Chapter 31- Grayhaven's claws
Chapter 31- Grayhaven's claws
CLAIRE
The moment Evan twisted to look behind us, I saw the color drain from his face. His eyes widened, and his lips parted like the breath had been stolen from him.
“Hell,” he whispered.
I didn’t have to ask why. I could already hear it—the growl of an engine growing louder and louder, tearing, chasing us down like a predator. My heart started hammering before the first gunshot even came.
Then the night split open. And there was a crack.
The back window exploded into shards. Glass rained across the seats, sharp pieces scattering over Lila’s blankets. She moved weakly under the covers, a smal but she didn’t wake. My stomach twisted tight.
“They’re shooting!” I shouted, my hands were gripping the wheel so hard my knuckles burned.
Evan’s voice snappel “Claire—”
“Take the wheel,” I cut in. The words burst out before I even thought them through.
“What?” He turned to me like I’d lost my mind.
“Take the damn wheel!”
For half a second he froze, but then he cursed under his breath and scrambled across the seat. The car swayed as his hands slid onto the steering wheel. But he managed to steady it,
I didn’t waste time. My hand went under my jacket and brought out mg Glock. My heart raced but I reminded myself,I’d done this many times before—on ranges, on the job. Training took over where panic wanted to rule.
I rolled the window down. Cold night air slapped into my face. I leaned out with the Glock
The motorcycle was on us now. The rider wore black from head to toe, the mask on his face was the same one I’d seen in Lila’s house. That same one with the spirals.
Rage burned through me.
“You son of a bitch,” I muttered.
He raised his gun first. Then there was another sharp crack that made my ears ring. I ducked, squeezed the trigger and fired back. Sparks of gunfire burst across the night.
The motorcycle swerved, wobbling for a second, but the rider didn’t slow down. He leaned into the turn,he was still coming straight at us. His gun stayed locked on me.
Beside me, Evan’s face was tight as he fought to keep the car on the road. His hands gripped the wheel so hard his knuckles turned white.
“Drive straight!” I yelled over the roar.
“Trying!” he barked back.
The recoil of the gun kicked hard against my arm as I fired again. The rider ducked low, then came back up with his gun aimed straight at me. For a moment, nothing else existed—just the white spiral mask on his face and his gun.
I breathed in, then out slowly. My training came back to me like a voice in my head: aim lower. I pointed at the front wheel of his bike and pulled the trigger.
The sound was so loud it made my ears ring. For a split second everything froze. Then the tire burst.
The motorcycle swerved sharply. The rider fought to control it. but the bike gave way. It scraped across the road,He slammed into the ground. Then the fuel tank blew.
The explosion tore through the night. Fire shot upward and I felt the heat hit the back of my neck.
“Shit!” Evan yelled, he was twisting the wheel as burning pieces rained down on us. The tires moved over broken metal. My head smacked the side of the window as I scrambled back inside.
In the mirror, the fireball shrank into the dark until it was gone. But my ears still buzzed, and my hands wouldn’t stop shaking.
Evan’s breath came out. “Jesus Christ.”
I reached for the wheel, reclaiming it. My palms were slick with sweat, it was trembling even though the gun was back in my lap. “We’re not going to Calder,” I said. “It’s burned. They will be watching there.”
“My house,” Evan said without missing a beat. “It’s quieter. Off the radar. No one will look for her there.”
I nodded once. My eyes fixed hard on the dark road that was ahead,.
Behind us, Lila stirred faintly under the blankets. Her lips parted, and I almost couldn't understand how she had she slept through all that. I looked at her in the mirror. Still I couldn’t lose her now.
\---
By the time we stopped in front of Ethan’s house, my whole body felt worn out.
Evan’s house was old but vintage like most of the houses in this part of town. Its brick walls glowed faintly in the moonlight, and the tall windows were shut tight. To me, it looked safe. It looked like a place to finally breathe.
Evan turned off the engine. We didn’t move right away.
“Ready?” he asked finally,
“Not even a little,” I admitted. My hands still shook on my lap.
We carried Lila together, holding her as carefully as if she might break. Her body felt too light in our arms, frighteningly light.
The house was quiet when we stepped inside. The air smelled faintly of cedar, a smell that was both old and comforting. Tall bookshelves stood against the walls, their spines faded were cracked from years of use.
“Not the couch,” Evan said softly, shifting his hold on Lila. “She’ll be better in the guest room.”
I nodded, I felt too tired to argue. Together we carried her up the narrow staircase. At the end of the hall, Evan pushed open a door with his shoulder. The guest room was small but clean, the bed was already made.
We lowered her onto the mattress as gently as we could, arranging her so she looked comfortable. I slid a pillow under her head and tucked the blanket snugly around her shoulders.
Her brow was still damp with fever But at least she was here, in a bed, not surrounded by machines and danger.
We left her resting and made our way back downstairs. The living room felt heavier without Lila in it. Ethan dropped onto the couch like his legs had finally given out. He sank into the cushions, rubbing both hands over his face, and let out a shaky breath.
“She’s safe,” he said. “For now.”
“For now,” I echoed. I wanted to believe his words. I really did
I pressed my hands to my face, dragging them down until my palms covered my mouth. My voice came out muffled.“What the hell have we gotten ourselves into?”