Through the Fire (Daughter of Fire, #1)(73)

Without waiting for him to fight back, I dropped my shoulder low and charged into the guard. My shoulder protested and I had to bite down to avoid screaming in agony. Thankfully, my move worked—forcing him backward and into the man behind him.

The sounds of people clamoring all around me rang in my ears and drowned out my ability to form a single thought. Keeping my head down, I ran for the door to the hallway.

The moment I hit the corridor, sturdy arms wrapped around my shoulders and held me in place. The pressure against the blisters on my shoulders made me cry out in agony.

The fire in me burned brighter until the man yelped and let go. I didn’t turn around or look back as I forced my dissenting body to move as fast as it could along the slippery floors of the hospital corridor. Reaching to the stairs, I said a silent thank you before forcing myself to rush down one flight.

The noise of people running up the stairs echoed from below. Not wanting to get caught without protection in the concrete and steel stairwell, I escaped into the second floor corridor.

An unsuspecting nurse, came out of a patient’s room and into my path. By the time I saw her, it was too late to avoid a collision. I smashed into her, sending us both sprawling on the floor.

Forcing myself to stand up first, I did something unspeakable.

Hating myself for even considering it an option, I grabbed her around the waist and clamped my hand over her mouth. The ravaged skin of my wrist rubbed against her cheek. Red stars burst to life behind my eyes, but I bit down on the scream that rose to my lips.

I led the nurse back into the room she’d just left before using my hip to close the door behind us. With a glance around the room, I ensured my actions hadn’t roused any suspicions. The last thing I needed was someone slamming their call button. Thankfully, it was a private room with only one sleeping patient.

Safe for the moment, I glanced at the hospital ID pinned to the nurse’s scrubs.

Nancy.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Nancy,” I whispered into her ear as she whimpered in my hold. “But I will if you make any sound. Understand?” The heat in my hands had to be enough to force her to take my words seriously. “I need another outfit.”

She let out another whimper. As a warning, I allowed a little more heat to seep into my fingers. If she cried out or refused to help me, I would have issues.

I hated using the sunbird’s power for my own benefit, but I couldn’t stay in the hospital. It was this or death. It would be the end of me, either by a Rain operative or Clay’s own hands. I squeezed my eyes shut as his name ran through my body, dragging with it a dreadful ache.

“I promise I won’t hurt you if you do as I ask. I just need to get out of here.”

She twisted her head to the side, forcing my wrist to rub against her cheek again.

For a moment the pain was so intense that a haze of red overtook all of my senses. The nurse used my momentary lapse to attempt an escape. I readjusted my position and pinned her against the wall with my left arm.

Clamping my hand back down over her mouth, I plead with her. “I know you won’t believe me, but I’m not a bad person. I just need to get out of here. My life depends on it. Will you help me?”

She shook her head.

I forced more warmth into my hands hoping I could straddle the fine line of heat; enough to make her listen without causing her any real or permanent harm.

She motioned that she wanted to say something.

“If you scream, I won’t hold back the heat any longer. You will burn. Do you understand?”

Wide-eyed and terrified, she nodded.

I slid my hand away from her mouth, pressing it against her throat instead. “Now what is it?”

“There’s a break-room down the hall,” she sobbed. “There are always spare scrubs in there.”

I shook my head. “Not good enough. I don’t have time to try to find it.” Her help had given me an idea though. “Give me yours.”

“W-what?” she stammered.

“Give me your scrubs. Now, Nancy!”

She peeled off her scrubs. I allowed her only enough freedom to step out of them. My legs shook as I waited for her to finish. I paid close attention to her every move. I would be ready if she screamed or tried to run.

Using my teeth, I tore a strip from my hospital gown and, after apologizing to Nancy, crumpled up the scrap of material and pressed it into her mouth as a gag. Then I tore another couple of strips off to tie around her hands and feet, apologizing again and again as I bound her.

After she was secure, I slipped her scrubs on over my body, trying to ignore the pain in my shoulders, before pulling her hair out of its bun. Using her hair tie, I pulled my hair into a ponytail, securing my locks up off my face. My aching wrist protested in earnest, so I took a moment while I could to run my hand under the cold water in the bathroom. I hissed as the stream rushed over the damaged skin, causing it to burn all over again.

While my hand cooled under the rushing water, I formulated a new plan for the final step in breaking free of the hospital. Turning off the tap, I grabbed the towel in the bathroom and pressed my fingers into it. It took longer than it ever had before to focus the energy in my body into generating the heat I needed. Eventually, the fibers of the towel began to twist against themselves, sending curls of smoke toward the ceiling.

Holding the smoking towel carefully, I moved toward the solitary smoke detector in the room. As soon as the alarm sounded, I threw the burning rag into the bathroom and manned the door. I was certain the Rain would follow the fire to find me if they were in the hospital, but it was a risk I had to take.