Insurrection [On Hold]

14 Hesitate and I Live

For readers of Expiration Date-- The title for the sequel will be Expired. Theories on what will happen in it?

Want a taste of the story, though? Listen to Once Upon Another Time from Love Never Dies. It's on my playlist for the sequel.

Also Insurrection hit 1000 reads. Am I dreaming?

I honestly have no idea what to do. Nothing in my training prepared me on what to do when the rebel leader saved your life and surrendered. My training did instill in me the task of fighting for my country until I die.

Nate's men cheer and clap him on the back at the good fortune of the king wanting to meet with him. Every time they do, my father's soldiers tense. When they tense I'm scared Damon's going to accidently snap my neck.

Nate leads us to the tunnel I came and exited through the first time. That was earlier today. The scanner isn't even fixed yet. Marco climbs up the ladder first, followed by Matthew and then Nate.

Damon releases me and nudges me forward. I climb each rung, my mind running through scenarios on what will happen when I reach the top.

Nate offers me his hand and I grasp it, feeling warmth and and strength. He pulls me out the rest of the way. Damon reaches the top all too soon and grabs hold of me again. The woods loom before us.

Now the countdown for his life really begins.

We march in a morbid silence; I still being held by Damon. The woods grow closer. Surely they'll kill him before we get back to camp.

I glance at Nate who somehow has kept his face perfectly composed. How do I save you? How do I repay you?

Once we're deep inside the woods, Damon jerks me to a halt before releasing me. "Stop here." He holds up his gun and uses it to motion where he wants Nate to go. "Stand in front of that tree."

I can hardly see Nate's face in the light of the flashlights to know if fear covers his face or if he wears a stoic mask. I'm out of time. 

He's out of time.

"Might I have one last request?" he asks, his tone solemn.

Marco tilts his head to the side. I'm sure he's sneering. "What's that?"

"Can I say goodbye to Raksana?"

Instantly I'm wary.

Damon grunts. "Be quick about it."

"I'm so sorry," I say as he approaches. He places his hands on my waist, and I stare at him. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure you hate me." He tilts his head and brings it to mine. I try to pull away but his hands have me trapped.

The rebel himself kisses me.

Sparks shoot from his hands, his lips, anywhere he touches me straight to my toes that curl in my boots. I don't kiss him back though. If I do, I'm a traitor to Lumiere. Maybe I would if no one else was here, but I will have to deal with the consequences afterwards if I give in to temptation.

His hands move along my waist. Why aren't they stopping him; saving my honor? He trails away from my mouth and over my jaw to my neck.

"Nate"--I grip his waist as my legs go weak-- "you can't--"

He sucks on my neck, his fingers just touching the top of my bottom. 

He pulls away, whipping around with a gun--my gun-- in his hand. In four ear-splitting, mind-numbing shots, Mathew, Marco, Grant, and Damon lie dead, blood seeping out of their heads. Mathew's flashlight lands by his head, shining on his face, the red liquid becoming clear. I can't look away. Mathew. The one who tried to be kind to me. The one who shielded me from Damon in these very woods. How long ago that seems. And Grant who was willing to let me talk to him. Dead. And killed by Nate. All five of my team members killed by him.

"You." 

Nate observes me without emotion. 

"You killed them."

"I was saving my life."

I crouch next to Mathew. Do I check for a pulse when I know there can be none? Do I owe him that?

I know what I need to do though, debt or no debt. I grab his gun and aim at Nate. "I should kill you."

"You won't. You owe me. I saved your life, now you save mine."

"That only counts when I have to risk my life for yours. Sparing it does not count." I want to believe those words but I know I'm lying.

"Oh, but Princess, you don't want me dead."

I adjust my hold on the gun, my hands slipping out of place from sweat. "Yes, I do."

"But I thought you liked our kiss."

I'm going to kill him. "That doesn't mean anything."

He steps toward me. "It does somewhat." He weighs his gun in his hand. "I could kill you as well, you know?"

"I still have the advantage." My gun is already aimed at him.

"No." Looking at me like I'm a child, he steps toward me. "You've hesitated. You won't kill me." 

I hold my ground. "What of you? Of me? Will you use that gun on me?"

He tucks the gun into his empty holster. "I don't want you dead. Don't you know that yet?" 

I grit my teeth. "You are despicable." He killed them without blinking an eye, and now they're gone. They were some of my father's best. "What happens now?"

"We'll go back to my base."

"We?"

"Yes."

I shake my head, backing away. "I won't be your captive again. I won't."

He takes one step, putting him only a foot away from me. "You don't have to be." His hand lifts and runs down my cheek. I slap him. "Raksana, really?" He holds his cheek. "You think I'm going to let you go home?"

"That's not your decision. You don't control me."

"I'm not going to let you go back to that pig-headed father and let him hurt you."

He doesn't care. I'm a tool for him to gain power. I know that and won't fall for his fake facade of care. Fathers and mothers are supposed to care. I never fell for that either.

He's a rebel for a reason, and he should know power can't be handled.