The first shot shattered the stillness of the night with a deafening crack that splintered the air. Glass erupted nearby, a shower of sharp fragments cascading down like falling stars, each piece leaving behind a haunting echo that lingered in the darkness. My breath caught in my throat, instinct propelling my body into motion before my mind could fully grasp the gravity of the danger. We were ambushed once more within our sacred sanctuary, and this time, it wasn't a warning but an all-out assault.
"Ellie!" Tristan's grip tightened around my hand, his fingers like a vice, as he pulled me toward the protective embrace of the garden wall. His movements were fluid and practised, honed by a life cloaked in secrecy, one I was only beginning to unravel.
But I refused to retreat. I commanded my legs to keep my pace with him, my heart pounding against my ribs in a wild rhythm, spurred on by an adrenaline rush that electrified my veins.
"Stay behind me," he ordered, his voice a low whisper, sharp as a blade and laced with urgency.
"Just do what you need to do," I replied, breathless but resolute. "I will stand beside you, always."
His gaze flickered to mine for a fleeting moment, a tempest of conflict swirling in his depths, but he didn't argue. Instead, he pressed something cold and metallic into my palm, a small gun pulled from the depths of his pocket. "If anyone touches you, use it. Don't hesitate to pull the trigger."
The weight of it was unsettling, yet I grasped it with stubborn determination.
Suddenly, the estate lights erupted into brilliance, cutting through the darkness and illuminating the grounds in stark, blinding white. That's when I saw them, the black SUVs skidding to a halt at the entrance, masked figures spilling out like shadows unleashed from the depths of nightmarish confines. They moved with relentless purpose, a predatory hunger glinting in their eyes, all of them focused on the house like wolves scenting their prey.
Security personnel rushed forward, their shouts piercing the night like arrows, gunfire erupting in rapid, chaotic bursts. The air thickened with pandemonium, screams clawing through the darkness, and frantic orders shouted between the crack of weapons, mingling with the metallic scent of danger carried by the night wind.
Tristan's hand found my back, a steadying force urging me along the side of the house. Every muscle coiled within him like a panther poised to pounce. "We need to get you inside," he growled, urgency punctuating his words.
But I shook my head, my throat tightening. "How is your family?"
"They are already in motion," he cut me off, his tone as unyielding as forged steel. Yet, I could see the flicker of worry in his eyes, not for himself, but for me.
Another shot rang out, unsettlingly close, causing the fountain behind us to explode in a cascade of stone and water. I stumbled, but Tristan caught me instantly, pulling me against his chest as shards rained down around us.
For a heartbeat, I felt the tremor of his pulse beneath my cheek, intense, relentless, and underscored with an underlying fear. I lifted my chin, my voice fierce despite the tremors in my hands. "Remember, Tristan, I will repeat this. Do what you need to do; I don't require your protection from all this anymore."
He stared at me, frozen for a heartbeat, as if the chaos surrounding us had slowed just enough for my words to penetrate the tumult.
Then he nodded once, curtly, as if sealing a pact between us. "I understand, Ellie. We will face whatever comes, together."
The world surged back to life as another SUV crashed through the gates, the sound of metal screeching echoing like a battle cry through the night.
With my hand still locked in Tristan's, I understood that there would be no turning back after this fight.