The Fence

Chapter 79: On the Count of Five

I blink awake slowly at first, but soon I feel a sticky substance pool around my hand.

I wake up quickly after that.

I'm too scared to sit up, to think. I know that a gun was just fired; I can almost smell it. Judging by the ringing in my ears, it was fired right here in my tent. With a shaky hand, I confirm my suspicions. A thick coat of blood stains my fingers, my skin turning dark velvet red. I shift slightly, trying to find the source.

Jeremy's face is wrenched in pain, his own hands trying to keep the pooling blood inside his body. I can't tell if he's still alive; he's not moving at all. I bolt upright, the situation finally gripping on to me. My forehead suddenly rests against the barrel of a gun. A shudder goes through me.

"I hear you're not a fan of guns," Holt sneers, pressing further into my skull. "Keep your mouth shut and don't call that scythe of yours."

I feel his hand clench around my thick hair, using it to pull me as if I was on a leash. I scream, ear piercing and nasty, like I'm about to die. I am about to die.

I'm outside of my tent now. Holt yanks me up to my feet, wrenching my head back. He promptly presses the gun against my neck. I can feel my heart pulsing right where the cold machine rests on my cape.

"I told you to shut up," he hisses into my ear.

Despite the piece of brass held up to my neck, I writhe around in his grasp. Holt releases my hair, locking his arm around my neck and bringing the gun up to my head again. I feel like I'm choking, but I'm not. My hand clenches around his broad arm, trying to pry it off of me. "Why are you doing this?" I gasp.

"Sh." His warm breath blows on my face, making me cringe. He doesn't allow for that much movement through his death lock around my neck. "You can still kill them."

"W-who?"

"Grey and Demi."

"You're crazy!" I shriek. He clamps his hand over my mouth.

"Hey!" he snaps. "I told you to be quiet! I'll kill you just like I killed that guard."

I stop fighting, going limp in his grasp. "He's dead?"

A beastly snicker leaves his lips. "You think that kid could survive from that range? He's dead."

"Why are you happy?" I cry, trying to kick at him.

"I got rid of a supporter," he purrs. I cock my head away from his mouth at my ear. "He was too suspicious. He couldn't be convinced that I could protect him. I knew he was going to report me, so I had to kill you tonight. It was going to be my last chance."

"Why me?!"

"You want them dead, too. I know you do. They killed your mother. How can you let them around you? You let that creature pull you into a void."

"Grey didn't pull me into anything," I choke, clawing at his arm. His iron grip doesn't loosen. "I support him on my own."

"You're going to die," he hums, "if you don't kill them."

"So I'll die," I murmur, trying to suppress the crack in my voice.

Holt chuckles. "Oh? But you told Raven that you can't die. Prove yourself right."

"I'm wrong. I can die. Kill me, Holt. It'll just make them come after you."

"See," he whispers. "If I don't kill you, then they'll come after me. Either way I'm screwed. Besides," he presses the gun firmly to my head, "I've wanted you dead for a while now."