Chapter 18 · Guns on the Fortress

"Get your hand off that switch, Julian, or I put a bullet through Gabriel's head."

My voice shook once. Then it stopped.

Julian stood behind the control console with one palm pressed to the red firing plate. Three black monitors showed the fortress guns waking one by one. Outside the reinforced glass, Gabriel slammed his shoulder into the sealed blast door.

The door barely moved.

Blood ran from his temple, down the side of his face, and disappeared beneath his collar.

Julian smiled at me through the glass. "You really think you can threaten me with his gun?"

I tightened my grip around the pistol. "It's loaded. Try me."

"That gun belongs to Vance. So does this fortress. So do you, if we're being honest."

The words hit harder than they should have.

The titanium collar around my throat flashed red. My blood signature burned under my skin, hot lines crawling from my neck to my fingertips. Every pulse made my vision jump.

Gabriel hit the door again.

"Elena! Don't listen to him. Get away from the console."

"You don't get to give orders right now," I snapped.

His dark eyes locked onto mine through the glass.