Page 48 of Blood Gift

One of them hit the tree I’d hidden behind, and I could feel the heat from the flames.

The rest bounced off my shield.

He was growing more frantic with every passing second, dripping sweat as nothing he tried to do to me worked. Meanwhile, I wasn’t even breathing heavy.

“I’ll kill him!” he screamed, pointing his palms in Gentry’s direction. That stopped me in my tracks, even though the storm still raged around us.

Leaves twirled through the air in funnel clouds, and entire branches became projectiles as the wind tore them from the trees.

“And if I kill him, I’ll kill us all!”

I looked at Gentry. My love. He was willing to sacrifice his life to save mine. I would do the same for him if I had to. But it wouldn’t come to that. I wouldn’t allow it.

I lowered my shield and turned my powers in his direction.

Gentry didn’t feel the change—the storm had reached fever pitch, and he could barely keep his eyes open for the roaring wind and debris. He didn’t notice what I did when I did it.

“Fine,” I said, brushing hair out of my face. “You win. I won’t kill you tonight.”

“As if there was ever any doubt, witch.” Dominic threw back his head and laughed bitterly. “Oh, love. The stupid things it makes us do.”

“Yes. Very stupid.” I looked at Gentry again, and he shook his head.

“Don’t let him win! You can’t let him win!”

“That’s up to you!” I shouted. “It’s in your hands now!”

His hands.

Confusion touched his face, making him frown.

He looked down at the hand not holding the detonator and flexed his fingers.

A slow smile formed at the corners of his mouth and spread as understanding seeped in.

He raised his head, looking at his brother with loathing and pity and rage.

“This ends now,” he said as he slid the detonator inside his jacket pocket and pointed his palms in Dominic’s direction.

Dominic gaped at him in awe, then laughed louder than ever. “Are you that deluded? Don’t you remember I’ve already stripped you?”

Gentry’s answer came in the form of red bolts of light which blew the head off the marble angel just to Dominic’s right. He smiled wider than ever.

“What?” Dominic shrieked. “This is impossible!” He glared at me. “You! You did this! How could you do this? You’re just a witch!”

“Haven’t you heard?” I shouted back with a smile. “I’m The Chosen One.”

He turned back to his brother and raised his hands to attack, but Gentry was ready for him.

A single, blinding flash of light traveled from his palms straight to his brother’s chest.

Just as Holden had, Dominic threw his head back when the spell hit him. His body seized up in agony, limbs contorting, eyes bulging.

Then, it was over.

He fell on his back over the freshly-turned earth above his mother’s grave. His sightless eyes stared up at the stormy sky.

The wind died down, and the clouds parted, and it was just the two of us, standing on the hill. Gentry stared down at his brother’s body.

“You did what you had to do,” I whispered, approaching slowly. “We have to get this off you, now.” I helped him remove the explosives.

Only when they were off his body did I fry the wires connecting them, rendering the whole thing useless.

He pulled me against his chest and held me there. “I thought I was going to lose you. You shouldn’t have put yourself in harm’s way like that. I had it under control.”

I pulled back in surprise. “You mean the way you almost killed yourself for my sake? That’s not having things under control! That’s taking yourself away from me when I need you. I love you. I don’t think I could live without you now. I wouldn’t want to try.”

He smiled tenderly, brushing bits of leaves and dirt from my hair. “I love you, too, you know.”

“You’d better, damn it.” I pulled him down by the collar of his jacket and kissed him as hard as I could.

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