Chapter 14
HUNTER
Ishould be ashamed of myself.
Ashamed that I brought Fiona here.
Ashamed that I tortured her ex-boyfriend while she watched, then fucked her as he sat dying.
But I’m not. I can’t find a shred of regret in me.
I’ve shattered her soul and reforged it in my image. I’ve marred her. Tainted every part of her.
And through it all, she’s only become more beautiful.
She’s scared that I’ll leave her. What she doesn’t realize is that I share in her fear.
What if I come home again and she’s gone? It’s already happened once. It took months to recover her, and I only did so by sheer luck.
The answer is obvious. I’ll get by, as I do. There are plenty of bad people left in the city to keep my mind occupied, and I fully intend on one day exacting revenge on Caspian.
I just have to be patient.
A scuttling sound alerts me to a presence.
Grabbing my sword, I step in front of Fiona and scan our surroundings. I’ve been clearing the area of the dead for days, but that doesn’t mean a few didn’t wander in.
A thud sounds behind me, and I spin, pulling Fiona to my back.
Something doesn’t feel right.
A familiar chuckle sounds from up high.
“It’s him!” Fiona gasps, grabbing my shoulder. “It’s Caspian!”
Shit! This is the last place I want to face off against Caspian. He’s lethal, smart, and has the high ground. To make matters worse, I have Fiona to care for.
I scan the buildings, trying to spot my adversary.
“Look what we have here!” Caspian shouts.
I look in the direction of his voice and see him just inside the window of a shopping center, four floors up, leveling his gun.
“Run to that alley—now!” I point a sword to where I want Fiona to go. “There’s a door you should be able to get through towards the back. Go through the building and come out the other side. You should be able to find your way back to our place.”
“What?” Fiona gasps, her chest rises and falls in frantic bursts. “There’s no way—”
“You have to!”
“Fiiiiooooooonnnnnnaaaaaa,” Caspian taunts.
I hear Fiona’s panicked voice muttering what sounds like a prayer.
“It’s going to be okay,” I assure her, trying to figure out how to get her to safety.
POP!
A bullet lands at my feet.
POP!
POP!
POP!
“Oh, God,” Fiona screams. “Oh, God-oh, God-oh, God!”
“He’s missing on purpose,” I tell her. “He’s toying with us.”
“You don’t know him like I do. He’s fucking crazy.”
POP!
POP!
POP!
“Let’s talk,” I call up.
“What about?”
“Why the fuck you’re playing these games.”
“Life and death are never a game.”
“You should know that I’m no longer a part of the Keep.”
“I figured as much, seeing as how you’re still alive.”
“Then maybe things don’t have to go poorly for us,” I lie, because there’s no fucking way I’m letting him live after what he’s done to Britney and Fiona.
“You see, I have no problem with you, Hunter. I admire your work, though I can’t say I share your predilections.”
“Good, then we can talk.”
The gargling sound of ragers carries over, and I turn to see a few headed our way.
POP!
POP!
POP!
They drop, one by one, thanks to Caspian.
“Thanks for that. Perhaps we can talk inside, so that we don’t have to suffer further interruption.”
“Sounds good to me. There’s only one problem.”
“What’s that?”
“I can’t abide that little bitch you’re with.”
A burst of adrenaline courses through my veins, but I know better than to lose my cool.
“Ignore her, then. She’s just stress relief.”
“No. I don’t think I will.”
POP!
For a moment, I don’t know what’s happened.
Then, it hits me.
No!
“Uh, ah…” Fiona’s strangled gasps grab my attention, and my worst fear is confirmed.
“Hun-terrr…” she says, her hands clutching just to the left of her chest, near her shoulder.
As she falls, I rush to catch her, scooping her up into my arms.
“It’s okay. I got you.”
I rush forward, to the sidewalk directly under Caspian, hoping he doesn’t shoot again.
“How’s that for stress relief?” he calls down, chuckling.
Once we reached safety, I set Fiona down and inspect the wound.
“I’m-I’m going to die,” she pants out.
“No…”
But that’s a lie. She’s bleeding out, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
But I know a place that can.
The Keep.
Christine could save her. The Keep has blood and hemoglobin. Everyone donates regularly in case it’s needed.
But seeking their help would guarantee my demise. I’d be executed. There’s no question. The moment they see me, they’ll put a bullet between my eyes.
