Page 93 of Blood Day: Part Two

The stench… the blood… thesightof my fate… I nearly gagged just thinking about it, the experience one that would haunt me for the rest of my existence, however short that might be.

I could still feel the claws of death dragging along my senses, threatening to suffocate me in a world of—

Lily.Cedric’s deep voice infiltrated my thoughts, shifting my focus to his existence inside me.That’s not your future. I’m your future.

I don’t believe you.The words were soft, resembling more of a protest than a plausible statement.I don’t want to believe you.

I know. But I need you to try. Your hope is your strength. Don’t lose it now.

Hope is a weakness.

Yes,he agreed.But not for you.

I continued onward, my throat constricting as the air around me grew warmer, reminding me of the desert.So hot and dry.I tried to swallow, but that only worsened the sensation.

Keep going,Cedric urged, his voice a dizzying spell inside my thoughts.Push through it and I’ll give you what you need.

What does that even mean?I wondered, the tunnel darkening around me the farther I crawled.

When I reached the next layer, I understood why—the passage wasnarrowing.

I froze, the world around me seeming to close in and suffocate every aspect of my being.I… I can’t.

You can.

I started shaking my head.It’s… it’s…

Growls erupted behind me.

Now, Lily. You can make it through.

I wasn’t sure how he could know that. The space before me appeared to lessen with every inch forward, at least based on what I could see in the low lighting.I’ll get stuck…

You won’t,Cedric promised.Trust me.

Trust you.He kept saying that. And what good had that done? I was stuck in this hot vent, melting to death.Goddess, this might be worse than being ripped apart by a lycan.

It’s not,he immediately replied.Now keep going.

I closed my eyes and stole a deep breath, the stench of death seeming to haunt my nostrils and senses. Either I kept moving forward, or I retreated toward the growls.Are they in the vents?

No,he replied.The water helped distract them from your scent.

Water?I repeated, my eyelashes fluttering as I focused on the darkness once more.Where?

You’ll see soon enough, Lily. Keep going.

Of course he wouldn’t clarify what he meant. This was Cedric. He just expected me to obey at every turn.

Sprinklers, Lily. I had Damien turn on the sprinklers. Now stop thinking andmove.The command underlying that final word sent a shudder through my spirit, my body immediately reacting as though he’d compelled me forward.

And perhaps he had.

Because I certainly didn’t possess the desire to continue into this shrinking metal tunnel. Every inch forward made me burn more and more, the air seeming to thin with the enclosing space.

I closed my eyes again, my heart hammering in my chest as I forced myself onward.Oh, Goddess. Oh, Goddess. Oh, Goddess.

I knew chanting in prayer was worthless, but I couldn’t seem to stop. The walls were shrinking. I could feel them now brushing my skin. I flinched as something sharp bit through my thin white gown, and winced as it dragged along my skin, leaving a scratch behind that reminded me of lycan claws.