voice echoing loudly off the walls.
The water is almost completely gone now, and if it weren’t for the fact that I’m freezing right now and exhausted, I might actually be able to feel relieved and happy that we’re not going to be drowning today.
“We’re here!” I yell back, letting Hannah sit up away from me, then we both struggle to our feet.
I’m barely standing before Marduke is hugging me to his chest, his hands roaming over me, checking again for any injuries. This is becoming a regular thing for us.
“Are you all right? Are you hurt? Is Riley fine?” he bombards me, pulling me away in order to check me over with his gaze. Deciding after a moment that I’m okay, he pulls me back against his chest.
“I’m fine, the baby is fine. I’m just cold,” I admit. “Where is Logan?”
“I left him with Lisa when I came searching for you. I wasn’t sure if…” His voice hitches. “I wasn’t sure if I’d find you alive, and I didn’t want him to see that.”
I feel him shiver in my arms, therefore I tighten my arms around him.
“I’m okay, I promise. That was a close call.”
“I know. Ival must have made it back in time, which means we must not have been too far when the water hit. Unfortunately, you guys travelled back a fair distance. It’s going to be another long walk.”
I groan, wanting to never have to walk another step ever again.
“Are you okay?” he asks Hannah.
Even though I’m freezing, his words bring warmth to me. I absolutely love the fact that he is concerned about Hannah, too.
“Yeah, I’d been dying for a wash, but almost drowning hadn’t been exactly what I’d hoped for,” she jokes, yet we both hear the slight shake in her voice.
He releases one hand from around me and holds it out to Hannah, gripping her shoulder and squeezing it, offering her some comfort.
That small gesture completely melts my heart, and I use precious energy to lift myself up straight and kiss Marduke on the lips. The intimate touch lights a fire inside me, one that I know won’t be put out for too long. He steps into me, wrapping both arms around me as he dominates me, taking control and consuming my lips and mouth. His touch takes the chill out of my body and replaces it with warmth and a burning need for him.
I grip at his wet shirt, my hands almost moving without thought as they pull his shirt upwards, baring his stomach before Hannah clearing her throat slowly filters through to my foggy brain.
“Get a room, dorks.” As Hannah rolls her eyes, unenthusiastically moving past us, Marduke’s longing gaze makes it so much harder to follow her lead.
***
We eventually make it back to Logan, Lisa, and Hope where there are more tears and hugs. Everyone is feeling scared and no one more than the kids.
Logan won’t leave my arms again, his body shaking as he cries into my shoulder. I fear he’s been put through too much and the young boy he was before so much happened to him won’t ever get the chance to return. There has to be a breaking point somewhere, and I hope he hasn’t reached his.
This is almost over for him. If what Marduke and Ival were saying about the tunnels under their home is correct, then there are rooms set up there. It was created years ago as a hiding place for the leader and his family to go if they ever needed the sanctuary. He’s not sure if there will be any food, but there are bathroom facilities and a tap that will have running water. Perhaps even better than that, there will be a bed and blankets.
I might never want to leave.
When the ground begins to shift upwards at an angle, I feel excited that we might almost be there. We’re led up a ramp, which above has a large oval grate and a seal over it.
“That is where the water comes in from,” Marduke explains, his gaze following mine.
“Why is it even there?”
“I don’t know. I suppose as a way to keep the tunnels clean and maybe even a defence mechanism in case anything ever happened
The water is almost completely gone now, and if it weren’t for the fact that I’m freezing right now and exhausted, I might actually be able to feel relieved and happy that we’re not going to be drowning today.
“We’re here!” I yell back, letting Hannah sit up away from me, then we both struggle to our feet.
I’m barely standing before Marduke is hugging me to his chest, his hands roaming over me, checking again for any injuries. This is becoming a regular thing for us.
“Are you all right? Are you hurt? Is Riley fine?” he bombards me, pulling me away in order to check me over with his gaze. Deciding after a moment that I’m okay, he pulls me back against his chest.
“I’m fine, the baby is fine. I’m just cold,” I admit. “Where is Logan?”
“I left him with Lisa when I came searching for you. I wasn’t sure if…” His voice hitches. “I wasn’t sure if I’d find you alive, and I didn’t want him to see that.”
I feel him shiver in my arms, therefore I tighten my arms around him.
“I’m okay, I promise. That was a close call.”
“I know. Ival must have made it back in time, which means we must not have been too far when the water hit. Unfortunately, you guys travelled back a fair distance. It’s going to be another long walk.”
I groan, wanting to never have to walk another step ever again.
“Are you okay?” he asks Hannah.
Even though I’m freezing, his words bring warmth to me. I absolutely love the fact that he is concerned about Hannah, too.
“Yeah, I’d been dying for a wash, but almost drowning hadn’t been exactly what I’d hoped for,” she jokes, yet we both hear the slight shake in her voice.
He releases one hand from around me and holds it out to Hannah, gripping her shoulder and squeezing it, offering her some comfort.
That small gesture completely melts my heart, and I use precious energy to lift myself up straight and kiss Marduke on the lips. The intimate touch lights a fire inside me, one that I know won’t be put out for too long. He steps into me, wrapping both arms around me as he dominates me, taking control and consuming my lips and mouth. His touch takes the chill out of my body and replaces it with warmth and a burning need for him.
I grip at his wet shirt, my hands almost moving without thought as they pull his shirt upwards, baring his stomach before Hannah clearing her throat slowly filters through to my foggy brain.
“Get a room, dorks.” As Hannah rolls her eyes, unenthusiastically moving past us, Marduke’s longing gaze makes it so much harder to follow her lead.
***
We eventually make it back to Logan, Lisa, and Hope where there are more tears and hugs. Everyone is feeling scared and no one more than the kids.
Logan won’t leave my arms again, his body shaking as he cries into my shoulder. I fear he’s been put through too much and the young boy he was before so much happened to him won’t ever get the chance to return. There has to be a breaking point somewhere, and I hope he hasn’t reached his.
This is almost over for him. If what Marduke and Ival were saying about the tunnels under their home is correct, then there are rooms set up there. It was created years ago as a hiding place for the leader and his family to go if they ever needed the sanctuary. He’s not sure if there will be any food, but there are bathroom facilities and a tap that will have running water. Perhaps even better than that, there will be a bed and blankets.
I might never want to leave.
When the ground begins to shift upwards at an angle, I feel excited that we might almost be there. We’re led up a ramp, which above has a large oval grate and a seal over it.
“That is where the water comes in from,” Marduke explains, his gaze following mine.
“Why is it even there?”
“I don’t know. I suppose as a way to keep the tunnels clean and maybe even a defence mechanism in case anything ever happened
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