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FREDDIE
Hearing Seb’s panic sends me sprinting at full speed towards the direction of the noise, leaving Daisy and Hale behind.
When I arrive, I struggle to comprehend what I’m seeing. A table and two chairs, complete with flickering candles, are set up in the middle of a large atrium area. The space appears to be the hub of the building with corridors leading from it. Fairy lights strung across the walls give a romantic feel, but the scene resembles a slasher movie more.
Alaric stands behind the table. His white shirt is soaked in blood and flecks cover his tattooed face. He holds a gun in one hand, still smoking. To my left, I spot Seb and Callen—breathing and unharmed—taking cover behind an office desk.
As soon as he spots me, flanked by Daisy and Hale, Alaric smirks and raises his hands in greeting. “You all arrived in time for the main course.”
With his spare hand, he lifts the silver lid from the dinner platter opposite him. I grimace as he reveals Stephanie’s head, frozen in a silent scream, nestled amongst an assortment of vegetables.
“No!” Daisy cries.
He points the gun at her and fires. Hale dives forward, knocking Daisy to the floor in time, but the bullet hits him. They both land with a thwack.
Alaric isn’t done. He advances, his eyes lighting up with excitement at the prospect of a murderous rampage.
“Fuck.” Hale rolls over, clutching his shoulder. Blood spurts from his wound like a fountain.
“Hale!” Daisy crawls to his side, horror-stricken. She presses her hands over him, desperately trying to stem his bleeding. “Stay with me!”
Hale chokes and mumbles something incomprehensible in reply.
Callen has already stepped into action. He races towards them, swerving Alaric’s bullets, while Seb fires in Alaric’s direction to provide a distraction. Callen’s the only one who stands between Hale and death. He needs to help him. Some bullets bury themselves in the walls, others find homes in furniture, but they’re hard to track through the air.
I catch Seb’s eye. There’s two of us and one of him. We have to die trying.
Alaric squeezes the trigger only to find he needs to reload. He reaches for a second gun while I open fire. Alaric drops to his knees, taking shelter behind the table as Seb and I run at him.
It’s now or never…
CHAPTER 32
IVY
“You’re not bulletproof,” Callen grunts.
I gasp at the sight of Hale sprawled on the floor. Callen’s hands are caked in his blood, while Daisy kneels next to them. From our position, I can’t see past them.
Daisy’s voice breaks. “Please help him,” she begs.
Ahead, bodies move in a blur. Seb and Freddie. They leap at Alaric, thrashing and wrestling him to the floor.
“We need to get Hale to the medical room,” I say, joining the others and trying to stay calm, despite Daisy’s growing hysteria. “It’s at the end of the corridor. The second room on the left. It’ll have everything you need.”
“I can’t lift the heavy fucker myself,” Callen retorts.
“Help him, Bram,” I ask. Bram’s hesitant expression makes it clear he doesn’t want to leave me, but he has no choice. He has to or Hale will die. “Go!”
Between them, they heave Hale to his feet and drag him away.
“Hale saved my life,” Daisy mumbles, her entire body overcome by erratic shakes. “He?—”
She’s in shock. If you lose control, you lose everything. She needs to hold her nerve, which leaves me with no choice. I strike her hard across the face to pull her out of it and bring her back to the present.
“What the…” She rubs her cheek. Her shock gives way to anger. “What the fuck was that?”
“Get your shit together,” I say as a smash comes from the other side of the room. “It’s not over yet.”
