Storm (Elemental 1)

Hunter cocked the gun. “Try me.”

“Gabriel,” said Michael, his voice sharp.

“It is you,” said Becca, her voice shaking. That gun was way too frigging close to her face. “You’re the Guide.”

“No,” said Hunter. His eyes didn’t leave his target. “My father was.”

His father was? But his father had died months ago. “Hunter,” she whispered. “Think about this. Just—”

“Think about it? All I’ve done is think about it.” His hand was steady, the gun not wavering. But she heard something in his voice, a tremor in the words, maybe. He kept his eyes on Michael. “I read my dad’s notes. He wasn’t coming here to kill you. He should have been. You sure didn’t have a problem killing him.”

Becca had to stop looking at his finger on the trigger. “Please, Hunter. Put the gun down.”

He didn’t move. He didn’t even blink.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Michael, his voice careful.

“You’ve killed people,” said Hunter. “A girl, right? Seth Ramsey’s parents?”

Michael hesitated—then nodded.

Becca swallowed.

Hunter drew a breath, and this time she heard it shake. “You knew my father was coming for you.”

Michael shook his head. “No. I didn’t. I don’t know who your father—”

“You knew!” Hunter’s voice cracked. “You had to know!”

Casper barked.

Becca flinched.

“Easy,” breathed Michael. “I swear to you—”

“Shut up,” said Hunter. “You got away with three murders. You’re not getting away with five.”

“I didn’t know,” said Michael. “I swear to you, I didn’t know.”

“His father was killed in a rock slide,” Becca said, the words falling out of her mouth in a rush. “His father and his uncle. Hunter was in the car—”

“Becca!” Hunter’s voice made her jump.

“You want to talk dead parents?” said Gabriel. “Get in line.”

“Shut up,” said Hunter.

“You shut up. A rock slide? Some f**king power your father had, he couldn’t even—”

Hunter put the barrel of the gun against Gabriel’s forehead. “You. Shut. Up.”

Gabriel shut up.

“Listen to me,” said Michael, his voice low and rapid and almost shaking. “I didn’t mean for that girl to die. We were at the quarry and the rocks gave. I knew it was happening. I stopped it before anyone else got hurt. But I was angry. Her brother and his friends were chasing us, so I hesitated, just for an instant. I just wanted to slow them down.” He drew a tremulous breath full of emotion. “I didn’t want to hurt her. I never meant to hurt her. I regret it every day.”

Hunter didn’t move.

“Seth Ramsey’s parents came after me,” said Michael. “After all of us. We went to Seth’s house and tried to work it out. But they wanted a fight. My parents weren’t ready. My brothers and I, we didn’t know what we were doing. We were so young. We just wanted them to stop fighting. There was a fire. It just—it was so fast.” His voice broke. “Not everyone got out.”