Tightrope; A New Romance

Chapter 16- Panic

A wave of relief ran through my body.

Erik released his hold over my mouth but kept his close proximity, less than a few inches away.

The bedside lamp lit up on side of his face, the other side left in the shadows. the image reminded me of his personality, part light, part dark. Hot and cold.

I was relieved to see it was him and not some ninja assassin, but a large part of me was worried of his presence. A little scared even.

"What are you doing here?!" I exclaimed.

Erik sat still, taking short, panicked breaths and I knew immediately thought something was wrong.

"Erik? What's going on?" I questioned.

But his warm hand clamped down hard on my mouth again before he answered. "Sshh! They're just outside the door."

I knocked his hand away. "Who's they? What's happening?!" I whispered loudly, anticipating a decent answer.

"We need to leave. Now." His face was as serious as always, but this time concern sparked in his eyes that made me worried.

"What? Why?" Too many possibilities flooded my brain at once. Had somebody breached the institution? A demon? Were the demons after me or someone else?"

"I'll explain in the car." He moved hastily, grasping the large tote bag I had outside my bathroom. He threw the doors to my wardrobe wide open and began messily grabbing random clothes that were once neatly folded.

"The car?" I questioned, leaping off my bed.

Erik threw a red coat my way and signalled me to be quiet.

I heeded it, folded myself into the coat and grabbed my bag from the bathroom, hastily but silently chucking it into the suitcase.

"There's only one other way out of here that isn't the main entrance which is an emergency tunnel underneath the training facility." Erik explained, his voice barely audible.

"You said there were people outside the door. What do we do?" My heart raced, my body awakening to the stench of danger.

"I'll take care of it. Stand against the wall."

I nodded in an understanding matter, doing as he'd instructed.

Erik opened the door only enough to fit his body through before shutting it firmly behind him. I heard muffled voices, there had to be two or three other men, none of whose voices I could recognised.

Then there was a loud thud, followed by another then another; bodies slamming against the floor and walls I think.

Then there was nothing.

I began to panic silently. Was Eric okay? Had he been hurt?

The door creaked open and I positioned my feet ready to maintain my balance and defend myself if necessary.

But it was Erik, his eyes scanning the hallway to make sure no one was coming.

He turned back to me, picking up my bag and took my hand in his free one. A pleasant, comfortable feeling arose in the bottom of my stomach but I couldn't think about that now. We were in trouble.

There were two large men passed out on the floor. They were dressed in the formal black attire that belongs to the institution. One of the men I'd seen in Kade's throne room and the other I'd never laid eyes on.

"This way." Erik's hand pulled me down the corridor and then to the left before and we broke into a run.

I had no idea where we were going but I trusted him. I shouldn't be trusting him but I have no other choice. The pulse of my heart beat sounded loud in my ears, I wasn't surprised if Eric could hear it.