Fire Wall (Book 1: The Fall)

9 | (L)ove Revealed

Keeping myself as low as possible, I run under the loft and away from the stairs. Adrenaline courses through my veins as I round the corner of the bar and squat behind it.

Oh RAM. I can't believe they didn't shoot me. I check the cameras on my telescreen. The blue oni-masked intruder descends the stairs and lands softly on the ground. A lump forms in my throat as I watch them walk toward me. What now?

I'm not about to die, not when I haven't put an end to this frocking war over the chip. I have to stop Phantom. I have to stop Haven. I let go of the telescreen to hold the gun in both hands.

Kill your fear.

I take one last look at the intruder. They're approaching the left side of the bar.

Let's get this mother croc.

I abandon my post to creep away. My legs burn as I round the corner of the bar and cling to its base. I raise my gun though I haven't the clue how to hold the frockin thing and take another step. Tilting my head past the corner, I find the space empty near the bar empty. Where did they go?

Be calm, be calm.

I turn around and scan the room. A slight movement catches my eye on the piano and I look closer to see my reflection, along with a body on the countertop. Sweat drips down my temple as I watch them get down on all fours. They crawl toward me making no sound, like a spider on a web. I hold my back flat against the base. Running is out of the question because they'll have a perfect shot of me. Shifting my weight onto my feet, I point my gun at the edge of the counter. If they climb down, I'll shoot them.

A blue mask descends into my line of fire but my finger freezes over the trigger when I realize it's their head.

I can't shoot their head-I'll kill them at this angle! I don't want to kill, I just want to defend myself. A pair of red eyes land on me through the mask's eye slits. There's a horrifying thrill and humor in his voice as he speaks to me.

"Hey there pretty girl."

His hand clamps down on my head and he pulls me by my hair. Pain pulses in my head before I'm thrown into the floor. I get onto my feet but a weight lands on top of me and I crash back to the floor, smacking painfully on the marble. I struggle to breathe feeling crushed by his weight. He rips the gun from my hands with ease and flips me over.

"Get off me!" I yell.

I toss and turn underneath him, using all the strength I can muster to punch and kick him. He pins my limbs down with his own in response, pressing his weight painfully into my body. I wince under the pressure but remember I can still use my voice. Maybe L will hear me and come running back. I draw in a quick breath and scream.

"L!"

A sour and cold object is shoved into my mouth. The metal barrel rolls against my tongue. I gag as it slides to the back of my throat and my body lurches underneath the gun. His hush sends shivers down my spine.

"Shhshhshh..."

A greater terror seizes me as his hand lands on my breast. He grasps it and my stomach twists on itself. No, no, no! I squeeze my eyes shut as his hand travels down my body and bite into the gun. He leans into the side of my face with his mask and I whimper hearing the venom in his voice.

"I'm going to take you away."

I tremble uncontrollably. Fear spikes through my veins when his hand slides below my abdomen and a blood-curdling scream leaves my body.

His weight is thrown off me and the gun is dragged out of my mouth. I shake staring at the ceiling, too numb to move and terrified to breathe. I still feel his hands on me, grasping and creeping.