Manhunt

Chapter 34

Turbulence—either from her surroundings, or from her restless heart. Julia fell into the darkness once more.

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She barely registered the feeling of being carried in someone's arms as her brain tried to fight through the fog.

"Make she sure doesn't get out." A vengeful voice commanded, the sound of a satisfied smile forming his lips. "You're on watch, Matthew. Do not disappoint me." There was a slam of a door before a series of footsteps echoed in the distance. Julia tried to move, but she only managed a few twitches before she was set down somewhere soft.

A bed.

"I see you're waking up." Matthew observed, sounding further than she'd expected. "I was a bit disappointed when you didn't wake up—it was incredibly boring on the plane. You've been down for about nine hours." Her blood roared in her ears as she took in his words, gradually understanding their weight. "...I didn't think I put that much in you." More feeling was appearing in her arms and legs, and although her throat felt raw, she tried to speak.

The only sounds that managed to leave her lips were staggering breaths.

"If your body hurts, it's because you rolled off the cot during the flight here." She could imagine him shrugging his shoulders. "I went to take a piss, but when I came back, you were on the floor. My bad." Her eyes fluttered open, dim lighting entering her pupils as she tried to adjust to her new surroundings. Slowly, very slowly, she forced her body in somewhat of a sitting position, immediately seeing Matthew sitting in a chair across from her.

"Where am I?" She struggled to speak, clearing her aching throat.

"Cute, how you think I'll answer that."

Her eyes swept the room she was in, finding a large, luxurious space around her. She blinked. "Why am I not in a tiny cell? I thought Samil hated any breathing thing that was involved with Virtus."

"Because this isn't the official place that we'll be keeping you."

"Why am I here, then?"

"He wanted to see you. To his pleasure, you were unconscious when he did." Matthew muttered, getting up from the wooden chair and stalking towards her. She pushed herself further into the backboard in a weak attempt to create distance between them, watching him carefully. "Word of advice, sweetheart? Keep your mouth shut unless you're to answer a question. Of course, without any of that sass that you seem to be full of. It'll get you killed in minutes."

"Why do you care?"

"Because I'll have to clean the mess up."

"Then I hope you have bleach handy." Matthew blew a low whistle at that, shaking his head at her.

"He's going to enjoy breaking that spirit of yours." He murmured, tracing her frame with a heated stare before backing away from her. She remained silent, unable to ignore the chill that his words brought down her spine. Matthew leaned against the wall, abandoning the chair that sat across the room. He studied her with probing dark eyes, glancing over every inch and dip of her body. She shivered under his intense stare, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

"Why are you smiling like that?" She whispered when an indescribable smile appeared on his lips.

"You just look good enough to eat."

"Great, you're a cannibal." She responded sarcastically, shifting under his gaze. His deep chuckle echoed around the room, causing another shiver.

"I didn't mean eat in that way." He murmured in a husky voice, causing her face to heat up with shocked humiliation.