Revenge (Galen Hooks: Hunted- Book 3)

Chapter Six- New Threat

What is happening? Is she infected too?

Those were Camila's first thoughts as her girlfriend rushed toward Rhea and tackled her to the ground. She went to help her, but was attacked by Galen, who viciously sunk her teeth into her shoulder. Growling, she pushed her away, but that only bought her a few moments. Skyla went to stop Isabel right away, leaving Camila to fight alone.

I have to attack her, but I can't hurt her.

It was too late for any more thoughts. Galen sprang again, slamming her into the floor. Camila pressed her hands against her chest to keep her from biting her again. But as she did, she noticed that there was some kind of red aura emanating from the woman's body, slightly connected to one from Isabel's. She's controlling her!

"Break the connection!" she shouted to Skyla, who had failed to get her sister off of Rhea. "Galen's controlling her! If we do that, all four of us can get her tied again."

However, during that brief pause, Galen seized the chance to try biting her neck. Instantly, Camila knew she only had one choice. She either let her celebrity friend kill her... or she had to hurt her enough to immobilize her so she couldn't attack again. Her instincts chose the second one. When she was desperate, sometimes she became as strong as Rhea, and her hands found the dancer's shoulders and shoved her off of her. But unfortunately, she forgot about the extra strength she got and Galen crashed against the wall, falling unconscious to the floor, a trickle of blood leaking from her forehead. Camila gasped in shock, though after a moment she was relieved because it had broken the control connection. Isabel suddenly tumbled off of Rhea, clutching her head as her eyes widened. The sparkling white faded from them.

"What... just... happened?" she stammered out. "God, my head hurts..."

"Oh no..." Skyla was the first one to see it, although it was about a few minutes after they had all remembered what was happening. As she rushed over to her, Camila realized that she might have hurt her worse than she'd intended. The redhead's gaze was horrified as she leaned down and placed two fingers on the side of Galen's neck. Everyone else held their breath as she stood up again, her shoulders hunched, shaking her head.

Camila felt like the air had been entirely knocked out of her.

I- I've killed her!

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Isabel tried hard to comprehend what had just happened. For a little while, she had felt like a prisoner in her own mind, someone who'd just watched herself attack her friends. But it didn't matter anyway. And it was the one detail when her sister stood up, shaking her head as she stood in front of Galen's body, that brought her back to reality completely.

"Skyla, is she okay?" she mumbled nervously as she got to her feet.

Camila bit her lip, walking nervously over to her. "Isabel..."

"Is she okay?" Isabel repeated.

"Izzy, I had to defend myself. And I forgot about the extra strength I get when I'm desperate..."

Isabel pushed past her and ran over toward Galen and Skyla.

"Sis..." Skyla grasped her arm, a painful expression on her face. "It's too late. If we had gotten to her earlier..."

"No!" she yelled, realizing what her sister meant. "She is not gone! She can't be!" Throwing Skyla's hand off of her, she pounced on top of Galen, slamming her hands down on her chest repeatedly.

"Isabel, she's dead!" Camila snapped, though she knew it was useless to stop her. She's already frustrated enough. But I'm the one who did it. "It was an accident... but I still did it." She fell to her knees. I killed Galen Hooks!

"Well, she won't be when I'm done with her!" Isabel repeated her process for a few more minutes, then called over to Rhea. "I need your help here! Take over here for me." Obediently, the purple-haired girl tore over to her and took her place right away.

Isabel shivered as she angled Galen's head back and forced her mouth open. I know what to do here, but I wish I wasn't so afraid of what will happen if I fail.

She took a deep breath. I can do this.

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Bastet bared her teeth as she angrily watched from the window. Of course Isabel knew how to revive her. But, as she watched her trying to breathe life back into Galen, it occurred to her that they might have been too late. But if she was dead... that means the rest of their plan would have been for nothing.

After a few minutes, she got ready to leap off of the windowsill. But then, she watched in dismay as Galen began to cough, gulping deep breaths of air. When her eyes opened slightly, she saw that the red had gone from them.

I have to alert Johanna that the monster control has faded. But when she controlled Isabel too... that was genius! She can probably lure her out to our arena... and then make her kill her own celebrity friend.

She bounced off the sill and landed gracefully on the ground. My human friend must know about this. I'll never understand why she couldn't do this on her own... but I honestly don't care anymore.

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Camila sighed in relief as she stumbled backwards. We barely saved her... a little while longer and she would have been dead.

Galen gazed at Isabel for a long moment, shuddering painfully. "Izzy..." she whispered, trying and failing to wipe away some tears falling from her eyes. "I- I'm sorry..."

"No." Camila straightened up and walked over to them sternly. Then her expression softened. "I'm the one who should be sorry." She was on the verge of bursting into tears. "I very nearly killed you!"

"Are you okay?" Rhea asked Galen.

"For heaven's sake, she almost went to heaven!" Skyla retorted. "Of course she's not okay."

"Guys, I just attacked you!" Galen managed to say. "None of what you just said would have happened if I hadn't done that!"

"You were being controlled!" Isabel murmured as she pulled Galen into her arms. "And that was why you were controlling me. Johanna almost killed you; it wasn't Camila."

The dancer let out a shaky breath as she curled up against her friend, her body trembling dangerously. "Well... thank you..." She gasped. "Oh god... this hurts..." Clutching at her chest, she moved in closer to her.

"Galen..." Isabel put one arm under her legs so she could lift her as she stood up. "Sometimes... I wish we'd never met. Because if we hadn't... you wouldn't be going through this."

"You're wrong," Galen replied as Isabel placed her on the bed. "If you hadn't been here, it still would have happened... only I'd probably be dead by now." She sat up faintly against the pillows. At one point, Skyla walked over to her, reached forward, and wrapped her arms around her. The rest of them followed, careful not to smother her.

They savored the moment carefully... until Galen's eyes turned to glittering red once more.