Elegbede_Habeeb

The first time they met, it felt like fate. The second time, it felt like a warning.

She was running from a past that refused to die. He was chasing a future that seemed just out of reach. When their worlds collided, it was more than just love—it was an obsession, a wildfire that threatened to burn them both alive.

But love isn’t always salvation. Sometimes, it’s destruction in disguise.

Bound by Fire: Ashes of Desire

A heavy silence settled over the room as everyone stared at the screen. The man in the grainy image was not just a threat—he was the threat. The one who had been relentlessly tracking them, forcing them into the shadows.

Luca clenched his jaw. "You want us to capture him? Alive?"

Declan leaned back against the desk, his smirk never wavering. "I know it sounds impossible. But you're the only ones who've managed to stay ahead of him this long. That makes you my best shot."

Rayna scoffed. "And why the hell do you want him?"

Declan's eyes darkened. "Let's just say he and I have unfinished business. And I'd rather settle it while he's still breathing."

Julian exhaled sharply, rubbing his face. "This is insane. He's not just some bounty we can track down—he's a damn ghost."

Vaughn crossed his arms. "If we try to capture him, we're as good as dead."

Declan's smirk widened. "Not if you do it right."

He turned to one of his many monitors, pressing a few keys. A new image appeared—security footage from a dimly lit parking garage. The Hunter was there, standing in the shadows, speaking with someone whose face was obscured.

"This was taken two nights ago," Declan said. "Your friend here? He's working with someone. And I have reason to believe they're meeting again tonight."

Declan tapped the screen, zooming in on a timestamp and location marker.

"A warehouse on the docks. Midnight."

Luca exchanged glances with the others. It was reckless. Dangerous. Maybe even suicidal. But if this was their chance to finally get ahead of The Hunter—to stop running and start fighting back—could they afford to let it slip away?

Julian sighed. "We're really doing this, aren't we?"

Declan clapped his hands together. "Good. Then let's talk strategy."

The air was thick with salt and oil, the scent of the sea mixing with the distant hum of cargo ships. The warehouse loomed before them, its rusted exterior blending into the night. A single dim light flickered above the entrance.

Luca crouched behind a stack of shipping containers, eyes locked on the warehouse door. "Any movement?" he whispered.

Julian, peering through a pair of binoculars, gave a slow nod. "Two guards outside. Armed."

Rayna pulled her hood tighter over her head. "And inside?"

Declan's voice crackled softly through their earpieces. "Thermal scans show at least five bodies. Could be more."

Vaughn checked his gun. "So what's the plan?"

Luca exhaled. "We go in quiet. Take out the guards, secure the exits. Once we spot The Hunter, we strike fast and hard."

Julian muttered under his breath. "Yeah. Because that's worked so well for us before."

Luca shot him a look. "We don't have a choice."

Rayna tightened her grip on her knife. "Then let's do this."

They moved like shadows, weaving through the maze of cargo containers. As they reached the warehouse entrance, Vaughn and Julian flanked the two guards. A swift strike—a silenced shot—and the bodies slumped to the ground.

Luca pressed his back against the metal door, glancing at the others. "On my count."

He pushed the door open, and they slipped inside.

The warehouse was vast, rows of towering shelves casting long, eerie shadows. The air smelled of rust and damp wood.

Luca's grip tightened around his weapon. If The Hunter was here, they had mere minutes before he realized the trap was closing around him.

Then, a deep voice cut through the silence.

"I was wondering when you'd show up."

Every muscle in Luca's body tensed.

From the darkness, The Hunter stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

"You didn't really think you could hunt me, did you?"

A Hunt for the Hunter