In Death I Live by Lindsay Becs
ZORA
“Doyou believe in life after death?” I ask Greyson. He shifts in bed to sit up more, hissing as he does. “Will you stop moving so damn much?”
“Why are you asking me about death, Zora?”
Not wanting to look at him—which is why I asked while we were watching a movie in the dark—I keep my head down, picking at fuzzies on the blanket. I lift a shoulder. “Just thinking.”
“Come on, angel girl, you can’t shit a bullshitter.”
Biting into my lip, I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear to look at him. “I always knew my life would be short. The fact that I’ve made it this long surprises me.” I try to joke, but it falls flat. “I tried, Grey. I tried so damn hard to get away from him, but he just keeps finding me.” A tear falls down my face, landing on the blanket and making the spot turn dark as it seeps in.
“I thought I was dead when I woke up at the compound that first day. It took me a minute to remember what had happened and where I was, but for a second it felt like…heaven. I was warm and surrounded by everything soft. The room smelled clean and good and unlike anything I’d ever had before.” He slides his hand in mine, giving me the comfort I need to go on. “You all think you’re evil demons, but to me, you’re the furthest thing from that. If he gets to me again, he’ll probably kill me. Do you think that in true death it can be peaceful?”
“No one is going to hurt you again, Zora. Not Shadows, not that fucking brute of his, not Swan, and definitely not any of us. You’re ours now.” He leans over until his head rests against my temple and adds on a faint whisper, “If you want to be.”
“I wish that were true,” I whisper in return.
I open my mouth to say more, but he turns my head, eyes locking with mine, and kisses me. The sound of both of our phones going off pulls us from the moment.
We both read the message that just came through from Domonic. He’s here. Don’t leave the bedroom.
“Greyson.” I say his name like a prayer of pleading.
Holding my hand again, he squeezes it, trying to reassure me. “I’ve got you, angel girl. The boys have the rest.”
Leaning my head against his arm, I let out a breath—my attempt to calm my rapid heart from beating out of my chest. He hits play on his laptop to play the movie again, but I know neither of us is actually watching it.
I nearly jump off the bed when there’s a knock on the door after someone tries to open it. My cell pings with a message right after, and I nervously look to see it’s from River. Dropped my key, coming to check on you.
I show Greyson, who snorts a laugh. “Let him in.”
Swallowing down the unease that’s washing over me, I stand and go to the door to open it. Please be River, I whisper to myself as I turn the lock and open the door.
Gritting my jaw, I close my eyes when I see who’s there. “Time to go, worm,” Kale sneers at me.
“Zo… who’s there?” Greyson asks cautiously, not able to see from me keeping the door just slightly cracked.
“Call the boys,” I tell him, my voice shaky with fear sliding over me. I turn to look at Grey, giving him a sad smile. “Thank you for being my heaven.”
“Zora, no!” he yells as he jumps from the bed with a loud grunt, pointing his own weapon at Kale.
Kale wraps his hand around me, a gun under my chin as he pushes the door open. “Think about your next move wisely,” he tells Greyson.
I’m cursing myself for not pulling my pants back on when Dom sent that text a while ago. My knives are on the ground with them. I’m unarmed, almost naked, and at this asshole’s mercy.
Looking up, I lock eyes with Grey and hope he sees me plead with him not to do anything stupid. I’m not worth it. I muster up a smile as tears fill my eyes. He lowers his gun with a curse.
Kale doesn’t waste any more time turning around and pushing me through the door as he continues to hold me hostage. “We’ll find you. I promise you, angel girl, we’ll fucking find you!” Greyson yells as we go. Kale’s chuckle, him finding humor in Grey’s promise, makes me sick and I puke all over his hand and down the front of myself.
“Fuck!” He roars lifting me and throwing me over his shoulder as he powers through the house and outside.
The cold winter air bites at my exposed skin. I keep my eyes closed, trying to keep warm visions of the days and weeks I’ve spent with the boys at the forefront of my mind as my body trembles with cold fear.
I hear him slide a van door open, and in the next second, I’m being thrown—literally—inside. I land on my side with a loud thud as the air rushes out of me. Scrambling to get up, to leap for the door before he closes it, I trip and fall on my face. It’s dark, with only a sliver of light, but I can tell it’s a body. I gasp and reel back, not knowing who it is or if they’re dead or alive as Kale closes the door behind himself.
