Page 115 of Alluring Darkness

“No whispering,” Gabriel barks.

He shoves his gun against my skull, forcing me to bow my head slightly, as if to make a point, before he pulls it back to its previous position. His fingers keep digging into my neck with enough force that I know they will leave bruises.

“Put your weapons on the ground and back out of here,” he demands. “I won’t ask you again.”

Desperation flickers in Eli’s eyes. My brother has no doubt told him what will happen if they let Gabriel leave with me. But they can’t just shoot him either, because I’m in the way.

Right now, there are only three possible outcomes. One, Gabriel shoots me in the head and they shoot him afterwards. Two, they shoot through me to kill Gabriel. Three, they let Gabriel, who will kill me as soon as we’re alone again, leave with me. Which means that there is no way out of this that doesn’t involve me dying in some way.

What a fucking inconvenience.

I blink as a sudden idea hits me like a lightning bolt. It’s risky and ridiculous and absolutely insane. But insanity is a dear friend of mine so it might just work.

My brother and all four of the Hunters notice the sudden expression on my face. But they thankfully keep their features blank so as to not give anything away. While Rico takes it upon himself to distract Gabriel by asking questions about how this retreat he’s demanding should work, I lock eyes with Eli. He’s the best shot out of all of them, and I trust him to get this right.

While holding his gaze, I tap my finger against the side of the gun I’m still holding. It’s pointed down at the ground, so Gabriel hasn’t deemed it a threat. Once I’m certain that Eli has seen the discreet gesture, I covertly tap my foot a few times. His expression doesn’t change, but I’m sure he understands. He has to.

Then I use my other hand that I have been holding pressed over my aching ribs to tap one finger against my body and then point to the right. Since Gabriel is standing behind me, he can’t see what my fingers are doing. And besides, Rico is keeping him busy with questions about the retreat.

Eli’s chin lowers in a nod so shallow it’s barely a movement at all.

My heart leaps into my throat. He understood. And we need to do this now, because Rico is running out of excuses to keep him talking.

With my pulse thrumming in my ears, I shift my right hand discreetly. The gun is still pointed at the ground, but now it’s in a slightly different position from before.

I feel like I’m going to throw up. I’m not a good shot. But even I can’t miss from two feet away. Right?

If I miss, this is going to turn into a blood bath. I don’t fear my own looming death, but I’m not the only one who would die here if bullets start flying.

Swallowing, I try to push down the flare of nervousness rippling through me.

Rico casts me a look.

We’re out of time.

I resist the urge to close my eyes.

Instead, I clench my jaw.

And fire.

The sound of the gunshot is so loud inside the cave that it seems to tear the very air apart.

One moment, Gabriel is telling Rico to shut up and put their fucking weapons down. The next, my bullet slams into his right foot.

A cry rips from his lungs, and he loosens his grip on my neck just enough for me to yank my head to the right.

It takes Gabriel a second to realize what I have just done. But it’s a second too much.

Another bang echoes between the stone walls as Eli pulls the trigger.

Gabriel’s head snaps back as the bullet hits him straight in the forehead.

I rip myself from his grip and scramble to the side. Every bone in my body aches from the beating I took, but I can’t even feel it anymore because there is so much adrenaline thrumming through my veins right now.

Eli rushes forward while Gabriel’s body hits the ground with a dull thud. The gun in his hand clatters as it falls from his fingers and bounces across the stone.

Then Eli’s arms are around me.

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