The Window to the Soul

Chapter 27: Till Death Do Us Part

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I almost fell asleep through Gabriel's story. I moved my hand out from under my chin and looked around. Riley was sitting around the burnt-out fire, his shoulders hunched towards the flames. I could tell he was getting anxious and worried about Iris. I patted Gabriel on his shoulder, dismissing myself to go check on Dante. This time I located the shotgun holstered in Indy's saddle pouch, grabbing it and loading it with 20 gauge shells as I walked around the corner. I held the gun close to me, walking out into the small clearing that was hard to see. My eyes peeked around the corner, my head following. A small tumbleweed rolled across my feet. More paranoid than ever, I leveled the shotgun and loaded a bullet into the chamber. Nothing. I am not getting a good feeling here... I decided it was better to be safe then sorry, so I slowly started backing up the way I came.

"Hey Gabriel, can you and Riley come over here something's not righ-" My thought was interrupted as I ran into a solid surface. I jumped forward, turning to face Dante. His gorgeous face was contorted with rage. Almost like I had PTSD, images of my previous violent encounters with him flooded my mind. His eyes were still blue, but there was no emotion readable. His dark curls were matted with blood from cuts and wounds across his bare shoulders and back. Had he struggled? To get away? I trailed my eyes down his body, to his torn pajama pants hung low on his hips. On his right hip were nail marks, much too long to be male. That bitch. Krystal.... He gave me an unnerving smile, walking towards me with his hands outstretched in an almost friendly manner. Nope, I was NOT doing this again. I turned on my heels racing back towards camp, hearing heavy footfalls behind me. My foot extended mid stride, only to be seized by Dante, who brought me down, my face smothered in the dirt. Even though he would probably overpower me by his sheer size, I still kicked and tried to make noise. I went to scream, but his rough hand covered my mouth as he restrained my arms. Gabriel. I could communicate with him through thought.

Gabriel! Somet- my thought felt like it had hit an invisible barrier. Dante hauled me to my feet, holding my arms behind my back with one of his hands. His other hand was dug into my shoulder, his nails drawing blood. I whimpered slightly at the tearing sensation, but otherwise kept my composure. My eyes met Krystal's as she sashayed out of the shadows, revealing Iris' slumped figure laying on the ground. She smiled at me, raising a finger to twirl a piece of her blonde hair.

"Thought you could out trick the trickster, did you? You've got it all wrong sweetie, I'm the only one that knows the tricks," she moved her hand down her chest and hips in a seductive manner. Ew, barf. I struggled a little, causing Dante's nails to dog further into my skin. 

"Do you have this guy on auto-pilot or something? Come on, Mrs powerful witch can't restrain a hybrid by herself? Was I realllyyyy that tough for yah? What a wuss, can't even take down a new hybrid," I spat at her. Krystal's cocky smirk dropped from her face. I watched her features contort to rage. She took handfuls of her floral dress, screaming. 

"Are you throwing a fit?" I almost had to stop myself from laughing. She stopped yelling, barking orders at Dante, who let me go. I turned around and glared at him before looking back at Krystal. He's going to be getting another ass whoopin' later. Krystal kept her chin down, her blonde hair falling into her face and hiding it from my view. I'll take that as my cue. Maybe she isn't paying attention. 

"Gabriel!" I screamed in my head. My heart jumped when I heard his voice echo through my mind.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" 

"Not yet...look I need you and Riley over here. Have Colton stay behind with Aurora." I finished my thought as Krystal grabbed me by my throat, digging her long nails into my skin. I choked as blood trailed down my neck into my shirt, leaving patches of wet spots. I pushed her away from me, composing myself before I made my way to the jagged rock I had thrown her at. Her body was crumpled on one of the sharp edges, a piece of rock sticking straight through her abdomen. Black blood started seeping into her red floral dress as she begged for mercy....wait..Krystal would never... Someone's hand made contact with the back of my head, the sickening crack it made barely audible to me. The earth started spinning and all sounds were replaced by a constant ringing in my head. I dug my nails into the arid dirt beneath me, bringing myself to a sitting position, and looking around. Someone grabbed a fistful of my hair in their hand, yanking my head straight up. My right eye was barely open, a needle from a cactus stuck into my eyelid. Even with my lack of vision I managed to see a dark silhouette running towards me, and a much taller shadow running after it. They came closer and I started to recognize their features. Eyes like cocoa, hair like a dark wood...

"Colton..." I squeaked out. The taller silhouette came into view, Gabriel's lips turning into a scowl. His eyes drifted from me up to my attacker. What happened to the other one? I went to glance at the rock, but the person pulled my face back to face Gabriel and Colton. The rock was cloaked in blood, but Krystal had left. I screamed, not in pain, but in fear.

Colton neared me, his legs picking up speed and kicking dirt out from behind him. Gabriel read the fear on my face, stopping to yell at Colton. 

"Colton, it's a tr-" A rough hand covered my mouth, dragging my thrashing body away from him. Colton was a couple yards from me when Krystal materialized in front of him, grabbing him by his wrist and throwing him into the dirt. My screams were muffled by Dante's hand. I mustered all the strength I had to  attack Dante, getting up on both feet. He instantly knew what I was doing, kicking the back of my knee cap until I could hear my bones cracking as I fell back down to the ground. Even though I was positive my leg was broken, the physical pain was nothing compared to the constant, emotional pain I was going through. Gabriel didn't even have to ask. He already knew what I wished for. He ran at Krystal, who had both her hands on Colton's chest, white bolts of electricity running through her fingers and into his body. The black blood that had previously stained her dress had disappeared, and her hair was neat and combed. Gabriel was close enough to strike, but like a swaying cobra, Krystal was faster, her arm shooting out to the side, expelling a bolt of electricity into him. He flew backwards into the rock, his crumpled form looking lifeless. I became hysterical. Hot tears stung my face, falling onto Dante's hand. Krystal had taken so much control over him he didn't even seem to notice. Where's Riley? Coincidentally, my question was answered within seconds as Riley came around the corner. Krystal lifted her head from Colton's  body. 

"Came to see the show?" She held out her palm, her fingers seizing a large axe as it materialized in her hand. Its edges were sharper than a razor blade, its crudely crafted shape making it even more menacing. 

"If you only knew how much you were all worth...how much pain I could inflict," she glanced up, staring first at Riley, and then locking her eyes onto mine. "I can't wait to break you, Zoella Summons. Welcome to the darkside." She smiled, taking the axe into both her hands and raising it above her head. Riley sprinted toward her, but even with his speed he knew he was too late. She brought the blade down on Colton's neck, chopping his head clean off. Blood spurted from open arteries as his head rolled away. His head rolled all the way to me, stopping at my feet.

His lifeless eyes were still open, staring straight at me, into my soul.