Crimson Peak [COMPLETE]

Chapter Sixteen

Lucille was getting closer and closer and all I could think to do was to stand between her and Thomas who was still fighting with Christian. I didn't dare turn around and look to see who was winning.

Lucille's face split into a gruesome smile as she advanced towards me. My heart was thumping against my ribs and my blood was rushing in my ears. What was I supposed to do against a being that was no longer alive?

I wasn't much of a fighter anyway and I had no weapons on me since I had given my knife to Thomas.

I refused to take my eyes off Lucille as she proceeded to come too close for comfort.  My stomach did flips as she had reached out to touch me. Her fingers were brushing against my cheek when I was rattled to the side, my arms shooting out to catch myself on the wall.

I whipped my head around to see Thomas standing where I had been; Lucille's smile was traded for a scowl.

"Leave her alone," Thomas spat. "Your quarrel is with me; not her."

I looked around, trying to figure out where Christian was. I finally looked over the stair railing to see his broken body on the rotted wood below. I squinted to see if there was any sign he was alive.

My eyes stung and a lump formed in my throat as it occurred to me that he was actually dead. Sure, he had done some pretty awful things tonight, but we had still been in love. Or at least, I had loved him.

"Thomas." Lucille's raspy and angry voice was gentler as she looked on her younger brother. Her hands fell to her sides and a flurry of emotions crossed her face.

Thomas's eyes got misty and I knew he was reliving every horrible and happy moment he'd been through with his sister.

"You...you killed me." Lucille's voice was back to being sharp and full of despair. "You stabbed me. Thomas...I thought you loved me."

Thomas shook his head and wiped tears from his cheeks with the backs of his hands. "I did," he told her. "But...I also loved Edith. Lucille, I loved her and you wouldn't stop. You just kept taking and killing." Thomas let out an exhausted, heaving sigh. "Lucille, I was breaking."

Lucille hesitated before scoffing, any sign of love and longing gone from her eyes. "You always were sensitive. I should have known you wouldn't last long."

Thomas seemed momentarily seemed hurt by what she said but then his expression hardened again. "You have no remorse." Thomas's voice was harder than I'd ever heard it. "Rose and I are leaving now and you're not going to stop us."

Thomas reached out and grabbed my wrist, pulling me to him. I glanced over my shoulder as Thomas dragged me away and was surprised  that she didn't seem to be following us. I couldn't quite make out the expression on her face. It seemed to be a strange mix between anger and sorrow. Her mouth was twisted into a horrible scowl, her brow wrinkling intensely as she glared after us.

I found my voice again as Thomas pulled me down the stairs. "How are we going to get away?"

"I called in a favor from an old friend," Thomas explained. "There should be a carriage on it's way up to get us."

I looked at him, confused. "Did you know all of this was going to happen?" We stopped on the ground floor now and I yanked my arm out of his grip, a small part of me wondering if maybe Thomas had been involved all along. It wasn't like he hadn't schemed with his sister before.

"What? No. Rose, I swore off that kind of life." Thomas was holding his hand out to me still but a part of me still hesitated to trust him. What made me want to trust him in the first place?

Maybe because he's already saved your life on multiple occasions, I reminded myself.

Thomas noticed my trust in him faltering and he looked at me with urgency. I didn't know how much longer we had before Lucille would come after us but I couldn't force myself to move forward and accept his hand.

"Rose, listen to me. I called in the favor the other day for them to come get you. I knew that it was going to get bad. We're just lucky they're coming up today and not tomorrow. We would be stranded."

I glanced behind me and back up the stair case. It was a surprise that Lucille was still not coming to chase us; to stop us from leaving. Finally I decided I just had to trust Thomas. My instinct was telling me to, reminding me that I really had no reason not to trust him. I sucked in a sharp breath and grabbed Thomas's hand, allowing him to lead me out the large front doors and into the dark night.

My heart was pounding against my ribs and I could hear my blood rushing in my ears. I followed Thomas, not waiting for my eyes to adjust in the dark. Our breath came out in small clouds. I strained my eyes and ears for any sign of the carriage Thomas had promised.

We raced past the fence and onto the road.

I was gasping for breath, my ribs aching as my lungs filled. "I...I can't," I finally managed to cough out. Thomas and I slowed to a stop and I leaned forward, hands on my knees as I waited to catch my breath. "Was he dead?" The question surprises the both of us and my head snaps up to gauge Thomas's reaction.

His expression is somber and his eyes are looking down at the ground. "I didn't want to." His voice is barely a whisper. "I tried not to. We were fighting and I saw Lucille and...I don't know."

Apparently I was full of surprises tonight. My had was suddenly gripping his. "It's okay." I didn't know exactly what I was saying was okay. That Christian was dead? That Thomas didn't mean to? Honestly, I wasn't sure. Maybe I was just telling him it would be okay. That we were both safe now and we didn't have to worry about it.

I waited for Thomas to say something and he opened his mouth to do just that. But then we both heard the sound of horse hooves and carriage wheels.

My heart fluttered hopefully as the carriage came around the bend and I squeezed Thomas's hand in mine.

Thomas waved the carriage down with his free hand.

When the horses stopped on the side of the road, Thomas pulled me towards it. Just before getting inside, he looked down at me with a smile on his face and tears in his eyes.

"We're free."