Chapter 35
Gannix
The pain in my head is almost more than I can take. I want so badly to lie down, but I can’t. Not when she’s out there. How the fuck did this happen to me now? Why?
“You ready to hunt?” Gary asks as I smirk at him.
“Born ready.” He laughs as he collects the bow and arrows from the garage, passing me one. We head back inside, ready to fire at a moment's notice. I’m so fucking dizzy I don’t know if I’d hit my mark even if I tried.
We creep through the house and I watch as Gary moves into one of the bedrooms first. I follow him inside just as an arrow whizzes through the room. My attention snaps to the middle of the room just to see the arrow coming my way. It slams into my shoulder as I howl in pain.
“What the fuck?” I roar as I reach up and pull it free, tossing it to the floor.
“You think I believe you, Nix? That you want to kill her after you stole her?” He asks, aiming at me once more.
“I made a mistake,” I yell at him.
“No. You’re lying to me,” he screams. I watch him pull the arrow back before I quickly dip out of the room and rush as fast as I can down the hall and into another room. I stand back, arrow ready if he opens that door.
Emerson. Fuck, my Emerson. She’s out there somewhere. If she were smart, she wouldn’t still be inside because that’s where he thinks she is.
When the door doesn’t open, I sneak toward it, pull it open, and peek my head out. I don’t see him but I know he isn’t far. I slip out of the room and creep down the hall, using my senses the best I can, but with this headache, it’s harder than it usually is.
I check the other rooms and reach for the closet door when I hear him scream behind me. I spin around as he comes racing toward me with an arrow in his hand, ready to stab it through my chest. Even with shaky hands, I fire.
The arrow hits Gary, and he stumbles back as I ready another. I fire it off next, and this time, he falls to the floor. I pull another and have it in my hand the same way he did as I make my way toward him.
“You bastard! Dad would be … be so disappointed in you,” he snarls, blood spraying from his lips.
“Dad ruined us. He fucked us over and then left us to fend for ourselves. We’re fucking sick, Gary!”
“No. You’re … sick. You chose her … over family,” he says as he watches me.
“I can’t keep doing this, Gary. Don’t you get that? I don’t want this!”
“You do! You’re a fucking Nelson.” He tries to growl through the pain. I shake my head as I raise the arrow over his heart. “Don’t,” he pleads with me.
“She means more to me. Her life means more than yours,” I scream at him as I bring the arrow down and plunge it into his chest.
I blink rapidly as I look at what I’ve done. I’m no good for her. I know that much. I’m not what she needs, no matter how much I’ve tried to convince myself that I am.
I swallow hard and turn, heading down the stairs to find her. She isn’t inside. In fact, I know exactly where she is. Her new favorite place to hide.
I walk out the back door as quietly as I can and into the maze. I reach up and cover my shoulder where the arrow went in with my hand, pulling it away to see it’s still bleeding. I curse under my breath as I grab my last arrow and swing it in my good hand.
I move through the maze slowly until I can almost feel her. I close my eyes briefly before rounding the corner and find her trembling body curled into herself in the corner.
“Emerson,” I say her name. She jolts, jumping to her feet as if she’s ready to fight. She looks at the arrow in my hand and up to my face as I grin at her.
“I’m … I’m not like them, Gannix.” Fear. There’s the fear in her. She thinks I’m going to hurt her, kill her. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
I step closer, and I watch as her whole body shakes from the fear of what’s coming. With my injured arm, I reach for her, cupping the back of her neck while tears run down her cheeks.
“I told you to run, Em.”
“Where would I go?” she whispers.
“Anywhere but here,” I tell her. Then I pull her face toward mine and press my lips roughly to hers. She doesn’t kiss me back. I don’t expect her to.
I keep kissing her for a long minute before I pull away from her. I shove her back a little, far enough I have room to maneuver the arrow. Then I point it at her, and she cries harder.
“I’m sorry, Gannix! I’m sorry I couldn’t be what you needed me to be! I’m sorry I’m useless,” she screams as I look at her. I shake my head, and she watches me through her teary eyes.
“No, Em. I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m sorry I thought I could be what you needed. I’m sorry I stole your freedom for nothing.”
“What?” I flip the arrow in my hand so the tip is facing me instead of her and watch as her eyes grow wide.
“I’m sorry you had to go through all of this because of me,” I tell her. She’s about to say something when I do it.
Without another thought, I plunge the arrow into my chest.