Heart of Ice

Chapter Forty-Six

Song: Back to December- Taylor Swift

I wake with a start. Ragged rope digs into my skin, and every time I try to jerk out of it, it only rubs my already burnt skin more. My hands and ankles are tied with the rope, and as my skin sizzles beneath them, I realize they are laced with vervain. The only thing holding me up is the person behind me. My eyes are blindfolded, so I can't see anything, but I know it's Hunter. His presence is the only thing keeping me calm.

"Hunter," I whisper, nudging him with my back. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah," He mutters. "Seems we're in a bit of a predicament."

"You got jokes."

"It's how I cope."

"Now isn't the time to be coping," I hiss, rubbing my wrists together even though it hurts to do so. "We need to get out of here."

"Yeah, I realize that. Haven't exactly come up with a plan yet. But hey, if you have one, hit me with it."

"I'm going to hit you once I get out of these ties if you don't drop the attitude."

"I missed that dirty talk of yours."

"Hunter, seriously!" I whisper-whine, huffing as I struggle once again to get out of the ropes. "No one knows where we are, we're being weakened by poison, and we can't see. I am not in the mood to die today."

"How did you know I was blindfolded too?"

"I just assumed."

"Oh. Well, good guess."

"You are being impossible."

"Actually, I think I'm being rather strategic."

"And why is that?"

"Because I can hear your heart racing from over here," He says, leaning into me a little more. "You're scared. I'm trying to keep you calm with small talk."

My heart slows a little, and I want to curse him for knowing me too well. "Huh. Guess that's a little strategic."

"Just a little?" He teases. "Come on, give me more credit than that."

"Alright, I'm scared, okay?" I admit, wiggling in my ties once more. "That's not something I'm proud to admit."

Hunter's quiet for a moment. "It's okay to be scared. You don't always have to put up a brave front-- especially not with me."

Silence falls in the room. I let out a shaky breath, and then I lean my head back on his shoulder. He presses his cheek against mine. "We'll get out of here, okay? Just give me some time to think."

I nod, letting the exhaustion that's seeping into my skin from the vervain weakening my system take over. I don't feel as afraid with Hunter there. That is, until we hear a door slam shut in the distance as heavy footsteps grow closer.

"Do you still have your blindfold on?" Hunter whispers in my ear.

"Yes."

"Promise you won't take it off."

My heart drops in my chest. "Why?"

"Just listen to me, Alaska," He commands, moving away from me. "No matter what you hear, keep it on."

Before I can say anything else, the warmth that radiated against my back from Hunter is ripped away. Chains rattle along with grunts from Hunter, and then, two sinister chuckles echo throughout the room. Suddenly, the concrete below me feels colder than before, and chills ripple down my spine as the air around me becomes eerily quiet.