Page 12 of Hysteria Rises (Dark Falls Hollow #1)

EIGHT

HAYZE

“What the fuck happened to your eye?” As we hurry from our room, I nudge Arrow, and he turns, staring at me dead-on.

Fucking ouch. I grimace, studying more carefully the spectacular array of color that mottles the skin surrounding his left eye.

It’s deep purple in some spots, a reddish blue in others, and I imagine it hurts like hell.

Just as we hit the top of the stairs to begin our descent, a shriek fills the air. That’s what’d gotten us all moving in the first place—one scream after another, then the crashing of something heavy hitting the floor and more shouting. I haven’t ever heard anything like it that I can remember.

The thrill of the unknown has questions racing through my head, and from the way we’d all responded, the others had felt no different.

The shared bedchamber on the third floor is large, but when there are eight of us—eight of everything, really—it feels infinitely smaller.

So, when we all sprang out of bed at the same time—with the notable exception of Malakai—it was something similar to what I would imagine elephants colliding might sound like. Thunderous chaos.

As we hit the second-floor landing, Cross finally gets a load of Arrow’s black eye and lets out a low whistle.

“Whoa. Shit, man. Did you get into it with someone last night? Or lose a fight we don’t know about?

” A deep line etches itself down the middle of his forehead.

“Seriously. Tell me Gannon said something else, and I’ll make sure to jerk the knot out of his ass. ”

Confused, I groan aloud. “What the fuck did I miss?” There’s way too much going on around here all of a sudden.

Cross rolls his eyes in answer. “Just Gannon being a dickhead again.”

I let out a perturbed sigh. “So, more of the usual from my dipshit brother.”

Arrow winces as we hurry along, but it takes him a long time before he says a word. “It was nothing. Nothing I couldn’t handle, anyway. I—” His mouth snaps shut.

“Is he giving you trouble again? I could try having a word with him if you want me to.” I clamp a hand on Arrow’s muscular shoulder. He can totally fend for himself … but he also isn’t much for confrontation.

“Nah,” he heaves out a sigh. “It’s okay. I’d be an idiot to care what he says or does. His nasty jealous streak is nothing new.”

I exchange a glance with Cross who simply shakes his head and shrugs.

Eventually, this situation brewing between Gannon and Arrow is going to come to a head, and we’ll have to deal with it.

But Arrow is stubborn and prefers to simply ignore him.

It works most of the time, but I worry about the day when things escalate.

At the bottom of the stairs, we’re greeted by another loud crash.

Cross’s eyes search mine for a second, then he rakes his teeth over his lower lip as we pick up our pace.

Nolan’s quarters are all the way on the far side of the compound.

“I’m fucking exhausted. I was busy into the early hours of the morning. ”

That gets my attention. “Holy shit. You were with Nolan that long? Was something wrong? I wondered when you hadn’t made it back to the room as I was nodding off.”

“Nah. She’s still alive. I know you were concerned.” He shoots me a lopsided, devious smile—the kind of look that tells me he’s very proud of himself. “It took so long because he had me help with the entire exam.”

My brow furrows. Based on some of the things I’ve heard the Collective discuss, I think I might have an idea of what he’s referring to … but still, I can’t be sure. “I wanna know what you mean by that.”

Arrow’s brows raise. “Exam? Like help bandage the gash on her head?”

“That too.” Cross’s lips twitch. “But I uh … my father had me help clean her up. And I”—he pauses, giving an almost disbelieving shake of his head—“got to have a really … intensive … look.”

I’m unsure what to make of what he’s saying to be honest.

Raising a brow, Arrow blurts, “Cross, I think I wanna hear more. I get the feeling it was eye-opening.” That last part comes out like a question, even though it wasn’t really meant to be one. He’s simply curious as fuck, just like I am.

Cross holds up his hands, then gestures toward his father’s rooms as we get to them, and a grin spreads across his face. “Let’s say she woke up in the middle of it. And she was pissed.” He lets loose a chuckle. “I’ll tell you more, but I, uh … I want to know what’s going on in there now.”

