YOURS

Chapter 18

"What is that?!" Cole jumped up from the bed.

Our food stayed put while we both looked out of my window.

"The alarm. It means someone broke in." I tried to hide the shaking in my voice.

COLE'S POV

Emily looked into my eyes and without saying a word I knew that Alec or Zac had crossed her mind.

What if it was them? If it was what did they want? Were they here to kill us? Just her? Just me? What would they do? What would they say?

Did she wonder if I was going to live up to the expectation of protecting her? Or perhaps the thought of betrayal crossed her mind. Did she think I was going to hand her over to them?

A loud crash broke my train thought. Emily stood behind me.

Heavy footsteps came closer to her room one at a time. Someone was walking up the stairs.

"Get in your closet." I whispered.

"What about you?" She asked.

I lifted up the back of shirt and withdrew a firearm. It was just a pistol but would do the job if it were Zac or Alec.

Her eyes widened as they focused on the gun.

"Go." I told her. She listened.

Emily walked into her closet. It was small but big enough to fit her and still close the door. There was no where for me to hide. If the intruder was coming to this room I'd have to face them.

Shoot first. Ask questions later.

Suddenly the footsteps fell short. Then they stopped.

THUMP

What sounded like a person falling echoed through the house before be drown out by the house alarm still going off.

The police would be on their way no doubt, maybe even the FBI considering Emily is someone they're trying to protect. Do I wait in here until they come? Or do I open the bedroom door and go searching for whoever set off the alarm?

Vibrations began pulling my attention from the door and back to Emily's bed. Her phone - her real one...was buzzing. Messages from Mark and Helen were coming in.

Are you okay? Are you out of the house? Don't panic, we're on our way. They read.

The must get a notification when the house alarm is set off.

Just as I was thinking about giving the phone to Emily her bedroom opened. It was slow. I don't remember it ever being as squeaky as it was just now.

My arms pulled the gun up and pointed it a kneeling man who's hand fell from the knob, he had opened the door.

This man was dead. Or looked dead, anyway.

Blood fell from the top of his head and met the stream that was coming from his eyes. It pooled into his mouth. The bones in his face had been rearranged. Whoever this was would not be able to be identified by just a look. Who was he?

"Who are you?!" I demanded to know.

I suspected he would not answer me back.

The man coughed up blood and spat it onto the floor.

"Protect her." He gargled before collapsing right in front of me.

By the looks of it this man had been beaten. There was no way he broke into the house. Someone else must be here.