Finley waved goodbye to Tate and Harley as they headed out for the day. It was early morning, the sun was rising in the sky and the birds were chirping loudly. She watched as the car pulled out of the drive way and onto the street. Harley smiled through the tinted glass and Finley waved in response before watching the car disappear down the street.
She glanced down at her phone and smiled as she read the text from Kade. She'd messaged him earlier about what Tate had told her about Arlin's family. No one else in Arlin's family was a criminal. It wasn't an unusual finding but it was strange. Normally a few members of a family tended to get involved, especially when it involved supernatural creatures. But the Shade family was different. But despite not finding evidence in Tate's files, Finley wasn't about to give up.
She knew a place where warlocks went to trade and she intended to go there with Kade today. So she was just waiting for him to arrive. There had to be someone who knew of the Shade family. Someone who knew where they lived.
The roar of a motorcycle alerted Finley to the arrival of Kade. She walked down the hallway, practically skipping and opened the door. Kade was parking his bike in the driveway and setting his helmet on the seat. He glanced up running a hand through his dark locks before grinning at her. She smiled back as he approached. "Mornin' sweetheart," he said surprising her by planting a kiss on her cheek.
She blushed a shade of pink before moving aside and letting him come in. He strolled down the hall and she followed wondering where he was going. He headed into the kitchen opening the fridge and taking out the cold water. She raised an eyebrow at him but he didn't seem to care as he casually poured himself a drink.
It was like he owned the place, knowing exactly where they kept the glasses. She watched him silently as he sipped the drink. "So what was so important that you couldn't tell me over the phone?" He asked.
"We have another lead. We're going to see a warlock," she said a gleam in her eyes. She'd expected him to be excited but instead his face fell and he frowned.
He placed the glass down on the bench with a clang before moving back out into the hall without a word. She watched him go in confusion before following him. "Where are you going?"
He glanced back at her, muttering under his breath "Home."
She frowned at him. "What? Why?"
He stopped walking and turned around to face her. His body rigid and tense. He seemed angry and she didn't understand why.
"Do you realize that the only time you invite me over is when you want to go waltzing into danger?" He questioned his mouth in a firm line.
She was surprised by his words and for a moment just stared at him in disbelief. She sighed, "Fine, I'll go by myself."
He shook his head, throwing his arms up in the air dramatically. "No Finley that's not what I meant. You almost got strangled yesterday and now you're ready to go back out there again?"
She shrugged, "It was nothing. I'm fine and now I'm ready to go out again. If you don't want to come fine but I'm going."
She headed up the stairs and into her room grabbing her phone off the vanity. She turned around and Kade was there again. "Finley aren't you worried that Arlin is going to find out that we're looking for him. We know he's a warlock now. He could do anything and we probably couldn't stop him."
"Of course I'm worried," she snapped frustration taking over, "But you said that you would help me if I wanted to continue looking and I do."
He sighed "I'm just worried you're going to get hurt or worse killed."
She could see the fear in his eyes even as he said the words and she felt guilty.
"As long as we stick together we will both be fine," she said sternly. His green eyes watched her for a moment before nodding. "Fine, grab your jacket. Let's go."
She grinned before turning around and heading over to where her jacket was hanging. She only made it a few steps before she heard the door close and the lock sink home. The lock on the door closed and Finley's eyes widened in surprise. She rushed over to the door bashing against it. "Kade!" she exclaimed, "Kade what are you doing? Open the door!!"
She could hear him on the other side moving around but he didn't answer her. She used all her strength and pushed against the door but it barely moved. "Kade!" she yelled, "Kade open the door!"
Once again he didn't bother answering. Suddenly a loud sound echoed through the house. "What was that?" She asked anxiously.
There was movement and then Kade's voice answered. "I think someone is trying to break in."
"Kade this isn't funny open the damn door!" She yelled making another effort to push against it.
"No Finley, you'll be safe in there," he said and she could still hear the person at the front door trying to get in. Panic began to seep its way inside of her. Kade thought he was protecting her but who was going to protect him.
"Kade what about you?" she said still trying to get the door open. Suddenly a loud explosion sounded and ripped through the house. Finley froze. The intruder was inside. "Kade!" she called.
"Be quiet Finley!" he hissed. She shut her mouth, pressing her ear up against the door and tried to hear what was happening. But all she could hear was footsteps coming up the stairs and Kade's nervous breathing. She desperately wanted to be on the other side of the door.
