Crossing Paths

Gremlin

"Gardenia," he says again.

I turn toward him, relief washes over me. 

He's here.

He runs over to me, "Thank god."

"Can you stand up?" he asks, looking over my bruised body. 

I shake my head.

He carefully grabs me, trying his best not to hurt me.

He kisses my forehead gently. I wish I could say it took all the pain away, but that's unrealistic.

His body radiates so much heat. I cuddle close to his chest. He's so warm.

"You're really here," I say in disbelief. My hands cling onto his shirt, making sure to never let go.

He looks down to meet my eyes, "Gardenia, I would die for you."

I lazily smile as my eyes get heavy. 

"Hey, hey, try to stay awake for me, yeah?" he says quietly.

I move my head barely into a nod. He brings one of his hands off my body. He pulls his gun from his waistband, keeping it at his side as he carries me.

"He killed that little boy, Lucian," I whisper, my voice a little muffled from his shirt.

His jaw hardens. He leaves the room I've been kept in. As he walks through small halls I look behind him, making sure nobody sneaks up behind him.

I try to keep my vision focused but his steps make my vision blurry. 

Lucian's grip tightens on me as he walks up the stairs. I hear a faint gun shot above us. My hand cluches onto his shirt even more.

He turns left, going down a narrow hallway. His hand with the gun reaches for a door handle, but stops right before he can touch it. 

"Lucian?" I whisper.

He turns us around and Von stands a few meters ahead of us. My eyes widen and I place my hand on the side of my head where he kicked me. I squeeze my eyes shut, burrying my face in Lucian's shirt.

He better not kill him. That would be a gift for him. 

Lucian raises his gun, pointing it at Von's chest. Von laughs from his end of the hall. Lucian raises a brow at him and his laughter dies out. 

A thud from his end of the hall echos. I turn my head to see and Von is on the floor while Quinton towers over him.

Von tries to get up but Quinton kicks him in stomach, earning coughs from Von. Quinton kicks him over and over again, Von barely gets a breath inbetween kicks.

His coughs get gurgled when blood drips from his mouth. Quinton stops kicking Von and Von he rolls over, holding his body up with his palms. His hair falls sticks together, wet from sweat. He turns his head up, staring right into my eyes as he gives a bloodied smile.

Chills run down my spine as he smiles at me. Quinton's foot connects with the back of Von's head. His head smacks against the concrete, I cringe at the sound of his skull cracking. 

"Carry him out to Lucas," Lucian says to Quinton. 

Quinton nods, bending down to grab Von's ankles. He drags his unconscious body on the floor behind us. The sky is dark when we go through the door.

Adam runs over to us and haults when he is a yard away.

"Oh fuck Tate, your face is messed up," he takes a dramatic step back.

I smile at him, "Thanks."

I bring my hand to my mouth to blow a kiss at him but Lucian uses his free hand to grab my hand. I shake my head at  him and he gives me a smile, shrugging his shoulders.