No more than a second later, the girl—I really wish my father were here so that we could officially call her Twenty-three—shouts, “You’re disgusting! Put me down!”

“Fuck, well sounds like she’s doing better than when I brought her in unconscious.

” My eyes connect with Cross’s, then Arrow’s in turn, and I waste no more time, rapping a few knuckles against the wood.

There’s no answer from the other side. But it’s completely possible that it’s because they’re preoccupied.

I heave out a breath when an undecipherable noise reaches us.

Fuck it. “I’m going in.” I turn the knob very matter-of-factly and throw the door open.

My eyes are drawn first to Nolan with Kiefer. Holy shit. From the looks of it, the female we rescued from the elements must not be enjoying her welcome to the compound.

Blood oozes from deep marks that cover one of Kiefer’s cheeks. Nolan nods at us in greeting, a grim expression on his face. “Cross, I could use your help here, if you don’t mind.” His voice is calm despite the incident that must have caught all of them off guard.

Cross’s focus swings to the other side of the room as he makes his way over to the exam table. “Sure thing,” he murmurs. My gaze follows.

“Holy shit,” I huff out, mildly impressed by the chaos as I peruse the room.

I fucking called it. My gaze flicks from the mess to Henry, and then finally lands on the girl, who is red in the face like she’s put up one hell of a fight, even if she’s now mostly subdued.

None other than Malakai has her back against the wall and arms pinned over her head.

I’d wondered where the fuck he’d gotten off to.

Go figure, that cagey bastard would sniff out trouble and join in the fray.

He throws a flinty, smirking glance in my direction.

I ignore him, instead watching the energy the girl exerts in her efforts to gain freedom.

This is the first I’ve had eyes on her since I left Nolan last night.

I can’t quite decide if she was easier to manage as deadweight on a trek across the mountainside through the thunderstorm or this version—agitated, slapping and clawing.

A she-devil. I’d have thought the rescue we’d provided from her own poor choices out there in the woods would have meant she’d be grateful to us, but that seems to be far from reality.

“What do you want done with her?” I take a few steps toward the wall where she’s pinned.

Henry shakes his head, eyeing her. “That one’s a little demon. I’m keeping my distance. You all might be wise to do the same until we teach her a lesson or two.”

My brow arches. With my father not accounted for, I have no idea who will be making the decisions around here. Not my business until someone says it is. “I’ll take her to the cellar if you need me to.”

“No one’s doing anything with me!” The blonde’s eyes flash in our direction.

She tracks my movements, a murderous scowl ruining what actually are pretty features.

“Why don’t you just let me leave?” Her words come out in a rush as she fights to pull her wrists free of Malakai’s grip.

Her breath comes hard and fast. “There’s something wrong with every single one of you! ”

I cock my head to the side, following her gaze over to the exam table. “You’re disgusting,” she grinds out. “Don’t touch me ever again,” she says on a huffed breath before her eyes flick to Arrow. “You either!”

Surprised, I glance over at him, noticing bright splotches of color have bloomed high on his cheekbones.

His lips press into a tight line as he lifts a hand, gently touching his fingertips to the skin around his eye socket.

When he spots me watching, Arrow gives a slight jerk of his head.

My brow furrows. His expression clearly reads Don’t say anything. Not right now.

My attention is drawn back to Malakai as he whispers something to the female, only barely audible. “And how do you feel about me?” He maintains his position, his eyes intent on the troublemaker in our midst.

She glares at him. “Do you need me to tell you that you’re gross, too?”

He snorts, thrusting his hips forward, and she cringes.

Studying their interaction, I’m certain there’s a quake to her jaw where she’s clamped her teeth together in an effort to control her emotions.

“Spitfire, I hate to tell you, but this is only the beginning.” She thrashes, bucking hard against his body, but she appears to be losing steam, the movements of her limbs weak and less effective.

