Page 35 of Bishop

"Drop it!" He yells in my ear.

"No! I can't. Please let me... just let me do this." I pull against him doing everything to get away.

"Let! Go!" He shouts louder, this time squeezing my wrist just hard enough that my fingers open up and the knife drops to the ground.

My eyes follow the small metal item to the floor and I see my blood dripping down with it. I follow the flow up to my arm.

"Oh, my God." The pin drops in my mind. What is happening to me. "Bishop." I cry.

He turns me around and wraps me up in his arms letting me cry all my pain into his chest.

"Don't worry Baby. I'm here. I'm still here with you." He kisses the top of my head.

He's being honest. I know he won't leave me to face this alone. I only hope his support will be enough.

Nineteen

Bishop

Home sweet home.

After spending another two days at the wings of the Diablo Nomad Chapter, I'm finally well enough to come back home. It's absolutely bittersweet coming back to see Wyatt and the rest of the boys, only to find out that Million was killed the day I was kidnapped. He leaves behind a girlfriend and a son he never knew about.

The knowledge that his life was cut so short by Shade and the race of the Faceless only reinvigorates my drive to find those bastards and make sure they all pay. Of course, Wyatt and the boys already seem to have other plans in place. Plans they don't want me to mess up by having a hot head.

"Are you going to eat something today?" Hestia knocks on my door with a plate of food in her hand. I know I need the food to get better, but I'm not hungry. I've been spending as much time as I can with April and Gabrielle. We might not be tortured every day, but that doesn't mean they're out of the woods. Hell, I'm not out of the woods myself.

"I promise you I'll grab a bite later." I smile at Hestia, thinking she's going to go away, but she stands at the door shifting from foot to foot. Something else is on her mind.

"What's up?" I turn in my chair and face her.

"I know you just got back, but do you have time for a little chat?" She bites her lip, waiting for my response.

Back when things were normal, it was business as usual to have people seek me out for counsel. I've always managed to keep a level head and see things objectively. It helped that I had so much faith I could rely on, but I'm not really feeling too much like my old self nowadays. With a soft grunt, I wave her in. I can listen to what she has to say. Sometimes that's all that's needed.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. I think that's part of the problem." She sighs as she sits cross-legged on my bed with her shoulders slumped in.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Ever since I've known these boys, we've been in the middle of one fight or another. First with my own demons, then with the kidnapping by the Children of Gaia cult, then with the Faceless and Rupert Giles. It feels like there's always been some big bad hovering over us."

"And now?" I ask, urging her to continue.

"And now everyone is home. The family is complete again. At least as complete as it's going to be, and I can't help but feel like something more, something much worse, is coming for us. It's like I don't want to let myself get too comfortable being happy. I know if I tell Spark any of this, he'll freak or tell me to just be happy for the time that we have. My brain just doesn't work that way."

I take a second to really think about what she's telling me. She's waiting for the impending doom. I'm pretty sure we all are. In the past, I might have told her that Spark was right or that we could never know what fate has in store for us. Today isn't one of those days. I know exactly what fate has in store for us. It'll be bloody and gruesome, and people will die.

"You can't focus on what's to come, Hestia. All you can do is prepare. You're right, something big and bad is coming our way. I'm looking forward to it. It'll just be so much easier to do what needs to be done, to end them all. Every day is a fight; the best we all can do is prepare and stand strong together."

Her eyes open wide. It's clear it wasn't the response she was hoping for. It's the truth.

"Are you okay? I mean not physically. I know you still have a bit of healing to do, but I'm sure what you went through in that place with Shade and the rest of the Faceless was brutal." She cringes slightly, and I feel my fists squeeze tight.

"It was the Faceless and Shade, yes, but most of all it was Liam. While I was there, he was the one who did me the most damage. When it comes time for payback, he'll be the first one I'll go after. Without mercy."

Hestia gulps hard and stands on wobbly legs before walking over to the door. "I'm glad you're back, Bishop. Just promise me you won't let the anger take over. Revenge can be a hell of a drug."

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