74. Out of the Dark

Laura - Council’s headquarters
“Where—” My voice breaks. My mouth is too dry to speak.
The brightness blinds me as two strigois carry me outside of my cell. It can't be the sun since my skin isn't heated. My eyes have become used to the darkness of the cage, and even the faintest light blinds me.
The sound of people talking echoes as we walk through the corridors. I don't even know where they're taking me.
My two guides stop, and I along with them. A soft touch takes the place of their hands on my back.
“I got her.” Alisa’s voice is more demanding than I am used to hearing her. “You’re dismissed.”
As footsteps depart, I look to the side and see Alisa’s face in a haze. My sight slowly clears, and I glimpse her lips stretching in a smirk.
She sits next to me in the backseat of a car and instructs the driver to take off. She hands me a bottle of water, and I drink it all. The cool liquid soothes my parched mouth.
Alisa sighs, arranging her hair. "It's so hard to keep you out of trouble. Dark times await poor Paul."
Exhausted, I feel like I could sleep for years. When I rest, my wounds heal more quickly. But I force myself to stay awake.
“Where are we going?” My voice sounds strange as if my vocal cords are rusty.
“At your suburban love nest, of course. Where else?” Alisa winks, curving the corner of her lips along with her eyes. “A particular wolf is waiting for you.” She pauses and hums. “Oh, weren’t nests for birds? How come there’s a wolf in your love nest?”
As I roll my eyes at her, my eyelids feel heavy.
“Why—” Words fail me. I struggle to mutter, “Why did the strigois release me?”
“Ion Corvin struck a deal with Paul.”
Her words bring me back memories of the last time I saw Ion Corvin. He came into my cell to tell me that I would soon be free, but my mind was too foggy to comprehend. All I knew was a feeling that one way or another, Paul would get me out of there.
“But that’s not all.” Alisa raises her chin and points toward herself in a totally Alisa-like way. “You’re now in the presence of the powerful and influential leader of the Council.” She laughs, her voice delighted. “I’m now the one calling the shots and ordering about those bastards.”
The driver stares at her through the rearview mirror. Alisa sees him too.
"Eyes on the road, shithead." She turns to me and winks with a wicked smile. Then she whispers, as if the chauffeur can't hear her, "I’m a badass boss."
As usual, her mind is wide open. So I take a look into her head. She often attends dull meetings these days and hesitates to wallow in self-pity in front of me. If I probe a little more and force her to open up to me, the information will pour out like a deluge.
Even though I know it's true, I can't see Alisa as the Council's leader. But then again, I do not have a particularly vivid imagination. That's why I never became a novelist as I wanted. My thoughts are entirely one-dimensional.
I turn my attention to the driver. The man's thoughts are as bland as his face. His gaze remains fixed on the road ahead.
Soon, the car slows down and stops near the driveway to the suburban house. I’m home, and I’m safe. As I allow this thought to sink in, I realize I’m referring to Paul and not the actual house.
My head spins as I take in the sight of the house.
Alisa opens my door so excitedly that I’m afraid she will throw it across the street. Fortunately, that doesn’t happen. I almost smile, but the cracks in my lips soar.
As I look toward the house, there he is. On the front door steps, Paul stares at me while holding a man’s tied arms.
Scrunching my eyebrows, I step out of the car. Before I can take a step, Alisa hugs me tightly. The sheer joy in her embrace overwhelms me.
“Take care, Laura,” she whispers. “I won’t be seeing you for a while. I’m busy with the takeover.”
Alisa escorts me closer. When she stops, I continue walking toward Paul. He releases the man and pushes him toward Alisa. This scene is a little too similar to a movie scene in which two sides exchange prisoners. Or is this really it?
With a cracked lip and a puffy, black eye, the human passes by me, dragging his left leg. He took quite a beating, worse than I endured considering he is a human.
Just as I fear I can't take another step, Paul rushes from the stairs and wraps me in a warm embrace.
“Paul,” I whisper, placing my hands on his back.
“Oh, how I missed the sound of your voice.” With a sharp intake of breath, Paul buries his face into my hair, pressing his nose against my ear. “And your scent.”
I feel the heat emanating from Paul, vanquishing all my fears and pain. It's pure ecstasy, and the world melts around me. I can't stop smiling even though stretching my lips hurts like hell.
He sweeps me off my feet and carries me into the house before I can even say goodbye to Alisa. He sets me down on the bed and sits next to me.
“You look like you could use some rest.” Paul pulls a silken sheet over my body and tucks me in. “Last time you slept quite a while to get better.”
My hand tightens the grip over his arm.
"Don't be scared," he says softly, kissing my brow. "You're safe now, and I'm not leaving until you wake up. I will never lose you again."
Paul slowly takes my hand and kisses my fingers. My eyes close, and I drift off to sleep. All I can think about is the feel of Paul's body against mine. I wish I could stay in his arms forever.
Whether we're soulmates or not, I can sense an impenetrable shield around our love, making our devotion unshakable.