Beyond The Walls (NOW ON AMAZON!!!)

A Stolen Goodbye

Hadley woke up with a gasp!

She was in a reclining metal chair with a hard cushion for the back rest and seat. Her hands and feet were bound by metallic clasps. The chair was in a grey room, lit with fluorescent lights and smelling strongly of antiseptic cleaning products. It was the large laboratory that Barret had shown Hadley that first time after she'd arrived at The Hotel, the one that she'd loved exploring, filled with chrome and a ton of experimental glassware and machinery that spoke to the Medic in her.

That felt like a lifetime ago!

Her presence here didn't make sense. Hadley had passed out on her cot in the cage in Anette's small laboratory after Anette's surgery had gone through successfully. The last thing she remembered is smashing her shoulder against the cage door, screaming Anette's name because she wouldn't wake up! Tristan and Cruto had walked out of the corner, and Hadley watched a single blood tear fall down Tristan's cheek as they walked in sync out of the room to where Anette lay motionless in the operating room she'd prepared.

All the while, Hadley kept screaming for Anette to wake up, bashing into her cage door hard enough to shatter her right shoulder. But the pain meant nothing. Tristan and Cruto were in the operation room, stoic as they stood next to her body, gazing forward into nothing.

Still, Anette wouldn't wake!

Hadley's desperate cries broke into incoherent pleas.

She watched the vampires turn away – their kill order confirmed by silence. Hadley went silent as she watched the monitors. Then the vampires stopped moving. It was only for a few seconds, but Hadley saw it. She saw Tristan holding them back, one of his hands tightly gripping the operation bed and the other holding his lover's hand. Hadley watched in awe, relief pouring over her in waves until she saw Tristan's hand slowly let go, finger by finger. There was a miniscule mark of strain on his face. He was fighting the order but losing.

Hadley was on her knees now, whispering Anette's name, begging her to wake up.

"Tomorrow."

It was the faintest, weakest, shakiest of whispers, but the effect was instant. Tristan and Cruto froze, gave a curt nod each and then walked back into the lab holding Hadley's cage. Hadley had passed out from sheer exhaustion before the vampires made it to their corner.

She had succeeded!

Anette was still alive and the recipient of a mashed-up cyborg skeletal frame.

Hadley had kept her side of her bargain!

So, why was she here, tied up once again, at the mercy of her sadomasochistic sister, half sister, who was sitting next to her, with her back to Hadley as she busily worked on something on one of the chrome tables?!

Hadley should have been free! Should have been with Jamila!

Jamila!

Hadley missed her with every breath. She'd already lost Ruq. She couldn't lose Jamila as well. Hadley had proven she could survive more than she'd ever thought possible, but she didn't want to be further tested in that way. Not because she thought she didn't have the ability to get through it, but because she wouldn't let herself.

Hadley pulled at the metallic clasps binding her wrists, making them clang loudly against the chair.

"Ah, you're awake," Anette said. "I was starting to think I'd gone too far this time."

She stayed turned away from Hadley, her attention glued to the items in her hands.

"It's been weeks," Anette continued. "You almost had me worried, Hadley. Almost."