Be Careful When You Bite Me novel Chapter 34

I took over the wheel for a shaking Dimitri who moved out of my way without saying a word.

"Which way?" I demanded, blinking away my tears," straight?" 

"Yes, k-keep going straight, I'll let you know when to turn."

I nodded and did as instructed. I felt the phone ring in my bra again and fumbled with the wheel, steering with one hand.

"Hello," I answered Luna," we're on our way."

I heard Luna let of a breath of relief," okay, he knows the way out, call me when you get to the border, I'll be waiting for a few miles down."

"Okay," I responded and almost hung up the phone before I heard her but hardly say," can I talk to him?"

I felt the tears flood my eyes once again and handed Dimitri the phone.

"Hello," he said," yes, I remember.....alright, I'll see you soon."

He tried to hand the phone back to me but I shook my head," keep it."

I tried not to think about Damon. I knew my thoughts should be more concerned with the Mark of Eros and my mother being a witch but I couldn't get the image of Damon as the guards dragged him out of my head. There wasn't much I could have done to help him and I knew that but the guilt still entrapped me. I felt almost as if I were to suffocate if I kept thinking about it. My breathing was louder and quicker than usual and I knew Dimitri was genuinely concerned about why I was acting like this but I didn't have it in me to open up my mouth and to explain. I knew as soon as I uttered the first word I'd want to curl up and cry.

I thought of the looks that Seth, Isabelle, Matheos, and Elisabeth had given me. They had gotten what they wanted now, there was no way after this that Damon would be crowned King.

It's for this reason that I had to get out. I had to leave and forget all about their stupid world, even if it meant that I keep my memory. Once Seth gets crowned, the first thing he'll do is get rid of me, that is if Isabelle doesn't kill me first or Matheos or even Elisabeth.

I wondered if Luna and Asia knew that I was half-witch and pondered on why they didn't tell me.

"Turn here," I heard Dimitri's abrupt voice interrupt my mental panic attack. I did as he said and turned.

We drive for another forty-five minutes or so, each second dragging by like ten. I wanted to just get there already and get to New York where I can start planning on getting home. I had no money or no way to get there but I would rather walk all the way to my house than have to live another day like this.

"There is it," Dimitri said sitting up," there's the border."

I could see up ahead stone walls that bore two metal gates in the middle guarded by two guards. The stone barrier went on forever, way past my sight disappearing into the trees.

"There isn't a way out unless it's through those gates," said Dimitri as if reading my thoughts.

I felt anxiety and panic collide as one and result in the sudden urge to throw up.

"I can't do this," I mumbled to myself," they're going to catch us, I can't do this."

"They won't," Dimitri's voice was oddly calm," they don't stop castle cars, keep the windows up, they can't see on the inside."

"The front mirror-"

"It's pitch black as well, vampires cannot drive in the sun, the glass is tinted, they can't see us-"

"What if they realized the car was missing back at the castle-"

"They won't, they're all busy with the Council-"

"We're human and they're vampires! There's no way we can pull this off."

"I'm going to die anyway," Dimitri's voice was oddly calm," I'm going to die without ever having fought for a chance to survive."

I turned to look at his blue eyes that were glossy with tears holding the same fear that I felt.

"Me too," I whispered," they will kill me."

"Might as well die trying to live."

I took a deep breath and continued my way towards the gates. The guards were now looking our way but they haven't opened up the gates yet.

"Do they see us? Are they going to open the gates?"

"Yes, they will-"

"When?" We were almost twenty meters from the gate now and it still hasn't opened.

"They will."

I tried not to panic and convinced myself that whatever happens will happen. If the guards don't open up the gates, we will get caught and most likely die at the hands of someone at the castle. I'd rather die at the hands of a guard. I wondered what I could do to piss a guard off enough that he would kill me on the spot, I knew it would be much less painful and way quicker than it be Isabelle.

To my surprise, the guards spared us one more glance before opening up the loud gates to reveal the other side of the border. We drove past the two who bowed their heads slightly to the car. I tried to keep quiet and calm and as soon as they were no longer in sight in the review mirror, I peaked towards Dimitri who had a look of awe on his face.

"We did it," he mumbled," we're out."

I nodded, realizing that I didn't feel the same relief that he did," we're out."

We drove past the sign that read Oakridge just as Luna had said. Dimitri held the phone in his hands trying to call Luna but I knew he didn't know how.

I held my hand out," I'll do it."

I rang Luna's number and held the phone up to my ear.

"Did you do it? Did you make it past the border?" Her voice sounded frantic.

"Yes, we just drove past the sign, we should reach you in a few minutes."

"Is Dimitri alright?"

"He's fine, here, ask him yourself."

I handed the phone to an anxious-looking Dimitri. He grabbed it from my hands," hello?"

We drove for a couple more miles before a bright blue car that parked on the side of the road caught my vision. Standing beside the car with her long black hair draping behind her was Luna. I halted the car right in front of hers and got out. Dimitri had already beaten me out and now was running towards his love.

I watched as they engulfed each other in a tight hug. It looked like the two could finally breathe now that they were in the presence of each other. Luna's eyes opened up in the drape of Dimitri's neck and glistened with tears. They met mine and I almost wanted to look away at the feeling of anxiety that played with the pit of my stomach.

Her eyes said thank you but I could only smile back.

We got into Luna's car a couple of minutes later and ditched the palace car. The three-hour drive back to New York began.

I sat in the back seat whilst Dimitri sat in the passenger and Luna drove. I wanted to ask her about my mother or if she knew anything but I decided I didn't want to ruin the moment that she was having with Dimitri. She drove with one hand, the other gripped his tightly.

I stared out the window and tried not to wonder about what the Council was going to do to Damon. I pictured him chained up and whipped, bleeding from his wounds in a dark murky prison.

I tried to imagine the kind of prison the Council would put him in and pictured the one that I was in. It must be one that's much much worse if it had the ability to tame a vampire. There was an odd feeling in my chest that I couldn't shake. They weren't nerves and I didn't care much anymore for being caught. I felt unsettled and fidgety, it was hard to stay still. Back home when I felt like this, I would run for a few miles to shake it off but I couldn't do that now. My overly creative imagination liked to flood my thoughts with images that made me feel even worse. This was a bad habit that I had acquired since I was a little girl. I had self-diagnosed myself with panic attacks and could always feel them coming. As soon as I started to feel panicked and started to fidget, I'd remind myself of the good things in life as an attempt to halt the attack before it turns into complete frantic. The feeling of trepidation was beginning to suffocate me. The alarming feeling of dread that something bad could happen to Damon cut off my breathing like getting hit with a ton of brick. Being inside the car felt like I was still underground, chained up to the cold rugged pavement of the cell. I clutched my chest in an attempt to calm down my breathing but I only made it worse.

I rolled down the window and tried to inhale and exhale slowly. Luna had slowed down and was now calling out my name but the ringing in my ears made it hard to listen. I focused on taking my breaths and reminded myself that it will pass. I felt my chest began to squeeze on its self and prayed that this goes away faster. I pictured Damon being staked and winced at the thought. I couldn't stand to be inside of my own mind anymore, I needed to get out.  We had reached Brooklyn now and I told myself that I'd be out of the car soon.