The Hope I Lost

Selene's breath came in shallow bursts and her heartbeat hammered against her ribs as she faced Lucian. The dim moonlight cast long shadows across his sharp features, making him seem almost inhuman. He stood with perfect ease and his gun raised, his eyes locked onto her like a predator who had finally cornered its prey. Selena felt the pain of the blood seeping from her side against her skin but she forced herself to stand tall, she couldn't show weakness, not in front of him. Lucian tilted his head slightly in amusement flickering in his gaze. 'You didn't really think you could outrun me, did you?" Selene tightened her grip on the gun. 'Maybe not but I can still put a bullet between your eyes." Lucian smirked. 'Then why haven't you?" Her fingers twitched on the trigger because she only had one shot, just one bullet left so if she missed, he would kill her without hesitation. Lucian took a slow step forward. 'You've lost, Selene, it's time you accept that." But Selene exhaled sharply, forcing her voice to remain steady. 'Funny, I was about to say the same to you." Lucian chuckled at the sound of cold and knowing. 'You're bleeding and you're alone and have nowhere left to run." His voice dropped, smooth as silk. 'I don't need to kill you, I just need to wait for you to collapse." Selene clenched her jaw, he was right, she couldn't keep this up much longer as the world around her was starting to blur and her body was already screaming for rest but she wasn't alone. As a flicker of movement in the trees behind Lucian caught her eye; Caleb. He was hidden with his gun raised, waiting for the right moment to pull the trigger Selene's heart pounded harder on sighting him. Lucian's smirk deepened. 'I can see the wheels turning in your head, you're looking for an opening, trying to find a way out but I promise you, Selene this ends tonight." Selene's muscles coiled, ready to move. 'You're right about one thing." Then Lucian raised an eyebrow and she fired. Lucian dodged at the last second, the bullet slicing past his shoulder while Selene threw herself sideways, rolling behind the nearest tree just as Caleb opened fire. Gunshots exploded in the night, sending birds scattering from the treetops with Lucian's men shouted orders, returning fire as Caleb moved fast, his bullets cutting through the air with deadly precision. Selene gritted her teeth, pressing a hand against her wound as she tried to steady herself but she had no more bullets and she was out of options. Lucian's voice rang out through the chaos. 'Enough!" And the gunfire ceased instantly, the silence that followed was suffocating. Selene's breath caught as she peeked around the tree and saw Caleb standing several feet away from her, his gun raised, his body tense. Lucian had moved back, his gun still aimed at Selene, but his posture remained relaxed as a slow smirk crossed his face. 'This is getting tedious." Selene's chest rose and fell rapidly. 'Then let us go." Lucian's eyes gleamed with something unreadable. 'I could or.." He lifted a hand. 'We change the game." Selene's stomach twisted. 'What does that mean?" Then Lucian's men stepped forward. Caleb turned sharply, raising his gun, but before he could react, a sharp crack filled the air and Selene's eyes widened in horror as Caleb's body jerked from blood blooming across his side, he staggered and dropped to one knee, his hand pressing against the wound as pain twisted his face. Selene's world title.'No!" She moved instinctively, but Lucian's gun snapped toward her again.'Don't," he said smoothly. 'Or the next shot won't be too wounding." Selene's body trembled with barely contained rage. 'You said this was over." Lucian's smirk never wavered. 'I said you lost, I never said how." Caleb let out a sharp breath, struggling to stay upright, his jaw clenched against the pain, but his eyes burned with defiance. 'You're a coward," he spat, Lucian sighed, sounding almost disappointed. 'You never learn, do you?" Selene's hands curled into fists. Lucian glanced at his men. 'Take him." Selene lunged forward, but the cold press of Lucian's gun against her temple froze her in place. Her breath caught as Caleb was grabbed, his body was too weak to resist and the moment felt surreal. Lucian's voice was calm, almost gentle. 'I told you before, Selene, you don't get to decide how this ends." Selene's heart pounded as she saw Caleb dragged away while Lucian stepped back, watching her. 'You have two choices." Selene's jaw clenched so tightly it hurt. Lucian tilted his head. 'Come with me willingly, or watch him die." Selene's chest ached and Lucian's smirk returned. 'Decide." The world blurred and Selene closed her eyes and she made her choice.