Healed By Love

CHAPTER 8

AUDELIA'S POV

"Arrow?" I call out as I enter my apartment. I whistle once as I remove my boots, setting my bag to the side. A feeling of uneasiness washes over me as I hear nothing- no barks or paws hitting the floor.

For the past few hours, I was out. I had gone for my training before I went to 'The Den' – the perfect spot for underground fights owned by me- for my weekly fights. Once it was over I headed straight to my apartment but something was amiss.

Despite everything looking in its place, I felt it in my guts that something was off. Taking my gun out from my waistband, I remove the safety and hold it in front of me as I advance quietly inside. The windows are closed, nothing is broken. Turning towards my room, I halt.

I catch a glimpse of a shadow from under the door as the person behind moves to the side. I hear more shuffling and conclude that there are more than one. They most likely have Arrow with them which make the small bubble of anger grow because no one touches what is mine.

"I know you are in there." I say in a sing-song voice as I approach the door. "If you open the door, I might be less brutal." More shuffling follows as well as whispers. Just this alone gives an idea of how experience they have or in their case, how much they lack.

"Let's make a deal." I lean against the wall, observing whatever I can see through the little area. "If you come out without any fight, I will consider letting you go. So?"

"No!" One shouts and I smirk to myself as his shadow moves closer to the door. Judging by the position of his shadow, I aim for his feet and fire. The bullet breaks through my bedroom door and indeed, I hear a pained groan followed by a 'thud' as he falls.

"Last chance." I warn. "Or it will be your head." The door handle twists lightly before returning back to its original position as the door remains locked. "You are really testing my patience right now." I move away from the wall towards the door.

Shaking my head, I kick open the door, ignoring the pain that travels up my leg. Splinters of wood fly off as the lock gets broken and the door opens with a loud bang when it makes contact with the wall. "Hello gentlemen." I say with a smirk, twirling my gun between my fingers as two men drag the one who got shot in the leg towards the open window. "Leaving already?" I cock an eyebrow at them, my smirk turning into a grin as their eyes widen with fear.

"You might have gotten in here without my permission but you won't leave without my accord." I say and shoot the already injured men in the forehead. The others abruptly let go of his body, taking out their own gun.

"Drop your gun!" One nearly shouts, his voice trembling.

"This?" I show him my gun before throwing it to the side. "Done." I clap my hands together. "Now what?"

"Put your hands up." He says, his voice growing firmer thinking he got me. I put my hands up in mock surrender. "Out." He points to the door as he approaches me.

I move backwards keeping my hands up in the air. He stands only a few feet away from me as we move towards the door. "So, who are you?" I ask lightly

"Don't ask questions." He smirks at me and I refrain from rolling my eyes. I move leisurely, taking my time, observing their movements. Once at the door, I stop, putting my hands down and lean against the door frame. "Move."

"Or?" I challenge.

"I will shoot you." He says cockily.

"With what?" I smirk as in one swift movement, I take the gun from him and disassemble it in a flash- a trick I learnt long time back- before throwing the different parts on the floor. "Oops." I shrug.

His eyes darts between the broken pieces on the floor and me. He charges at me but I block his punch easily. I punch him in the face and he staggers back. His friend comes out of my room, gun drawn. Quickly, I place my hands on the shoulder of the falling man, using him to propel my feet against the wall. Using the momentum I gained, I run against the wall, supported by my grip on his shoulder as I near the other man. Kicking the gun from him hand, I push away from the wall and my body arches in the air as I use my grip of the man to flip over him, landing on my feet behind him.

While he still processes what happens, I kick him in the back of his knee, causing him to fall down. The other guy charges at me but I block his fist that was about to collide with my face. I twist it, earning a sharp cry from him and I knee him in the stomach.

The other one who was one the floor comes behind me but I already feel him and I angle my elbow and it collides with his throat, cutting off his breath for a second as he wheezes. Grabbing the back of his neck, I collide his face with my knee.

The sound of a gun clocking gains my attention as I turn around. The one who had been kneed in the stomach was up, gun pointed at me. I cross my arms leisurely in front of me letting out a sigh. "Let him go or-"

I do not let him finish his sentence as I say, "Or what? You will shoot me?" I arch a brow at him. "Go on. Do it." I dare him. His eyes dart between his friend struggling to get on his feet and me as he grips the gun tightly with both hands.

"Stop." He threatens as I move near him. "We need you alive." He says and I shake my head to myself. I let out a humourless chuckle. I stand in front of him, his gun only centimeters away from my forehead.

I hook my index and middle finger around the barrel, tugging it until it is pressed against my forehead. "Do it." My voice comes out in a whisper, a cold whisper as I look at him in the eyes. A bead of sweat falls down his forehead.

"We need you alive." He gulps.

"Excuses." I tsk, shaking my head. "The truth is, you cannot shoot me." I lower the barrel with my finger as his eyes widen. "You don't have the guts."

"I- I can." He says as my eyes narrow on him.

"Well, do it then." I rile him up. "Or are you too weak? Cannot handle blood? Aww your hands are trembling." I mock as he aims at me again.

"I will shoot you!"

"Do it." As his fingers rest on the trigger, about to pull it, my hand shoots out and closes around his, my fingers rest on his as I twist on my spot, my back facing him before elbowing him in the throat and applying pressure on his fingers to pull the trigger. A bullet flies out directly into the other men's forehead. 

"That's how you do it." I let go of him as he falls.

I drag his body to a chair and tie him up before rushing in my room to check for Arrow. I find him in the corner of the room, sleeping. "Arrow?" I nudge him lightly but he does not wake up. His breathing comes out regular but I know he is under some sort of drugs. I fish out my phone from my pocket before dialling Rick- my most trusted man- and informing him of everything that happened and calling the Vet.

Placing Arrow on my bed, I exit the room just in time as the men stirs awake. Taking a jug of water, I empty its content on him. He jerks awake, mumbling something under his breath. He panics as he takes in his surrounding. Before he has a chance to faint or anything, I grip his chin, the grip bruising as I force him to look at me.

"Who are you?" I ask firmly.

"Please let me go. They will kill me." His eyes tear up.

"Cut the bullshit." I snap. "Answer my questions because if they don't kill you I will."

"Plea-" I cut him off by increasing my pressure around his chin. He sighs and I release my hold slightly. I scoff. "They told us to get you alive. We just entered the mafia. They said they would include us in their inner circle if we did."

"So you are new to this whole thing?"

"Yes." He nods.

"And they sent you three to get me?"

He nods again. "I'm embarrassed." I huff, letting go of him. "Do they really that low of me?" The amusement is evident in my tone. "Who sent you?" I ask curiously.

"The Russians."