Chapter 24

twenty-four

My breath hitched as Cain advanced slowly, savoring every step. "Can't… save… you," he murmured, voice rough and lethal. "Mine."

Terror coursed through my veins, freezing me in place. I wanted to run, to scream, to fight back, but my body refused to obey. Cain's presence was overwhelming, a suffocating darkness that threatened to swallow me whole.

Just as he lunged, a deafening crash erupted behind me. The metal grate exploded inward, and Grayson burst through, roaring with unbridled fury. He charged at Cain, fists swinging with brutal force.

The impact sent Cain reeling back, and Grayson pressed his advantage, raining down blow after blow. Their bodies collided in a savage dance, a whirlwind of violence that made my head spin.

I scrambled to my feet, heart hammering against my ribs. My legs shook, threatening to give out as I pressed myself against the wall. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the brutal spectacle before me.

At first, hope flared in my chest. Grayson fought like a man possessed, his strikes powerful enough to shatter bone. But as the fight raged on, a chill crept down my spine. Something was wrong.

Cain absorbed each punch, each kick, as if they were nothing more than gentle taps. And then, I heard it - a sound that made my blood run cold. Cain was giggling.

The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. Cain wasn't fighting back; he was toying with Grayson. Every time Grayson landed a blow, Cain's laughter grew louder, more maniacal.

Grayson's movements became more frantic, more desperate. He slammed Cain against the wall, the impact shaking dust from the ceiling. But Cain just kept laughing, the sound echoing through the corridor like a twisted melody.

"All… you… got?" Cain taunted, his voice dripping with mockery.

Grayson roared in response, redoubling his efforts. But it was like watching someone try to fight a brick wall. Cain moved with inhuman speed and grace, always one step ahead.

I wanted to help, to do something, anything. But what could I do against these two monsters? My fingers curled around the pipe I still clutched, the metal slick with my sweat.

Suddenly, Cain's hand shot out, catching Grayson's fist mid-swing. The laughter stopped, replaced by an eerie silence that made my skin crawl.

"My turn," Cain whispered.

What happened next was almost too fast for my eyes to follow. Cain moved like a blur, his fists connecting with Grayson's body in a brutal barrage. Each impact echoed through the corridor, punctuated by Grayson's grunts of pain.

I watched in horror as Grayson, my tormentor turned protector, was thrown across the hallway like a ragdoll. He slammed into the wall with a sickening crunch, sliding to the floor in a crumpled heap.

Cain turned to me, his mask hiding any expression. But I could feel his satisfaction radiating off him in waves. He took a step toward me, then another.

"You… next?" he purred, raising his blade.

I gripped the pipe tighter, my knuckles turning white. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst from my chest. This was it. There was nowhere left to run, no one left to save me.

As Cain closed in, time seemed to slow. I saw Grayson stirring behind him, struggling to rise. Our eyes met for a brief moment, and I saw something I never expected to see in those dark depths - fear.

Not for himself, I realized with a jolt. For me.

I watched in horror as Grayson and Cain clashed once more, their bodies colliding with bone-crushing force. The air crackled with violence, each impact sending shockwaves through my body. Cain's earlier frustration had morphed into something darker, more primal. His movements were sharp, vicious, fueled by rage at Grayson's interruption.

My heart pounded against my ribcage as I pressed myself against the wall, desperate to become invisible. The fight before me was beyond human comprehension - two unstoppable forces locked in a deadly dance.

Grayson fought with renewed desperation, his fists connecting with Cain's body in a flurry of strikes. But for every blow he landed, Cain seemed to grow stronger, more focused. The laughter from before was gone, replaced by an eerie silence broken only by the sound of flesh hitting flesh.

I couldn't tear my eyes away, even as bile rose in my throat. This was no longer about me - it was a battle for dominance between two monsters. And Cain was winning.

With a sickening crunch, Cain's fist connected with Grayson's jaw, sending him stumbling backward. I saw the moment Grayson's guard dropped, just for a split second. But it was enough.

Cain pounced, his movements fluid and precise. He grabbed Grayson by the throat, lifting him off the ground with inhuman strength. Grayson's feet kicked uselessly in the air as Cain slowly squeezed.

I wanted to scream, to do something, anything to stop this. But fear had paralyzed me, turning my limbs to lead. All I could do was watch as the life was choked out of Grayson.

