Blood & Lust [Book Two of The City of Eternity Series] [✔]

2.17: Wisteria

Violet had kept her grip on my hand tight as we made our way out of the building, her nails digging into my skin just enough to create a searing pain. It seemed to me that her intent was to remove my focus from the bodies that were scattered through the hallways, and the sounds of shouting that radiated out of the rooms we passed.

She needn't have worried about my focus though - with every body my eyes came into contact with, the pulsating pain from my head, face, and thigh seemed to sway my attention back to my injuries.

I did have to wonder if the torn apart bodies were Violet's sole doing, or if Central had anything to do with them. Despite physically seeing Violet commit violent acts against the guards, I still found it difficult to imagine her causing this amount of carnage; blood splatters on the wall where people had been slammed and dropped away from two decapitated men, and several humans with twisted necks.

I hesitated at every door, wondering if Eloise was behind one of them, still suffering at the hands of one of the guards here.

It seemed Violet noticed my apprehension and decided to put a stop to it right away, "If I know anything about that Freddy of mine, Central police are here already. Anyone that's part of this operation has been apprehended - that's what the shouting is. I imagine anyone you care about in this building is being tended to. I could leave you here, but I'd much rather people I know personally dress your wounds."

I didn't give myself the chance to panic over that. I figured if Central really were here she would indeed be safe; Violet had no reason to lie to me. I didn't even suspect her covering up reality to save my feelings - that didn't seem to be her style. Which left me with only one choice - following after this woman without protest, allowing her to drag me from the building and into the cool night air.

I couldn't recall how long I'd been inside the building so I was mildly surprised to be greeted by the infinite darkness above, the pale blues and blacks swarming together and demanding vulnerability from below. There was no trace of the sun to kiss my wounds and remind me of how alive I was.

I allowed myself to take in the buildings which surrounded me; the decision bestowing me the knowledge of my whereabouts - the place I'd been imprisoned was deep inside Central, beyond the Government buildings, but far before the Northern wall, shrouded by the trees and official's housing which stood between. Now I could get a look at the outside, I realised that a 'prison' wasn't a far shout from my assumptions.

The building itself was just short enough to hide behind the other buildings and trees, but certainly out of place enough that I found it difficult to believe members of Central passed by without questioning its existence - it was simply a box, nothing more than walls of concrete put together in any which way they fancied.

I wasn't allowed to ponder on the building any longer, or the many Central guards that seemed to be loitering not far from our exit as Violet had tugged me along. She had begun to weave through the many trees in our path with purpose - the quick movements leaving me feeling rather dizzy - that was on top of the blood loss I was still facing. The cooling bandage she'd placed on my thigh was certainly doing a good job, but it hadn't solved my problem - I was still bleeding out, just slower. Much slower.