Tainted: Book Three - Enslaved

21. Rupture

Rome

In a heartbeat, the table was sucked out from under us and a dark fissure corroded the floor with enough noise to wake the dead.

I hastily took that back so I didn't jinx us. We sure didn't need the walking dead to add to this disaster.

We all quick-stepped back from the edge of the void spreading at our feet. An acidic fume began to fill the room, making us gag and our eyes water.

"What's going on?" Mira was calm, at least.

"A breach between this world and Hell." I looked at the crack as it widened another foot and cut off our access to the door. "We call it a rupture. We need to close it before it spreads any further."

"Or something comes out of it," Titus growled.

I looked over at him and—

"Jax, release Kerry!"

An instant later, Kerry was on his feet and lit up blue.

"Gigi, grab the edges!" he yelled. "Reach through space, pull them together, and sew it up!"

"I can't!" Gigi turned as white as flour. "I don't know how!"

"Remember when you started to make that net against the shrouder? Same idea. Use your power like a needle and thread."

"I'm not strong enough!" She shook her head and bit her lip.

"Sure you are, Tennessee. You're a mistress of time and space, remember?"

"I know you can do this, Gigi," Jax told her. "You're the only one of us who can."

She stared at him for a second, then took a deep breath and disappeared.

I started to shove chairs out of the way and most of them rolled into the rupture. We needed an exit and, if the building was like most, there were only studs and sheetrock separating us from the outer office. I could punch through that in a heartbeat.

Josef suddenly dropped to the floor, out cold, and everything happened fast after that.

The floor gave way a few more inches, and Titus shouted as Josef's body slid toward the rupture. Jax, the only one near him, dove forward, grabbed his wrist, and yanked him back. Then he slung Josef up in a fireman's carry and worked his way back to firmer footing.

A tremor ripped through the room and Mimi went down next. She rolled onto her stomach and clawed at the carpeting, but the floor caved into a chute and she slid right to the edge.

"Mimi!" Titus bellowed.

In one amazing move, he lunged forward, grabbed her arm, turned in a quarter circle, and hurled her back. I managed to catch her before she slammed into the wall, but Titus had committed himself. There was no saving him as his momentum catapulted him right into the abyss.

"Titus!" Mimi screamed.

Afraid she'd launch herself after him, I held onto her. We didn't need two people to rescue.

"Holy cats!" Mira yelped.

"What do we do?" Jax came over to us, where the floor was more stable for the moment, and laid Josef down in the corner.

"I'll get him." Kerry headed for the edge. "Don't follow me."

"No, kid! Wait! We'll come up with a plan!" I stopped talking to secure Mimi in a better hold. For a little bitty witch, she put up a good fight.

"No time. You gotta get this rupture closed before it takes down the building."

He was right, but I didn't like it. He was all but sacrificing himself for someone who, one, hated him and, two, was probably already dead. Out of respect for Mimi, though, I kept my mouth shut.