Reckless

Chapter 11 Part 1

Present Day

Character POV: Roxanne

I pull up to the warehouse which is located on the coordinates that Ariadne provided on the back of her note. I haven't been back here since she saved me from burning to death on a pyre on this exact spot. Even being here has my skin beginning to itch, the past and the present beginning to blur in my mind. I reach into the glove box of the rental car and pull out the bottle of liquor that I stashed there, popping the top off and taking a long swig as I put the car in park on the side of the street in front of the warehouse, trying to beat the past into submission so I can do what I need to do in the present.

The warehouse's windows are all dark, like someone has put paper or something over the windows. Behind me, the sun has streaked the sky a bright, brilliant orange as the sun hovers just over the horizon, on its way to heights of the sky. David has been with Ariadne for a long time, and my stomach clenches at the thought. Ariadne doesn't need much time to do horrible things to people; I know this from personal experience. The thing is that she usually does it to people who deserve it, who hurt other people or have views that hurt other people. But this time, she's taken someone to send a message, a message to me that I don't doubt is going to be brutal. She's killed a woman who looked like me to get my attention, killed a creature I am charged with saving from a species that she helped me to save from violent ministers. The body count just keeps growing, and I'm not sure that there's anything Ariadne won't do anymore.

I pull the handle and pop the car door open with my foot, feeling the cool morning breeze brush against my face, tugging strands of my blonde hair into my vision. I put both of my feet on the ground, taking a deep breath before I put any weight on my bad leg. I step down gingerly, but it makes no difference as my weight presses down. It makes no difference what my body weight is, the leg hurts the same. I've tried every extreme, but what's done is done. And that's what I'm worried about-- what has been done to David. He's just a human. Every mark on a human stays with a human for the rest of their short lives. Ariadne has killed immortal witches with magic like it was the easiest thing in the world. Hurting David would be far easier, and if she is in the mindset where her impulses aren't in check, she could easily have done irreparable damage, life-threatening damage.

I shut the door behind me with a loud bang, pulling the key from my pocket and hitting the lock button as I slowly advance on the front door of the warehouse. I hear the "Beep Beep" sound that tells me that the car is locked at my back as I pause in front of the door and just stare at the handle. I don't know if I have the strength to deal with what's to come. I have no idea the sight that's going to greet me once I open this door. But standing here, trying desperately to avoid something that will make me uncomfortable or might trigger me-- that's not going to save David's life. It'll put it in more danger, if anything, because he'll be alone with her for longer.

Taking one final deep breath, exhaling shakily, I steel my nerves and reach out and turn the knob, pushing the door open with my shoulder. I step into a completely black room, with no lights on whatsoever. There are no sounds, but I feel eyes on me with a sense earned in many battles or situations where I was the prey. I reach behind me and shut the door firmly, sealing myself in with the biggest predator on the planet.

The moment that the door shuts, the lights suddenly flare to life, momentarily blinding me. I hiss as I throw up a hand to shield my eyes in those vulnerable few seconds where my eyes are still adjusting. When my eyes have adjusted, I see David suspended from the ceiling by chains, gagged. His eyes are on me as he pulls against the chains, and I hear a sound of them straining against his strength, but they hold. He nods towards the door, his voice raised in a way that makes it clear to me that he wants me to get out of here and save myself.