The Chase

17 Evie

I was back in the same room. A hastily screwed up plywood board covering the hole Rockets head had made almost through to the next room. I did not have shoes any longer. That was fine. I would rather be barefoot than wear those hideous shoes that would leave me off balance and unable to defend myself or run away effectively.

Again I knew I should feel awful. I didn't. I felt fine. I went to the mirror. It was gone. I tapped my fingertips gently all over my face, where I knew Rocket had smashed his boot. Everywhere felt normal. I checked what should have been a giant open wound on my throat but my skin was smooth where I knew Rocket had bitten me.

I felt fine. This nightmare was really unhinged. How many times could I get knocked out in a row before something important broke. No matter how good I felt right now. I knew there had to be a limit to how much of this I could take in a day before I suffered some lasting damage. Then reminding myself, this wasn't real. It was a nightmare, and anything was possible.

I sat up. Taking stock of the room and myself. Nothing aside from the shoes and mirror seemed to have changed in here. I couldn't hear anything from outside this room. Not the wind outside, not any bit of traffic noise, nothing from the bar or other parts of this compound. Against all my better judgment, I sought out the insane link I had to Luca in this nightmare. Utterly surprised when he was still there. Telling me he was coming, he would get me out of here.

That aspect of this nightmare seemed to be the hardest for me to convince myself it wasn't real. It felt so real. Luca felt like something that was part of me and still entirely separate at the same time. He didn't feel like I felt, he didn't think like I thought, it was the most complete fabrication my subconscious had ever conjured. If I lived through this, I was going to get an itemized charge list for this hospital stay to see exactly what drugs and injuries caused this vivid and detailed hallucination.

I wished for a window, or a clock or anything at all to help me gauge the time. I had no idea how much time had gone by while I was unconscious. It looked like it was full dark in my vision of Luca. He was driving in an industrial park, sharp white street lights lighting up the darkness in isolated pools around their poles.

I heard heavy booted feet walking almost lightly down the hall towards me again. The rhythm sounded different, more controlled than nightmare Rocket. Still I wasn't taking any chances, once again taking a ready stance as far away from the door as the tiny cell allowed.

I wasn't sure what I expected, a worried looking Steel, with his finger over his lips telling me to be quiet was certainly not it. I didn't trust him. Didn't trust anything in this nightmare. I didn't move from my ready position. "Emily, come on, you need to go to your mate and get as far away from here as possible. Before Rocket kills both of you." His voice strained. Worried.

"My mate?" I didn't understand his words. His tone was deadly serious. "I don't know what you're talking about Steel." He made a sound that was something crossed between a growl and exasperated sigh.

Still growling, he dragged his open palm down his face. I heard Luca in my head, telling me to trust Steel, that Steel was like him. "Has anyone ever told you that you have the absolute worst fucking luck with relationships Emily?" shaking his head he grabbed my hand and started to pull me out the door. Not waiting for my brain to catch up with what was happening.

"My name isn't Emily." I said ignoring all the other stuff that didn't make sense.

"I sure as fuck ain't going to call you Ginger Sweets girl, just come on. Rocket is temporarily occupied; we don't have much time." Dragging me down a different hallway than I tried my first attempt. I could hear Rocket in a room somewhere nearby. He was with a woman. Being far too rough by the sound of flesh meeting flesh and the unseen woman's sharp cries.

The sounds triggering memories I had tried so hard to tamp down deep. Times when it had been me locked in a room with regular Rocket. I had a feeling this nightmare version of him would be even worse. My fear spiking as I stumbled behind Steel.

Suddenly Steel was faltering like his legs were weak. "What The Fuck." he slurred before he crashed into the wall to the floor unconscious. I was running on adrenaline now, triggered by my memories of Rocket and everything he had ever done to me. I jumped over the sprawled out cold form of Steel. Just as I heard Rocket yell he was cumming. Followed by the woman screaming in pain. Her cries turning to weak whimpers.

I thought I could smell blood in the air. That didn't make sense so I ignored it. I kept running. The hallway ended in a dead end with a solid locked door. I grabbed the door knob harder. Hoping it would open. After wrenching the door knob with everything I had it broke off in my hand, the door swinging open. I dropped the useless mangled metal. Hearing Rocket swearing nearby. I ran harder and faster.

I still had no idea where this new clubhouse was. I couldn't recognize any landmarks now that I was outside that would help me. I closed my eyes trying to focus. "Feel for me Evie, find me!" Luca, in my head again. Speaking in nonsense riddles. I would have to try and remember some of the details of this coma nightmare. Maybe I could write a book about it like Alice in Wonderland.

Luca in my head didn't make sense, regardless I did feel like I could sense him getting closer to me, I turned in a slow circle. Feeling utterly stupid until the direction felt right and started to run. I was running far faster than I ever had. The wind whistling in my ears, buildings were a blur in my peripheral vision. My bare feet slapping against the rough road. The feeling that I was close to Luca growing stronger.

I turned a corner almost running headlong into an older model pickup truck. There was a screech of brakes and tires locking up. There wasn't time to react, I put my hands out in front of me, as if it would help stop the truck from crushing me. I felt the truck hit, my arms staying strong. I opened my eyes to see the front grill and hood had crumpled in. As though my hands were concrete traffic control blocks.

I wasn't dead. I looked at my hands, they weren't injured at all. I was starting to hyperventilate. This nightmare was too much. Everything felt too real. I had felt the steel crumple on my hands. Too impossible. I heard the truck door open, and the most delicious scent hit me. Cedar and spice and man. Mine. My man. My head snapped up to see Luca coming from the cab. Looking like he was seeing a ghost.

I ran to him, jumped into his arms. I heard my voice yell mine only a moment before new sharper teeth in my mouth bit down on the crook of his neck. Unable to stop myself. Until the metallic taste of his blood hit my tongue and I felt a crush of feelings I knew weren't mine. Leaving my head spinning while I looked up at Luca, who looked overjoyed that I had bitten him like an animal.