He brought me back to life; A Captain America romance; Book one.

Chapter 30; This is it

The sharp florescent light above stings my retinas. My head is pounding and my whole body is numb. I feel like I'm paralyzed. I think I'm lying on something cold and hard, but I can't move an inch to try to look. My hands and feet are strapped down and there's something over my mouth again. As the feeling slowly returns to my body, I wriggle my hands and feet but it's no use. I try to turn my head. I can hear two voices speaking in quiet German and panic starts to course through my veins. What is this? What are they going to do to me? A loud noise makes me jump as I feel the table slowly rise, placing me in an upright position. Malik is standing in front of me, an evil, delighted grin on his sadistic face.

"Ms. Hart... You continue to surprise me." He walks over to me and holds a knife to my throat. I swallow hard and try as hard as I can to not let the tears, gathering in my eyes fall onto my cheeks.

I look down at myself. My shirt is open and my wound is seeping again. Malik lowers the knife to where my make shift bandage is and tears it off me, causing an unbearable pain to shoot through my torso.

"I should have known you would try to escape. You're spunky. I'll give you that. But I'm afraid all you've done is save me the trip of bringing down here, kicking and screaming."

Fuck, I've literally walked right into his trap.

Malik sees the terror in my eyes and smiles. "All we have to do now is wait for lover boy to come to your rescue."

I jerk my head towards him and curse at him from behind my gag. Please don't come here, Steve. Please

The other man in the room takes out his phone and walks over to Malik, whispering something in his ear. Malik's malicious smile grows even wider as he tilts his head to me. "Well, it looks like we don't have to wait too long at all. He'll be here any moment. You know, I think I'll head out and let you two have some privacy. You know, before I murder you all." He laughs, viciously and leaves the lab with the other man.

My tears are flowing down my face, now. I can't help it. I'm terrified. If he gets Steve's blood; that's it. He'll kill us and then release the serum into the atmosphere. I'm trembling.

I hear footsteps and someone screaming my name and I close my eyes. Steve bursts through the door of the lab. He's wearing jeans, a t-shirt and a leather jacket. No suit and no shield. His long hair, damp with sweat. He rushes over to me, his eyes wide with panic and fear. They're full of tears. He grabs either side of my face of removes the tape from my mouth. He looks like he's in physical pain. "Ellie, are you okay? Oh my God, your stomach!"

"Steve!" I pant. "Steve, you have to get out of here! Malik, Malik is coming, he wants your blood for his serum. Steve!"

He's not listening. He's staring deep into my eyes, still holding my face. He glances at my wound, then and closes his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Ellie. It's my fault you're here. I'm so so sorry about everything". I stare at him, bewildered.

"Steve, none of that matters anymore! Don't worry about me, you need to get yourself out, now!"

He's hesitating, glaring at the restraints around my wrists. He looks terrible. Weak. There are huge bags under his dark eyes and he's struggling for breath. He looks slightly smaller, somehow. Something's wrong. What has he done to himself?

"I can't get you out, Ellie. There's no time. I have to give Malik my blood or he won't stop." He's quiet, now. He presses his forehead against mine, breathing heavily.

I try to speak, but I can't. I break into sobs as he stands there, broken.

I hear solid footsteps stomping on the ground outside.