Page 69 of Cole: Bloodlines
Cole turned and whispered to Gabe, “Get the kids back around the corner, out of the line of fire.”
“What’re you going to do?” Gabe asked tensely.
Cole exhaled slowly. “Kill the motherfucker.”
“You can’t have a shootout in the fucking dark,” Gabe hissed. “It’s too dangerous.”
“I’m not.”
“What’s it going to be, son?” the Mangler called out.
Cole waved Gabe and the kids back. “What’s there to talk about?” Cole hollered back. “I tried to kill you. Why would I trust you not to shoot me?”
A low, eerie chuckle reverberated down the corridor. “You think I’m angry about that? That was youprovingyou’remyson. You drew blood without being forced. That’s your true nature coming through. I’mproudof you, Henry.”
“My handwasforced,” Cole said. “I did it to protect my husband.”
“I understand why you believe that, but you made the choice. That was the first step. Eachcutafter this will become easier, and the thrill will grow.”
“I’m not going to kill for you.”
“Of course, not,” the Mangler drawled. “You will killfor you.”
Cole's stomach turned at the man's unwavering conviction. The thought of that contaminated blood coursing through his body made his skin crawl, as if his veins had become highways for something vile that needed to be drained away, no matter the cost.
“You would do better than your brother. He was messy and lacked self-control from the very start. If you hadn’t fought me as a young boy, you would be a master at your craft now. You possess so much potential, Henry. I can’t give up on you. You are my perfect prodigy.”
Cole rose slowly from his crouched position. The gun hung heavy at his side, barrel pointed downward, his trigger finger straightening against the guard. Sweat trickled between his shoulder blades despite the frigid air.
“Cole...” Gabe whispered tightly from the shadows, his voice barely audible, yet sharp with warning. “Don't...”
“Find the exit,” Cole whispered back. “Get the kids out of here. He isn’t going to harm me.”
“Cole, I…”
“Just do it,” Cole insisted. “They can’t be here in case something goes wrong.”
“I can’t just leave you.”
“You have to.” Cole turned and squatted before Gabe. He touched his face and kissed him. “I will never be free of this monster until I confront it. Even if we escaped, but he still lived… it wouldn’t be over.Ihave to end it—now. Or he will haunt me for the rest of my life.”
Gabe gripped his husband’s head. “It isn’t just him. The deputy is here somewhere, too. You can’t fight them both, not alone.”
“I don’t think I’m alone,” Cole whispered. “Those weren’t target practice shots we heard before. Someone else is here—either Clint and Cochise, or the giant. But I’m not alone.”
Gabe pressed his head to Cole’s. “I don’t like this,” he said thickly. “We’re supposed to be a team. What happened to,no more solo shit?”
“This isn’t the same,” Cole murmured. “We’re not doing dangerous stuff behind each other’s backs. And wearea team. Your role is to get the kids to safety. Mine… is to confront the monster.”
“Seems like you got the shitty end of that stick,” Gabe mumbled.
“I can handle it,” Cole assured, his voice steadier than his pulse. “I know I was losing it before, but he was in my head then, making me think he held all the cards. He doesn't.” He leaned forward and kissed Gabe, their foreheads pressing together, sharing breath in the dank chill of the corridor. “We'reallgoing to make it out of here, baby. We're all going home.” He brushed his thumb across Gabe's stubbled jawline, kissed him once more—quick, desperate—then pulled away. “Now go.”
Cole turned around and rose to his feet, the weight of the gun pulling at his arm.
“Be careful,” Gabe whispered tightly, fingers lingering on Cole's sleeve before falling away.
“I will.” Cole moved forward cautiously along the dark corridor, each footstep muffled against concrete filmed with decades of grime. “I'm here,” he called out to the Mangler, his voice echoing dully off the mildewed concrete walls. “I'll talk.” He squinted through the shadows, where darkness pooled like oil. “Where are you?”
