Endogenesis (Complete)

Chapter Eighteen

Nadia almost tripped on her own feet and barely managed to catch herself. The scent of burning flesh overwhelmed her, and blood trickled down her exposed skin as she tried to hold her ruined shirt shut. Adam held her other hand as he led her along the fence; she was almost knocked off her feet as he suddenly changed course and entered one of the buildings. He led her into a room cluttered with old furniture stacked haphazardly, the mouldy, cracked blinds pulled shut over the windows.

Adam released his hold and shut the door behind them, 'I doubt the Reds will be able to chase us, so you'll be safe here.'

Nadia wrapped her arms around herself as she sunk into the nearest chair. She bit her lip as she held back a sob; she wouldn't cry in front of Adam.

She was stupid. She should have gone straight to the garden. She should have waited for her brothers. Nadia tried to force the front of her shirt back together, but it was damaged beyond repair. What were they planning to do to her? They could have beaten her and left, but Collin had a shiv and had torn her clothing. Then he had removed the contraceptive...

'Here.'

Nadia flinched as Adam reached towards her, 'Don't.'

'It's ok, I'm here to help,' Adam said, unzipping his hoodie. 'You can't walk around like that.'

Nadia clutched onto her shirt as he removed his hoodie and offered it to her. Nadia peered at it, unable to believe what had happened. Was Collin going to force himself on her? Or was he planning to disfigure her? Maybe he intended to do both.

Adam frowned and draped the hoodie around her shoulders, 'My dorm's on the floor above, so the Reds would have to be desperate to follow us in here. We don't tend to go into each other's buildings for obvious reasons... Collin is pretty stupid, though.'

Nadia twisted away from him, hiding from view as she peeled off the remains of her shirt and mopped up the blood on her stomach.

'I can get you something to clean up with,' Adam said.

'It's fine,' Nadia snapped, hastily scrubbing at the blood.

Adam sat on the chair opposite her, 'Is that blood yours or Dufort's?'

Nadia dumped the remains of the shirt on the ground, 'Both.'

Nadia slid her arms into the hoodie and zipped it up, it was several sizes too big, and if anyone saw her in green, there would be questions. She kept her arms around her body; the guards had humiliated her enough by forcing her to bathe in front of them. If Adam hadn't shown up, would they have stripped her further? She had been near the Reds' dorm, and it would have been easy for them to drag her inside.

'We'll give it a minute, and then I'll walk you back to your dorm,' Adam said softly.

Nadia sniffled; all she wanted was to return to the safety of her home, to find Luke. He never would have allowed such a thing to happen; he had kept them safe for so many years. But the only form of protection she had was that musky dorm.

'Why?' Nadia breathed in and suppressed her tears. 'Why did you help me?'

Adam's eyes widened, 'What else was I meant to do? Let Collin try and rape you?'

Nadia recoiled; he couldn't be serious. The Reds couldn't have meant to take it that far. But they had torn up her clothing, and the smile on his face...

Adam rose from the chair and moved closer to her, 'Enough violence is carried out here without those thugs trying to escalate things.'

Nadia rubbed her eyes and turned her head. She couldn't let her brothers find out what had occurred. Gabriel wouldn't leave the matter alone, and she couldn't live with herself if he was hurt trying to avenge her.