Free My Immortal by Anastasia Dangerfield Page B

me."
    --Silence--
    "You've got to be kidding me! You would leave the girl behind before carrying her, even though she is
wounded?" Gabe asks unbelievingly.
    "She's not wounded and I don't like to be
touched. Take it or leave it if you care about her so much."
    Part of me rejoices in the fact that Shadow
doesn't really give a damn about her but part of me can't believe
he is being so callous, especially since she could possibly be
carrying his child.
    "She is not with my child, Alexia. I would be
able to smell the change in her blood with my new "skills" as you
call them."
    Everyone's mouths just drop and the situation
becomes extremely tense.
    Oh my gods, you did not just say that out
loud!
    She needed to hear it. She's hooked on me
like a leech and she is going to drain the life out of me soon. I
can't handle it. She annoys me. I am extremely relived that my
child doesn't grow within her, and I am betting you are relieved as
well.
    Well, yes of course but…
    Quiet Sweetling. We must move, we are about
to have company.
    Gabe remains quiet as he scoops her up and
since I know him so well, I know that he decides to just talk to me
about this later instead of embarrassing the poor girl even
further. His manners are impeccable, being raised with such class
and sophistication and all.
    And he has a really good heart, too.
    Just as Gabe turns with her secured in his
arms, Shadow and I follow behind him and we hastily make our way
through the underground maze. We make rights and lefts and take
certain tunnels and veer off of many forks in the path. Just as I
think I cannot run this fast for a second longer, I am lifted off
of my feet and carried on.
    I look into my savior's bright red eyes with
confusion and a thankful heart.
    He glances down and winks at me before
looking back up to pay attention, following Gabe.
    But I thought…
    Just don't think, Sweetling, it gets you
into trouble.
    Urgh!
    A deep, very sexy, male laugh echoes
through my mind, and it feels so good to hear him laugh again, that
I cannot stay frustrated with him.
    What seems like an eternity later, the
darkness starts fading into light, the farther down the tunnel we
run. Finally, we reach the end and pause to walk up the steps
slowly. Gabe is in front still carrying Jezebel and he gently sets
her onto her feet. Before either of them can turn and see Shadow
holding me, he drops me unceremoniously and I barely land on my
feet in a crouch.
    I shoot him a glare and he has the nerve to
wink at me again!
    The boy makes my blood boil!
    …and my heart fracture into tiny little,
irreparable pieces.
    Shadow frowns, suddenly and I desperately
hope with what little pride I have left that he didn't hear that
last part…
    "All clear," Gabe whispers and proceeds up
the stairs with us close behind.
    "I had the Guards called to another location
so we have a very small window of opportunity to fly over the wall
in the East sector, near the training cliff."
    "Okayyyy," I drag out, seriously doubting
this plan. "So am I correct to assume that the archers won't be on
the wall?"
    He checks his watch. "I think so. That's the
East sector over there," he point straight ahead about four hundred
yards. "I'm not sure exactly how long the window will be once they
realize it was a rouse and head back to their posts. But they
should have rushed to the emergency about five minutes ago."
    "So we probably have no time left," Shadow
informs.
    "It's likely, but what other choice do we
have?"
    No one answers.
    "We just have to figure out how to get the
girl over the wall. I could carry her but not that far and
there's a risk we wouldn't clear the wall without getting an
arrow," Gabe says.
    "My name is Jezebel," she says. "And you
don't need to carry me again." She then shifts into an exotic
female demon form, winking at Shadow.
    "She's a shifter," I inform him, with not too
little venom in my tone.
    And she's stupid. She thinks Shadow is a
demon, but she really has no idea. I like it when she