With a sigh, I step closer to see if Malakai’s willing to let me give him a break. In the blink of an eye, she twists, wrenching free. She falls to her hands and knees, but scrambles quickly, making a mad bid at freedom. I see the hope in her eyes at the same time Mal growls, chasing after her.

My lips part. I think I’m partially in shock but also impressed.

The exhaustion she’d displayed was just that—a display.

A fucking act. Tricky, tricky. She glances over her shoulder.

If I were her, I’d be nervous as hell because the rage in his eyes is lethal.

He’ll be pissed as hell that this failure has occurred in the presence of the Collective.

The girl who will be Twenty-three has a wild look about her as she attempts to figure out an escape route.

Her eyes flick to Malakai for a split second as he roars, lunging forward.

She jolts, racing away, but rethinks her course before slamming into Henry’s massive body.

Cross throws back his head and crows as she careens in the opposite direction, which takes her on a collision course with him, Nolan, and Kiefer and the exam table, which would be a mistake, and she obviously knows it because she reverses, backing toward Arrow and me now.

We spread out, creating a human barricade. There’s no way she’ll get past us—but I let her think she can when I edge closer to Arrow and leave a clear path. As she attempts to skirt around us, Malakai lunges for her. “Got you!” he shouts, but growls when he realizes she’s evaded him.

I reach out an arm at the last possible second and manage to snag her by the waist. All the air blows from her lungs as I haul her to my side. She lets out a gasp then a quick intake of breath before she wails with frustration. I chuckle silently. “Where’d you think you were going?”

Henry crosses burly arms over his chest, then walks over to Nolan and Kiefer, conferring with them in tones too low to hear. Arrow and Malakai both stand a foot from me, but Mal’s jaw works to the side, body rigid with anger while Arrow can’t seem to unglue his eyeballs from this girl.

I really fucking think she’s the one who gave him the black eye. But when? That’s a question for later. He grimaces, probably already guessing the direction my thoughts have gone.

Just then, the back of a flailing hand catches me on the chin. “Fuck,” I grunt, letting out a harsh exhale. There wasn’t much power behind it, but I won’t be ending up marked by this girl, too.

Not one to fuck around, I heft her over to the exam table. Enough’s enough. “What do you want me to do with her?”

Henry’s eyes are trained on Nolan as he works to place a butterfly bandage, but Kiefer’s hard eyes find mine as he spits my words back at me.

“What do I want you to do with her?” he says, his voice deadly low.

“We’re going to get her the fuck out of my face, that’s what.

” Kiefer shoots her a scathing look. “And all of you will take her down to the cellar and lock her up. Four on one. No chance for any more mayhem today. We’re done with your antics, girl.

” He hops down from the table, and all three of the Collective head for the door.

“Whatever, you old perv,” the girl hisses as she watches his back. The older men stop in their tracks, and it’s so quiet, a pin could be heard dropping, but Kiefer doesn’t turn around, simply barges through the doorway and turns, presumably to go to his quarters.

She definitely shouldn’t have added fuel to his fire, but I’m sure she’ll figure that out soon enough.

Nolan and Henry watch from the doorway, so I do exactly as they expect—I take control, just like my father taught me.

As quick as a snake striking, I catch her jaw in my grasp and turn her to face mine.

Nose to nose, I mutter, “You’ll take care how you speak to him—to all of us—or you’ll regret it. ”

Furious crystal-clear blue eyes bore holes into my skull. “I dare you to let me go and see what happens.”

I let one deep inhalation after another fill my chest, not allowing her to rile me.

A moment later, from the doorway, Nolan barks, “Cross, give her a sedative, then the four of you take her the fuck out of here. Once you’ve done that, get on with your daily chores. And Hayze, report back when you’ve got this issue taken care of. We’re trusting you.”

I give a sharp nod. “Yes sir.”

This time around, the full moon has brought nothing but disorder to Dark Falls Hollow.