Grabbing me in his dirty hands again, he binds my wrists and ankles, stuffs a rag into my mouth to gag me, and then climbs up front to the driver’s seat. My eyes follow him but stop when I see Slater sitting in the passenger seat smiling at me. “I missed you, glow worm.” I have to try to calm myself so I don’t vomit again and drown myself in puke from behind the gag in my mouth.
A groan comes from the person in the back with me, and my eyes widen, turning to see who it is. “Drive. We need to get out of here now!” Slater yells at Kale. He takes off, throwing me and the other person in the back into one another. With both of us bound, we can’t help but be tossed around like bags of groceries.
When the van finally stops taking turns and starts to drive straight, I sit up and try to look at the person with me. I want to cry in both relief and sadness when I see who it is.
River.
My eyes meet his, both of us asking the other if we’re okay, all things considered. A slight relief washes over both of us when we realize we’re both relatively alright.
I know then that this boy who was once my savior and protector is now in more trouble than I am. This time, the tables have turned, and I’m determined to be his protector and get him out of here alive. I know, without a doubt, that I’d gladly give up my life if it meant saving his.
Scooting back to sit next to River, I lean my head against his shoulder. After a few seconds, his head leans down on mine. We stay that way until the van eventually stops.
River and I both look at each other, not knowing what is going to face us outside of the metal of this van we’re in. The door slides open, Kale and Slater both standing there with Cheshire cat smiles on their sickening faces.
Kale grabs River by the front of his shirt, throwing him on the ground outside. With his hands bound, he falls flat on his face with a grunt. Slater kicks him in the side when he tries to get up. I try to scream at him to stop, but it’s all muffled cries through the gag in my mouth.
Slater looks at me as I attempt to frantically get them to stop kicking and hitting him. His tongue slicks over his lip, and then he smiles. That fucking smile I can’t stand as he walks toward me. This time it’s River who tries to yell for him to stop, but Kale hits him again, this time knocking him out.
I’m standing just outside the van, not able to move much with my ankles still tied together. Looking up at Slater when he stops in front of me, I pierce him with all the hatred I have for him, wishing it would set him on fire and burn him alive.
Lifting his hand, I pull back but fall on my ass just inside the van. His smile grows more as he grabs my arms and shoves me back, straddling my waist as he leans down to my ear. “Did you forget who you belong to? Because, last I checked, you were mine.” His voice hardens at the last words he spits at me.
His eyes pierce mine with a similar hatred I just shot at him. He pulls the gag out of my mouth and replaces it with his mouth. Hard and forceful, he kisses me. I bite his lip hard enough to make him bleed, but he only gets off on it, releasing a manic laugh.
“Come on, let me show you to your new home, angel.” He says the name that River calls me, and I hate hearing it from his vile mouth.
Kale lifts River from the ground, throwing his slumped body over his shoulder and carrying him. I watch them go and then close my eyes as I accept my fate as Slater lifts me and carries me in the same way. I notice his limp and remember Greyson shooting him yesterday. I hope it hurts.
I hear a door slam open and then what sounds like River being thrown, landing with a thud. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying not to let them see the tears and sadness I feel for the boy who’s taken care of me.
Slater sets me on my feet and then bends to cut the ties around my ankles. “You either go willingly, or I throw your ass like he did your little friend.” Turning to look, I see a cellar door open with nothing but darkness—and River—inside.
Quickly, I make my way to the opening and descend the small steps, tripping over my own feet when I’m halfway down, falling anyway. Kale and Slater’s laughter above fuel my anger more as I look up at them.
Slater just smiles down at me—us—looking proud of what he’s done. Kale blows me a kiss with a wave as he slams the door shut and darkness envelopes us.
Closing my eyes, I choose to have my own darkness instead of the dark that’s forced on me. I take in a deep breath and blow it out slowly.
Dropping to my butt on the dirt floor, I scoot until I feel River. Leaning over to his face, I hope I can feel him breathing still. I sag in relief when I feel hot air from his nose. “We’ll be okay. You’ll be okay,” I whisper and lie down next to him to keep both of us warm in the freezing cellar.