The Kiss of the Blade

Chapter Twenty.

Zee:

Zee stared down the barrel of Ian's gun. She was terrified - Not for herself, but for Noah. She was watching Ians trigger finger very carefully. The duo stood like that - well Zee stood, Ian was on the ground - for what felt like ages. But the moment Ians finger twitched even the slightest, Zee spun into action. She jumped to the right, and swung her leg out meaning to roundhouse kick him, but she had miscalculated. Ian hadn't pulled the trigger. He didn't bother dodging her kick because, quick as lightning, he shot her.

The recoil caused Ian to fall backwards and the sound was deafening. The bullet embedded itself in Zee's calf. She crumpled to the floor writhing in agony. A hair raising scream filled the air and it took Zee a couple seconds to recognize that the scream was hers.

The pain was agonizing. It felt as though someone was sticking a red hot poker excruciatingly slowly through her leg. Her blood gushed out of the wound just as the tears did from her eyes. As many times as she had been shot, it was impossible to get used to the excruciating pain.

But the bullet wasn't what hurt her the most. It was the heartache. The fact that she couldn't save Noah. She tried to move towards but Ian was already at Noah's side, a knife in hand.

Zee tried to mute out the sound of her blood rushing in her ears but she couldn't. instead she barely managed out, "No! You've done enough to him! I swear, if you touch him..."

Ian looked amused. "Done enough? But sweetie, we're just getting started."

Zee then turned her attention to her almost dead boyfriend. She stared at his empty face, his ruptured torso and blood-shot eyes. The pain in those eyes was almost enough to make her forget her own pain. Almost.

She stared at the lips that she had adored kissing so much - now cut and swelling up - and realized he was saying something. She strained her ears and could barely make out the words. 'Zee. Just...One....last Kiss.'

Zee wished she could oblige. But she couldn't move, and Ian's manical muttering made her fear for Noah too. Ian had his back to her and was examining his set of torture instruments. Zee noticed that he had left his gun on the ground after shooting her. "Bad Idea" She thought to herself.

Reaching out, her fingertips could barely brush the handle. Clenching her jaw, she shifted onto her bad leg and inched forward. When her fingers closed around the handle, she felt momentary relief wash over her.

She stayed where she was - She could deal with the pain a bit longer - and held up the gun. Her heart beat was fast and her arms were shaking but she had the perfect shot. She moved her finger to the trigger. She was about to take the shot when she felt something cool and round against her head.

"Don't even think about it." The voice said. The voice was familiar. And though it was usually kind and charming, it was cold and calculating. But it was the same voice.

The gun dropped from her hands and clattered against the floor. She shifted her weight onto her good leg and turned towards the voice.

"Caspar." It was barely a whisper. But it was all she could say as she stared into the same blue eyes that had stopped her from getting ripped to shreds on the nails.

"Don't call me by that name!" He spat, "Its Cris." Zee was speechless. she didn't know what to make of the situation.

"C-Caspar?" She whispered. Her eyes were flooded with confusion. Why was Caspar calling himself Cris? Why was he aiming a gun at her?

He snarled, "I said, Don't Call me that".

Zee opened her mouth to say something, but Ian's voice flooded the room, "Ah, I see you've met my brother?"