Page 168 of Stolen Hearts

The tip of the knife drags over my skin as I cry out in pain, shock and fear. The fire explodes around us as smoke chokes the air. Something cracks and splinters from the flames and the heat, and I hear a bellowing sound somewhere in the distance as the knife begins to prick into my neck.

Suddenly, Megan wrenches to the side. She chokes, slamming sideways as she and the knife go sprawling across the concrete floor.

Then I’m looking right into two piercing blue eyes.

Castle winces as he grabs one of his shoulders, which is horribly askew. He twists and grimaces, grunting in pain as he slips the dislocated joint back into place.

“Hang on,” he chokes, crashing behind me and yanking on the ropes. I feel them come free, and then suddenly he’s yanking off his shirt and wrapping it tight around my mouth as black smoke billows over us.

Flames erupt from the wall next to us, a booming sound thundering through the air as one of the gas drums explodes. I scream, turning my face to his chest as Castle scoops me into his arms, turns, and starts to run.

Fire is falling like acid rain around us. A burning chunk of ceiling joist explodes like a bomb to our left as he sprints for the burning doorway of the boathouse.

“Close your eyes, baby girl.”

We hit the engulfed wooden door with a bang, Castle grunting as his shoulder splinters through it and we go tumbling outside into the dark. I cry out when I hit the blacktop, tumbling out of his arms. Then he’s grabbing my wrist and yanking me after him, pulling me away from the roaring inferno that the boathouse has become.

I cling to him, sobbing into his chest as he holds me tight and strokes my hair.

“You’re safe, love,” he growls into my ear as I shake against him.

“And now I need you to stay right here.”

What?!

Before I can react, he’s pulling away, whirling, and running right back into the fire as I scream after him. I scramble to my feet, vaguely aware of a whirring sound behind me as I rush toward the flames.

“CALLIE!!”

I spin back in shock to see Ares, Hades, Deimos, and Kratos all running headlong toward me from a helicopter that’s just touched down across the parking lot.

“CALLIE! STAY BACK!”

I turn, not even hearing them as I rush toward the fire and the man I love who’s just disappeared back into it. Before I can take four steps, strong hands grab me and yank me away.

“LET ME GO!!” I scream as Ares hugs me tightly to his chest. “LET ME—!”

“I’m not letting you fucking die!!” he roars into my ear, yanking me back from the hellfire of the flames as I sob and strain to break free.

“He’s still in there!!” I scream. “Castle!! He’s still in there!”

“Fuck it,” Hades spits, shoving his hair back before he starts to rush toward the building.

The horrible screeching sound of metal rending fills the air. Something explodes deep inside the boathouse. And as I stand there with a river of tears coursing down my face, I feel my heart break in two as the entire roof of the building caves in with a thunderous explosion of sparks and ash.

It feels like I’ve been stabbed. I manage to wrench out of Ares’ grip and immediately fall to my knees, sobbing and screaming into the fire for the man I love.

I’m still screaming as Ares lays a comforting hand on my shoulder, and as Kratos lifts me from my knees and hugs me close, letting me scream my grief into his arms and shake against him.

“Thatcrazy fucking bastard…”

I whip my head around when I hear Hades’ choked words. My eyes stare in disbelief, and my heart leaps into my throat as I watch a dark shape lurch out of the flaming wreckage.

There’s no holding me back at that point. There’s no holdinganyof us back as we race toward him. Castle’s face is a twisted mask of pain, his body blackened by soot and fire and his jaw clenched as he struggles to carry the two bodies on his back. He collapses just as I get to him, slamming into his chest and wrapping my arms around him.

My brothers take the two people he’s just come out with—Jeremy’s lifeless body, and the shallowly-breathing, unconscious Megan. Whining sirens and bright lights fill the night as both the local police and the FBI swarm into the parking lot, alongside EMTs and firetrucks.

All I do is cling to him. All Icando is hold him, worried that if I let go, he might disappear again.

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