Page 29 of The General’s Captive (The Rift #1)

I found myself walking around the base in a daze like a cloud of guilt hovering above my head whenever I looked at all the people effected by leaving the previous base.

Now seeing it all in new eyes I couldn’t help but blame myself.

Riley’s words haunted me as I was forced to ask myself if it was true, if I was the reason the attack happened?

But I also questioned the General’s part in all of this as there seemed to be so much more I still didn’t understand. Why had they turned up and started fighting the dark ones? Why did he speak of the darkness coming for me if he himself wasn’t the one who commanded those Myths?

Had they come after me against his orders?

Or was it all just some trick, part of his master plan to pull my strings and get me to do his bidding.

To tell him where I was so as he could finish us off?

Had he just wanted to take over the base himself?

But if that was the case then why not simply wipe out the rest of us when he could unless it was the civilians he had wanted to get to?

After all it was known he took people alive, so perhaps that was what he had needed and we had stopped this by evacuating them before he could get his fill, was he using me now to get to them?

Fuck, I just didn’t know!

“Alex!” I looked up the second I saw Tiffany heading towards me, I plastered on a smile, the only truth in it was knowing that she had escaped with her life. That out of all those faces of the dead that I had refused to look at when running from the base one hadn’t belonged to her.

“Tiff!” I shouted in return as we embraced the relief in our hug one we both felt coming from the other.

“Thank god you made it.” I said making her wince.

“I wouldn’t have if it hadn’t been for Aster.” She told me. The memory of the way he caught her when she fell from that tower was one that would be forever engrained in my memory. It had been nothing short of heroic making me wonder where he was and prompting me to ask,

“Where is he, I haven’t seen him around and well he’s pretty hard to miss.” I joked, one that didn’t register, and I soon knew why when her pretty eyes glassed over.

“He saved me, got me to one of the trucks just as a Chimera attacked.” I gasped knowing too well what he must have faced.

“Oh shit.” I uttered, hoping it wasn’t what I thought.

“Yeah, he fought it and…” she said stopping herself with a shake of her head as if there was something she didn’t want to admit.

“What?”

“He just didn’t make it.” She finished off, sadness and something else I couldn’t place tainting her usual happy tone. Her naturally upbeat nature taking a hit and adding to my guilt. I winced hearing this as I liked the guy and I know that she did as well.

“I’m so sorry Tiff.” I said pulling her in for another hug.

“I want to go back.” She admitted like a few people I had spoken to today had also said, as this seemed to be the general consensus.

“Well let’s hope when the scouts get back they say it’s safe to do so.” She nodded at this but then one of the kids called Jesse started calling her name.

“I better go I promised them we would play hide and seek.” I paled at that making her laugh.

“Don’t worry, I gave them strict rules it’s basically only hiding in the main building.” I wiped my forehead in a dramatic way,

“Phew.” This made her laugh before running off to join in the fun and the mammoth task of trying to keep kids entertained and their minds off the reason we were here in the first place. Again, that pang of guilt assaulted me.

As for Riley, he had left to speak to the train guy to see how long it would take him to get the thing moving, something about a part they needed for the breaks. Hence why when I walked over to them I did so midway into their conversation,

“Basically, the braking is provided by a mechanism that is similar to a car drum brake, an air-powered piston pushes a pad against the outer surface of the train wheel and…” the new guy stopped talking when Riley saw me and excused himself.

The older guy with a long beard and a Harley t shirt chuckled to himself muttering,

“Young love eh.” He said nudging Volkov who smirked at us.

“Hey.” I mustered making Riley hook me under my chin when I didn’t look at him directly.

“You look tired why not go get some rest.” He suggested his hand now cupping my cheek which slipped when I nodded.

“I just can’t stop thinking that maybe I shouldn’t be…” at this he pulled me further away from the others and next to a colourful storage shed that was half spray painted with even more colourful language.

“Stop Alex.” He said softly.

“But after what you said I can’t put these people at risk.” I argued.

“Fuck but I wish I never said anything.” He admitted angrily, but I knew it wasn’t aimed at me but more himself.

