Thicker than Water

Chapter Twenty One

Haden stepped in front of me to block Connell's view of me, causing the atmosphere to turn heavy with tension and hate.  I grabbed the gun and readied a shot.  I let my long hair hang forward to conceal my eyes and I pulled the scarf higher over my lower face.  Connell snickered at us as he leaned against the wall next to the panel.  "Let me guess, your friends can't see in the dark, huh," he hissed.  "But you can.  Why would you need the nights, my dear?"  I swallowed hard and restrained myself from shooting him in the head.  My heart was beating rapidly just from being so near him.  The drowning sensation had returned after so long that it almost caused me to double over.  I placed my hand over my chest and tried to withhold my tears of pain.

But, he wasn't so likely to back down.  Not after being humiliated twice.  He stepped forward with a menacing look in his eyes.  It was directed to me and me alone.  "Come here," he said with a smirk.  My body began to move to him against my control, like I was under a spell.  Haden grabbed me by my waist and pulled me backward against him.  Connell squinted his eyes at us and snarled. 

"I called you here," Haden said suddenly, his voice sending a chill to my bones.  But once his words registered, I looked up at him in shock.  "Please, free her of your curse," he pleaded.  "I'll do anything."

Connell stared blankly for a moment, then laughed deliriously.  "Sorry," he said with a deep sigh, "I have other intentions for her now.  Harrison has given me the right to take her as my own once he's through with her.  Imagine the things I could do..."  He chuckled lightly as he eyed me over.  "I want her.  And I want her right now.  Hand her over.  Now!"

"That isn't what I want I called you here for.  I wanted to," Haden tried to say, but before he could finish I flinched and shoved him off of me, sending him to bump into the confused guard that had accompanied us.  I glared at Connell and then at Haden.  "What do you mean you called him, Haden," I asked him, my voice cracking at the end.  I didn't want to believe that he would do such a thing.  I couldn't believe it.  But, his thoughts gave him away.  He had called Connell for a meeting of negotiations.  But he hadn't expected him to ambush us in the tunnel like this.

With a calming breath, I looked at Connell.  His stub arm was wrapped with a bloody bandage and his eyes looked wild.  Time to turn on the charm, I thought to myself with Haden listening.  He grew curious but didn't say a word to me as I tucked the gun back into it's holster. I plastered a smile and pulled the scarf off my face.  "I don't want to be here with him anyhow," I said then let the cloak fall from my shoulders, revealing the stark white dress and skin that did show.  Haden shifted uneasily as I walled over to Connell who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Good," he kept saying as he looked me up and down.  When I came close enough, he pulled me by my waist until my body was pinned against his.  "You'll do nicely as my wife," he snarled, and I had to force myself to keep a smile.  As much as I wanted to get away from him, I had to do something before he killed more people.  I had to do something to end him.  He smiled down at me cruelly and in my mind, he told me, This is going to be fun. Then his lips sought mine and connected.  I wanted to vomit from the awful taste of what was probably blood.  But when my eyes met Haden's I saw him physically struggling to keep calm, even the guard was trying to keep him still.  I wrapped one of my arms around Connell's neck to pull him closer.  Then his good hand went to grope my chest and I made my move.  Spinning around with my lock still on his neck, I kicked out on of his knees then flicked the hidden blade out and shoved it straight into the back of his neck.  He fell to the ground limp.

"Holy shit," the guard said as I collapsed to my knees next to Connell's body.  The awful sensation, including some of my energy, left me entirely.  Haden rushed over and pulled me to him.  He held me closely then wiped my bloodied hands and blade clean on his pants.  The guard went to the panel and began to rewire the system.