Dani.
She nodded as they moved swiftly
through the doors, sweeping into the hallway. Cassie didn’t stop to
think about it before she stepped into the hall. The smell hit her
instantly, causing her stomach to flip, and an involuntary gag to
escape her. Dani doubled over, her hand over her mouth as she tried
not to vomit. Chris took a quick step back; his hand was over his
mouth and nose as he turned three shades of green.
“What is that?” Cassie gasped,
instantly wishing that she hadn’t opened her mouth because now she
could also taste the foul odor.
“Death,” Julian answered.
Cassie’s stomach rolled again and it
took every ounce of willpower she had not to vomit. Dani retched
harder, her vomit splattered across the floor. Cassie turned away,
pulling her shirt over her nose before she threw up everywhere too.
Though it blocked the smell a little, it didn’t help much. Devon
reached around her, placing his hand gently over her face, covering
her nose with his jacket. She inhaled deeply, savoring in the
enticing, wonderful smell of him that helped to block out the
stench of the halls.
She smiled thankfully at him. He
watched her intently, his gaze searching as he pulled her tighter
against him, keeping his hand firmly in place. He and Julian seemed
not to be affected by the scent, but then again, they had probably
smelled it many times before. They had probably caused it many
times before. She shuddered at the thought, and swiftly tried to
shove it aside.
She turned her attention back to the
dimly lit hallway. The emergency lights had still been flashing
when they’d fled, but now there were only dim, sickly yellow lights
lining the long hallway. “Why are the lights on?” Julian demanded
in a harsh hiss.
Dani straightened, wiping her mouth
with the sleeve of her coat. She glanced quickly around, placing
her hand over her mouth as she studied the lights. “I don’t know.
It must be a safety thing. These aren’t the normal
lights.”
“You don’t know?”
Dani shook her head; her skin grew
paler as she began to sweat. “I don’t think I can take this
smell.”
Julian glared fiercely at her, his eyes
briefly flashed red. “Too bad. You helped create it, now you have
to deal with it,” Cassie frowned over his harsh words, but didn’t
protest them. “Now, where do we go?”
Dani stared at him for a moment,
trembling slightly as sweat continued to pour down her face.
Finally, she lifted a shaking arm to point straight down the hall.
Julian turned quickly away, striding rapidly away. They followed
silently behind, hurrying to keep up as Dani pointed him down
another hall.
Cassie kept expecting to come across
the source of the smell, but the halls remained clear of any blood,
or human remains. But then again, they had been clear during their
escape also. She knew they would not remain that way though, the
horrible stench told her that much. They made another right; Cassie
became painfully aware of where they were within the compound
now.
Her step faltered slightly, her hand
tightened upon Devon’s over her nose. Memories roared to life,
threatening to swamp her within their painful depths as stared
silently into the room that she had been held captive in. Across
the way she could see the window that she and Julian had spoken
through, the window that had helped to keep her alive.
She looked to Julian, hating the
helpless feeling that swamped her once more. His eyes were hard as
he stared into the room, his jaw locked tight. He turned slowly
toward her, the force of his gaze burning into her, the struggle
for control evident in the hard lines of his face. She could see
his memories and hatred for this place burning fiercely in his
eyes.
Devon moved closer to her, pressing his
hand tighter to her as he leaned over her to look into the room. He
stepped slightly into the doorway, glancing rapidly around before
turning his attention back to her. She lowered her gaze from his,
unable to meet it as
She nodded as they moved swiftly
through the doors, sweeping into the hallway. Cassie didn’t stop to
think about it before she stepped into the hall. The smell hit her
instantly, causing her stomach to flip, and an involuntary gag to
escape her. Dani doubled over, her hand over her mouth as she tried
not to vomit. Chris took a quick step back; his hand was over his
mouth and nose as he turned three shades of green.
“What is that?” Cassie gasped,
instantly wishing that she hadn’t opened her mouth because now she
could also taste the foul odor.
“Death,” Julian answered.
Cassie’s stomach rolled again and it
took every ounce of willpower she had not to vomit. Dani retched
harder, her vomit splattered across the floor. Cassie turned away,
pulling her shirt over her nose before she threw up everywhere too.
Though it blocked the smell a little, it didn’t help much. Devon
reached around her, placing his hand gently over her face, covering
her nose with his jacket. She inhaled deeply, savoring in the
enticing, wonderful smell of him that helped to block out the
stench of the halls.
She smiled thankfully at him. He
watched her intently, his gaze searching as he pulled her tighter
against him, keeping his hand firmly in place. He and Julian seemed
not to be affected by the scent, but then again, they had probably
smelled it many times before. They had probably caused it many
times before. She shuddered at the thought, and swiftly tried to
shove it aside.
She turned her attention back to the
dimly lit hallway. The emergency lights had still been flashing
when they’d fled, but now there were only dim, sickly yellow lights
lining the long hallway. “Why are the lights on?” Julian demanded
in a harsh hiss.
Dani straightened, wiping her mouth
with the sleeve of her coat. She glanced quickly around, placing
her hand over her mouth as she studied the lights. “I don’t know.
It must be a safety thing. These aren’t the normal
lights.”
“You don’t know?”
Dani shook her head; her skin grew
paler as she began to sweat. “I don’t think I can take this
smell.”
Julian glared fiercely at her, his eyes
briefly flashed red. “Too bad. You helped create it, now you have
to deal with it,” Cassie frowned over his harsh words, but didn’t
protest them. “Now, where do we go?”
Dani stared at him for a moment,
trembling slightly as sweat continued to pour down her face.
Finally, she lifted a shaking arm to point straight down the hall.
Julian turned quickly away, striding rapidly away. They followed
silently behind, hurrying to keep up as Dani pointed him down
another hall.
Cassie kept expecting to come across
the source of the smell, but the halls remained clear of any blood,
or human remains. But then again, they had been clear during their
escape also. She knew they would not remain that way though, the
horrible stench told her that much. They made another right; Cassie
became painfully aware of where they were within the compound
now.
Her step faltered slightly, her hand
tightened upon Devon’s over her nose. Memories roared to life,
threatening to swamp her within their painful depths as stared
silently into the room that she had been held captive in. Across
the way she could see the window that she and Julian had spoken
through, the window that had helped to keep her alive.
She looked to Julian, hating the
helpless feeling that swamped her once more. His eyes were hard as
he stared into the room, his jaw locked tight. He turned slowly
toward her, the force of his gaze burning into her, the struggle
for control evident in the hard lines of his face. She could see
his memories and hatred for this place burning fiercely in his
eyes.
Devon moved closer to her, pressing his
hand tighter to her as he leaned over her to look into the room. He
stepped slightly into the doorway, glancing rapidly around before
turning his attention back to her. She lowered her gaze from his,
unable to meet it as
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