Her heart was pounding as she silently listened. For a moment there was no noise and then she heard Kade's sharp intake of breath. There was a loud thud against the other side of the door followed by a muffled cry of pain. "Kade!" Finley cried out as she listened to the commotion on the other side of the door.
Her mind was screaming at her to do something but she was stuck in her room. There was another cry of pain and then silence. Finley backed away from the door her mind racing. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She glanced around anxiously before grabbing a knife off the dresser. She was afraid, not for herself but for Kade. The click of the lock indicated that the door was opening and she held her breath not knowing what to expect on the other side.
A huge man stood in front of her in the doorway, a least twice the side of her. He was dressed completely in black and she couldn't make out any distinct features apart from his blood red eyes. He stared at her before moving towards her in a flash. She didn't get a chance to react. He swung his fist and it connected with her cheek and pain spread through her. She gasped before stumbling slightly. She gripped the handle of the knife and swung towards him but he moved away before she could hit him. Vampire speed had always made it difficult for her to win but she had done it before.
He attacked again, grabbing hold of her and tossing her across the room. Her back slammed into the wall and she cried out as pain laced down her spine. She moved quickly, getting to her feet and preparing for the next blow. As he came towards her she made an effort to watch his movements for any tell that might allow her to win. But she only had seconds before he was on her again, throwing punches. She blocked as many as she could but a few slipped through connecting with her face, her chest and her arm. She swung the blade and just nicked his arm which only seemed to make him angrier. Another punch was thrown but she saw it coming and spun out of the way before landing another blow.
She made the horrible decision of looking towards the door and that was when she saw Kade's slumped figure. Her heart contracted and her concentration was lost. It was all the vampire needed to hit her once again and take her knife. She stumbled from the blow and before she had the chance to move the vampire was there. She saw the flash of metal but it was too late. The knife plunged into her stomach and she gasped, her eyes widening in surprise. She could feel the cool metal as it was pulled free and the pain began to set in. She fell to the ground clutching the wound. She'd never been injured this badly before and now she was worried. The vampire stood over her and she stared up at him in fear. He could kill her if he wanted to and she wouldn't be able to fight back. She could feel the blood seeping from her wound and she wondered how long she would have before she bled out.
"You were warned and you didn't listen," the vampire said in a monotone voice. She met his eyes for a brief second before he vanished and left without a trace. She moaned slightly as she tried to move and pain erupted from her stomach.
She glanced around looking for her phone but she couldn't see it anywhere. She needed help but if she moved more blood would leak from her wound and she would bleed out faster. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to think.
Suddenly she heard footsteps and then Kade was standing over her. There was blood running down the side of his face but he didn't look seriously injured. His eyes widened and fear and panic filled them "Shit Finley!" he said in a panicked voice. His hands went to her wound to try and stop the bleeding and she cried out from the pain that the pressure caused.
"You're gonna be fine, just stay with me okay?" he asked his eyes searching her face. Her entire body ached and all she wanted to do was sleep. But she knew that sleeping wasn't a good idea so she nodded and tried to focus on Kade.
She could feel his hands trembling and see the nervousness on his face. He didn't know what to do. She took a deep breath. "Kade I need you to call Tate. Tell him to come home and to bring help."
Kade met her eyes before nodding. "Okay, keep pressure on your wound. I'll be back in a second."
She smiled at him slightly and he got up and left. As soon as he was out of the room she exhaled a breath and tried to hold her tears in. The pain was getting worse and the need to sleep was increasing. She lay there completely unmoving, doing her best to remain calm. She closed her eyes and let her mind relax. If she died it probably wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. There were worse things than death. Finley had always believed that statement. Sometimes dying was the easy way out. Sometimes living was hard. If she slipped away into death, it wouldn't be the worst thing she'd endured. At least the pain would be gone. It would be peaceful and relaxing. At least if she died she would see her brother again.
"Finley!" Kade's panicked voice called out. She forced her eyes open, just in time to see Kade's hand reaching down to touch her face. He was still trembling and the fear was so clear on his face. She hated seeing him so upset. So broken. It made her want to live. It made her want to fight. She would fight for her life for him. She took a deep breath and forced the pain away as she gripped his hand. "I'm alright," she said, her voice was weak.
