“I didn’t realize,” Sally began.
“You can’t smell Costin. You don’t have anything to go on, but what your mind is telling you,” Peri explained. “You are going to have to trust your friends, your pack mates.”
Sally nodded, but didn’t say anything else.
“Peri, something is not right,” Alina looked back at the Fae.
“What do you mean?” Peri asked.
Alina pointed and they all turned to see that, once again, the stairs were mere feet from them.
Jen threw her hands up in the air. “You have got to be kidding me!” She growled in frustration.
Peri’s eyes narrowed as she stared at the stairs. Why weren’t they getting anywhere? She had pointed out their fear. They were aware of it and not allowing it to dictate their actions, so why weren’t they making any progress. Her head snapped over to Jacque.
“When you came down those stairs, what were your biggest worries?”
Jacque answered, without hesitation. “That we wouldn’t find them in time.”
Peri pointed at Rachel waiting for her to answer the same question.
“I’m afraid that two hours wouldn’t be enough time to find them and get them out.” Rachel told her.
Peri smacked herself on the forehead, as she realized her mistake.
“Finding them,” she said, “not only are we afraid that we won’t make it in time, we’re afraid that we won’t be able to find them.”
“Bloody hell,” Sally murmured.
“Our own fears have been keeping us right here?” Cynthia asked, with raised eyebrows.
“Picture your mates, ladies,” Peri instructed as she walked over and stood on the bottom step so she was a tad taller than the rest. “Cynthia, make yourself useful, since you have no mate to picture, and sing.”
Cynthia’s eyes narrowed. “You want me to sing?”
“Did I stutter?” Peri snapped.
“Can I ask how singing will help?”
“It will keep them grounded on what’s real. Give them an anchor so to speak.”
Cynthia didn’t say anything more, but thought for a brief moment and then started to sing.
I have seen what man can do,
When the evil lives inside of you.
“Sally,” he whispered, his voice was rough and she felt his words rumble in his chest.
“It’s really me, Costin. I’m real. I know you don’t know what to believe, but I’m real.”
Costin pulled back and looked at her. He reached up, brushed away a tear from her cheek, and felt the wetness against his skin. Then he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. There was no hesitation from Sally. She returned his kiss wholeheartedly. She kissed him as though her life depended on it. Costin felt Sally’s lips mold to his, and then part when his tongue pressed against them. Her taste hit him hard and he ended the kiss abruptly pulling back to look in her eyes.
“It’s you?” he asked, almost afraid to hope.
“Yes.” She smiled and it lit up the darkness that had been surrounding him for so long.