“I am glad you did, although I wish you had sooner.” I admitted, needing him to understand.

“Why, you would have snuck off in the middle of the night without a word?” he asked angrily making me sigh,

“That’s not fair.”

“No, you’re right, that wouldn’t have been.” He snapped in reply making me frown up at him.

“I think you’re right; I will go and take that nap now.” I said pulling my hand from his and walking away.

“Hey!” he shouted after me before catching my hand and pulling me to a stop.

“I’m sorry, I just hate the idea that it could have happened.”

“Yes well, I hate that it did happen more… Riley, people died.” I stressed, my voice breaking.

“Yeah, they did and it fucking sucks but you didn’t do it Alex the fucking Myths did! The General, he’s the one to blame, So stop blaming yourself.” He told me making me admit,

“Easy for you to say you’re not the one who seemed to attract these fucking things!” I snapped making him sigh before pulling me in for a hug.

“And you should stop beating yourself up for answers your never gonna get. We don’t know why he wants you but the only thing I care about is that he never does,” his words meant to sooth me suddenly filled me with an idea.

Because he was right. I didn’t know why the General wanted me but he was potentially wrong about there being no way to get my answers saying I never would.

As there was one way where I might have a chance.

So, I hugged him back and told him,

“I think you’re right; I am going to go lie down for a minute. These pain meds are kicking my ass.” I lied.

“Well, I remember that feeling well.” He said reminding me of how groggy he had been during that truck journey we made together after we just met.

He kissed my forehead and let me go now walking back to the conversations about the trains.

So, I left walking back towards the office we had been using feeling hopeful that I might finally get my answers.

Surely if the General and I were connected in some way then he would know the moment I fell asleep.

After all he still wanted to know where I was and he wasn’t the only one with questions.

So I opened the door, glancing at the room and landing on the map on the wall, asking myself where would I end up next?

Because I know that Riley wanted to come with me but I was conflicted.

What if by being with me I ended up getting him killed?

I would never be able to live with myself if that happened.

I also knew he would never listen. He would never let me go alone.

A painful bridge I knew I would have to cross at some point. The question was if I would be crossing it with him or without. I just hoped this next dream would offer me some insight as to what decision was best to make, as I not only had questions but I also had an offer to make.

So, I lay down and closed my eyes unsure how long it eventually took me to fall asleep.

I was convinced it must have been the rest of the day as the second I felt a large muscular chest beneath my head, I knew Riley must have slipped in next to me, a body that stiffened beneath me when I shifted against him.

“Um…sorry, did I wake you?” I asked in a groggy voice, sleep clinging to me as I snuggled into the big body I was curled up against.

“You did actually but given my new position I can’t say I am in a mind to complain.

” The second I heard his voice my whole body froze, my heart racing as those words fully sank into my semiconscious state telling me I was still dreaming.

And this time it was as far from the nightmare he had first given me.

I rose my head slowly praying I was wrong and knowing I wasn’t the second I found those dark eyes looking down at me.

His knowing grin playing at the corners of his perfect lips.

One that formed fully when he saw me swallow hard, but the second I made a move to get off him his arms wrapped around me, his muscles like steel I couldn’t fight against.

“Tut, tut, first you invite me into this dream, one of your own making I might add, and now you wish to be done with me.” He admonished.

“What do you want?” I asked hating how I felt being in his arms, like my body was betraying me, saying to hell to my hatred and crying mutiny. Honestly, I had never felt safer which didn’t make sense, for why would anyone feel safe in the arms of the devil I feared?

“I could ask you the same for you summoned me this time little survivor.” He said using that patronising pet name for me once more.

“I have a name.” I snapped, making him dip his head closer and tell me with a deep hush of words,

“Oh, I know your name Little Human, one that plagues me still.” I gritted my teeth at that until the last part sank in.

“I plague you?” I questioned, my tone betraying my utter shock.

“Increasingly so.” He replied with a grumble of words making me look at him in utter astonishment.

“So, what is on your mind… Alexandra?” He said purposely purring my name, making his point.