Page 115 of Wrapped in Their Arms

He’s breaking,Brightthought, heart clenching.Pieceby piece.AndifIdon’t do something soon, he won’t be able to come back from it.

He reached under the table, laying his hand gently onBurn’sknee.

Burn flinched but didn’t pull away.

Bright squeezed once, offering silent reassurance.

You’re not alone.You’renot the monster you think you are.Andwe’re getting out of this godsdamned nightmare if it’s the last thing we do.

“So,” he said aloud, careful to keep his tone casual.“Anyidea how we’re supposed to chew the eyeballs, or are they just a slurping situation?”

Noelle gave a startled little laugh.Itwasn’t much, but it was real.

Burn didn’t respond, but his jaw unclenched slightly.

Bright leaned back, giving the floating eyeball soup a distrustful glance.Hismind was racing.

We can’t stay here another night.Wecan’t let that bastard make us hurtNoelle.Gods,I’llkill him beforeIlet him hurt her.I’lltear his fucking heads off—each and every one!

But murderous rage wouldn’t help them escape—they needed aplan.

He thought again of the key they’d seen last night.

A fat, metallic cylinder on a thick ring, looped into the front pocket ofThune’soveralls.

The shuttle key.Ourticket out of here.

But how the hell were they supposed to get it?Thunecarried that godsdamned remote on himeverywhere—it was clipped to his belt like some kind of grotesque fashion accessory.

And with one press of those buttons…

Bright’s fingers twitched involuntarily at the memory of the last shock.Thepain had ripped through him like lightning dipped in fire.Hehadn’t felt like himself afterwards—it was like the pain had burned away a layer of his soul.

Burn might not survive another one.Noellesure as hell won’t.

“Bright?”Noelle’svoice was soft.

He turned to her quickly.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said, though her voice was weary.“Ijust…we need to think of something.Wecan’t let him keep doing this to us.”

Her eyes—brown and gold and so full offeeling—met his, and for a moment, everything else faded.

She trusts me.Evenafter everything.Shestill trusts me.

“We’ll figure something out,”Brightsaid quietly.“We’renot staying another night.”

Burn finally looked up at that.

His expression was unreadable, butBrightsaw the faintest flicker of something behind his eyes.

Hope.Ormaybe desperation wearing hope’s mask.

“We just have to figure out how to get that key,”Brightmurmured.“Andhow to keep him from pressing that damned button while we do it.”

A moment of silence passed.