Hybrid

TWENTY-SEVEN

⫷ ARIA ⫸

Gerard holds James in his arms with a silver dagger pressed against his neck. Gerard smiles as I enter, a sadistic look planted on his aged skin. Cautiously, I inch forward, feeling dread creep into my entire body.

"Finally, the guest of honor has arrived."

My eyes flicker down to the dagger. "Let him go. I'm here, so just let him go."

James' eyes flutter; I can tell he's been weakened. "Don't," he says in a raspy voice. "Don't do it, Aria."

"Shut up," Gerard snaps as he pokes the knife against his neck, drawing blood.

"No!" I'm about to step forward.

"Don't move," he orders. I do as he says. "You'll turn yourself over and you won't struggle. You'll do everything we say."

I swallow hard. "Fine."

Gerard has amusement in his eyes. "You're probably wondering where your parents are. It's time to face the facts; they don't care about you."

I glare at him. "You don't know them."

"Ah, but I do. I know that they were so easy to trust me. I also know that they choose to hide instead of fight alongside their daughter. They're cowards."

"Stop." My voice came out shaky. I'm trying desperately hard to seem confident, but I can't seem to get it together. Watching James' in that condition has me drowning in fear. The strong, pungent emotion that vibrates through my brain.

"I won't let you have her," James protests. He's struggling to stay conscious.

"I will take her," he informs easily.

James bares his teeth. "Over my dead body."

Gerard's eyes flash in amusement as they flicker over to me. "Remember Victor telling you about your little punishment?"

No.

I hear the doors open, but I'm already running towards them.

"Well, here it is," he finishes in a whisper.

"No!" I scream out, increasing my speed.

A sound creates chaos. It rings in my ears, swallows my thoughts, and pumps something dangerous in my veins. I wouldn't have been able to hear it without the wolf gene. At least, I don't think so.

Slice. A quick sound. A simple slit to the throat. Blood, hot and fresh, spurts from James' neck, most of it splattering all over a grinning Gerard.

Thump. His body falls agains the marble ground. His blood pours outward. I'm here. Close. I'm here, but I didn't get here fast enough.

Those sounds, they've created the chaos that boils in my blood. Something pounds in my head, equivalent to the sensations of a brick smashing repeatedly against my face. The door opens, I think it opens. Someone shoots something, an arrow, I think, that hits Gerard between his eyebrows. He isn't smiling anymore, but I don't care.

I fall onto my knees, ignoring the jarring pain that the sudden movement creates. The pain in my head levels out to nothing but a hum. But my heart, oh how it beats so widely in my chest. I've never felt anything this strong before. So strong, it makes my skin vibrate.

I pull James' head onto my lap. His blood stains the both of us. Eyes parted, staring empty at the ceiling past me. Skin, cold as winter. Then, I listen. I listen for that sound that could sedate this chaos inside of me, but I don't hear it. His heartbeat. I can't hear it.