Shrouded Away (Book #1)

Chapter: 48

She stood on top of the warehouse. Wisps of black mist came out of Leo's hand as the smoky rope wrapped around her ankle, he bent down to forge the rope.

"I know you're up to something, cause any trouble and it'll be the end of you,"

She smirked, "on your knees, below me. Right where you belong."

He immediately glared up at her, the rope around her leg tightening. He stood up and shoved her off the edge, making her yelp and shut her eyes. 

She opened her eyes to see her view had been turned upside down. Her ankle was wrapped around in black wisps. 

She bent her neck forward to see Leo with one leg on the edge with an amused expression on his face, he had the end of the rope wrapped around his arm.

Scowling at him Andrea pulled out her dagger from the pocket of her slacks and put the blade between her lips. She cranes her head down to see Glimberk's bald orange head a few inches away from her face.

She clutched her breath as she was slowly lowered, beseeching Leo wouldn't let go of the rope. Her fingers got close to the lanyard around his thick neck.

Her heart was like thunder. She pulled the lanyard tightly twisting around his neck. Andrea covered his mouth with her hand, vines shot out from the ground.

 Andrea swiftly ran her dagger over his shoulder causing blood to trickle down as he bit her hand. The vine wrapped around his body making him lose balance and fall on his back.

The vine wrapped around his mouth, shutting him. Callista and Sally walked out giving each other a hi-five.

"I'll take care of him, Andrea and Callista, go in,"

Andrea bent up and the rope disappeared causing her to fall on Glimberk.

With a groan Andrea got up bending her back and trying to stop her spinning brain.

"Leo!" Sally whisper-scolded at Leo who just shrugged at his actions. 

Callista took off the lanyard and waved it around his face teasing him, making him glare at her. His words were muffled by the vine.

Callista swiped the card over the scanner, the large door splits open granting them access.

Andrea and Callista walked in. The tall shelves were colonized with metal boxes, the sound of monitors bleeping echoed in the room. 

"We should split up, you take the left, I'll take the right," Callista said as she walked towards the right side. 

Andrea heard the sound of shuffling. Knowing it wasn't Callista she pressed her back against the shelf gripping her dagger.

Andrea peered through the boxes. Their face was hidden behind a tower of boxes. If they'd just lift their she could see their face. 

And they did.

Aurella!

Her shoulder jerked up, as her head immediately turned at Andrea's direction.

 A smile appeared on her lips, but the smile gave nothing but shivers and rang alarms in her head to run. She dropped the box and rushed towards Andrea. 

There was something off about Aurella she couldn't tell.

Fear tied around her neck like a leash pulling her forward and away from Aurella. But Aurella's legs were stronger and longer, letting her easily catch Andrea by wrapping her metallic arms around her.

Her grip tightening with each second. Andrea squirmed and kicked her legs. She inserted her dagger into her thigh as her grip loosened giving her a chance to free herself. 

Andrea turned and kicked her midsection and whacked her face causing it to crane to the side, she rubbed her knuckles aspiring her bones didn't break. Aurelia turned her head back. The smile was still there, she drew the dagger.

Andrea took a step back as Aurella took one forward. She turned and rushed towards the tower of boxes and hid behind it. She picked up a box labeled 'S-674', she didn't bother to check what was in it, at least she wouldn't go out empty-handed.

As Aurella got closer to the tower with a movement of her hands the boxes tumbled on top of her. 

Andrea immediately rushed to the back door, her feet padding against the concrete floor, she could hear the rushing of her blood in her ear. 

She stopped catching her breath, driblets of sweat trailing down her temple, she glanced back and deliberately walked forward to see if Aurella was still there and half anticipating she was gone. 

The noise of the metals shoving against the concrete floor met her ears. She hid behind the shelf as Aurella was talking to a cloaked figure. Aurella handed them her dagger.

"Who was it?" Their voice was stifled and ambiguous. Andrea couldn't say if it was a he or a she.

"Andrea Beaufort Adele," Aurella responded without blinking and handed her dagger into their gloved hand.

They clutched it hard when her name slipped out, "She's everywhere, in Sicarius, in Divinus, at our hideouts, and now in my business,"

"She is planning to go to Helker,"

"Exactly, it's all going according to plan. Remember to keep an eye on her, she's still here. Find her,"

Unconsciously Andrea took a few slow steps back and ran. She glanced to see Callista anywhere. Her heartbeat thumped wildly in its cage.

As she was getting nearer to the back door, it was open and she could see light coming from two flashlights that belonged to Nathan and Jordan.

The door shut behind and she frantically searched for Callista.