The fall felt endless.
Air rushed past.
Cold.
Violent.
Unforgiving.
---
Then—
Impact.
---
Pain exploded through Teresa's body as she hit something hard—
But not alone.
---
Arms wrapped around her.
Shielding her.
Taking most of the force.
---
Lester.
---
A sharp gasp tore from her lips as they rolled across the ground.
Dust filled the air.
Debris settled.
Silence followed.
---
For a moment—
She couldn't breathe.
Couldn't think.
Couldn't move.
---
"...Teresa."
His voice.
Rough.
Strained.
Too close.
---
Her eyes snapped open.
"Lester—!"
---
They were on the ground.
In darkness.
Again.
---
But this time—
It was different.
---
The air was colder.
Damp.
Heavy.
---
Her hands pressed against the ground beneath them.
Not concrete.
Not dirt.
Stone.
Old.
---
"Are you hurt?" he asked quickly.
---
She shook her head instinctively—
Then winced.
"I—I don't think so…"
---
His hand moved immediately.
Checking her again.
Her arms.
Her shoulders.
Her face.
---
His touch lingered.
Longer than necessary.
---
"I'm okay," she whispered.
---
A pause.
---
Then—
"I'm not."
---
Her heart dropped.
---
"Where—?"
---
She reached for him in the dark—
Her fingers brushing his side.
---
Warm.
Wet.
---
Blood.
---
Her breath caught.
"No… no, no—Lester—"
---
"It's nothing," he muttered.
---
"Stop saying that!" she snapped, panic rising.
---
She moved quickly—
Her hands pressing against his side.
Trying to find the wound.
---
He sucked in a sharp breath.
---
"Careful."
---
"Don't tell me to be careful when you're bleeding out!" she shot back.
---
Her hands trembled.
But she didn't stop.
---
"I need light," she whispered.
---
A faint click.
---
A small glow lit up the darkness.
---
Lester had a lighter.
---
The dim flame flickered—
Revealing their surroundings.
---
Teresa's breath caught.
---
They weren't just underground.
---
They were in something else.
---
Stone walls.
Arched ceilings.
Old structures buried beneath the city.
---
A hidden underground passage.
Ancient.
Forgotten.
---
"…Where are we?" she breathed.
---
Lester glanced around briefly.
---
"…Old tunnels," he said. "Probably from before the city expanded."
---
Her heart pounded.
---
Trapped.
---
With no way out.
---
And him—
Bleeding.
---
"Focus," she whispered to herself.
---
Her hands moved again—
Pressing against his wound.
---
Blood soaked through her fingers.
---
Her chest tightened painfully.
---
"This is bad," she said.
---
"I've had worse," he muttered.
---
"Stop saying that!" she snapped again.
---
Silence.
---
Then—
A quiet sound.
---
A breath.
---
"…You're shaking."
---
Her hands stilled.
---
Of course she was.
---
"You're bleeding," she said softly.
---
"And you're still here," he replied.
---
Her breath caught.
---
"Of course I am."
---
A pause.
---
"Why?"
---
The question hit harder this time.
---
She looked up at him—
Even though the light was too dim to fully see his expression.
---
"Because I choose you," she said quietly.
---
Silence.
---
Heavy.
---
Real.
---
Something shifted.
Again.
---
This time—
Deeper.
---
His hand came up slowly—
Finding her face in the dark.
---
His thumb brushed against her cheek.
---
"You shouldn't," he said.
---
Her heart ached.
---
"I know."
---
A beat.
---
"But I still do."
---
The flame flickered.
---
His gaze darkened.
---
"Even now?" he asked.
---
"Yes."
---
"Even after everything?"
---
"Yes."
---
"Even knowing who your father is?"
---
Her chest tightened.
---
"Yes."
---
Silence.
---
Then—
His hand slid down—
Gripping her wrist gently.
---
"Stay," he said.
---
Not a command.
---
A request.
---
Her heart broke a little.
---
"I'm not going anywhere."
---
A faint sound echoed in the distance.
---
Both of them froze.
---
Footsteps.
---
Her pulse spiked.
---
"No…" she whispered.
---
Lester tensed—
Trying to sit up—
---
Pain shot through him.
---
"Don't move," she said quickly.
---
"I'm not letting anyone get to you."
---
Her chest tightened.
---
"You're not in a condition to fight."
---
"I'll fight anyway."
---
Her breath caught.
---
"Lester—"
---
"I mean it," he said.
---
His voice—
Low.
Rough.
Unyielding.
---
"I don't care what happens to me."
---
Her heart twisted painfully.
---
"I do."
---
Silence.
---
Then—
A voice echoed through the tunnel.
---
"…You always did have terrible timing."
---
Teresa froze.
---
That voice—
---
Familiar.
---
"No way…"
---
A figure stepped into the dim light.
---
Bruised.
Bloodied.
But standing.
---
Marcus.
---
Alive.
---
Relief hit her instantly.
---
"Marcus!"
---
He gave a weak smirk.
---
"Told you I've had worse."
---
Lester exhaled quietly.
---
"…You took the hit."
---
Marcus shrugged slightly.
---
"Vest."
---
Teresa blinked.
---
"Wait—you—?"
---
"Fake blood helps too," he added.
---
Her breath caught.
---
"You planned that?"
---
Marcus shook his head.
---
"Let's just say I adapted."
---
A pause.
---
Then—
His expression darkened.
---
"They're still coming."
---
Teresa's stomach dropped.
---
"No…"
---
Marcus looked at Lester.
---
"He can't move like this."
---
Lester shot him a look.
---
"I'm still standing."
---
"Barely," Marcus replied.
---
Silence.
---
Then—
Marcus turned to Teresa.
---
"You'll have to help him."
---
Her heart pounded.
---
"I will."
---
No hesitation.
---
None.
---
Lester looked at her.
---
Something unreadable flickering in his eyes.
---
"…You don't have to do this."
---
"I know."
---
A step closer.
---
"But I want to."
---
Silence.
---
Then—
He pulled her closer.
---
Not gently.
---
Not carefully.
---
Desperately.
---
His hand slid into her hair—
Tilting her head up—
---
And he kissed her.
---
Again.
---
Harder this time.
---
Deeper.
---
Like he was running out of time.
---
Like he needed to feel her—
Before everything fell apart.
---
Her breath caught—
But she didn't pull away.
---
Her hands gripped his shirt—
Careful of the wound—
But holding on.
---
Because she felt it too.
---
That pull.
---
That need.
---
That dangerous, consuming connection.
---
He broke the kiss slowly—
Resting his forehead against hers.
---
"If we survive this…" he murmured.
---
Her heart pounded.
---
"We will," she whispered.
---
His grip tightened slightly.
---
"I don't lose you."
---
Her breath hitched.
---
"You won't."
---
A beat.
---
Then—
Marcus cleared his throat.
---
"…Hate to interrupt, but we're still in danger."
---
They pulled apart slightly.
---
Reality crashing back in.
---
Gunfire echoed faintly in the distance.
---
Closer.
---
Marcus looked toward the tunnel.
---
"We move now," he said.
---
Lester nodded.
---
Slowly.
Painfully.
---
Teresa wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
---
Supporting him.
---
Holding him up.
---
"I've got you," she said softly.
---
His grip tightened around her.
---
"I know."
---
And this time—
He didn't sound uncertain.
---
They moved forward.
Together.
---
Into the darkness.
---
With danger closing in.
---
And no idea—
What waited for them next.
---
END OF CHAPTER 10