Chapter 9 - The Phoenix
The smoke was suffocating. Elena’s vision blurred into darkness. She curled into a ball on the cold stone floor, waiting for the end.
Suddenly, a deafening crash echoed through the roar of the fire.
The heavy iron door was violently ripped off its hinges by an SUV crashing backward through the basement loading dock.
Through the flames and the smoke, a figure emerged. It was Sebastian. His tuxedo was torn, his face smeared with ash, and he was wielding a heavy iron crowbar. He had fought his way through Arthur's guards.
"Elena!" he screamed, his voice raw.
He dove into the burning cellar, scooping her unconscious body into his arms. He shielded her with his own body as he ran back through the wall of fire, throwing her into the passenger seat of the wrecked SUV.
He slammed his foot on the gas, tearing out of the basement just as the wine cellar’s structural beams collapsed in a massive explosion of fire and glass.
Elena woke up violently coughing on the leather seat. She looked at Sebastian; his arms were badly burned, but he was smiling, a wild, feral grin.
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"Where are we going?" Elena croaked.
"To finish this," Sebastian said, speeding into the neon-lit city streets. "Arthur thinks you're dead. Which means he's going to hold a press conference at police headquarters right now to play the grieving father. We're going to crash his party."
