Defying Fate: The Unstoppable Eileen novel Chapter 277

The silence descended like a blanket over the scene, a stillness that seemed to freeze time itself.

Eileen held Egbert's face with a grip that betrayed her urgency. Egbert remained motionless, their lips locked together in a kiss that neither seemed willing to break.

Blind to what lay behind her, Eileen couldn't tell if her mentor had managed to escape. She hoped so; her mentor had a knack for eluding capture, a talent that had kept him darting from country to country for years without once being caught.

Looking into Egbert's eyes again, Eileen could see his lashes and eyes reflecting his surprise. It wasn't every day a woman barrels into you and plants one on you without so much as a 'by your leave.' But desperate times called for desperate measures, and Eileen wasn't about to stand idly by while her mentor was taken out by Egbert.

Her mentor was a character, all right - a tight-fisted, reclusive, moody, unpredictable, sarcastic, ruthless old coot. His list of faults was longer than a grocery receipt. But he was still her mentor. A punch or two, a slice here, a gunshot there to let off steam was one thing - but Egbert could not have his life.

Fortune was on her side; this wasn't the first time Eileen had kissed Egbert. They had kissed countless times while filming "Eyes on the Rendezvous," to the point where it felt like a job requirement. Eileen reminded herself to approach this like just another scene - no big deal, no need to overthink or get jittery, and certainly no need for her heart to be pounding like she was in the middle of a rave.

After a mental pep talk and assuming her mentor had made his getaway, Eileen released Egbert's face and tried to step back. But disentangling herself proved trickier than she'd anticipated.

In the next instant, Egbert's strong hand clamped onto the back of her neck, keeping her close. Eileen froze for a second before she felt his lips move against hers. A soft bite, tinged with pain but followed by a strange, tingling sensation, sent her heartbeat racing. This was not going according to plan.

Eileen furrowed her brows and started to struggle. Egbert's gaze was intense, but after a moment, he released her without further insistence.

She stumbled back, her lips slightly swollen, and turned away, only to find herself face-to-face with a pair of cold grey eyes.

Eileen rolled her eyes, totally speechless.

What in the world? All that effort, and he was still here?

Was he just watching the show?

"You…" Before Eileen could get another word out, Egbert's arm shot up, his gun aimed squarely at NightKing. Eileen, acting on impulse, wrapped her arms around Egbert's, shouting at her indifferent mentor, "Run, you idiot!"

NightKing was speechless. He gave her a long look before, with a frown, he turned and dashed away.

Only when NightKing was out of sight did Eileen release Egbert. She then saw him looking at her, his face a thundercloud of displeasure.

Startled, Eileen swallowed her guilt and quickly said, "We should hide—he'll call for backup for sure."

Egbert stood frozen, unmoving. Eileen tugged at him, "Let's move!"

Five minutes later, they had squirreled themselves away in a hotel room.

Once the door was securely locked, Eileen pulled out her phone and logged into a live-streaming app to keep an eye on the situation downstairs via the global broadcast.

The scene on her screen was eerily serene. No one was speaking; everyone seemed to be on their best behaviour. Strangely enough, her mentor was conspicuously absent from the camera's viewpoint.

Suddenly, the phone was yanked from her grip. Craning her neck, she looked up to find Egbert, face cast in shadow, his deep eyes swirling with a storm so potent it threatened to break free.

Startled, Eileen quickly patted down his chest, trying to soothe him, "Easy there, don't get your knickers in a twist. No use getting all worked up."

Egbert seized her wrist suddenly, his voice icy, "Explain. Now."

Eileen's eyes darted around, and she carefully began, "It's not like I meant to save him, it's just that... he can't die yet."

Egbert narrowed his eyes.

"He's the head of the Bloodbane Shadowsociety, and somehow he got mixed up with the Frostsglow rebels. What's he after? Are there other groups backing him? He's a walking question mark, and shooting him now would be a waste when he's got so much more to tell."

Egbert remained silent.