Chapter 4 4

His eyes are filled with melancholy as he turns his gaze back to her. When I realized that he did not want to do it, I frowned. When he thought that it was a terrible plan, she told him, "I believe in you." I remember that she had said similar words a day earlier.

It is as tears begin to rise up in his eyes that he says, "I love you." Though I make an effort to draw the whip more tightly, it does not move.

Deeply focusing his gaze on him, he glances at him. She merely responds, "Then go," and he moans and looks down instead of looking up. He glances at me and gives me a slight nod.

Both of us let go of the whips and raced towards the back of the room toward the back. Along with James, I come to a halt as we both turn our attention back to Adam. As she looks at us, she gives off a puff of green smoke and then explodes.

The stern frown that he wore caused us to dash out via the rear door. As I think of my partner, who is still being held in custody, I come to a halt.

I let out a breath and said, "Elijah." However, James grabs my arm and drags us closer to my vehicle.

While we are both getting into the car, he adds, "Harriet, he'll be okay. He's like a cockroach; he never dies." I start the car when we both get in it. I grin and go behind the wheel, hoping that he is doing well.

• ••

As we search for Oliver, we attempt to make our way through the tunnels. As was the case with my other footwear, my boots were becoming extremely filthy and unpleasant. After what seems like an eternity, we finally turn a corner, and there sits Douglas.

We are running in his direction when we come upon Oliver, Charlotte, and Eloise.

The moment we finally come to a halt, James lets out a huff and says, "World War 2." I struggled to recover my breath as I made my way over to Oliver, and I sputtered as I did so.

I say, "He's a nazi," while still feeling a little out of breath. When Oliver looks at me and then at Douglas, his eyes widen, and he looks at both of them.

As Douglas removes the whip from his side, James lets out a breath and says, "He wants the hunt for himself. He wants his own supernatural army." At the same time, Ainsley growls behind him.

I say, "Damn it, Ainsley," as I continue to speak. Once more, he is operating from the wrong side.

As a look of determination emanates from Oliver's eyes, he eventually returns his gaze to Douglas. "We're not letting you through that rift."

Douglas inquired, "Are you not going to let me?" He says, "I see. You still think you have a say in the matter." After that, he cracks the whip at us and says, "I see."

Oliver roars towards him with a searing red in his eyes, and we all take a step backward. As my fangs begin to grow in and my eyes begin to sparkle, I flick my claws out like they are growing in. Every time Douglas strikes the whip in our direction, we take a step back because we do not want to get hit by it.

It was only Oliver,, and I left behind after Charlotte, Eloise, and James all raced off to the side. The moment Douglas began to crack the whip, we took a step back immediately. As I make my way to the side, Oliver ultimately comes up behind me and meets up with me.

"Hollenhund," Douglas adds with a German accent. "That's me." Ainsley begins to make his way towards the rift, with Douglas following closely after him.

At the very moment that I was going to move closer to them, I felt Oliver grasp me and pull me back. Ainsley begins to push it apart as he approaches it from a distance.

With his push, he opens it, and we are on the verge of running towards it until Eloise brings us back. "Wait."

Then, when Ainsley turns, Douglas murmurs, "Wunderbar." Ainsley growls loudly in our direction.

The words "Hollenhund, comen" are said by Douglas to Ainsley. This time, Ainsley lets forth another roar before entering the portal.

"Now!" Eloise exclaims, and all of us rush in the direction of the gateway, but it is already too late. It has already been shut down. A sigh and a groan come from him.

With a frightened and sad expression on her face, Charlotte exhales, "No." I grimaced as our goal was completely and utterly thwarted.

Two ghost riders materialize in front of us, emerging from the portal, and we begin to get into a defensive position. They are approaching us, and I extend my claws once more to protect myself.

The words that Oliver has spoken cause me to furrow my brow and say, "James, you, Harriet, and Charlotte get to the bunker."

My voice is quick to respond, "What? Why me? I can stay and fight." I let out a groan, and then I dash out with James and Charlotte. Oliver gives me a nod of his head.

Everyone starts sprinting in the direction of the bunker. According to James, "That roar wasn't promising," when we finally took a breath and came to a complete halt in our running.

Charlotte responds, "Well, they are not very often," while taking a moment to collect her breath.

I encourage them to keep going, and we continue to run. "Keep going. Keep going."

The sight of a Ghost rider standing there motionless causes us to come to a halt. As it roars toward us, Charlotte grabs us behind her and pulls us around.

In an attempt to pull the trigger, the Ghost Rider reaches for it but fails to do so. I inquire, "What is going on?" but James simply glances at me in a bewildered manner.

Charlotte adds, "I don't know. But stay behind me." I shake my head in response to her statement.

His hand is placed on the gun. "Follow me," Charlotte says as she begins to move up to the person. We speed quickly past the Ghost Rider, and James and I are right after her, following closely behind her. After making our way back down the tube, we arrive at our destination.

James responds, "He's afraid of you," and Charlotte's eyes widen in horror as she takes in the information.

With a murmur, she says, "I'm afraid of me." as we turn the corner.