Enslaved (ON HOLD INDEFINITELY)

Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Jaden laid unconscious on the back of the range rover as it took its time winding through the country roads. Emma loomed over him, caressing his face, looking vacant. 

Chester drove with Michael occupying the passenger seat. Both trying to feign calm as the state of the situation dawned on all of us. The last call from Liyana left us all shaken up more. The demons didn't even faze from my last win over them. Even with scars still healing, muscle fibers still trying to mend themselves and the recently gained slits on my back with wings i didn't know i possessed...the fact was this.

The world is already going south as we know it. 

Just a moment ago, the streetlights, connected to the main grid which is powered by the mainframe, began to flicker and die out. Seconds later, the autopilot on the range rover disabled itself, citing a GPS connection failure and as we traveled on, the effects started to show as cars on the road started to veer a bit before yanked on course by their drivers. The demon's plans are in progress and we're already late. 

"The whole CIA is in lockdown, systems are shutting themselves down. The IT administrators are not able to regain control. Dustin...we're losing this fight." Liyana's voice chimed through the car's speakers. Crackling as the onboard cell struggled to hang on to communication satellites that are still online. 

Emma looked up at me, her worrying gaze tearing a small part of me wide open. I looked away and pushed myself further into the car seat. "Liyana.... i...." For a moment i paused, unable to think of a plan, unable to fathom what was happening and unable to contain my self fear anymore. 

I covered my face in the palms of my hand, fangs elongating at my inability to do anything. For once, I was truly weak. For once, I have truly let my own species down. 

“Dustin.” she breathed, brushing her fingers across my face. 

I flinched and looked away. I could’t take it, first the our kingdom fell and now the human race. Feeling like a worthless twat, I thought I could’ve at least saved their species but no. I was an incompetent freak of nature. 

As we veered into a corner, Michael gave me a touch on the shoulders. I miserably turned my attention towards him, “What.” 

He looked downright anxious but at the same time, excited. He looked like a man with a plan...or a vampire with a plan...but he was even slightly grinning. 

“I think I’ve got a plan and I know you might call me crazy but… hear me out okay?” 

In under five minutes, he gave us all a brief summary of it and for the first time in a long while, my face twisted into a genuine fanged smile. This boy was on to something and it might just work.

“Well then.” Chester cut in. “We better get going.” he said with a confident look on his face. 

I nodded and immediately took Emma’s hand in mine. As expected, it was dead cold and sweaty with fear. I dared a look on her face and as feared, she looked doubtful and downright worried. It seems our plan didn’t rub off on her well. 

“God.” she uttered the word in a breath. 

Pulling her closer, our foreheads touched and she gasped as I planted my lips onto hers with as much passion as I could give in front of an audience. For a moment, I was lost, feeling far away from the mounting troubles and inevitable feat that I needed to pull off. 

“I won’t be long.” I breathed. 

The Range Rover swerved a bit as an oncoming Volvo lost its autopilot and veered onto our lane. I turned my attention back to her and took her scent in. 

Pulling away, I took a good look at everyone’s faces especially Jaden’s, before nodding at Chester to open the sunroof that stretched the length of the car. Old Range rovers never had these. 

With one last glance goodbye, I propped myself on the leather seats, shielding myself from the whiplash of the torrential wind. I didn’t know how to do this but somehow I felt it would require more of an emotional surge than focus.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and envisioned the destruction of my own species and the demons, their faces dancing in my vision. A flurry of anger took over me and soon I was shaking with overwhelming rage. 

A roar, as mighty as a lion’s escaped my lungs and a searing pain took over as I felt appendages exploding from my back. The whiplash of the wind got suddenly overshadowed...by the sounds of flapping wings. 

Still awed by these new extensions I’ve got that I never knew, I looked down at Emma. She was awestruck too, hands absent mindedly reaching out to the feathery wingspan that is two times the width of the car. 

However, the moment didn’t last as tyre squeal coming from behind indicated that people saw me, and they were not taking it too well. 

“Tell your parents...i said hi.” I said, smiling sheepishly before taking a mighty thrust with my wings. It was no effort and before long, I was in the skies, zooming ahead of the range rover. In the distance, I saw as it got smaller and smaller and soon it disappeared out of sight. 

Once again, I have left Emma behind but this time I didn’t know whether I was coming back. The thought chanted itself over and over as I swooped over the ocean near the Isles of Man...setting my sight on Washington.