He shook his head, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "No you're not," he began, his hand gently caressing her cheek, "But I won't let you die."
He clenched his jaw together tightly before moving his hand back to her wound to stop the blood. Her whole stomach just felt wet and sticky with blood and she could imagine how soaked it looked.
She was becoming more and more exhausted with each passing minute and she desperately wanted to close her eyes. Kade's concerned face was the only thing keeping her from giving in. She was doing everything she could to block the pain out but it was ripping through her body like a bullet. She was aware that Kade was talking to her, trying to encourage her to stay awake but she couldn't comprehend the words. It was like everything was completely quiet. She couldn't hear, she couldn't move and she was losing the battle in her mind to stay conscious.
Her eyes slowly fluttered shut and the immediate relief made her want to keep them like that. But Kade's panicked voice broke through. He was shaking her shoulders as he spoke. "Stay with me Finn!"
She opened her eyes once again meeting his glowing green eyes. She saw the tear slip from his eyes and her heart contracted. She was causing his pain and it killed her to know that it was her fault. "Please Finn," he begged her, "You need to hold on." He paused sniffing back tears as her eyes slowly opened and closed. She was willing herself to stay conscious but she knew she was losing it. She was going to pass out; it was just a matter of time. "You can't die!" he said sternly, "I can't lose you. I need you Finn. I love you!"
Her breath caught at his words and she froze looking up at him. The adoration on his face was compelling to look at and she felt warmth fill her. It was the first time he'd said the words. To know that he felt as strongly as she did about him was a relief. She'd wanted to say the same thing to him for the last few days but she hadn't had the courage to say the words out loud. But suddenly her fear was gone and she desperately wanted to tell him as well. She swallowed the lump in her throat and took a deep breath. But her whole body was slipping away, faster than she wanted and she saw the blackness before she got the chance to open her mouth.
Her eyes closed and all she saw was darkness. She wanted to open her eyes but her eyelids felt heavy. She could vaguely hear Kade screaming her name but as much as she wanted to reply she couldn't. Noises around her began to blur together and she felt numb. This is what dying feels like, she thought to herself. There was no light, no flash of memory, just simple terrifying numbness.
She felt like she was flying, the wind rushing past her and her body being moved on its own accord. She wondered if she was going to hell. Maybe that was why there was no light. Maybe that's why it was simply pitch black. She supposed she had murdered people before so hell wouldn't be such a big stretch but then again everyone she'd killed had been killers and rapists. Maybe there was no such thing as hell or heaven. Maybe there was no god or no devil. Maybe there was simply nothing. The thought was terrifying and yet she didn't feel overly afraid. She'd been through so much pain and grief in her life and the idea of nothing almost sounded refreshing. Maybe her death wouldn't be that bad.
But if she was dying, why was she still conscious. Why could she tell that someone was holding her? Why could she just hear the voices around her? Why was the pain still there?
Suddenly a rush of energy shot through her and she gasped her eyes flying open. She looked up and bright lights shone around her. At first she felt disoriented but then the familiarity of the room came into view. She knew where she was. The infirmary lights were blinding and she tore her eyes away. Kade was there his eyes red with tears. Harley was beside him her arm resting on his shoulder in a reassuring way. Tate was the closest to her, his eyes full or worry. The last person in the room was a warlock. Finley recognized her from when she'd helped Tate. Her eyes were glowing with magic as her hand touched her shoulder. "Can you hear me Finley?"
Finley opened her mouth to answer but no words came out. But her movement was enough for the warlock to know that she was conscious enough. "Alright, you're going to be okay but this is going to hurt."
Finley nodded her head and the warlock lady smiled slightly. Without a second glance she went to work, moving her hands over to her wound. There was an immediate stabbing pain and Finley cried out, gripping the table with her hands. She felt Tate's hand grip her arm, both to stop her from moving and as a gesture of reassurance. She squeezed her eyes shut as the pain increased until she couldn't keep her cries in any longer. But despite the pain she knew whatever the warlock was doing was working and saving her life.
So she endured the pain until it was over. As soon as the warlock was finished she relaxed, her eyes closing in exhaustion. She heard the warlock mumble something about rest before the voices receded into the hallway and she was left alone. Within moments she allowed herself to finally sleep.
