Free Swept Away by Melanie Matthews Page A

you’re there…” He shakes his head. “I don’t know what I’d do if anything were to happen to you. I’d forever be in misery.”
    I cradle his head on my lap. I run my fingers through his hair. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll survive. You’ll survive. Camilla will never know she was meant to be sacrificed. Emilio will die.”
    Gabriel looks up and into my eyes. “Yes, he will.”

That Fancy Accent Doesn’t Fool Me
     
     
    Gabriel and I turn on Santa Maria Circle. He checks in on Camilla. She’s at home, safe. He leaves, on foot, seeking Emilio, assuming he’s nearby. I wait in my house, nerves on end. I pace and pace and pace. I clutch my phone to my chest, hoping it’ll never ring. If it rings that means bad news. 
    It rings. I panic and answer. “Hello?” I say, not recognizing the number.
    “Senorita,” Emilio says. “Darling, Daria, where is Gabriel?”
    “Out looking for you,” I say.
    He laughs. “Good luck. Daria, I want you to get in your car and meet me. I’m texting you the directions.”
    The text reveals a road nearby. 
    “Why?” I ask.
    “I want to meet, talk.”
    “I’m not going to let you sacrifice Camilla. You’re not going to take Gabriel’s immortality away. I’ll kill you myself if I have to.”
    “My, my, what tales our Gabriel has been telling.”
    “You’re saying he’s lying?”
    “Meet me, Daria and I’ll give you the truth, not fairy tales.”
    I know I shouldn’t. I know I should call Camilla.
    “Don’t call anyone,” says Emilio, as if reading my thoughts. 
    “I’m on my way.”
    “Gracias, senorita,” he says, and then hangs up.
    It’s late. My parents are on their way home. I’m torn between telling them everything and telling them nothing. What if Emilio kills them? No, I can’t take that chance. I must protect them. I must protect Camilla and Gabriel. I have to meet Emilio. I know where my dad keeps his gun. I know the combination. I open the safe and retrieve the .357, and load the bullets. Emilio’s mortal. He can die. I won’t miss.             
    I shut my headlights off when I turn onto the road. He’s nowhere in sight. I keep moving, at a snail’s pace, in the dark. One hand is on the wheel, the other holding the gun. My finger is on the trigger. I finally come to a stop. Have I been stood up? My heart skips a beat, thinking that this was all a ruse to get to Camilla. How could I have been so stupid?!
    I decide to turn around, flee. I cut on my lights. Someone is standing in the road. It’s Emilio, smiling. I rev the engine, preparing to run him over. He’s not smiling anymore. He darts out of the way just as I slam my foot down on the accelerator. I keep driving, hoping to find another way out, but when I reach the end, I realize it’s a dead end road. Clever, Emilio, clever.
    I shift gears, propelling in reverse. I collide with another vehicle. Lights shine bright in my rearview mirror, blinding me. Emilio is behind me, foot on the accelerator, pushing me. He makes one final push, jolting me forward, out of control. I open the door and fall out, onto the ground. The gun is in my hand. I stand and shoot. The first bullet hits his windshield. I circle towards his driver’s door, at the window, and fire. The glass shatters. I hear a door creak open. He’s crawled out of the car. I circle around the vehicle again. I can’t waste any more ammo. I walk, light on my feet, but in the dark, even with the cars’ headlights, it’s hard to see. I fall and trip on an unseen rock. My gun goes off. 
    “You bitch!” Emilio yells and tears the gun from my hand.
    He’s pointing it between my eyes, as I lay on the ground. 
    “Did I get you?” I say, hopeful.             
    “No, you’re a lousy shot.” He cocks the hammer. “But I’m not.”
    “Why kill me here, now? You had your chance plenty of times.”
    “I’m not going to kill you.” He raises the gun, away from my face. He points towards the