16. BLOOD & THREATS
1535 Words
{VANCE}
Kyro and I pursued the car as if our lives depended on it. Because they did.
Our little sister was in the car!
Before our mother's death, we had promised to take care of Mirabel as if she were our own flesh. Mirabel was barely one-still breastfeeding. Our mother died of an undiagnosed ailment— an illness we spent almost a fortune trying to cure.
She was the backbone of our family. Because of our mother family's influence, my father became the Alpha of this Pack. She made sure we lacked nothing when it came to provisions and care.
When she died, it seemed as if a dark cloud had descended on our family. My father became a shadow of himself. His reign was only thriving because of his special advisor, Alan.
Father cried day and night...I used to hear him through the walls. He drank himself into a stupor so much that the smell of alcohol replaced the scent of cedar in his study. Watching a mighty man like my father crumble was devastating.
At ten years old, my brothers and I had to quickly develop a sense of responsibility. While Alan took care of the affairs of the Pack, we made sure to get good grades from school, attend every training session needed to make us become great men, play with Mirabel, and change her diapers.
Although Mirabel had a nanny, she preferred me over anyone else. And that didn't change even as she grew older.
So yes, I'd bring down the entire world to my sister's feet if there was a reason to do so.
"Vance, duck!" Kyro yelled, and I immediately lowered my head, narrowly escaping the silver bullet shot at me.
"Bastards!" I seethed, pulling out a knife from my sheath, aiming at one of the tyres.
Because of Mirabel, I did not want to attack at first. She could get hurt from the impact, but these motherfuckers were testing my patience.
The knife left my hand with a clean whistle, slicing through the air before burying itself into the rear tyre with a dull, meaty thud.
For half a second, nothing happened. Then a sharp hiss split the air. Air bled out in a violent rush, like the tyre was exhaling its last breath.
On the other hand, Kyro attacked the tyres on his side while I finished the remaining one on mine.
For a moment, the car kept moving like nothing was wrong. Then everything went wrong at once. The car began to sink, each side lowering unevenly. The smooth movement turned rough. And the rims hit the road.
A harsh scraping sound tore through the air. Sparks flickered underneath as metals dragged against the asphalt.
Without precise calculation, I hurriedly leaped from my motorcycle while in motion onto the swerving car.
Gunfire hammered the roof.
"What the f**k are you doing, Vance?" Kyro yelled at me. But I wasn't thinking. The thoughts flitting through my mind were irrational. So I slid down to the windshield.
Instantly, Bullets tore through the windshield, breaking the glass. Some penetrated my skin, but I didn't have much time to dwell on the pain.
I grabbed the man behind the wheel, thrust my claws outward, and plunged them into his eyes.
"Aargh!" He screamed in pain.
Without remorse, I pulled out my claws, alongside his eyeballs.
By now, Kyro had already ripped open one of the doors and was inside, so the shots fired at me instantly ceased as the men were distracted by him.
Not satisfied with just ripping his eyes out, I sliced his throat and threw those chunks away.
The metallic smell of fresh blood slammed my nostrils, as red liquid messes up everywhere. His seat, the wheels, the dashboard, and even splattered on the empty passenger seat.
So I slid into the car through the broken space the windshield once occupied.
The car already lost its motion and had gone stationary. So it was easier to deal with the two jerks left with Mirabel. Kyro already got one by grabbing a gun from god knows where and blowing off the skull of the one closest to him.
"Marcus!" The last man alive, wailed.
He swiftly grabbed Mirabel and aimed his own gun at her skull. "Don't even dare," his bloodshot eyes glared from Kyro to me. "One wrong move, and I will f*****g blow her head off."
Mirabel whimpered, tears rolling down her cheeks as she stared at me. A cloth gagged her mouth, so she couldn't speak, but her fear radiated toward me.
Kyro didn't move. Neither did I.
We knew from the c****d gun that he wasn't bluffing. And none of us wants to rescue Mirabel as a corpse.
"Let her go," I said as calmly as I could.
"So you can kill me like you did the others right?"
I took in a deep breath. "They don't have to be any more bloodshed. We could call it even, and then you go free."
"Even?" He spat, saliva splurging with that one word. "You killed both of my friends and you call it even?"
"Look, fucker," Kyro took over. "If you kill her, it only puts you at greater risk. Just let her go and live."
"How am I sure you aren't going to kill me too?" Mirabel's assailant demanded.
"Because we just want our sister, so we can get this behind us," I stated as a matter of fact.
Left for me, I wouldn't want to kill him but I knew Kyro would. He despised situations and people like this. Anyone who dared to cross him, never lived to tell the tale. As for me, I tend to be lenient.
"Swear on your honor you're not going to kill me," Requested the assailant.
I tried not to roll my eyes, but Kyro already chirped. "We swear."
Mirabel's assailant slowly opened the door on his end with his elbow, whilst aiming the gun at Mirabel's head.
Like the speed of lightning, he let go of Mirabel and ran in the other direction.
I grabbed Mirabel, and she rushed into my arms not minding the blood. Meanwhile, Kyro went after the man.
I knew he wouldn't let him go.
Gunshot reverberated in the atmosphere, followed by a loud cry.
Mirabel flinched from the sound of the gun, absolutely terrified. She clutched onto me like a leaf on a branch, while I stroked my blood-matted fingers through her hair.
I removed the gag with my other hand.
"Oh, Vance," She said shakily. "I thought you would never get to save me."
"You know I will, sister," I replied, fighting the urge to rebuke her for leaving the house to get a croissant at such an ungodly hour.
That would be for later.
"Thank you for saving me, thank you, brother," She continued to hold onto me.
"Ahn ahhh," A displeased cry approached.
I looked to see Kyro dragging back the man, who had just fled the car.
"Are you going to tell me who sent you or not?" Kyro demanded.
"You said you wouldn't hurt me," The man relayed.
"I lied."
"You swore to let me go," He persisted.
"Another lie," Kyro hissed. "Now, tell me who made you guys kidnap my sister or I'm going to f*****g blow your head off."
Mirabel wanted to look, but I pressed her face against my chest. "Don't look."
She obeyed.
"On the count of five," Kyro continued, his gun c****d and aimed. "One,"
"Please just let me g—"
"—Two," he added impatiently.
"We don't know him. We've never seen his face."
"Three."
"I'm telling the truth."
"Four."
"Please don't kill me. I can help you find him, just let me help you instead."
"Too late."
Kyro fired the gun, and a sharp cry tore from the back of his throat, and then silence.
"I hate when they talk too much," Kyro huffed, turning in our direction.
But then, a ringing tone pierced the air, prompting Kyro to turn to the dead man.
He crouched beside him and brought out the phone, then looked at me.
We started in silence for a second, before Kyro picked up the call.
A smirk curled up the corner of his lips the next second. "So it was you, you bastard."
My brows furrowed.
He brought the phone up to me and clicked on the speaker icon.
"You think you've won?" The voice on the other end said.
"Why don't you quit being a coward and show your face, fucker." Kyro seethed.
"Oh, you're definitely going to see my face but I enjoy being anonymous for now." The voice cackled. "You might have rescued your sister and won this round, but that doesn't guarantee the next."
"And who the f**k do you think you are to threaten us," I bellowed this time.
"Oh, Vance. Funny how I could recognize your voice straight away. I wouldn't relax completely if I were you." He threatened further.
"If you pull this stunt with my family again, I swear I will hunt you down," I warned.
A titter resounded from the other end. "I'm so excited to see who'd get to the other first."
- Writer
