Bound By Blood

Chapter 6

The first light of dawn filtered through the cabin's window, casting a soft, golden glow over the tangled forms of Raine and Ryker. Raine stirred, her eyelids fluttering open as she emerged from the cocoon of slumber, her senses gradually awakening to the world around her.

With a tremulous sigh, Raine removed herself from the shelter of Ryker's embrace, slow and careful so as not to disturb his slumber. He looked almost peaceful, the hard lines of his face smoothed over, the weight of his burdens temporarily lifted from his broad shoulders.

Raine's gaze lingered on him for a long moment, her heart constricting with a complicated tangle of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. Love, fear, confusion – they all swirled together leaving her feeling adrift, untethered.

Raine rose from the bed and began to dress. A part of her longed to slip back beneath the covers, to lose herself in the solace of Ryker's embrace and pretend, if only for a little while longer, that the world beyond these walls did not exist.

A faint memory tugged at the edges of her consciousness, a recollection of a well nestled at the edge of the village – a place where she could draw water and perhaps find a moment to be away from the chaos that had upended her world.

Decision made, Raine slipped out of the cabin, her footsteps light and silent against the packed earth. The village was covered in a hazy mist, the air crisp and cool as she made her way along the winding paths.

The well loomed before her, its weathered stones standing as a silent amidst the surrounding cabins. Raine paused at its edge, her fingers curling around the rough wooden bucket as she peered into the inky depths below.

With a steadying breath, she began to draw the water, the rhythmic squeak of the pulley and the splash of the liquid against the bucket's interior providing a soothing cadence that gradually lulled her into a state of tranquility.

It was in this moment of beautiful stillness, that the first gunshot rang out.

The sound was deafening, a thunderous crack that rang through Raine's bones. She froze, her fingers locked in a white-knuckled grip around the bucket's handle as her heart stuttered in her chest.

Distant shouts and return fire shattered the eerie silence that had descended upon the village. Raine's breath caught in her throat, her mind whirling as she struggled to process the reality of the situation.

They were under attack.

Instinct took over, a surge of adrenaline that set her body into motion before her conscious mind could catch up. She needed to get back to Ryker, to warn him, to find safety with him.

Abandoning the well, Raine broke into a desperate sprint, her boots pounding against the ground as she raced through the winding paths of the village. The stench of smoke assaulted her senses, mingling with the metallic tang of gunpowder and the coppery scent of blood.

A figure materialized from the haze, a familiar silhouette that Raine recognized with a sickening lurch of her stomach. Kaia's form stood resolute, her piercing blue eyes narrowed as she squared off against an unseen assailant.

Raine opened her mouth to call out a warning, but the words died on her lips as a deafening crack split the air. Kaia jerked violently,as the force of the impact slammed into her.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Kaia crumpled to the ground, her eyes wide and sightless, a crimson blossom blooming across her chest. Raine's scream was torn from her throat, a sound of anguish that echoed through the woods.

The gunman's head whipped around, his gaze locking onto Raine with a perverted intensity that sent fear lancing down her spine. Without a moment's hesitation, he raised his weapon, the muzzle leveling squarely at her chest.