Page 69 of Locked Souls
“What do you mean she's gone? Gone where?”
“No one knows, Jacob! She had a phone call then just disappeared. I hate to even suggest this but, is she with you?”
Bile fills my throat. “No, but I think I know who has her. I knew something wasn’t right about this.”
“Oh, God.” Otto begins to pray over the phone and Levi moves up behind me. He has a little girl holding his hand, and she’s telling him all about Isa and where she likes to hide. I’d recognize her anywhere.
“Don’t worry, I will bring her home safe, and baby, how do you feel about adoption?”
I look into the eyes of my new daughter and give her a smile. She’s on the verge of tears as she releases Levi’s hand and comes barreling toward me.
“Really? Well, you’re going to have to marry me first,” Otto sasses and I shake my head, then hang up on him.
Even in a time of crisis, he brings up marriage. I know he’s ready for the next step, and frankly, so am I, but I think we have a few more things to work out before he’s ready to walk down the aisle to me.
Mainly Tempest and their feelings for each other.
“Jacob. You came for me,” Kara sobs, holding me so tight.
Levi is looking between us and his eyebrows are furrowed.
“Kara, as in…”
“Yes, my daughter.” Kara gasps and looks up at me with wide eyes that match my own.
“I will explain later, but for now, I need you to go to the van with the other kids. They are so scared, and you're doing such a good job helping to look after them,” I gently tell her and she nods. Wiping her eyes, she takes a deep breath and straightens her shoulders before marching over to Malachai and his team, barking orders.
“Isabella has Chastity,” I tell Levi as soon as Kara is out of hearing distance.
“What the fuck?!” Levi roars, stepping right into my face. “Why are you just now telling me this?!”
I shove him back and walk through the rubble to the stairs where the others are waiting.
“That’s why Otto called, and forgive me for being a little unprepared to see Kara here after a year of no contact. So I’m telling you now, and we need to come up with a plan fast.”
“What’s going on?” Patience asks, wiping the blood from one of her blades. She looks like some kind of viking in her leather and braids.
“Isabella has Chastity. Something happened after we left, and now she’s here somewhere. I think I know where. Kara mentioned that Isa has secret tunnels leading from her office. I say we start there,” Levi mutters, moving down the halls, but Patience takes off ahead of him, ignoring our shouts for her to wait for us.
Her men trail after her, but they aren’t equipped for this.
“Patience, stop! You can’t protect the innocents on your own!” Rooke shouts, chasing after her.
She doesn’t listen, and soon she’s too far ahead for us to stop what happens next.
PATIENCE
Running down the hall, I look around for where Chastity and Tempest could be. I can’t believe Rooke said that I can’t protect the innocents alone. I fucking know I’m not perfect, but I have to get to them.
Chastity has been through enough with The Society, and I owe it to Jacob and Ash, after they helped me get out of this hellhole that Isabella runs.
I can’t let another horrible thing happen, not when I can stop it.
A scream echoes through this godforsaken underground building, and Rooke points to the direction it came from.
“It’s coming from there,” he yells, pointing to a door in the distance.
“It’s locked!” I grunt, trying to get it open. “A little help, please,” I groan, stepping aside so Rooke can use his gun to blow off the lock. There’s something about a man who knows his way around weapons that just does it for me.