Page 14 of Justice
Mine and Oak’s head turned in unison, but Oak spoke first. “Rocks? To cross?”
“Yup. Floating in midair.”
Oak cursed, “I would almost prefer for them to be in lava. At least we would know exactly what we’re getting.”
“It’s the only option.” Ellis sighed.
“Remember when our lives were boring,” Sterling chimed in before following it up with, “last week?”
“Who’s going first?” I asked.
If Oak kept pulling at his hair, he’s going to go bald. “I think you should go first.”
“Excuse me?” My eyebrows nearly hit my hairline with his words.
“It makes sense. You aren’t as fast as us. If those stones fall when touched, we could still maybe manage to bounce off them with speed. You wouldn’t make it past two of them once they began to sink.”
“Can’t you just, you know, carry me?”
“You realize you are supposed to be at the top of the paranormal world someday? You. Not me. And when that happens, I’m going to remind you every day how weak you sound.”
How dare he say – “I don’t sound weak!” But as I looked to the others, their head was nodding their agreement. Well, damn. “Fine, I’ll do it.”
“That’s taking one for the team, love!” I glared at Ramsey, and he only smiled.
I fully intended to show all of them what taking one for the team meant, and when we were back on safe ground, each and everyone one of them would pay for their abandonment. Had they forgotten that I’m just a mere human? A mere human who’s suddenly taken on some vampire qualities and is expected to save single-handedly, rule, and govern over this hot mess of a world. But nonetheless, a mere human.
I stared down at the first rock and took a deep breath. Would I plummet to my death? The odds were likely. Still, after giving myself a solid shake off and massive pep talk, I leaned over the ledge and let my foot touch the stone. It seemed solid, completely suspended in the air with absolutely no give to it, so I let my other foot touch it.
“You’re going to have to move to reach the other side,” Sterling pointed out. Had I been on this step for that long? I didn’t think so, but who could keep track of the passing of time at this point? I took a step. Then the next, jumping from stone to stone with the comfort of knowing someone was one stone behind me at each jump.
We were halfway across the stones when the first one fell, falling to the lava below, making a hiss as the thick liquid ate it up and consumed it into its folds. Behind me, Sterling hissed, “Go! Go now, go fast!”
There was another echoing plop as another stone fell, and my body froze with panic. Behind me, Oak hissed, “If you don’t move, we all will die.”
Could they die? Not easily, but I had no doubt that being consumed by molten fire would end an immortal’s life. I stepped to the next stone, a new sense of urgency forcing me forward, but it wasn’t enough. The rocks behind us fell faster, the plopping as they hit the lava echoing louder.
“Faster!” Oak urged, and I moved as fast as my mortal legs could carry me, nearly toppling over as one foot touched the last stone before I changed my projection and fell onto the solid surface in front of us. The men almost stumbled and fell over me as they reached the end, Sterling barely making it to the edge as the last stone fell.
His chest was heaving as he said, “I doubt we are leaving the same way we came.”
“I doubt we are leaving at all,” Ramsey added, and I shot him a glare.
“We are leaving.” I was sure of that. Why force me on this insane journey and make it seem like my existence was important if I would die during the first round?
I stood, dusted myself off, and hated myself for not listening to the men's repeated begging for me to just put on some fucking pants. Their words, not mine. My skirt was cute. Before it was coated in my blood, various degrees and colors of dirt, and bits of green resembling grass stains. Fucking vines.
“Alright.” I clapped my hands in fake determination. “Let’s do this!”
As if summoning trouble itself, the surrounding walls moved, and I saw the creature made of complete stone pull itself away from the earth’s foundation. I was positive I heard Sterling grumble, “For fuck’s sake, can we have like ten minutes to fucking recover?”
Ellis, never missing an opportunity, added, “I bet you wished you worked out more. You’re out of shape, and it shows.”
I cleared my throat. “Guys, we are going to need a game plan.”
“Don’t get dead,” Ramsey offered.
“A million fucking years old, and that’s the shit you offer?” I stated as the first stone monster’s foot stepped forward, causing the ground to rumble and shake.