Page 29 of Fear the Fall
Something Just Like This
I stare in shock.Hellhounds don’t leave behind survivors. Their bloodlust is unquenchable, never satiated.
“Tori,” Zeke yells out minutes later, sounding frantic.
“I’m over here,” I call back, still in disbelief and unable to move from the spot I’m currently rooted to.
He comes barreling through the overgrowth, pulling me into his hard chest, squeezing a bit tighter than is comfortable. My entire body shakes in his embrace, the aftereffects of the adrenaline still attempting to find an exit.
“Are you okay?” he asks into my hair, placing a kiss on top.
I nod, wondering how he’s in one piece. There was a herd of demons chasing after him.
“How did you escape?”
“I got far enough ahead and scaled a tree. They were bottom feeders,” he explains. “Too stupid to track me correctly.”
I let out the breath I’ve been holding, glad that we’re both okay. That was an ambush, and neither of us were armed or powered up.
After several minutes of standing here, me still in Zeke’s arms, he steps back, putting space between us, looking me over head to toe.
“Was that a hellhound?”
I nod again.
“How are you still alive?” he asks, with a hint of awe.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” I reply, walking back toward the path, wanting desperately to get out of these woods.
“What do you think’s happening?” he asks from behind, and I don’t bother turning around.
“I don’t know. I’m clueless.”
“Are you okay?” he asks, but I don’t answer. The need to get back to my loft and to some sense of safety is my only goal at the moment. “Stop, Tori.” Zeke’s demanding tone leaves no room for argument.
I slowly pivot to face him. His eyes are weary as they rush over me.
“What do you expect me to say? No, I’m not all right,” I admit, throwing my hands in the air. “Demons in the daytime, werewolves, hellhounds—nothing is all right with any of that,” I screech, pressing the palms of my hands into my head and kneading roughly, trying to stave off a headache. When my arms drop to my sides, the world starts to tilt until it’s in a full spin. My vision goes blurry and the last thing I see, before everything goes black, is Zeke’s concerned face.
When I come to, I’m lying in my bed back at the loft. I stretch my arms over my head, relishing the pull of my muscles. How I got back here is answered quickly, as a half-dressed Zeke leans over the bed, handing me a glass of water.
“Did you lose your shirt?” I prod, smirking, hoping to divert attention from my blackout.
He grins back. “It was dirty. I thought it was more important to make sure you were okay.” He looks at me, appearing contemplative. “Wanna tell me what happened back there?”
I groan. “This again? I told you I have no clue.”
His brow rises. “I mean why you fainted.”
“Oh. That,” I say pensively.
“Yeah. That.” He frowns. “Not what I’ve come to expect from the ever brave and tough-as-hell Victoria English.”
“Ha. That was a damn ambush.”
“I’ve never encountered anything like that. What do you make of those demons?”
I sit up, taking a long drink of the offered water and placing it on the nightstand when I’m finished.