The Vigilante & The Dragon - Book 1 of the Guardians Saga [COMPLETED]

Love or Hate? Ch. 17.3

"Except me," Morgan said.

Alex closed her eyes and shuddered at his touch. "Except you."

The brothers hissed as one. Alex opened her eyes and shot them a warning look of such pure panic that they stilled, stifling their attack.

Morgan raked them with a dismissive look. "I made sure with the brain imprinting machine that you'll never let anyone touch you again. So, how did they hurt you?"

"They gave me hope. Hope that I would be free of you."

"Free of me? I've had you for two days." Morgan's free hand roamed over Alex's breasts, pinching and squeezing.

Gabe's grip tightened on his sword and Alex panicked, seeing his fingers tighten in the pattern that told his brothers to follow his attack.

She held up a hand, as if to stop them, and said hastily, "See why I loathe them? You know how much crushing hope hurts."

Morgan snorted a crude laugh. "Why shouldn't I kill them?" 

"Because killing is mercy. Let them live and suffer," Alex answered. "You know how those hero types are: the high andmighty Guardians will feel guilt over their failure to protect me. Let them go. They have to save the universe or something."

"Not some whore like you," Morgan chuckled.

Gabe rushed the pair. Morgan jumped to his feet, free hand dragging Alex up, and fired a shot that went wild. Gabe swung his sword and the Glock fired again. Gabe's body jerked from the impact of the bullet and he collapsed. Alex's scream of rage reverberated inside Morgan's skull. Her fingers dug into the nerves of his wrist and her foot crushed his instep. Morgan's fist re-broke her nose. Rile's staff drove deep into Morgan's gut while Cale's staff connected with his forehead.

"Get the gun!" Alex cried from behind hands clapped to her bleeding nose.

Morgan reached for it and Rile punched his staff into his hand. Morgan howled with pain, momentarily distracted, and Alex kicked the gun across the floor. While Cale assaulted Morgan with his staff, Rile took the time to draw his sword.

"Blast him, Alex!" Cale called out.

Morgan grabbed Cale's staff with inhuman strength and wrenched it violently. Cale was distracted trying to hold onto it and Morgan's fist slammed straight into Cale's muzzle. Cale fell, blinded with pain. Morgan drove the tip of the staff straight down on Cale's skull and he went limp.

Rile rushed Morgan, sword a blur of overhead chops. Morgan blocked with Cale's staff but stepped back. He swung the staff against Rile's side. Rile took the blow and backed off a step before attacking again with chop after chop. Morgan was too busy blocking to launch his own attack.

Alex crawled over to Cale and checked him. He held his head and looked at her groggily.

"Help Rile," he said.

Alex chewed her lip.

Fire truck, how? Can't blast the bastard and I'm not that much help with a sword or a staff compared to Rile. He's like a tornado.

Morgan slammed the staff against Rile's legs and he stumbled backwards. Alex grabbed Gabe's staff and slid it between Morgan's ankles. Morgan went down, howling, but he turned on Alex and grabbed her hair. Rile regained his balance and his sword sliced down on Morgan's arm. He released Alex and Rile drove his sword toward Morgan's heart. Morgan rolled to avoid it but Rile stabbed down again, opening up Morgan's back when he rolled the other way. Morgan jumped to his feet.

Rile swung his sword in a tremendous arc and Morgan's head flew across the room. Morgan's body convulsed and then thudded to the ground. Blood showered the nearest wall in a crescent pattern, following the path of the severed arteries down to the floor. His severed head hit the wall with a wet thump.