Salvage

Chapter 9

Marco's Pov

The Things We Protect

I knew something was wrong the moment Kingston stopped breathing. Not stopped breathing literally  but the way his chest froze, the way his eyes locked on the hallway where Damien and Eli had just vanished with Ambrose. My husband only looked like that when he sensed danger. 

Family danger.

" Marco," Kingston whispered, " stay behind me." I ignored that immediately." Not happening" 

We moved through the dim corridor, shadows crawling over the peeling walls of the hospital. Every step echoed, loud enough to irritate my nerves. The place smelled like bleach, mold, and something..... metallic. Wrong. I kept thinking of Damien's face when he realized Aurelius  is  actually here. And the look in Kingston s eyes when he realized it too.

Aurelius...Their brother....My brother in law.

Family.

And the idea that someone had locked him up in a hidden cell under this collapsing building made my stomach twist. Kingston slowed, his hand rested on the pistol under his jacket, a movement so small no one else would've noticed. I did. " You feel that?" He murmured.

I nodded swallowing the lump that seemed to be stubborn in its place." Trouble" We turned a corner and the corridor widened into a heavy steel door. Damien and Eli stood frozen in front of it. Mateo hovered behind them , pale as a ghost.

"Marco," Eli breathed "stay alert." I nodded , stepping closer. " What's in there?" Damien didn't look at me at first. He didn't look at anyone, his first were trembling. " Family, or someone pretending to be." He whispered. A jolt shot through me. 

Aurelius.

Kingston moved first, pushing the door open. The heavy metal groaned, revealing a dark cell lit only by a flickering bulb.

And inside....

I felt my heart drop. Aurelius stood there. Skinny, shaking, bruised holding two equally skinny, shaking, bruised bodies. The taller one covering Aurelius as the baby gripped his shirt probably scared out of his mind.

"Aur...?" Kingston's voice cracked. Aurelius flinched like his name was a slap. " Don't come any closer," he whispered " Please."

My breath hitched , he sounded so broken. Like every word cost him something he didn't have anymore. Damien stepped forward slowly, hands raised." Aurelius... it's us. it's me. We're here." But the moment Damien took another step, a shadow peeled out of the corner. 

Ambrose.

Sweating, wide-eyed. cornered but smiling. " Back away," He snarled, his voice trembling." That is not your brother. This is a trick, a hallucination. The hospital is full of them."

Eli scoffed. " Hallucination my ass" Ambrose cut hi, off, screaming:" HE IS NOT AURELIUS!" Aurelius flinched so hard, Moon started trembling extremely hard. Something in me snapped. "That's enough." My voice boomed across the room.

Ambrose's eyes whipped towards me. " You don't understand," he hissed," if you take him, you ruin everything. " Good, let it burn." I growled.

Ambrose lunged toward Aurelius.

Kingston lunged toward Ambrose. 

Chaos hit like a bomb. Mateo grabbed Aurelius and the kids, shielding them. Eli dragged damien back as Kingston and Ambrose slammed into the wall, fists flying. I jumped in yanking Ambrose to the ground by the collar before he could land another punch. 

" You're making a mistake!" Ambrose roared," That thing you're holding is not your..." He didn't get to finish. 

Aurelius screamed. A raw, terrified sound that froze all of us. " STOP!"Aurelius shouted, voice breaking." Please... just stop" Everything stilled. His hands were shaking as he pulled the kids closer, standing between both sides like a shield made of bone and fear. 

" I won't go back," he whispered. " You can't make me." Ambrose laughed, sharp and unhinged. " You already did." Before anyone could react, alarms shrieked through the cell. Red lights flooded the room. Heavy doors slammed down the hallway, sealing exits one by one.

Eli swore getting ready to fight. "Lockdown." Kingston dragged ambrose back, pinning him to the wall. " Call them off!"

Ambrose grinned through bloodied teeth. "Too late."

Moon screamed as Lucien clung to Aurelius crying. 

Then boots thundered outside the door. A lot of them. Damien grabbed Aurelius's arm." We're not leaving you." Aurelius looked at him, really looked at him and for the first time, something clicked behind his eyes.

"Kingston...Damien...??" he whispered. The door began to open. And this time, there would be no hiding.