Do you have keys to the car outside?I ask her, knowing Silas probably just drove off with them.Or can you jumpstart a car?
No and no. And I'm not fucking leaving anyway. There are only six ofthem.
She's right, of course.Sixisn't too bad.I can handle that easily. The real problem is that Isla is supposed to be running out the door and driving off on a snowmobile.Idon'tknow how longit's going totake Alastor and Kyle to get here with everyone else.All I know is my first priority is stuck here until they do, throwing a wrench into my plans.
The first shot pops, the bullet landing right in my chest. Isla screams as I fight to keep her behind me.
"Give us the girl, and we'll make it quick, demon," the man in the front tells me, smoke still rising from his gun.
Isla peeks from around me even as I try to keep her hidden from the weapons pointed at us.
"It's okay," she says. "I'll go."
"Isla," I growl, my grip on her tightening. She's been foolish enough coming here. Now we're too close to do anything else that's so reckless. My head swims from the toxin spreading with each pump of my heart, but I can still think clearly enough to protect Isla as long as necessary.
I'm going,she tells me.The entrance is right behind that bookshelf. They won't hurt me right away. Just wait until I'm on the other side of that wall, kill the ones that stay here, then blip over and find me.
My chest aches at the thought of her disappearing behind that wall. I know I can follow her. IknowI can fight these idiots once she's not here to possibly get caught in the crossfire. Iknowshe'll be safe long enough for me to dispose of the onesright here. I even know that if it comes down to it, she could fight a coupleof them. I just don't want her to spend another second risking her life. I can't bear the idea of her being in danger any longer.
Isla, please,I beg her.If you disappear behind that wall, there's no telling what's down there. Could be one room, could be a fucking labyrinth.
You'll find me,she assures me.I know you'll always find me.
And with that, she holds up both hands, slipping out of my grip and walking towards the armed dead men. None of them so much as move their weapons, all six of them still trained on me as she walks towards them, a worried and placating look on her face.
The man closest to her takes her by the arm, his touch gentle enough that I don't immediately imagine ripping his fucking fingers off. I'm still going to kill him, but I'll do it quickly, unlike this asshole that fucking shot me.
I love you,she tells me.Just in case you didn't know.
I nearly scoff at Isla's ill-timed confession.Are you kidding me? Now, you tell me?
She grins, both in the real world and in our silent conversation, the giggle lighting up her phantom voice in my head as shetakes a steptoward the opening wall.Well, aren't you gonna say it back?
No. I'll tell you in a minute.I have to believe I'm going to get another chance very shortly. Otherwise, I'm going to lose my mind and start tearing these motherfuckers to shreds before I can guarantee Isla's safety.
The group splits into two, three of them inching towards the yawning blackness behind my Isla, the reason for mybeing willingly walking into the belly of the beast like a martyr while I stand here helpless.
The sound of three safeties turning on echoes around me while they get closer and closer to the wall that will hide her from me far longer than I ever want to be apart from her again. The only thing that might save her is their strict orders to preserve her life by any means necessary. It brings me little comfort, butit'll have tobe enough for now.
Even while her heart pounds in terror, she smiles and winks at me, like this was the planall along.
Of-fucking-course it was. How long she's been plotting this, I'll probably never know. But when it's over, and we're safe and sound back home, I'm going to slap that ass until every reddened handprint is a reminder of each week she left me in the dark, scrambling to find her.
The wall groans, grey concrete and wood sliding closed and cocooning Isla in with the men happily ushering her towards her ruin.
But as long as she's on that side and not this one, she's safe from the meninhere. Grunting through the pain of the blessed bullet smoldering inside mybody. A wicked grin splits my face as I consider which form I'd like to use to tear these motherfuckers apart. Another bullet grazes my neck, and a growl rips through my throat, my body's defense systems making the decision for me as the men before me shrink and the air drowns in scarlet.
I can see the liquid heat coursing through their bodies, see the exact place to tear through to end their lives quickly. The one that sent that bullet goes down in the blink of an eye, his jugular extracted from his head and stuck between my teeth before I even make the conscious decision to kill him first. His buddies shout expletives, aiming their giant firearms my way, firing and landing another shot, the force of it between my chest sending me back a step.
I jump into the Aether, landing behind one and ripping his entire fucking head from hisbody, sending a spray of blood across both me and the only man left in this room. He hides his fear better than the other two, his gun remaining steady, aimed up and between my eyes. Most men would run and hide, or at least watch in horror as I throw the decapitated head of his friend to the side. This one doesn't even flinch; his warrior instincts trained on me, waiting for me to try to come towards him or disappear into the Aether again, something most of them wouldn't even know I was capable of until now.
Rather than give him the sudden movement he's waiting for, I slowly reach my hand through the Aether, fighting against the fog their bullets have injected. With sickening satisfaction, I plunge my fist through his back, his spine fisted in my hand, the blood and sinew soaking my hand as he chokes on the exquisite pain.
With a yank, I pull his wholebodythrough the Aether, the non-matter shredding his entire self,bodyand soul, nothing but his spine coming through the other side. The firearm he left behind clatters uselessly to the ground, the carnage around me not even beginning to quell the bloodlust aimed at those who dare to harm my fucking girl.
I shake as much of the gore off my hands as I can before walking through the Aether, exiting it just on the other side of the fake wall, surrounded by blackness. The silence around me is stifling. I should hear something. The scuffle of feet, Isla's screaming,something.But no, wherever she's gone from here, it's been soundproofed enough that even I can't hear them.
Down the stairs I go, straining to pick up something to help me find them.