“I’m scared,” Fiona whispers.
“You’re…you’re going to be fine.”
“No, I’m not.” She winces, like the very act of talking hurts. “Just do me a favor and kill him…make him hurt…badly.”
Yes…that’s exactly what I’ll do. I’ll avenge Fiona and kill every mother fucker that’s ever hurt her. Every jackoff Caspian peddled her to.
Because I’m not the hero of this story.
I’m a villain.
A cold-blooded killer.
And torturing is what I do.
FIONA
My body jolts.
Is this turbulence?
It makes sense that there would be some on the way to hell.
And after what I’ve done, there’s no way I’ll be allowed inside heaven.
I try to open my eyes, but they’re heavy.
Everything hurts.
“Stay with me,” a faraway voice says.
Stay with whom?
Is Brett calling to me?
I recall the warmth of his arms. The love in his gaze.
His betrayal…
Is my life flashing before my eyes?
No. This must be a dream. I’ve been having so many lately.
I’ve been working too hard and doing a bad job of it. If I get fired from the gas station, mom will be pissed. It’s hard to keep the numbers straight, though. Everything is so damn confusing.
Mom will understand. She always does. She’ll help me.
Maybe they’ll let me do something other than work the register. Like stock shelves. Surely I can’t mess that up.
I can’t let mom down. She’s been exhausted lately and needs help with the bills.
Not if she’s dead…
Why would I think that?
Because everyone died and you’re already in hell.
No…no-no-no…
I wish I understood what was going through my mind, but everything is jumbled.
“Come on, Fiona—stay with me…”
Who’s saying that?
My body jerks, then stills. Am I being carried?
“Hey you, motherfuckers! Guard your damn Keep!” someone shouts.
Weird.
My backside presses against something solid, followed by the rest of my body.
“I know you’re watching—come on out, cowards!”
Hunter?
Where did that name come from?
I’m confused. Dizzy. Cold.
I feel weak.
“Hurry the fuck up!” the voice calls again.
It is Hunter. How could I have forgotten him?
Is he torturing me?
A vision of the light flickering from Brett’s eyes reminds me of what I’ve become.
Is that what’s happening to me? Did Hunter grow bored and decide to torture me?
“On your fucking knees!” a voice screams.
“She needs help!”
“On-your—knees!”
“She’s been shot!”
Who’s been shot?
Is it me?
“Is that so? Or are you just showing off your dirty work?”
“It was Caspian! He fucking shot her.”
He’s right…Caspian shot me. He was up in a window, looking down at us.
I’m dying.
All at once, I grow tired. Exhausted. I need sleep.
But mom will think I’m lazy.
No. She won’t think that. Because she’s dead.
Despite my exhaustion and confusion, a cold understanding grips me.
The dead rose.
My mother died.
And Brett betrayed me.
That’s the story of my life.
I’m dying. I know that now. I’m not sure how long it’s been going on for, or if the things I’m hearing are hallucinations.
All I know is that it’s coming faster now. And I’m so damn cold.
There’s no stopping my fate, so I need to remember something good. Something warm.
Hunter.
The only man who’s ever come through for me.
He never loved me. He simply wasn’t capable of that. But he took care of me and he gave me something I thought I so desperately needed.
It’s him I’ll cling to during my dark time.
Where is he?
My body shakes violently.
“…she’s going into shock…”
Hands are on me. Grabbing me.
My body pulls forward.
Can’t they let me die in peace?
Will I see my mom again?
After what I’ve done, I don’t deserve to.
Chances are, I’ll be reunited with Brett.
Will he forgive me for his lidless eyes and skinless cock?
I don’t care. I still haven’t forgiven him.
“LIFT!”
What the hell is going on?
My body crashes. Pain shoots everywhere.
“…the IV goes there…”
“…bullet is out…”
“…shit…I need to patch up this wound…”
“…fuck, you men are bastards…”
“…focus…”
“…she’s lost a lot of blood, grab some from the refrigerator…”
Soft words carry. I can’t make them out.
“…O-negative is universal donor…”
Where’s Hunter? If I’m going to die, let it be with him.
He’s off hunting…
“…oh, fuck…”
I guess they just realized there’s no saving me.
I’m going to die.
And if that’s not bad enough.
I’m going to die alone.