My Shattered Legacy

Chapter 3

Striding toward me with lethal intent, Gideon didn't flinch when I did. Nothing in his grimace wavered when I tried to shrink away and put a few centimeters between me and the side of the bed. There was confidence in his walk, the way his large hands held steady as they came toward my throat. I was an easy victim. Nothing in this world could waver him, least of all me.

My arms came protectively toward my neck, but they were easy to push aside. In a moment my throat constricted, blocking air from entering or exiting. The feeling was torturous, desperate to breathe without any hope of doing so. I could feel my airway collapsing as his grip tightened, my floundering arms doing nothing to dissuade him.

After surviving a gunshot, it seemed pathetic for my life to end like this. As a victim of Gideon's insanity, fate placed me in the clutches of a man incapable of mercy, even if his saner self preferred it. My face felt full and puffy. Grey spots started to form across the large red face over me. Like the scar that stretched across his cheek, the agony seemed to extend forever. It should end any moment but it didn't. My eyes became fixated on the long scar.

Endure. Survive. Even as the words came to mind, I knew death wouldn't be cheated this time.

My spiralling thoughts were abruptly interrupted when Gideon's hand was torn from my throat. A larger man with red hair and a red beard pulled him off me. Immediately my throat spasmed. Pain travelled down to my core.

My rescuer turned his green eyes my way. The hand he'd used to pull Gideon away slipped from the older man's shoulder. Concern marked his features.

"Lass are you alri-"

But Gideon used the window of opportunity to attack. With a loud grunt, he slammed his full weight into the other man, sending him back into my bed. The mattress shook under his weight. The red bearded man raised his arms to block a few blows. Clearly his strategy was to defend not retaliate.

"Luther!" I heard Kael before I saw him.

Coming from the doorway, he charged and flattened Gideon against the wall. An arm came across his throat. A fist hit beside Gideon's head, shaking a mirror hanging two feet from them.

"Where is he?" Kael shouted.

Gideon's eyes were wild as he tried to shove Kael away.

Gideon swore at the younger man. "He isn't here!"

Gideon made a small move forward and away from Kael's arm, only to be thrust back into the wall head first with a resounding crack. Once again the mirror rattled, threatening to fall from its hook.

"We agreed you'd leave Luther out of this. We will decide what happens to her."

Another shove sent Gideon back again, pinned by Kael's arm. This action was punctuated with a loud thud of something hitting the floor. A gun skidded across the wood toward the red headed man who slowly bent to take it.

"How can I trust you? You reported to the enemy for years and now I'm expected to trust you? Luther says you-"

Kael swore and shoved Gideon's head back again, even though he'd made no move to escape. "Keep your enemies closer. You taught me that." Kael sounded as angry as I'd ever heard him. "Would you have believed me if I told you the truth? Bloody paranoia would have clouded your judgement. It always has." He shoved him with less force before releasing him. Taking two steps back, he growled. "I've got your back. Always."

Gideon looked my way, but Kael moved between us, blocking my view. He shoved Gideon again, this time toward the door. "We decide, not him."

Though I couldn't see Gideon's face, I could see his form hesitate. Rocking back, his fist came out to plant firmly into Kael's temple. Kael's head flew to the side with the force of the blow, but swung right back to face him.