Two Worlds Collide

Chapter 5: Bloodlust

Liza’s POV

– The Sharpest Blade Bleeds

Blood.

That’s all I saw that night.

My mother’s blood spilling across the marble floor like spilled wine at a funeral. I was fourteen . I’d trained for sometime but in that moment, all my combat training, my sharp tongue, my so called “instincts”, none of it saved her. I was frozen. Worthless.

And Liam? He was just there, sobbing beside her like a child clutching at her cold hand. He had her last breath, and even that wasn’t enough to make him a man.

My father, the all-powerful Chase Hunt, just as stood frozen. His gun in hand, tears trickling down and still as a statue. His wife six feet away, dying in slow motion. Superman, I once called him and I actually believed he was at one point in my life.

I looked up to my Dad, I thought he was the toughest, the strongest, most indestructible and invincible man I knew . But that day? He couldn’t save the only woman he ever loved. That’s when I knew the truth.

No one was coming to save us.

That night I buried more than my mother,I buried my innocence. My softness. My need for protection. I became my own protection, my own blade and I would kill anything and anyone that stood in my way.

I refused college. What the hell would a diploma do in a world where bullets speak louder than degrees? I learned to fight, shoot, hunt.

Every morning I trained with a blade and a gun. I never stopped, I was fighting for my every breathe, I knew what was coming, they had taken mom but they weren’t finished with us.

Everyone taught the war was over but they would be back and I knew it. But this time, I , Liza would be ready when they come and I would kill every last one of them with my cold bare hands.

Every night I slept with a gun under my pillow. I made a promise to her grave: I’d never be helpless again. And I sure as hell wasn’t going to let another weak man run our family.

But Daddy didn’t agree. No. He still thinks Liam…sweet little Liam is going to be the Hunt family’s savior. The heir to a throne carved in blood and soaked in betrayal.

I was stronger than Liam couldn’t ever be, faster, more Witt, better trained and most importantly better prepared.

What did little Liam know about war? But dad never listened. He always thought Liam was some golden boy… (scuffs) golden boy my foot.

But I was getting that leadership one way or another. I was getting it. All I needed was to be patient and very much prepared, both of which I possessed.

Men. Always thinking with sentiment.

That morning, when Dad gave Liam the Rico job, I almost snapped. He caused the damn mess. Why was he the one to fix it? I offered. I begged. Dad scoffed—“It’s a man’s job.”

And Liam? He just stood there like he always does. Silent. Obedient. Like a little girl . I didn’t hate him. I never did but what I did hate was his weakness. He was fickle and it very much disgusted me.

He wasn’t just the man to take the lead. Atleast to me, Dad and the rest of the gang thought otherwise simply because “he’s a man”.

Oh how that word irritated me.

It gave me the ick whenever I heard it .

Where were the men when mom died?

Pussyass men hiding behind the word like it some shield “a man”. Wake up danger is lurking and that word won’t save any of us!

I knew what to do.

I tailed Liam after he left with Chris. When I overheard the shitshow happening in the garage,Rico gone, the shipment missing, smirked. Amateurs. Just like I predicted.

I traced Ryan’s ping, already knowing where this would go: south. When they got there, chaos. Gunfire. Chris took a bullet. Liam panicked.

But me? I already had a plan. It was always my plan A, animals like Rico never listen reason it I knew just the thing to lure his out.

His weakness.

Fools like him always had one, you had to tweak it enough to hit the right and just like that, the mighty will come crawling. Begging even for mercy. Flimsy i***t.

I found Rico’s weakness. Although it wasn’t easy to find. He had kept his family a secret for the longest and well hidden too I’ll give him that but my IT were well out to good use and I was able to find them.

His son, Matt. Innocent, delicate, a mirror of what Liam used to be. I watched the school lot. I saw the boy. And when his mother arrived, I struck, quick and clean. She screamed, just loud enough. I wanted Rico to hear it wherever he was.

And he did.

Rico reached out. Desperation makes cowards out of men. I set the terms: bring the shipment. I bring the boy. Done.

Everything was perfect. Until Liam found out. God knows how.

He stormed in like some righteous knight preaching, “We don’t involve innocents, Liza. There’s a line we don’t cross.”

I lost it.

“And what about Mom?” I screamed, tears clawing their way up my throat. “Wasn’t she innocent, Liam? But she died because of your cowardice. Because he…” I pointed at our father, “…hesitated.” So don’t talk to me about morals.”

Then… the gunshots.

Three.

Sharp. Cold. Final.

We both turned.

Dad stood there, gun still raised. Face as stern as can be. Eyes even colder than the blue seas.. Dead. Just like they were the day she died.

Rico. Rico’s wife. Rico’s son.

All three.

Dead.

“Let’s head out. NOW!” he barked.

Liam looked sick. I couldn’t tell if it was grief or shame.

“Liam, pick up the shipment. We’re leaving.”

The sirens howled in the distance. Red and blue lights flashing closer.

We ran.

Chris was nowhere to be seen, he cane in with Liam and dad, he was injured but I couldn’t find him in sight.

And for the first time in a long while… I felt fear. Not for me.

For him.