Cutthroat Carmine (Book 1)(COMPLETE) (Wattpad Featured Novel)

26: [fahyuh r]

@Onadustyrock for leaving all these votes for my chapters! :D

"Okay, don't panic Carmine." Sebastian holds Carmine in his arms. "Carmine? Are you okay?"

The din is oppressive. High pitched sound waves slam down against her eardrums, physically drilling into her spongy inner ear. Carmine's bloodshot eyes see double of everything and Sebastian's face is coming in and out of focus. Her facial skin feels like it's about to tear apart into little pieces. Carmine's lips are desiccated and she feels so, so cold.

"Carmine? Carmine! Your lips are turning blue! Hang in there!"

Sebastian's panicked voice thunders through her brain. Every scritch and scratch echoes and thuds, chaotic noise everywhere. It's overwhelming. Carmine can hear the frenzied stampede outside as everyone makes a mad dash for the fire exit. She can hear screams and breaking glass. Bodies rubbing against one another. She can even hear the police sirens, ambulances and fire trucks. They are probably still ten minutes away. Sebastian and her might be dead by then. The worst part is, she can't hear anyone approaching the freezer door. No one knows they're in here and everyone just wants to save their own pathetic lives. Selfish humans.

Death by fire. What a way to go. If even the smallest flame touches her, she'll probably turn to ashes. That's what would happen to her father anyway, and Carmine fears she is equally vulnerable in that respect. Fire is one of a vampire's worst enemies.

The freezer is starting to warm up. Carmine can hear the crackling of flames licking the adjacent room. Sizzles and snaps whip through the walls and it sounds like some sort of furniture is falling over.

Carmine holds on to Sebastian for dear life. Unsure of whether or not she will survive this ordeal, Carmine cups both of his cheeks and plants a soft kiss on his lips.

Taken by surprise, Sebastian nevertheless doesn't comment on the kiss and just holds Carmine tighter. His lips are set in a firm line. Carmine can tell he's scared but he's trying incredibly hard to hide it. To be brave for her. "We're going to be rescued," he says, "Don't worry. We'll be okay."

A heavy thud in the next room is followed by wisps of black smoke curling through the bottom of the door. Carmine's entire body feels ragged and exhausted. She can barely even feel her legs anymore.

No...she can't give up. She has too much to live for. She needs to stay alive.

Finally the sound of the fire alarm fades into the distance. All the cacophonous noises seem muted and far away, as if her head is suddenly enclosed in some sort of soundproof bubble. What's happening to me? Carmine's migraine starts gradually fading away and she can feel warm blood course through her veins once more. Adrenaline sears through her, the sudden boost of energy rippling through her body like a tsunami.

Carmine stands up quickly, holding Sebastian's hand behind her. "Let's go." Her expression turns from fear to determination.

Sebastian gives her a quizzical look and then his eyes widen as Carmine knocks down the warping freezer door with two strong roundhouse kicks.

Carmine leads Sebastian out to the kitchen. Beyond that, in the ballroom, a massive floor to ceiling curtain is ablaze. The fire isn't huge but it's quickly spreading. Carmine scans the room, trying to ascertain the origin of the fire. She quickly notices a large stack of burning newspapers and magazines on a long wooden table by the window. The legs of the table have collapsed and the rest of it is quickly burning to ash. It seems to be the cause of the fire. The scorched papers, situated right underneath the curtains, seem to have sent flames shooting up the tall swathe of fabric.

Carmine pushes Sebastian aside and runs toward the burning curtain. She can hear Sebastian screaming 'NO!' behind her but she doesn't have time to explain. Smoke is stinging her eyeballs and she coughs raggedly.

What the hell was she doing? Saving the hotel? Why the hell....She should be running out the door right now.

But for some reason, Carmine has her mind set on saving the ballroom. With all her supernatural might, she gives one of the curtains a sharp tug. It's the adjacent one that's connected to the one on fire. The fabric rips a little. So she tugs again and again. On the fourth tug, both curtains fall down with a TWACK.

The heavy fabric falls over the burning table, smothering the fiery blaze beneath it. Carmine tugs the intact curtain over the burning one, burying the flaming tendrils on there as well. Deprived of oxygen, the fire quickly dies down to mere embers.

Then, Carmine she runs into the kitchen and quickly fills up a bucket of ice cold water.

Twenty seconds later, she heaves the slopping bucket of water over the already dead tinders, causing a hiss of white vapour to shoot up from the wreckage. With her face covered in soot, Carmine wipes the sweat off her face with a self-satisfied smirk. Spotting one last flicker of fire, she walks over to it and stamps it out with her feet.

Uniformed firefighters burst through the large ballroom doors, quickly filling the room. They look at the pile of curtains on the floor, and then at Carmine, who is still holding the empty bucket in her hands.

A stunned Sebastian, who had witnessed the entire rescue, starts clapping slowly. The firefighters soon join in. They rush to Carmine, folding a fire blanket around her shoulders.

"Are you alright?" 

"You're so brave." 

"That's incredible." 

"How do you feel?" 

"Is that-"

The dizzying array of questions make Carmine's head spin. With a small smile, she closes her eyes and passes out.

***Bit of a shorter chapter but it stands on it's own. Next update will be next Wednesday. What do you think of Carmine's bravery in this chapter? Please leave a vote if you enjoyed this chapter and...

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