Escape From Grave

He pulled back from me slightly,

“How can you say such a thing after all you’ve been through? I should have stopped him before he,” His eyes hardened “Did what he did to you. I’m just as bad as him, I don’t deserve protection.” I put both my hands on the side of his face, willing him to look at me.

“You did save me. You kept me from dying and from something worse. I have a chance to move on with my life because of you. I have a chance at a normal life because of what you did.” I said, annunciating each word carefully. He shook his head, making a disgusted sound,

“How can you touch me, look at me, say those things to me? I don’t deserve someone like you. You’re strong, so much stronger than anyone I’ve ever known.”

I forced his chin up, tearing his gaze from the ground.

“Stop beating yourself up over the past, choosing to make a stand lies in the present. Take solace in that and help me help you put a stop to this before the past comes knocking.” I said my voice firm. His eyes snapped up, and he nodded once, his hand sliding onto mine, which still cradled his face.

I woke up early the next morning, opening my eyes to the soft glow of the sun across my face. I sat up slowly, the room had turned into the deep summer of July, and August, the bed sheets partially covered me. I could see the dust motes dancing in the sun, glittering. It was beautiful, and I almost lost myself before bringing my mind back to the present. Shifting slightly, I felt something warm pressing against my hip, turning slightly and looking down in surprise. His charcoal hair fell on his face messily, glowing in the soft light. He looked so peaceful, his chest rising and falling evenly.

Hesitantly, I reached out a hand to brush a lock of hair away from his face. Pulling the sheet tighter around me, when I looked back, his eyes were open, staring at me. I lifted my hand away, but he caught it with one of his own. Reaching up, he brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my face.

“ So beautiful.” He said his voice rough from sleep. I leaned against his hand, not knowing what to say, I was struggling with too many emotions, I wanted him he was so gentle, so courageous, so wise for his years. Something pulled me towards him. Every time he looked at me, warmth spread through me. Every time he touched me, my skin tingled where his fingers landed. I’d never felt like this with anyone. Ever. Even his smell invited me in, and I longed to brush my fingers through his messy hair.

He was like a greek god, unattainable. I hadn’t noticed it until now how DAMN attractive he was. However, the things done to me by Axl had broken a part of me that wasn’t so easily fixed. He seemed to find something in my eyes that made him understand. He dropped his hand from my face and released my wrist, sitting up, causing the dust motes to swirl around him. The white t-shirt he wore clung to his subtly muscled chest as he straightened up. I could feel a blush creeping up my cheeks starkly aware that I wore nothing except the sheet clutched to my chest. He glanced up at me through the fringe of his hair, an amused smile lighting up his face.

Pushing himself up from the bed in one fluid movement, he cracked his back, his jeans rumpled from sleeping in them. I tried not to stare even though his back was to me, he turned to face me again, “How are you feeling, anything hurt?” he asked. I swung my feet over the side of the bed, carefully getting to my feet. Everything seemed fine, I took a couple of steps, and the floor yawned away from me. Nico was across the room in a second catching me. He scooped me up and deposited me back on the bed.

“What happened?” I asked, shaking my head to clear it. He leaned down, pressing a hand to my forehead, as I tried to ignore the sparks sizzling across my skin where his hand rested.

“You haven’t eaten in a couple of days, I should have thought of that before. I’ll be back in a second, sit tight.” He said and vanished. He wasn’t gone more than five minutes, carrying a plate that smelled of pancakes, my mouth watered. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until food was in front of me. Nico watched his eyes widening slightly as I practically inhaled the food. When I was finished, he took the plate from me, handing me a glass of water. I drank that as well, then attempted to stand again. This time, my legs held, and my vision was clear, “Here, I found these for you.” He said, handing me the things Axl took from me when I was captured, as well as a pair of stretchy workout pants that wouldn’t inhibit my movement and a dark, long-sleeved t-shirt. I took them, letting the sheet slip to the floor just outside the bathroom.

Walking out, shaking my hair over one shoulder, I stretched my body, loosening up its stiffness. Nico lounged against the wall. He’d changed his jeans to black combat pants. He reached for a leather vest hanging on a peg dawning it he began cinching buckles and belts. A metal shoulder plate rested on his left shoulder. I grabbed my harness and began fixing it around my hips and across my back. Nico watched me for a second before tossing me, my Jian, and another sword similar to it. I caught them both expertly, sheathing them across my back. He handed me my coat. I took it from him, and it felt so good to have it back. He pushed off the wall, glancing around his room, “You ready to go, Retriever?” He asked, using my old nickname. I smiled at him,

“Won’t you miss this place?” I asked, waving my hand around his room.

“We can always come back. This room is something I made in a dimension all of its own, laced with magic to its core.” He said, stepping in close to me.

