Gifted

Chapter 31 - Hunter

"Snap out of it Hunter!" Zander shook me.

"What? Fuck! What just happened?" My brother stood looking at me like I'd gone crazy, and it took me a moment to figure out where I was. And as if a sledgehammer smashed into my chest, I remembered. "Sage?" I twisted around, my eyes darting around to find her, only to see people still lying all over the floor.

"She's gone," said Zander, eyeing me carefully.

"What she just left? With him?" I recalled her being stood here—with him. "When?" I turned towards the exit again, fucking pointless as I'd scanned it a second ago.

Zander dragged my attention back. "We have to get out of here Hunter, before they wake up."

I nodded, that was one thing we could agree on. "Yeah, let's go, I'm right behind you," I said looking at Victor lying on the floor, peaceful almost.

And the prick still had a smug smile on his face even as he lay unconscious.

It was so tempting to wipe that smug look from his face, kick the shit out of him and vent some of my pent-up frustration of having seen him touch her. And although I could be a bastard at the best of times —I wasn't a coward. I liked my targets wide awake when I kicked the shit out of them, looked them in the eyes.

As we headed out, stepping around the bodies lying on the ground, I felt some guilt. No matter that they thought I'd killed their pack members, I was supposed to look out for them. It was my responsibility. "You sure they're gonna be okay?"

Zander flicked his head. "Yeah, just sleeping, I checked. But I don't intend on being here when they wake."

"What, even that one?" I pointed to the one that had collapsed screaming in the middle of whatever the fuck happened in here.

"She has a pulse, albeit a weak one. But we can't worry about any of them. We can only help them if we find out what's going on here, put this right."

More guilt.

"I know what you're thinking, but they were ready to take us down, Hunter."

He was right.

We reached the exit almost slamming into Pearl, who looked around us frantically. "My god, what the hell happened here?" she asked, holding her hand to her forehead.

Her cheeks were flushed pink and mascara streaked under both eyes. "Where have you been hiding?" I asked, wondering why she hadn't been inside with the others.

"Uh-oh, I woke up in my grandfather's study, and to answer your question, I don't know what I was doing there, but I'm guessing all the alcohol had something to do with it." She raised a finger planting it squarely on her lips. "Oh, I remember being in here and then you outside kicking the shit out of Victor—which was nicely done by the way." A smile kicked up at the corner of her mouth. "Where's Sage? She's okay... right?"

"Was this anything to do with Sage?" interrupted Zander, pointing to the bodies.

"Are they okay?" she asked, a wobble in her voice.

"Something knocked them out—cold," said Zander.

Pearl's eyes widened before looking down, fiddling with the material of her dress. I watched her swallow as the pulse in her neck throbbed. I knew the next words from her mouth would be a lie. "No, I don't—"

"If you can't tell me the truth, don't lie to me either, yeah?" I said.

She looked directly at me. Point made.

I continued. "And she left, with somebody I've never seen before. I think she called him—" I tried to remember the name, clicking my fingers. "Silas... or Sylar, I think?"