Wake of the Dead | Two

Chapter Five | Killian

A shudder ran down Killian's spine as he felt the chiseled, muscular chest of his friend pressed up against him, and Jasper's hand around his mouth. The other man's breath was soft, warm, tickling the nape of his neck. Goosebumps raised the hairs on his arms, making him feel even colder. With his heart beating hard in his chest and the blood roaring in his ears, Killian closed his eyes tight. He could feel his breathing growing heavier, faster by the second. It was almost like he couldn't breathe, like something was choking him from the inside out. A bullet shell clinked against the old wooden floorboards, and the iron scent of blood filled his nostrils.

Fear. That was a familiar emotion Killian had felt for his whole entire life. Almost every waking moment as a child was fear, fear around other people and fear of what they'd do to him. His new security around Jasper was new, something he never knew he needed until that very moment. Out of the corner of his eye, Killian could see Jasper reaching for his gun. He grabbed his friend's wrist and shook his head. If Jasper were to start shooting, that could end very badly for the both of them. The indecisiveness in Jasper's blue eyes wasn't exactly comforting, but he eventually relented to Killian's relief.

After the body had been dropped, the stranger whistled for their dog to follow them as they pushed out of the barn doors. Killian could hear heavy footsteps leaving them from outside. He remained as still as a rock, trying desperately to calm his erratic heartbeat. After what felt like forever, Jasper carefully uncovered Killian's mouth and stepped out from behind their hiding place, still holding his gun. The absence of his friend's presence left Killian with an empty feeling of disappointment, but he pushed that confusing thought away for later.

Walking over to the body, Killian's stomach dropped. A familiar mop of blonde hair was splayed across the ground. Jasper's brows knit together, a frown tugging downwards at his lips. "Wasn't this girl in Renier's gang?" Jasper said quietly.

With a lump in his throat and his mouth dry Killian croaked, "Nora. She..." His voice shook, and he hated it. These people had hurt Killian, had hurt Jasper and the rest of his group. Why did he still care about what happened to them? Jasper set a gentle hand on Killian's shoulder, his blue eyes soft and understanding. How Jasper could just accept that Killian had emotional ties to another group and hadn't followed the others in believing he was a traitor was a mystery to him.

A snarl curled at Killian's lips, his hands clenching into fists. That inner resentment for every other person he felt was beginning to resurface. How could somebody do such a thing? Just kill another person like this? "We have to tell Tom immediately." Jasper said firmly, breaking Killian out of his seething anger. Gritting his teeth together, Killian shot a glare towards Jasper. Did his friend really think that the group would believe them if they went back to the farmhouse with no proof? He then eyed the body. If they brought it with them, then there had to be at least some sort of believability to their encounter with the stranger. The only question Killian had was; why would this stranger leave the body in the barn?

Knitting his brows together, Killian glanced up at Jasper when his friend answered the very question he'd been wondering. "Either they don't know we're here, or it's a warning." Jasper's voice had dulled down to a deeper, more serious and somber tone. It wasn't one Killian had heard often, but when he did, it made his belly twist uneasily. When Jasper wasn't exactly positive, there was a good chance that nobody should be. The other man was easily the most infuriatingly optimistic person Killian had ever met in his entire life. 

"Come on," Killian said, swallowing back the shakiness in his voice. "They won't believe a word I say, but they'll believe you." Jasper was going to say something, but Killian turned away before he could. Much as he cared about his friend, he knew that whatever reassurances Jasper was planning to give him probably weren't going to be true. The group--majority of them anyways--hated him. That wasn't going to change any time soon. Not even anybody as popular as Jasper could change that.