God of Pain (Legacy of Gods #2)(32)

“I came for you!”

“I’m all right. You go.”

I keep coughing as dizziness assaults me. “If you’re all right, then let’s go together.”

“Get the fuck out of here, Annika.” There’s a strain in his voice that’s so similar to pain.

My heartbeat thunders as I choke on my cough. “Open the door.”

There are more coughs from his and my side, but there’s no reply.

“Jer?” My voice is spooked. “Open up—”

“I can’t.” I barely hear his low words. “I’m trapped. You need to go, Anoushka. Now.”

“No, no.” I hit the door with my shoulder, tears streaming down my cheeks, and they’re not only due to the smoke.

So this is why he didn’t come to find me as soon as the fire hit. I found it weird that my overprotective brother didn’t break down my door or haul me out of sleep.

It’s not that he didn’t think of me, it’s that he couldn’t come to my rescue.

“Go!”

“No!” I scream back through my coughs. “I’m not leaving you to die.”

My vision becomes blurry and I sway on my feet, but I don’t stop hitting the door over and over. It takes all of my strength, but it does nothing to move the fucking shit.

So I kick the handle with all my might and throw myself at it repeatedly.

“Anoushka…go…please…”

“Shut up.” I’m sobbing through my coughs as I kick and punch and hit the handle. My feet sting, my hand screams in pain, and my vision has filled with tears, but I refuse to give in.

“If you stay…we’ll both die…” Jeremy sounds far away, almost like he’s in another realm.

“I’m not leaving you.” I kick the handle again, my strength waning. “I’d rather die with you than live knowing I could’ve saved you but didn’t.”

I pack all my energy in one final kick against the handle and it comes off, falling to the ground.

My heart leaps as I push the door open. A hot wave of heat physically jerks me backward and I tighten my grip on the cloth.

The room is completely gray, reeking of smoke. The fire has eaten up the northern wall and is advancing with creepily easy speed.

“Jer?”

No reply.

My fist clenches and I can feel the emotions clogging my throat as I cough.

I call my brother’s name again, spooked this time, and getting weaker. I’m swaying and I don’t think I’ll be able to stand on my feet for much longer.

He was right, after all. Maybe we were meant to die together tonight.

I snort. Jer is always right.

Tears stream down my face as I lose my footing, and the fabric falls to the ground. “Jer…”

My side hits a wall—no, not a wall.

It’s warm, but not with the lethality of the flames. It’s suffocating, but not like the deadliness of the smoke.

Strong arms pull me up effortlessly and I end up flush against a rock-hard chest.

My vision slowly focuses on Creighton’s beautiful face that’s half covered by a gas mask. Despite that fact, I would recognize him anywhere.

And it’s all because of these piercing light eyes that haunt me everywhere I go.

For a moment, I think this is a figment of my imagination and I’m making him up in my most dire situation.

But he is here.

For me.

Creighton removes the mask, revealing his tight, sharp features. He straps it to my face. I inhale the clean air deeply, then pull it away, my other hand fisting his shirt.

“Jer…is over here.”

“We have to go.”

“Not without Jeremy.” I don’t recognize the heat in my voice.

Because I will not move from here until my brother is safe.

Creighton shoves the mask back onto my face and pushes me toward the exit. “Leave.”

“No—”

My word is interrupted when a body shoves against mine. “Get out of the way, bitches.”

Nikolai storms inside wearing a mask and carrying a few more in a sheet that he’s morphed into a messenger bag and strapped around his waist.

I take one and slam it against Creighton’s chest and glare. He shakes his head, but he wears it.

Despite the possibility of being able to breathe, the hot air is unbearable. Still, when I point Nikolai and Creighton in the direction of where the fire is spreading, they don’t hesitate.

We run there, but Creighton keeps me shielded by his body at all times.

“Annika…” Jer’s low voice barely reaches us. “Leave…”

We follow the sound until we finally find my brother trapped beneath a table. Probably caused by a blast or the spreading of the fire.

I snatch a gas mask from Nikolai’s sheet and strap it on my brother’s face. His eyes are closed, and his body is limp, but he’s breathing.

He’s still here.

While I push Jeremy’s hair away from his face, calling his name but getting no reply, Creighton and Nikolai lift the table.

Then they carry him out just as the fire is about to devour the room.

My brother’s feet drag against the ground, his weight pulling him down even as they swiftly carry him away from the danger.