Page 46 of Poison

“Kevin?”I say in my mind, waiting with baited breath for him to answer.

My legs begin to tremble, and I bite into my lip as I fight every part of me that’s trying to make me collapse in a heap. I just need to know he’s okay.

My legs buckle beneath me, and I only just manage to catch myself on the small chair in front of a makeup vanity. I hiss, forcing my knees to lock in place so I’m standing to my full height, it takes everything I have to take a small step forward. Then another, stumbling across the room feeling like I’m having to drag my limbs just to get them moving. I face plant onto the mattress, the effort I’ve just used tapping me out of any reserves I had left. My eyes begin to close, the soft whisper of sleep calling me to give in.

“C’mon asshat, please tell me you’re okay?”I try again.

Nothing, so I try to feel him in my mind. I get the impression that he’s mad but he’s okay from what I can tell. This is weird, I’ve had to try really hard to be able to do that before but now, his feelings came easily to me. He must be having to lay low because of the council members from earlier.

My lids become heavier, and I give in to the unconscious calling me. I feel the tingle in my legs start and I smile softly, knowing I’m on my way to dreamland where I can see my parents, even just for a small amount of time while I sleep.

A sharp pain stabs my mind, waking me instantly. I grab hold of my head, groaning as the mother of all migraines rears its head.

Another sharp stab, makes me sob as the pain and the exhaustion become too much to bear. Pain radiates through my side, like I’ve just been shocked by something, and I cry out.What is happening?

Something’s battering my mind, pain is stabbing into me in random parts of my body as the migraines becomes unbearable, to the point it feels like it’s trying to cleave my brain in two.

“Run!”Kevin’s voice screams in my head, so loud I have to cover my ears.“They’re coming for you! Run!”

Tears leak from the corners of my eyes as his words break off with an agonizing cry of pain, then he’s gone.

What?

I’m rocking back and forth on the mattress, still covering my ears as a shot of energy shoots through my veins like a firecracker. I jump up from the boost, my head whipping side to side, alert, looking for any sort of danger as Kevin’s words rattle in my mind. He must be sending me energy; I know from past conversations I can’t fully understand everything he can do.

Anxiety swirls in my stomach, making me more alert as I turn to look out of the window. My eyes narrow as I try to see through the dark, looking for any signs as to why I’m so suddenly on edge. A heavy knock on the door has me spinning to face it once again.

“Open the door, Miss Draken,” a burly voice says.

I cover my mouth with my left had to hold back the squeak, panic filling me when whoever is on the other side knocks again.

“We know you’re in there, and you need to come with us.”

I side step to my right, following the bottom of the bed base, making sure to keep my footsteps light. I glance back out the window, looking for anyone hiding out there when I notice the fire escape leading down from the window.

“Open the door!”

I step back, removing my hand, keeping my breathing even as I slowly turn. If that’s a shifter out there, they will hear me moving around, but if it’s a magic user, which I’m hoping it is, I can slip away quietly into the night and they will be none the wiser.

I smirk as I notice the small clip on top of the window. Good ole sash windows are crap for keeping warmth in. But they are great for having enough space to climb through a window. I gently unclip the latch, and use the heel of my palm on my left hand to lift it enough so I can get my hands underneath it.

I move my right hand, grabbing hold of the window, then my left; I have to move my legs so I’m not at a weird angle because of the bedside table. The floorboard squeaks…Crap!

I rip the window up, just as the door is blown open, and I jump without another thought. I hear a curse and hurried heavy steps come from in the room.

I run down the metal stairs of the fire escape, taking them two at a time.

“Get here!”

I look up to see a man’s head sticking out of the window, and I jump from the last platform of the fire escape, tucking myself as I do. I hit the floor with a thud but manage to roll out of it and jump to my feet. The creak of the metal frame above makes me take off towards the mouth of the alley, my arms and legs pumping as fast as they can to propel me forward.

Whoever is chasing me has hit the ground because there’s a thud, before I hear skin tearing… and panic is the only thing now that’s surging my pace faster.

Shit!

Definitely a shifter.

I hope to the gods that they’re a dragon or something flying because the buildings will make it harder for them to try and catch me.

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