Hunter Page 3
“I’ll be alright.” He pressed his hand into his wound. “I think it’s gone right through. Help patch me up?”
Erin picked up the spare cloth bandages and cotton wool that was lying next to Simon and handed them to Murray. “Can you manage?”
“I can,” he said.
“Good, the last one of them is on his way here. I’m going to take him by surprise. Fox, stay here and look after them.”
After recovering and wiping her knife, she slung the rifle over her shoulder again and pulled out her handgun. She left the study and pulled the door behind her slightly ajar, then slipped back into the secret passage. She felt the cold press of metal against her forehead before she could do anything about it.
“Drop your weapons. I want you alive, but if you mess with me at all I’ll kill you and take the chance.”
She did as he said, there seemed like no other option. He forced her up the corridor and pulled the door closed behind them. They walked out of the house into the snowfall, her in front, him just behind her with the gun pressed into the back of her head.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Don’t you mind about that. We’re not going to hurt you.”
“Since you’re taking me, you can at least tell me why.”
He snorted. “Because you’re different. You’re special. The organization I work for collects rare and special things.”
So she’d been right all along.
Something thudded behind her. She turned to see Max grabbing the commander’s gun arm and trying to wrestle him to the ground.
Grace curled her hand into a fist and punched the man in the face, then kept on going as he tried to defend himself. Every strike jolted her bones. She wanted to run, to get away from him. He was so much bigger and stronger than her. Pain stabbed through her knuckles and the bones of her wrists but she didn’t stop. She had to beat him, here and now.
He grabbed her hair and pulled her into him.
All she could think to do was knee him in the nuts. She struck as hard as she could and the man doubled over, his pistol finally falling out of his hand, and both of them spilled onto the ground.
He twisted over her at once, seeming to have no issues grappling on the ground. In a moment he had her firmly gripped by the throat. Max had let go of him but jumped in again nipping at his face. The man shouted and cursed as the dog harried him, but that quickly turned into a scream when Max took hold of his nose. The commander’s grip weakened. In that moment, Erin reached down to the knife and twisted it up into his stomach. He struggled, still fighting against Max, but she hung on to him, jamming the knife in deeper and as the distant sirens drew closer, he toppled off her and lay face-up, dead.
Once she’d showered and dressed, she packed her bag, including the knife and one of the guns along with several magazines of ammunition. The rifle she’d have to leave behind, there was no way she’d be able to conceal it. Tears were still falling down her face. At the laird’s requests, the Wembley police had checked out her house. A gunfight ensued as they tried to enter, and after losing one of their own and killing four armed men, they’d found her mother dead. She still hadn’t processed that news. It seemed impossible, like a story or a bad dream.
The laird had kept her away from the police, telling them she was far too traumatized to be interviewed, and that wasn’t far from the truth. Once the danger had passed she’d burst into tears and sat in the library, trembling.
She was ready now and headed to the conservatory where the laird waited for her.
He handed her an embroidered cloth money belt, yellowed with age. “That will see you through for a while. Are you sure I can’t convince you to stay here with us?”
“I think I need to find those others like me. I need to understand why all this has happened.” She clenched her jaw and looked up at him, waiting until she saw him nod. “Please,” she said, “let’s go see George. I have to talk to him before you drive me back. I don’t know what I’m going to do about Mum.”
“I will organize the funeral and make sure you know when it is. You know, Erin, young relationships often break up, usually for no reason than either party can identify. I know you love George and that he adores you, but no matter what happens between the two of you, you will always have a home here. Remember that. I meant what I said back there.”
“I will. And I’m so thankful for it.” She kissed his cheek.
He smiled “You’ve more than earned it.”
The laird let her enter the private room alone.
George lay on the bed. He smiled as she entered. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
She sat next to him and took his hand. “I’m glad you’re alright. No pain or anything?”
“Probably tons! But they’ve given me these amazing drugs.” He laughed.
“They killed my mum.” She buried her eyes behind his hand.
“Oh no. The bastards. I wish I could hold you. You’re going to stay with us, right?”
“I can’t,” she said. “There’s too much danger. They’re still out there. Hunting for me. I have to go and find the other psychics. Maybe they can help. I’ll be back though. I promise.”
“I understand. But I’ll miss you. Will you come back for Christmas day at least?”
“I’ll do everything I can to get back here. I promise.” She kissed his hand. “I love you, George. Just get well and wait for me. One day soon we’ll never be apart again.”
She left him as the sun began to dip behind the hills. The bag over her shoulder felt light. Not quite weightless, but far lighter than it should. George would recover. She was glad of that. The same could not be said for her mother or for Rosie or any of the others those bastards had murdered. She’d meant what she said. One day she would be back, but before then she had debts to settle. She only hoped that when she did return, George would still feel the same about her. She’d looked into the eyes of the girl who could not kill a deer and found her wanting. Tomorrow would begin the start of a new life, one that would change her forever.
Afterword
We hope you enjoyed reading Hunter as much as we enjoyed writing it. To make sure you are up to date on all of our releases, and to receive special offers, bonus content, and be first to hear about discounts and freebies, please sign up to our no-spam mailing list. It’s the best way we have of staying in contact with you. We send out periodic updates and snippets of things we are working on as well as free books and stories. We hope to see you there!
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Also by ZZ Adams
Prequel/Pilot, SIEGE – Available for FREE now by signing up to the ZZ Adams mailing list.
Episode One, SPLICE – Available now on Amazon.
Mindstorm, Book 1 of His Storm Blows Out the Light – February 1, 2021 — Available now for pre-order
Episode Two, SHADOW WAR – Coming soon on April 1, 2021
Episode Three, ASCENSION – Scheduled for release on May 1, 2021
Episode Four, MAYDAY – Scheduled for release on June 1, 2021
Episode Five, COUNTERPUNCH – Scheduled for release on July 1, 2021
Zero-Point Spinoff Adventure, SUPER TIME TOKYO ZOMBIE PARTY – Scheduled for release on August 1, 2021
Episode Six, BEACHHEAD – Scheduled for release on September 1, 2021
Secret Project 1 - October 1, 2021
Secret Project 2 - November 1, 2021
Episode Seven, INCURSION – Scheduled for release on December 1, 2021
Episode Eight, TYRANNY – Scheduled for release on January 1, 2022 (Series finale)
Release dates subject to change
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