Page 70 of Finn
“Gabriel…” Finn’s voice was low, laced with both fear and resolve.
He shifted closer to me, his knife ready.
I held up a hand, signaling for him to stay back.
My throat felt tight, my body caught between the urge to fight and the need to protect him.
Another shadow passed by the window, pausing briefly before disappearing from sight again.
Whoever was out there wasn’t alone.
The realization hit me like a blow, my mind spinning with possibilities.
Were we surrounded? Trapped? Or was this some kind of twisted game to rattle us before they struck?
My fists clenched at my sides, every instinct screaming to act, to do something, but recklessness could get us killed.
The knock came again, slower this time, more deliberate.
“Gabriel,” Finn said again, his voice steadier now. “If this is it…”
I turned to him, cutting him off with a sharp look.
“It’s not.” My voice was firm, more confident than I felt. “We’re getting out of this. Together.”
Another pause. The tension in the room was suffocating, each second stretching into an eternity.
The door handle turned with an eerie slowness, and my entire body tensed.
Every instinct told me to move, to act, but I stayed rooted to the spot, waiting for the exact moment to strike.
The door creaked open, revealing Gael standing in the doorway. In his hand, the unmistakable gleam of a knife caught my eye.
He stepped inside with measured confidence, his lips curling into a smirk that chilled me to the bone.
"Gael," I said, keeping my voice steady, my hands flexing at my sides. “Can’t say I’m pleased to see you again. ”
He tilted his head, his smirk widening into a cruel grin.
“I am. I can’t wait to present your corpse to Beric. Did you really think you could hide forever?" Gael asked.
Finn stood behind me, his knife clenched in his fist, his breathing shallow but controlled.
I could feel the tension radiating off him, but I needed to keep him calm.
Gael took another step forward, twirling the knife lazily in his hand.
"And you," he said, his gaze flicking to Finn. "You’ve caused quite the stir, little hunter. Beric wants you dead as well.”
"Touch him," I said, my voice low and dangerous, "and you won’t leave this room alive."
Gael’s laugh was sharp and mocking. "Bold words for someone who’s outnumbered,” he said.
Before I could process his meaning, the window behind us shattered.
Glass exploded inward, showering the room in jagged shards.
I spun around just in time to see another vampire vaulting through the opening, his eyes locked on Finn.
