Guilt (A Zero Spin-Off)

TwentyNine - Ella

Waking up to a loud bang and large, looming figure in the doorway wasn't part of the plan. I yelled and grabbed tightly to Kyle, scared that those people found their way into this house and were going to kill us all. But we weren't found. And standing in the doorway wasn't an enemy, but a friend - I fumbled with the flashlight until it flooded the room and we could see Kyle's face - a very angry friend.

Okay. I wasn't sure he was much of a friend at the moment. And depending on Zero's state, there was a chance he'd come here to kill me. Or at least kick my ass. He looked like someone who could hit pretty hard and I was not someone who could take a punch.

Hunter's voice was a roar. A mix of panic, anger, and desperation that had Kyle jumping out of the bed and blocking his path as the man stormed into the room. There was almost no light and I could only make out his silhouette in the darkness of the room, but it was a looming presence and he was pissed as hell. There was absolutely no mistaking was this was about. Kyle held his hands out, keeping space between himself and Hunter and remaining firmly between Hunter and I. I was going to take a wild guess that something was wrong. And I was praying to every deity I could imagine that Zero was still breathing.

Stomping up the stairs had my attention flying to the doorway where Miles and Joel now stood equal parts worried and confused. Neither Kyle nor Hunter acknowledged their presence, even as they muttered.

"Back off, bro," Kyle said, his voice low in warning. It was the deep, threatening voice that he'd used when he first met me. The one that left me close to tears. Surprise, surprise, Hunter wasn't exactly shaking in his boots. I wasn't entirely sure he even really saw Kyle. He looked over his shoulder, pinning me with a glare.

"You let one get her," he accused pointing at me. I flinched back from the accusation, but some part of me knew that he didn't blame me, he was just scared.

"Back. Off," Kyle said again, slower this time as he stepped closer to Hunter, puffing his chest.

Hunter stepped forward into Kyle's hands and for a second I was sure punches were about to be thrown. I didn't know who would win either. Kyle was big and strong, but Hunter was too. And he looked like he wanted to kill someone. He wouldn't hold back. At that moment, he wasn't looking at his friend, his brother, someone he loved. He was looking at an obstacle preventing him from getting to me.

Kyle's shoulders were tensed, ready for anything.

I wasn't ready for anything.

But his anger had me concerned, and not just for my own welfare - because I hoped Hunter would actually hurt me - but for Zero. If he was like this, I didn't know what shape to expect the girl who'd become a friend to be in.

"What happened?" I asked, my voice near a whisper but loud enough to catch the attention of both men. I'd managed to successfully keep them from taking out their frustration and worry on one another and instead of pushing any further, Hunter stepped back dragging his hands through his hair and down his face. His shoulder softened as he lost the fight in him.

Instead of pushing harder, Hunter took a step back and dragged his hand through his hair and then scrubbed his face before they fell helpless to his side. I crawled out of the bed and tried to cross the floor to Hunter, but my self-appointed body guard blocked my path, his hand pulling back gently on my arm. I looked at Kyle and he shook his head subtly. He didn't trust Hunter right now, not with the way he'd barged into the room on a warpath. But he was half-broken and out of steam.

"It's okay." I held Kyle's eyes until he finally gave in, releasing me and stepping out of my way, but he stayed close. I could feel his body heat on me even as I stood inches away from Hunter.