Ink

Chapter 16

"How do we get to the car?" I say while we descent down the stairs."It was taken by the valet service."

"Stop at the first floor." Klaus replies."I know the way from there."

The entire stairwell has an eery feeling about it. Due to the power outage the lights are on emergency back up mode and barley bright enough for us to see where we are running. It is surprisingly quiet as well seeing as though there was just an attack.

Almost too quiet.

I'm suddenly pulled back to a haunt. In the corner of the stairwell is a man with a gaping hole in his neck. He sits on the stairs breathing heavily.

Klaus has stopped me because if I had continued I would have hit him. But as soon as the man is seen he attempts to push me past him to continue.

"Wait."I struggle to be free of his hold."Klaus."

"Alliana there is no time to stop." But he makes no move to gather me back into his arms.

I crouch before the man and study his face. He's human. One of the first humans I've seen in a while.

He opens his only eye that isn't swollen shut and looks forward at me.

A look a fear crosses his features as he attempts to sink further into the wall to escape me.

He looks about my age. My heart swells at the thought of him dying here alone.

"We're not going to hurt you." I whisper.

"S-stay away."

I look back to Klaus who just shrugs his shoulders. A gesture letting me know that I have the final say in whatever we do.

"If we leave him here he will die." Klaus says suddenly. I nod. "If we bring him with us, we could save his life."

I look back towards Klaus with a smirk on my face. "You'd be okay that?"

"It will makes things a little more interesting don't you think?"

I turn back to the man whose eye is sealed in a wince of pain.

"Please." I can barley register the wince that escapes him."I don't want to die."

That is all of the push I need. I reach towards the bottom of my dress and rip it at the hem. I take the piece that now dangles from my fingertips and wrap it around the mans neck to stop the bleeding.

"Better?"

He nods.

"Okay."I begin."So, how do we get him downstairs?"

"His smell alone will attract vampires."

"This situation just got a little trickier." I say as I help support some of the mans weight on shoulder. He is taller than I am and his weight is a little difficult to support.

"But it's still exciting." Klaus says enthusiastically as he leans under the mans second shoulder. "Who would have ever thought two vampires who worked underneath the king would be saving a member of the resistance that wants to end them?"

We hurry down the last flights of stairs and open the door to enter the hallway.

"The coast is clear." I whisper.

"I can see that, Alliana." Klaus whispers playfully.

I shake my head and smile as we continue on.

"It's this way." Klaus leads us through the winding hallways with caution. "There." He says and gestures towards a door.

"That's the entrance?"