Chapter 10: Where Hunters Bleed

Selene

I attacked without a second thought. It just happened.

The silver blade came out of my sleeve and into my hand then drove in one smooth move. Years of practice had become a habit. I aimed for his heart at the left side. I moved a tiny step inside his guard. I target a distance to kill.

Cassian stood in the middle of the chapel like he was part of it.

I thought he'd be fast. I thought he'd be violent.

I thought he'd disappear.

He just turned a little.

My blade went into his side, near his ribs.

Not deep enough.

Not enough to kill.

He'd moved enough to save the important stuff.

I felt heat on my knuckles, and lo, was his blood.

Too easy.

I pulled the blade out and stepped back.

"You're slower than I thought " I said, breathing hard.

He looked at his wound, then at me and said “You're right on time."

The chapel responded.

Iron fell on the doors making the old place shake. Metal covers closed over windows. The sound of metal scraping against metal filled the air. Lights on the pillars started burning with fire.

Marks appeared on the stone and wood. They were, on the floor, pillars and altar.

They were not a ruin.

They were a trap.

I ran to the door and hit it with my shoulder. It didn't budge, it was too strong to open 

I took out a dagger and threw it through a stained-glass window.

The dagger broke the glass then hit the metal mesh behind it.

My escape plans were false.

I turned around slowly.

Cassian hadn't moved.

"You built this, " I said.

"No, " he said. "I remembered it."

The air made a hissing sound.

Smoke was coming out of vents that were hidden in the carvings on the wall. It was a mixture of pale powder, ash and old incense. The smoke was burning my eyes. It felt like it was scratching the back of my throat. Everything around me was getting blurry.

He walked through the smoke like it was nothing.

He seemed to know what the room was going to do.

I attacked him.

He was too quick. He caught my wrist and turned it just enough that I stumbled past him. I crashed into a pew and it broke into pieces.

I got up angry and I kicked at him.

This time, he was ready for me. He blocked my kick with his leg. I ended up on one knee.

He did not waste any movement.

I tried to slash at his throat.

He used just two fingers to make me miss.

I was so close but I did not touch him.

He was not fighting me.

He was wearing me down.

I felt rage rising up but I stopped it before it could make me do something stupid.

Okay fine.

I stopped attacking him.

He looked a little surprised.

I grabbed a pew and ripped it out of the floor. I threw it across the room and it got stuck between two pillars.

Then I jumped up onto the altar.

It was higher up so I had a clear view of everything.

I took out all my stakes and knives.

The first silver stake made him take a step back.

The second one cut his shoulder.

The third one pinned his sleeve to the wall behind him.

A knife cut his jaw and blood started running down his neck.

For the first time that night he defended himself.

I smiled, showing all my teeth.

"There you are, " I said.

I jumped down from the altar and I tried to land beside him, but the floor gave way beneath me.

A tile broke and I fell.

Something sharp shot up from the darkness and went through my side.

I screamed before I could stop myself.

The pain was like nothing I had ever felt before. It was like my whole body was on fire.

For a second, I could not hear anything except my heartbeat.

Then Cassian moved.

I snarled at him and pulled myself off the spike.

It hurt more when the barbs came out.

I fell to the floor, covered in blood.

My hand slipped in the blood, but I got up anyway.

One of my legs did not want to work, but I made it move.

I charged at Cassian with my sword in both hands. I swung it wildly trying to keep him back.

He did not give me any space.

He caught my wristband took the sword away from me.

I stumbled, half-blind from the pain.

I was still alive.

I was still dangerous.

I found the sunburst charge in my belt. It was my last resort, it was made from magnesium and silver dust making it enough to cook a vampire's eyes.

I slapped it to the floor between us.

Cassians face changed for the time.

"Selene, " he said.

I smiled through the blood and triggered the charge.

The room was filled with light that even I screamed as smoke filled the air and my eyes become watery. 

Everything went blurry.

Smoke boiled out of the room. I could not see anything.

I dropped to the floor and crawled towards where I had heard the sword land.

My fingers brushed against metal.

Cassian caught my wrist.

I jerked my arm. It made the wound hurt even more.

Cassian was kneeling beside me like the explosion had not even happened.

It was impossible.

He pinned my wrist to the floor with one hand.

His knee pressed down on my side but it was not too hard.

It was just enough to keep me from moving.

That scared me more than his anger would have.

I spat blood at his face.

He turned his head. It hit his cheek.

"Monster, " I said.

He ignored me.

He looked at the wound in my side. Then at the trap that had hurt me.

Something in his face changed.

He was angry. Not at me.

He was angry at the trap and at whoever had set it.

I realized the truth.

This place had been set up to trap both of us.

I laughec once and it was a ugly sound.

"You did not know, " I said.

His jaw tightened.

"No, " he said.

I tried to headbutt him, but he caught my forehead with his palm.

I tried to bite his wrist but he moved out of the way.

I tried to scratch his eyes, but he caught my hand.

I was getting weaker. I could not fight anymore.

My strength just... Left me.

I started feeling cold and the room started to spin.The walls seemed to stretch out and the flames looked blue. My head fell back and the floor rushed up to meet me.

Cassian caught me before I hit the ground. He picked me up. I hated that I noticed how gentle he was. I hated that I leaned into him.

Everything went dark. All I could see was his face, above me.

His mouth. He said my name like it mattered.

"Selene, " he said.

Then everything went black.