Chapter 16:

Trunks awoke to darkness. All around him was nothing but black. It took him a few moments to get use to the lack of light as he sat up and started looking around. Near him, soft whimpers could be heard. He focused to the floor next to him and saw the outline of his mate, unconscious on the floor.

"Katie?" Trunks lightly shook her shoulder, but she didn't respond. He shook her a bit harder, but her only response then was a moan. He checked her over. Her arm wasn't bleeding, but it didn't have to with the poison running through her veins. She looked very pale and was shaking. She was very cold. Trunks lifted her up against him, hoping the warmth from his body would warm her up.

Trunks looked around the small room they were in. It had the scent of blood heavy in it, and he couldn't see a door. He looked up and saw a sliver of light on the ceiling. It appeared as though they had been dropped into a cell so they couldn't get out. He looked down at Katie and carefully set her down, then stood. At his full height, the ceiling was still about 5-feet above him. He tried to form a Ki blast, aiming to blast the door open, but nothing happened.

"What… the… hell?" he tried again, but still nothing. He tried to transform, but he failed at that too. He couldn't use his Ki, he was as weak as a human now.

In a last ditch effort, Trunks jumped as hard and high as he could, but without his Ki he wasn't even close to reaching the ceiling. He clenched his fists.

"Dammit! This is just fan-fucking-tastic!" he growled, sitting again holding his head in his hands.

He looked down at Katie. From what he could see in the dark, she was shivering even worse now. He lifted her up again, taking off his jacket and wrapping her in it. He held her in his lap, close to his chest. Her lips were blue.

"Come on Katie… I know you can beat this." He rest his head on top of hers, looking around. For the first time today they were finally alone, no monsters or freaks anywhere in sight.

"Trunks?" he looked down and saw Katie's eyes opened.

"Hey, you're awake." He kissed the top of her head.

"I'm c-cold." She said, curling up into a ball in his lap.

"Yeah, I know. I think it's from your bite. But this is the best I can do."

"Have you seen G-greed or In-insanity?" even her voice was shaking from the cold. Trunks held her tight as he could, hoping his body heat would help warm her up.

"No. And I think that's for the best."

Katie just nodded, understanding what her mate meant. Right now she felt heavy, like she had weights on her limbs. Even her tail lay limp on Trunks' knee. She was also exhausted, but she didn't want to fall asleep in this position. She might not wake up again. She rested her head on Trunks' chest.

"How do you feel?"

"Like shit." Katie began coughing again. Blood splattered out onto her hand.

"Katie!"

She couldn't respond as she tried to breathe normally. She was scared, and she felt her heartbeat increasing. She closed her eyes tightly.

Trunks could feel his mate's heightened heartbeat. He started petting her hair, trying to calm her down.

"Shh… calm down. We'll be alright."

"I'm scared." Katie whimpered.

"I know, but remember your destiny, okay? You're supposed to fight a great evil, remember?"

"Only if I live that long…" Katie began coughing again.

"You will, I promise. I'll always be here for you. I came back from my time just for you and nothing else. I won't leave you, and I'll make damn sure you don't die either. Say it, tell me you're not going to die."

"Trunks…"

"Say it!"

"I'm… not going to die." Katie started coughing again.

"Good. Now just rest, relax. I got ya."

"But wh-what about Greed and I-insanity?" Katie asked, looking up into her mate's eyes. He looked away before responding.

"I don't know… but if anyone can get us out of here, they could. They won't go down without a fight."

Katie nodded, no longer able to fight the exhaustion that was beating down on her. She rested her head on Trunks' shoulder and closed her eyes, soon asleep again. Trunks held her close, looking around the room again.

They have to save us… because if they get caught too, we're all dead…