Contracted To The Devil's Bodyguard: Ava Lane

The First Siege

CONTRACTED TO THE DEVIL'S BODYGUARD

EPISODE 7: THE FIRST SIEGE

`364:21:59`

The gate was smoking.

Ava stood in the circle, breathing hard. Black fire still flickered at her fingertips.

Ryder was watching her like, not too surprised but like he’d never seen her before.

Ryder: "You just set back their countdown by an hour."

Quiet. "With one hit."

Vexa was already running to the screens.

Vexa: "And now they’re pissed. 10 cars just turned into 30."

On screen: Kestrel trucks rolling in. White suits. Weapons glowing in hands.

Timer: `71:58:47`

Ryder grabbed Ava’s hand. Checked the sigil. It was cracked. Like glass.

Ryder: "That took something out of you."

Ava yanked her hand away.

Ava: "Don’t."

Her voice was shaking. "You lied to me. For a year."

`364:21:55`

Ryder: "Ava..."

Ava: "My whole life was bought? With You?"

She stepped closer. The sigil flared.

Ava: "Did you hate me? Having to babysit me for 365 days?"

Ryder didn’t flinch. Gold eyes didn’t blink.

Ryder: "I didn’t babysit you. I would’ve died for you 10 times over before today."

The air between them went still.

Vexa cleared her throat.

Vexa: "Touching. Save it for after we don’t die."

She pointed at the screen.

Vexa: "They’re sending an Envoy." One guy. No weapons. "That’s not good."

The gate opened.

One man walked in. Got a White tuxedos on. No clock on his wrist.

He smiled at all 3 of them.

Envoy: "Lady Vexa. Wrath." He bowed to Ryder and Vexa.. "And Vessel." He bowed to Ava.

Envoy: "House Kestrel sends its regards. And a gift."

He held out a black box. Inside, a dagger. Same as the one Ryder used.

Envoy: "The contract is bleeding. This will help it close faster."

Smile. "Or faster if you use it on yourself. Your choice."

Ryder moved so fast he was a blur. Had the Envoy by the throat in a split second.

Ryder: "Get. Out."

The Envoy didn’t fight. Just laughed.

Envoy: "72 hours, Wrath. She won’t have enough days left to even say goodbye."

He looked at Ava. "Tick tock."

He vanished. The dagger stayed.

`364:21:30`

Silence.

Ava walked to the box. Picked up the dagger. It was warm.

The sigil on her hand pulsed in time with the blade.

Ava: "Then we stop ticking."

She looked at Ryder. Then Vexa.

Ava: "Teach me how to use this. Before they come."

Vexa: "That dagger kills contracts. And the people bound to them."

Ava: "Good."

`364:21:29`

She held it to her own sigil. Didn’t cut. Just pressed.

The timer glitched again.

`364:21:29`... `364:21:28`.... `364:21:29`

It stopped for 1 minute. Like it got paused or something.

Ryder exhaled. Like he’d been holding his breath.

Ryder: "Alright, Vessel. Lesson three."

TO BE CONTINUED...

AUTHOR: `Would YOU pick up the dagger? Comment "YES" or "NO" 👇`