Chapter Seventeen
Warm arms surrounded her. That was the first thing Celine noticed, firm secure arms that made her feel safe.
Even before she opened her eyes, she knew just who was holding her. There could be no one else but Atticus that could make her feel like this.
Celine blinked her eyes open. She couldn’t see so well without her glasses but knew he was straining to carry her weight. The battle had taken so much out of him.
Everything that had just happened came flooding into her thoughts. She remembered the giant Glycon who Atticus had been fighting. The one that threated to kill her if she didn’t give him what he wanted. Her throat still burned from where he had held her.
“Where is he?” Celine rasped out. Her eyes wildly scanned the darkness around her, but even in her blurry state, she could tell no Glycon stalked them.
“Gone,” Atticus said.
Even through the sound of the storm raging all around them, she could hear his labored breathing.
Celine glanced around in the darkness, straining to see how close they were to the compound. "Are we there yet?"
Atticus glanced down at her, beads of rain rolled down his forehead. She frowned at the strain she found there.
"Close," he said.
Celine struggled in his arms. “You shouldn’t be carrying me.”
Atticus grunted. “I’m fine.”
She could see that he was anything but fine. She placed a hand against his damp cheek. “Please,” she said softly. “I need to rest.”
Atticus stopped his movement and slid her to the ground. She watched as he leaned heavily against a nearby tree, as if his body were too much weight to carry anymore.
She hobbled over to where he stood, his body drawn tight. The closer she moved, the more she could make out the blood that covered his pants.
"How bad is it?" Celine asked, placing a hand on his back.
Atticus shook his head. "It still hurts, but the wound has already stopped bleeding. I'm just tired.”
To hear him say something like that scared her more than anything else. Atticus never seemed to be tired. He always seemed to be on the alert and ready to deal with whatever came their way. For him to say that he was tired meant that he was in a bad way. A very bad way.
"How much farther?" Celine asked, hopeful they would be able to make it.
Atticus nodded to the row of trees. "We're near the field. Once we get there, things should get easier.”
Celine stepped forward and wrapped one of his arms around her shoulder. Atticus frowned at the movement.
"You're injured. I can't lean on you," he said. "I should be the one to carry you. You used so much energy helping me."
Celine wondered if they were going to talk about it. The bright blue light was the last thing she remembered before collapsing. She remembered the way it pulsed through her body, pulling from her to give to him.
But they had felt that before. The odd hum that always seemed to pull them together. She still wasn’t sure just what had happened but knew that she could help him.
"Let me help you," Celine said softly.
Atticus looked like he was going to argue for a moment but instead leaned on her slightly as they stepped forward.
She could feel his leg tremble as they stepped forward and knew it was far worse than he was letting on. They were so close though. All they needed to do was make it past the line of trees. She was just sure of it.
"You saved me," Celine said after they had been walking for a moment.
Atticus didn't say anything, and she wondered just what was going on in his head, especially when he wouldn't talk.
He took in a deep breath, and she glanced over at the handsome man leaning on her. She was glad that the rain had dissipated some so she could stare at him unobstructed.
"I used to think the scariest thing that could ever happen was to be captured by the Horatius Group," Atticus said softly. "They held my people in their clutches for so long. Using us for their own whims. Making us fight for them like we were dogs to command. When we left, we thought that would end. That we would be free of the fear. Instead maybe we should have counted ourselves lucky. We could have just as easily ended up like that poor bastard." He shook his head. "But tonight I think I saw the scariest thing I’ve ever seen." He glanced her way. "Seeing Thrax squeezing the life out of you right in front of me and not being able to do anything to stop it." Atticus choked on his words and took a deep breath before continuing on. "If anything happened to you I would be lost," he said. "I've never had to worry about another person, and I thought that it would be a hassle. But it’s not. My worry for you is what keeps me going."
Celine chuckled. "You might want to talk to Allison about that hassle part." She snickered.
Atticus stopped in his tracks and turned her to look him in his eyes. "You will never be a hassle to me.” His blue eyes stared deep into her own, reaching out to make her understand. "My life was empty without you," he said. "You've brought joy into my life in a way I never thought possible. I love you."
Her heart thumped wildly in her chest over the three little words she been waiting so long to hear. They were now coming from the man she wanted to hear them from most.
For the first time, she understood what it was like to have a full heart. She loved him with every fiber of her being.
Celine wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a soft kiss. "I love you," she whispered against his mouth. "I will always love you."
She pulled back to stare at his beautiful face.
A frown pulled on the corners of her mouth. Without her glasses, she hadn't been able to see him properly, but this close she could see just how pale he was. His skin so light that she could just make out the pale veins under his skin.
Atticus slumped in her arms. His body grew cold and shook hard against her as she struggled to keep his massive weight standing.
"What is it?" she said. Her heart beat frantically in her chest. "What's wrong?"
Atticus struggled to take in a breath. She could see his labored breathing, which only frightened her more.
She lowered him to the ground and propped him against the tree there. His head lulled to the side.
Without hesitation, Celine tore open the pant leg where Thrax had scratched him, certain she would find the root of the problem. Although the wound was healed from her blue light, the skin there was hot to the touch.
“Infection?” Celine whispered.
She was no nurse, but that’s what it seemed like. Maybe it had reached his blood. There was no way of knowing without a doctor.
Celine knew she wouldn’t be able to carry him back to the compound like this. It had been a struggle to help carry his weight before. There was no way, even if her ankle were at full capacity, she would be able to lug a huge man like him back.
She took his face between her palms and helped him to stare at her. "I'm going to get help," she said quickly. “I will be back soon.”
Atticus reached out to hold her hand, his grip so light a small child could have fought him off with ease.
"It's too dangerous," he said, his words starting to slur as he slipped in and out of consciousness.
Celine shook her head. "I don't care," she said. "You need help, and I'm the only one that can get it."
She pulled away from Atticus. If she didn't get help for him soon, there was no telling how long he would last.
Celine turned in the direction they had been walking. He said they were close. Close to the field. Close enough that with a little luck, she might be able to get help.
She ran now. Her ankle throbbed with each step, but she ignored the pain. She pushed through it. He needed her, and she would do whatever it took to get him help.
The field came into view, and Celine glanced around. They had not run into any more Glycons, and she doubted luck had anything to do with it, especially after that radio message. Whatever had happened was over, and her only choice was to race forward and just hope for the best.
Celine burst from the tree line into the long, wet grass. It slapped against her legs, and the mud there sucked her shoes as she moved forward.
It was a struggle to run now, but that wasn’t really an issue anyway since the throbbing had grown so intense there was no way she’d be able to go on much longer.
There in the distance, two figures moved near the light of the compound. Without her glasses, her eyesight was too poor to see just who it was.
Celine froze in her tracks as the two men started to run toward her.
This was it. Either it was to help her or end her.
The closer they moved, the more she could see and the less they looked like Glycons. No red glowing eyes for one thing.
"Over here," Celine shouted to them, just praying she was right. "Atticus needs help."
She turned now and made her way through the grass, but they were already racing past her.
“Stay here,” one shouted. “We’ll get him.” As the man ran past her, she saw the bright blue eyes. Hybrids.
Like hell she was just going to wait around. She had to get back to him. To see that he was still alive.
Celine pulled the strength from deep inside and started to run once again, one thought on her mind as she ignored the shooting pain in her leg: Atticus.
She burst through the tree line, and even in the dark, she found him just where she had left him, their connection providing a guide.
Celine knelt between the two men, no longer able to draw from any remaining strength.
She placed her hand in his and gave a small squeeze.
“I came back,” Celine whispered, darkness already starting to wrap around her. “I came back to you.”