Fleur Di Lis

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Once Rik had been freed from his cage, we hurried across the length of the hangar as quietly as possible to the other side, taking great care not to trip over anything that may be lying around.  As we neared the back of the hangar, we could hear the sea crashing against the pier and the seagulls squawking hungrily overhead.  Leaving the hangar via the entrance was too dangerous; especially given that Rik was having trouble walking, let alone running.  Not to mention the fact that Bax would have his soldiers -- humans or otherwise -- watching the hangar around the clock to make sure the key to his prize possession didn't just walk out the door with his limping human leverage. 

We wouldn't last five minutes out there.

So, the safest option -- the only option, really -- was to sneak out the hangar from the back and tackle the sea.  The odds of us surviving the sea compared to facing Baxter were more attractive to me; even with Rik's extensive injuries, we were proficient enough to swim far enough away from danger before Bax would even know that we were gone.  Then, by time they did discover we'd escaped, we'd be in friendlier territory.  If alive, someone would be out there, looking for me.  They'd be bringing the fight to those who were sick and tired of Baxter turning New Orleans into his own personal bloodbath.  They wouldn't stand a chance. 

That was what I was hoping for, anyway.

We had to move cargo boxes to get to the back of the hangar and, despite his wincing and cursing, Rik managed to help me enough to create a space to squeeze through and reveal a hole where the metal had corroded away.  The smell of the ocean, which had once repulsed me, seemed to revive me.  The sound of seagulls was like music to my ears. 

Beside me, Rik heaved a weary sigh. 

"You okay?"  

"You really gotta ask?" 

Good point. I didn't answer; instead poking my head out of the space and peered over the small ridge. Underneath us, the waves were a bit choppy, and the wind was beginning to produce an icy bite.  But, it was nothing that we couldn't handle in comparison to what we'd already endured in Baxter's hands.  The sound of commotion from the pier drifted in the wind, mingling with the crashing of the waves against the beams that held the pier in place.

It was now or never.

"C'mon," I ushered, stepping back to allow Rik to fold himself into the space. Under the silvery rays of the moonlight, I could see the true extent of his injuries.  His body was completely covered in bruises; I could see where his bones had re-mended with the vampire blood from the odd bulges under his skin.  His face was worse; his left eye was swollen and almost black, his lip burst open and his nose disjointed.  His white shirt hadn't fared too well, either; that was spattered with blood and ripped in places.

They made sure that whatever pain they had inflicted on him had left a mark.

Murderous anger, thick and hot, enveloped me. Someone was going to pay for doing this to him, I promised mentally.  Whoever had tortured my best friend was going to die at my hands.

Rik managed a small, crooked smile. "Do I really look that bad?"

"Nothing a good swim can't fix," I lied, mirroring his small smile. "Don't worry, you'll still be New York's Casanova; the girls love a bad boy, anyway."  That earned me a small chuckle.  It was good enough, given the circumstances.  "Now, go," I chased.  "I'm right behind you."

He nodded once, turned and leaped from the ridge. I watched as he dived expertly into the sea, causing a slight splash that wouldn't have caught any attention.   I let out a breath, relief momentarily taming the murderous rage.