Just as Grayson's struggles began to weaken, when I was certain I was about to witness his death, something changed. Cain's body suddenly went rigid. His head tilted to the side, as if listening to a voice only he could hear.

The silence in that moment was deafening. I held my breath, afraid that even the slightest sound would shatter whatever spell had fallen over the scene.

Cain's grip on Grayson's throat loosened, just enough for Grayson to gasp for air. "Not yet," Cain whispered, his voice barely audible but filled with a chilling promise.

Before I could process what was happening, Cain moved. One second he was there, solid and terrifying. The next, he had vanished into the shadows as if he'd never existed at all.

Grayson crumpled to the floor, coughing and gasping. I remained frozen, my eyes darting around the darkness, certain that at any moment Cain would reappear to finish what he'd started.

Seconds stretched into minutes, the silence broken only by Grayson's labored breathing and the frantic pounding of my own heart. Slowly, painfully, the realization sank in - we were alone.

But the terror didn't subside. Cain's disappearance wasn't a reprieve - it was a promise. He would be back, and next time, there would be no mysterious voice to stop him.

I slid down the wall, my legs finally giving out as I stared at Grayson, my heart still racing from the terrifying encounter with Cain. Relief washed over me as I saw him slowly regaining his strength. His mask was askew, revealing a sliver of his scarred face beneath. For a moment, our eyes locked, and I felt a surge of conflicting emotions—fear, gratitude, and something deeper I couldn't quite name.

His hand twitched, as if he wanted to reach out, but stopped just short. I watched, breathless, as his fingers hovered near my cheek, trembling. For the first time, I saw hesitation in him—hesitation and something else, something fragile .

"Grayson?" I whispered, voice barely audible.

His gaze shifted, the intensity fading for just a heartbeat. Then, slowly, he let his hand fall to his side, his posture shifting back to the tense, coiled readiness of a predator. Whatever moment we might have had vanished as quickly as it came.

We had survived, but at what cost? And for how long?

Shaking off my daze, I remembered the waitress. "We need to help her," I said, my voice hoarse.

Grayson nodded, struggling to his feet. I moved to support him, but he waved me off, gesturing towards the room where the waitress was held captive.

I approached the door cautiously, my hand trembling as I reached for the handle. The room was dimly lit, and the smell of fear and sweat hit me as I entered. The waitress was tied to a chair, her eyes wide with terror.

"It's okay," I whispered, moving towards her. "We're going to get you out of here."

As I worked to untie her bonds, I could hear her muffled sobs. The ropes were tight, cutting into her skin, and I winced as I saw the angry red marks they left behind.

"What's your name?" I asked, trying to keep her calm as I worked.

"S-Sarah," she stammered, her voice barely audible.

"Sarah, you're safe now. We're going to get you out of here, okay?"

As the last of the ropes fell away, Sarah collapsed into my arms, her body shaking with sobs. I held her, feeling her terror and relief as if it were my own.

Grayson appeared in the doorway, his imposing figure filling the frame. Sarah tensed in my arms, a whimper escaping her lips.

"It's okay," I assured her. "He's... he's with me. He won't hurt you."

I met Grayson's gaze, silently pleading with him to stay back. To my surprise, he stepped aside to clear the path.

Supporting Sarah, I guided her out of the room. Her legs were weak, and she leaned heavily on me as we made our way through the corridor. Grayson followed behind us, his presence both comforting and unnerving.

As we emerged into the cool night air, I felt a weight lift from my chest. We had made it out. But the relief was short-lived as I realized we were far from safe.

"We need to get her to a hospital," I said to Grayson, who stood silently beside us.

He shook his head, pointing towards the shadows of the nearby buildings. I understood his meaning - we couldn't risk exposure. Not with Cain still out there, and not with the town elders pulling strings from the shadows.

I sighed, pulling out my phone with shaking hands. "I'm going to call an Uber for you, Sarah. It'll take you to the hospital."

Sarah nodded weakly, still clinging to me. As I arranged the ride, I felt Grayson's presence looming behind us, a silent sentinel in the shadows.

When the car arrived, I helped Sarah into the backseat. "You're safe now," I whispered, hoping it wasn't a lie. As the car pulled away, I watched until its taillights disappeared into the night.