DELONIX [COMPLETED]

Chapter 56

"Thanks, Reyes," I silently expressed my gratitude to the enigmatic voice within my mind. Rising swiftly to my feet, I cast a fleeting glance over my shoulder, my eyes locking with Gwen's predatory gaze. Determination burned within me as I made a split-second decision.

"I'm being the bait. I need to draw Gwen away from Nicholas," I declared, my voice laced with unwavering resolve. Reyes, the voice of reason in the midst of chaos, met my statement with a profound silence. It was a tacit acknowledgment, an unspoken agreement that my plan held merit. We both understood the stakes, the precarious dance we had to perform to protect those we cared about.

In the blink of an eye, I sprinted deeper into the room, each step fuelled by a potent mix of fear and determination. The darkness pursued me, its ethereal tendrils stretching toward me with relentless determination. Gwen's laughter, tinged with sadistic delight, echoed behind me, the sound crawling up my spine like icy tendrils of dread.

"I guess Morgan was wrong about you," she sneered, her voice dripping with venom. Her teeth, sharp and glistening, were bared in a menacing display, an attempt to instill fear in me. But I refused to be intimidated, my gaze locked firmly on hers, unyielding.

"Morgan was wrong about a great many things," I retorted, my words infused with a defiant strength. I stood my ground, refusing to let her insidious mind games find purchase within my soul. The air crackled with tension as Gwen circled me, a predator stalking its prey. The dark entity mirrored her every step, an embodiment of her wickedness, an extension of her malevolent will. I was encircled, trapped within their sinister dance, with no apparent escape. But I refused to succumb to despair.

"Your blood is tainted with darkness here, and pretty boy might meet his end very soon. Perhaps Morgan was right about something," she taunted, her voice dripping with sadistic satisfaction. Her words struck a nerve, igniting a seething rage within me. I yearned to unleash the full force of my flames upon her, to see the darkness devour her, to make her pay for her wickedness.

"Red, don't listen to her. Nicholas is fine. Don't let her get under your skin," Reyes's voice cut through the maelstrom of emotions, a calm anchor amidst the storm. With each word, his voice carried an unshakable confidence, a steadfast belief that anchored me in the face of uncertainty.

"How do you know he's fine? Have you seen his condition?" I lashed out at Reyes, my frustration and a flicker of panic bubbling to the surface. The weight of the situation bore down upon me, threatening to crush my resolve.

"Just trust me and attack only when I tell you to. Do you understand?" Reyes's voice resonated with authority, a commanding presence that demanded my obedience. In that moment, a wave of familiarity washed over me, as if I had encountered this unwavering demeanor before. A flicker of recognition sparked within me, but there was no time to dwell on it.

Could it be...

"Stop overthinking and let me kill you," Gwen growled in frustration, her voice laden with a potent mix of fury and anticipation. She lunged towards me with savage determination, her lithe form a blur of deadly grace. The dark entity, an extension of her malice, followed suit, closing in from the opposite direction. I found myself ensnared, trapped within their clutches, with seemingly no way to defend myself until Reyes granted me the signal, the moment to attack them.

"Reyes..."

"Wait."

"Reyes, they're getting closer!"