~
Finley woke to darkness and once again she considered whether or not she was alive. But slowly details of the infirmary came into view. The medical equipment in the corner, the table in the middle of the room and the bed which she was lying on. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness she realized that she wasn't alone. In the chair beside the bed was Kade, his dark hair was messy as he slept. She watched him for a few moments. He looked so peaceful.
She tried to move into a sitting position but pain erupted through her and she winced. Her body just felt exhausted and she ached whenever she moved. Slowly she tried to sit up again, groaning through the pain and forcing herself upright. She gripped her stomach and let out a sigh.
Kade stirred in the chair beside her before his eyes opened. He yawned briefly before realizing that she was awake. He sat up straight relief across his face. "Finley you should be resting," he said softly.
She shrugged, "I'm alright."
He shook his head in disapproval before reaching out and grabbing her hand. "You got stabbed and almost died. You should sleep."
She knew that he was probably right but she'd never been very good at doing what she was told. Although she doubted she would get very far if she tried to get up and walk. Her wound was just too painful. She sighed in defeat. "Fine."
She started to lower herself back down and gasped as another burst of pain erupted. Kade stood up gently grabbing her shoulder and helping her to lie down. She looked up at his eyes that still seemed to be a pretty green colour even in the dark. "Did you mean what you said?" She asked curiously, "When you said that you loved me?"
She saw the surprise in his eyes before his cheeks turned red. A slight smirk came to his face and he nodded. "Yes, Finn. I meant every word."
Her heart warmed and a grin grew on her face which only seemed to embarrass him more. She reached out grabbing onto his hand and pulled him closer. She kissed him softly on the lips, pulling back just enough to look at him. "I love you too Kade."
The ghost of a grin crossed his face as he looked at her and she couldn't help but smile back. His glowing green eyes scanned her face, searching in the darkness for something. She watched him silently as his hand moved and gently brushed across her cheek. His eyes drifted back up to hers before dropping his hand and standing back up. He sighed, "I was so worried about you."
She frowned tossing a strand of hair out off her face before meeting his concerned gaze. "I'm fine," she said.
He shook his head frustration evident on his face. "No Finley," he began, "You don't get to pretend that you're okay. You're not. You almost got killed twice in the last two days."
"It's part of being a huntress Kade. Sometimes we get hurt. It's not really a big deal," she said. She could feel herself getting annoyed. Why did he seem angry at her?
"But it is!" He exclaimed, "You act as if your life doesn't matter. Like if you died no one would care. But I care Finley! Your death would destroy me."
She stared at him in surprise. She opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. What was she supposed to say to that?
He shook his head letting out a huffed breath. "I'm done Finley. I'm done putting myself in danger. I'm done watching you throw away your life. I can't stand by and watch you get hurt. I know you want answers and that no matter what I say you won't stop but I refuse to be a part of it any longer."
She was utterly speechless. How had this escalated so quickly? He wasn't looking at her. His eyes stared at the wall rather than face her. She didn't know what to say. How could she convince him to stay?
He grabbed his jacket off the chair, gripping it tightly. She could see the tension in his shoulders as he turned away from her. She began to panic as he moved towards the door. "So that's it then?" She blurted out.
He paused briefly turning his head slightly before thinking better of it. Maybe he thought it was easier not to look at her. For a few agonizing moments there was just silence before finally he spoke. His voice was tense and forceful as he spoke and yet she could hear the hesitation laced in his words. "You know where to find me if you decide to change your mind. But for now, we're done."
Without another word or a second glance he walked away from her. There was no hesitation as he pulled the door open and left her alone. Her heart contracted the second the door closed and she wanted to scream at him to come back. The last thing she wanted was to lose him. The last thing she needed was to lose another person that she loved. But his mind was made up and he was gone.
She wanted to cry. Burst into tears like her entire world had ended. But she felt numb. No tears came, no words, nothing but numbness. She was too confused to do anything. How did she wreck another good thing in her life? She stared up at the ceiling trying to convince herself that it was a dream. That she would wake up and Kade would be there. That his beautiful eyes would stare back at her, that his lips would smirk into one of his charming smiles and that he would hold her and tell her that he loved her.
But deep down inside she knew the truth. This wasn't a dream. She couldn't pretend that everything was going to be fine. Not anymore. Not when the one person she trusted had left her. Not when she was all alone.
~