Page 61 of Finn
Fighting him felt like trying to take down a mountain with a toothpick.
But I wasn’t about to let him win.
I ducked and weaved, trying to find an opening, but Asher didn’t give me any.
He pressed forward, his strikes growing more aggressive.
Asher wasn’t just trying to subdue me anymore. He was trying to wear me down, and it was working.
I stumbled back, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. Asher saw the opening and lunged, the syringe glinting in the faint light.
I twisted out of the way at the last second, my shoulder slamming into the side of the truck. Pain flared, but I pushed it aside.
“Asher, I don’t want to do this!” I shouted, hoping, praying, that some part of him would listen.
“Neither do I,” he said, his voice quieter now, but no less determined. “But I won’t let you throw away your life, Finn. Not like this.”
His words stung, sharper than any blow he’d landed so far. But there was no time to dwell on it.
Asher came at me again, the syringe aimed for my neck. I ducked low and swept my leg out, trying to knock him off balance.
He stumbled but recovered quickly, his grip on the syringe tightening.
He didn’t hesitate as he came at me again, his movements a blur of calculated strikes.
I fought back with everything I had, but I could feel myself faltering. My heart wasn’t in this fight. Not like his was.
Asher was fighting to save me, to bring me back to the life he thought I belonged to. And me?
I was fighting to keep my freedom, to hold on to the life I was trying to build with Gabriel.
But deep down, I knew I wasn’t giving it my all. Because this was Asher. My brother.
He feinted left, then lunged right, catching me off guard.
The syringe came dangerously close to my arm, and I barely managed to twist out of the way in time.
“Asher, please,” I said, my voice breaking.
“No, Finn,” he said, his voice hard as steel. “You don’t get to throw everything away for him. Not for a vampire.”
His words cut deep, but I pushed the pain aside. I couldn’t let him win. Not this time.
Asher lunged again, and this time I was ready.
I ducked under his swing and tackled him to the ground, the impact knocking the breath out of both of us.
The syringe clattered to the pavement, and we both froze for a split second before scrambling for it.
Asher’s hand closed around my wrist, trying to pull me away, but I pushed back with everything I had.
My fingers grazed the syringe, and I lunged forward, grabbing it just as Asher tried to pull me away.
Without thinking, I turned and jabbed the needle into his neck.
“Asher!” I gasped, my voice filled with a mix of panic and regret.
He froze, his eyes widening in shock.
