Page 78 of Shifting Fate
I never thought I’d actually need it.
Deep breath, Dallon. You can do this.Preparing myself for whatever was lurking behind the arched doorway, I gulped and stepped into the kitchen.
Tashi’s muffled whimper tore my heart out.
I found her huddled in the corner, plastered up against the kitchen cabinets. Her clothing was torn, her ripped shirt hanging off one shoulder and her bra strap askew. Her face and arms were spattered with blood, like little red paint spots, and her gun was clenched in both hands. It was still pointed at the lifeless body of the Dreadhunter laying face-down on the floor.
His head was…completely destroyed. Ashattered, pulpy mess of bone shards and gray-matter.
I released my held breath. Jesus fucking Christ. “Tashi? Tash…?”
Her entire body shook. I was half-afraid that she’d spook and shoot me by accident. I slowly laid my loaded gun on the granite countertop. I held my hands out in front of me as I knelt down on her level. She looked so scared.
“Tashi? It’s me. Your good-for-nothing brother.” I tried for light. “Look at me, sweetheart.”
She whimpered, then blinked up at me. “D-Dallon?”
“The one and only.” I slowly reached for her weapon. “Let me have the gun, sis. He’s dead. He’s gone. He’s not gonna hurt you or anybody else, okay?”
She sucked down a breath, and tears welled in her eyes. “I k-killed him,” she whispered, horrified.
“You did. Got a headshot,” I said.“Totallyworth at least ten points.”
My sister laughed, bordering on hysterical, but allowed me to remove the gun from her hands. I’d no sooner put it up out of reach when she collided with my chest, sobbing uncontrollably. I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed her close.
“Shh! Shh, it’s okay, it’s gonna be okay, but we have to be quiet,” I hissed, my heart hammering. She nodded frantically and pressed her lips shut, though it didn’t stop the whimpering. She clung to me. I swallowed down my fear. I needed to be brave for her. She needed me right now, and I wouldn’t let her down. “C’mon.”
I helped her to her feet and led her through the living room and down the hall, checking each room as we went. The bathroom was the very last door to the right. I gripped my gun as I stepped through the threshold of the small room, but it was empty. Thank god.
I pulled Tashi into the bathroom.
“Get in the tub and pull the shower curtain around you,” I instructed, but that sent her into a panic.
“Don’t leave me,” she pleaded, tears streaming down her splotchy cheeks. “Pl-Please, Dallon! Don’t leave me alone!”
“I’ll be right back,” I promised, cupping her face. She grasped my hands in hers, holding onto me. “I swear. I’m gonna…”Think!“I’m gonna go barricade the door, okay? I’ll be right back.”
She gulped. “Hurry.”
I kissed her on the forehead, then gently removed her death-grip on me. I pointed at the tub. She scrambled over the edge and huddled in the very back. Thewhooshof the shower curtain being drawn was the only thing keeping me from freaking out.
Gripping my weapon in both hands, I slipped back down the hallway. Once I was in the living room, I cast a quick look around. There was an armchair, but it wouldn’t weigh enough to hold the door shut. The couch would work, but did I have enough manpower to drag it across the room? It’d taken both me and Gage working together to get the damn thing in here.
Fuck it.
I set my gun on the coffee table, where I could see it, then began to shove the pain-in-the-ass leather sofa across the carpet. It fought me every step of the way, but I managed to block the door off. At least this way, if anyone attempted to come after us, we’d hear them coming.
Deeming it as good as we’d get in this particular situation, I locked us both in the bathroom and flipped off the lights. I crawled into the tub beside Tashi, keeping her behind me. She wrapped her thin arms around my waist and sobbed softly, clinging to me for dear life.
Outside, the war raged on.