“You made this? Your own little slice of life.” I said breathlessly. He nodded,

“I’m useful for something more than my good looks.” He joked. I elbowed him, very aware of my scarlet cheeks, and he chuckled. He wrapped his arms around my waist, careful not to hook himself on any of the smaller knives tucked into my harness. I opened my eyes as the walls of the outside of graves prison blurred to life. He let go of me, and we both immediately crouched in the scant protection of the stone walls. His turquoise eye glimmered in the scant lighting. I pointed to the tree cover fifty yards away. “There are guards patrolling the top of these walls.” He said, patting the wall behind us.

“Just follow my lead. Are you ready?” I asked. He nodded, and I took off.

Rolling forward, I pushed up with my hands, righting myself on the balls of my feet. I slipped silently from shadow to shadow, never going in a straight line. Reaching the tree cover, I turned to watch Nico’s back as he followed. Twenty-five yards to go, and they spotted him. Dashing out of my cover, I slammed into him, knocking him out of the way as an arrow landed where he had been. Grabbing a knife from my harness, I launched it at the battlements, and the archer fell from the wall immediately dead. Nico didn’t stop to look at the ramparts he grabbed me and made a mad dash for the tree line. We both dived into it as a hail of arrows followed. The yelling increased,

“We have to go, now. They’ll be coming out with fighters and probably Axl.” He said as we both leaned panting against a tree. I nodded at him,

“Let’s go then.” I said, grabbing his hand. Throwing caution to the winds, we ran flat out, disregarding the tree cover and taking the well-worn path out of grave.

In sight of Sentinel, they caught up to us on both sides, I hadn’t expected the pincer movement, and neither had Nico. His eyes were hard as I grabbed his wrist, “We can do this, I know what you’re thinking, not a chance. I’m not leaving you. Let’s take a few of them with us.” I said my eyes, lighting up at the prospect of a fight. He glanced at me,

“Coryn...” He started doubtfully, I shushed him

“Don’t worry, this is what I was born to do.” I said my swords, clearing their sheaths with a musical rasp. “Who wants to die first?” I yelled at the advancing graves. Axl pushed his way through the throng, his shoulders shaking in rage. There was a sizeable bump on his skull where he’d smashed into the wall,

“Get them, I want both alive, especially her.” He spat venomously. The force deepest in Grave charged, I vaulted among them, breaking their formation. Two heads thudded into the grass before the initial battle cry had left the remaining force.

The battle was a blur from there on. I lost track of how many people I killed, Axl entered the fray when his force was all but lost. He skidded on his knees under my sword, turning he knocked it out of my hands. I swung with the other one opening up his shoulder. He roared in pain, turning he back handed me across the face. Stumbling backward, I twisted my shoulder out of his grip, slamming my foot into his knee. He stumbled forward, releasing me, and we broke away circling each other warily. The ground trembled as a roar of furry tore from Nico’s mouth. I turned in time to see the wave of power that rolled off him, slamming into the party in front of us. Axl grabbed me by the wrist. I slammed my other hand into the cartilage just below his shoulder. The knife stuck deep, I yanked my wrist out of his hold, stepping in close,

“I should kill you, but I won’t because you’re his family.” I hissed at him.

He staggered backward, gripping the blade and trying to pull it out.

“Nicolaren, how could you do this? She’s scum, we’re family.” He cried. Nico turned sparks flying from his clenched fists.

“Don’t you fucking dare talk about her! You want the definition of scum, look in the mirror.” His voice was tight with anger. Axl stepped towards me, Nico raised his clenched fist releasing the power pent up by unfurling his hand palm out. Axl went flying before he dug his feet , and the knife he’d pulled from his shoulder into the ground to withstand the power that blasted towards him and his men.

“What did she do to make you choose a Sentinel over your own flesh and blood?” He screamed at him, blood running from the wound in his shoulder. Nico turned away from his brother, his hand breaking off the power. He reached for me his hand settling around the side of my neck and my jaw, he tilted my head up bringing his lips down to mine.

Fireworks of sparks exploded down me from my lips to the tip of my toes. All I could feel, all I could taste was him. I reached instinctively for his waist, pulling him closer to me. He hummed low in his throat his other hand snaking around my waist to pull me deeper into his lips. He seemed to remember the situation and made a conscious effort to pull his lips from mine. His thumb ran softly over my lips and he licked his own seeming to savor the taste of me for a moment. He turned back towards Axl

“You wouldn’t understand. Love isn’t in your vocabulary, big brother.” He said bitterly. Turning his back on Axl completely, he took my hand, leading me towards the strip. “Come on, Coryn, let's go home.” I took his hand, letting him lead me out of Grave Shadow’s.