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point."
    I had a feeling he was lying, but now wasn’t exactly the time to call him on it. Instead I turned out of his hold and walked toward the three tunnels that branched out from this one, studying them. "How many have we passed through? I couldn't tell from how you were carrying me."
    "This is the sixth tunnel. I went left, right, left, right, right and now we're here."
    I nodded, seeing the underground layout in my head. "We've got three more to go after this one." I started forward. "The sixth is a middle tunnel, seventh is middle to last, eighth is right and ninth is third from the left. If we were going to the beach rather than the safe house you'd take the second from the right. Not that that’s any kind of relevant at the moment."
    "Good to know." A shiver went down my spine as all the hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention for the second time today.
    That definitely wasn't Tristan’s voice. Not even close.
    "Tristan?"
    I started to turn when a set of powerful arms covered in intricate black vines with a metallic silver undertone were suddenly wrapped around me. One covering my mouth, the other wrapping around my middle like a steel band.
    Instinct kicked in and I started to struggle, my arms hitting every available surface it could reach to no avail. I may as well be trying to hit a brick wall for all the damage I was doing. It might be more effective.
    "You may as well calm yourself. You're not getting loose anytime soon.  Not unless I want you to and after that stunt with the wall your wonder boy pulled, I'm really not feeling any kind of generosity toward anyone. He’s lucky to be breathing at this point."
    Something about what he said struck a chord with me, however I couldn’t figure out why. Instead I let out a miffed breath, but stopped struggling. I knew he was right about me getting free and if I wanted to get out of this with as little damage possible, I knew I had better cooperate... at least for now. The second I knew I could get away without consequence; I was gone like a fish in a shark tank.
    "Good girl. Now I'm going to take my hand off your mouth. You scream, or yell and I kill your friend. Nod if you understand me." It took a second of debate, but I nodded. I had no way of knowing if Tristan was okay to begin with, but something told me if I didn’t cooperate I might never find out.
    After a second he took his hand away. I didn't say anything at first, but I had to know. "Is he okay, or are you messing with my head?" It was a legitimate question. One I could end up regretting, but I wanted an answer all the same. Lucky for me he took it for what it was.
    "He fine just knocked out. See for yourself." He turned me around and sure enough I could see the steady movements of his chest as he lay unconscious. I went to move toward Tristan, but he stopped me. “Not happening. He’s fine, as you can see. No need to get any closer to him. I’d hate to have to knock you out too.”
    I shook my head. “I don’t get it. What the heck do you want from me? I’m no one.” He laughed, but didn’t answer. Instead I felt him shifting. His free hand went under my legs as he shifted me as well, and I was suddenly in a bride carry with my hands tied and in my lap as he took off into the tunnels.
    A thought was trying to make its way to the forefront as I turned my head to look behind us, watching as the small light I'd created faded into a pin prick, then nothing. Instead of listening to it, I wondered at Tristan’s fate as well as mine in this unexpected turn of events.
    A sudden ominous feeling came over me and I had a feeling my life was about to change. I wasn’t sure if that was going to be a good, or a bad thing. What I did know is that I wasn’t looking forward to it. After all, change had a tendency to bring heartbreak along for the ride as far as my life was concerned.
    I just hope I made it through it with my sanity intact.

Chapter Five
     
    As he made his way through I tried to