My hands trembled violently as Tristan pulled me tightly against his chest. I could feel the erratic thump of his heart, matching the frantic rhythm of my own. His grip was fierce, even painful, but I couldn't bring myself to pull away. The scene replayed in my mind, a constant reminder that I had pulled the trigger and taken a life into my own hands for him.
The gravity of what I had done bore down on me, far heavier than the paperweight I had wielded just minutes ago. My breath came in shallow gasps, my mind swirling in a chaotic dance between horror and a flicker of relief. Relief that Tristan was still alive, that I hadn't frozen in that crucial moment, that I hadn't let him down.
But before I could catch my breath, the wailing of sirens sliced through the stillness, sharp and urgent.
"They're here," I whispered, my voice trembling.
Edward's voice interjected, cold and precise, a stark contrast to the chaos around us. "Not the police, that's their signal. Signa for reinforcements." Ice coursed through my veins at his words.
-
I moved with urgency, shoving Ellie behind me as Edward crossed the room with practiced speed, reloading his weapon with a precision that spoke of years of training.
"Second wave?" I growled, the tension coiling like a spring in my chest.
Edward nodded grimly, his expression dark. "They want us pinned down. They'll flush us out, break our defenses before we can regroup."
Rage ignited within me, hot and unrelenting. "Not in my house."
I checked my clip, and it's half full. Not nearly enough if they were serious about this onslaught. I turned my attention to Ellie, and for the first time, I didn't see her as fragile; I saw a fierce spirit flickering beneath her fear. Yes, she was still shaking, her eyes was wide with disbelief, but she had stood her ground when it mattered.
"Stay close," I ordered, my voice low yet firm. "Don't leave my side."
Her chin lifted defiantly, an unwavering resolve radiating from her. "I'm not going anywhere."
God, she scared me, but I also felt an undeniable pull toward her strength; I needed it as much as she needed mine.
-
The sound of heavy boots echoed ominously outside. More of them are coming, closing in like a storm and I gripped the cold metal of the gun tighter, its weight grounding me amidst the chaos. Fear clawed at my insides, but I forced it down, determined to hold my ground.
Tristan glanced my way, his jaw clenched, eyes ablaze with a mix of conflict and determination. In that fleeting moment, everything hung in the balance, between his fear of losing me and my resolve to fight for us both.
Then Edward's voice shattered the tense silence. "We can't hold them from here. We need to fall back to the tunnels. Let's move forward."
"Tunnels?" I breathed, the word barely escaping my lips, as a chill ran down my spine. I glanced between Edward and Tristan, searching their faces for reassurance. "What about everyone else? Are they coming with us?"
Edward shot me a quick, knowing look, his eyes reflecting the weight of countless hidden secrets that seemed to rest heavily on my shoulders. "The Donovan house was built with secrets, girl. There are layers of history buried beneath its foundation, and it's time for you to learned them, but you don't have to worry about the rest. We've already evacuated them well before this attack began." His voice was steady, but I could sense the underlying tension, a palpable urgency that hinted at the danger still lurking just outside.
Tristan grasped my hand, pulling me toward the concealed door at the back of the study. My heart raced as the footsteps grew louder, the unmistakable splintering of another window echoing down the hall.
Just before we slipped through the hidden panel, I glanced back one last time. The study had transformed into a battleground, and chaos reigned with broken glass glinting like shards of ice, blood staining the floor, and bullet holes peppering the walls.
This was no longer a sanctuary; this was a war zone.