ahead, watching Dale close in on me.

We both startle at a bang from the hallway. He turns reluctantly, his fingers reaching out to me, desperate to touch me, and darts towards the window. He smashes it easily with the stool Rafael used earlier, and fades into the night.

Adriel groans, and I dash to the door. A torch illuminates the hallway, burning my eyes. Bright blood covers the lower part of Adriel’s face and neck, his one eye red and bulging.

I drop to the floor and rest my hand on his chest, my throat too tight to talk.

Rafael runs down the hallway and falls to his knees. “Brother.” He slowly lifts his brother’s head.

Adriel winces. “I’m fine. Get the lights on.”

Rafael eyes me, his cheek bloody and swollen. “Two seconds, okay?”

---