29

NADINE'S P.O.V

I tried to dash up the stairs but I underestimated just how fast she was. She grabbed my legs and tugged hard. It was only by a miracle that I managed to block my fall with my hands.

My stomach hit the edge of the stairs and a groan left my lips.

Irene tugged me upwards by my hair sand held the knife to my throat. It reminded me of the night I had met her and as much as I hated to admit it, Caine was right. My goodwill had put us in this position.

If I had just listened to him, we wouldn't be in this position.

"I wanted to help you," I hissed out and all she did was shrug. "I trusted you."

"That was your problem not mine."

Scuffling caught my attention and I turned to find Max pacing at the front door as he tugged on the ends of his hair. His head was twisting sharply, almost as if he was trying to shake off a bug. I had never seen anyone act like that before.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing," she snapped. "Max! Max!"

Her brother turned and for a moment, his eyes looked dull and empty, I could have sworn that they were two lifeless orbs staring back at me but then he blinked and he was back to normal. It was at that moment that I knew that something was most definitely wrong with him.

He trudged over to us and stood next to his sister.

"He's sick," I told her simply but she ignored me.

"That is none of your business. Your boyfriend approaches."

True to her words, I saw Caine making his way over to the house. I wanted to scream at him to leave, to run away without me. I opened my mouth to speak but Irene must have realized that because the next thing I knew, I felt something around my wrist.

I looked down to find a handcuff around my wrist.

"What the hell are you doing?:"

She ignored me, pulling me down to the ground and tying my hands around the bottom of a glass table. It was something I could easily get out of but it would mean breaking the table and that could potentially cause more injuries than seemed necessary.

I didn't have much time to think about it because Caine walked in through the front door. "Princess where are-"

His words died on his throat as he took in the scene in front of him.

"Stand back," Irene brandished the knife at him. "I don't want trouble."

"And yet you have a knife."

"I'll kill her."

"You'll be dead in seconds."

"But she'll be dead too. No one has to die. I just need your help. I need you to break into the pharmacy, not the little one here, the big one down the road. I need some drugs."

"What kind?"

"Anything to treat an infection. Everything you can find."

"Why?"

I turned to Caine in shock. Did he not see the knife in her hands? Why was he asking all these questions? It didn't make sense to me.

"Max, take off your shirt."

Max snapped out of whatever reverie he was in and pulled his shirt off in one fluid move. I saw it then, right there under his right rib was what looked like a cut but it was black and angry, the sight alone was disgusting and had bile climbing up my throat.

"Are you insane?" Caine hissed. "He will kill us all."

"He will be fine."

"You don't survive a cut from those monsters. He will kill you and kill himself."

"He is my brother!" she screamed. "Get me the damn drugs or I swear I will kill her right here. You can be done with us after but I need those drugs."

Caine looked torn between calling her out on her bluff and doing what she wanted. A part of me hoped he would say no and challenge her. I had been enough of a hindrance to him already.

"Caine-"

"Shut up!" Irene's hand came down hard on my cheek. For someone so small, she packed a heavy hit. "Drugs! Now!"

"Fine," Caine held up his hands in surrender. "I'll get your drugs."

"You have one hour," she warned. "Or I'll set this whole place ablaze."

Caine shot me one last look before muttering a few expletives under his breath and walking out the door again.

For the longest time after, I didn't know what to say. I watched Irene pace with the knife in her hands. She looked insane, maybe she felt that way too. I worried for her but I was terrified of Max, he was acting weird. He would stare out into space and a few times, I saw him snarl and bare his teeth at no one.

"Irene," I began slowly. "We have supplies upstairs. You can get them and go. Please, you don't have to do this."

"I do," she turned to Max. "Get their bags. Let's see what we can rummage from there."

It took him a long time before he moved, he just stared at her and I could have sworn I saw a murderous look in his eyes.

He disappeared up the stairs and I took the opportunity to speak to Irene again.

"He will kill us both. When was he cut?"

"A week ago. I have done everything that I can to treat it but I think I've been using the wrong drugs."

"Irene-"

"I will not give up on him!" she snapped. "He is the kindest person in the world. He would not hurt a fly."

She was cut off by the sound of footsteps and Max returned, our bags in hand and he dropped them at Irene's feet but something was off.

"Why don't you go get a snack from the kitchen?" she told him.

He trudged off but I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to get out of here soon.

With her back turned to me, I tried to navigate the handcuffs. I couldn't pull my hands out of them and I couldn't get them out of the table without breaking it. If I did that, Irene would be on me in seconds.

I glanced at the clock, Caine had ten minutes left.

"Your boyfriend may have left you," she mused. "It would be a shame to kill you."

"You don't have to."

She opened her mouth to speak but a snarl caught our attention. Max stood at the entrance to the kitchen, his mouth foaming as he hunched over.

"Irene, let me out, now."

"Relax, he does this sometimes. He won't hurt you."

"Irene-"

She waved me off as she made her way over to her brother. "Hey, Max, it's me. I'm right here. You are fine."

He looked up slowly and for a second, I allowed myself believe that he was fine but that second was gone and he pounced.