**Elena’s POV**

The sound was deafening as the gun kicked back in my hands, bruising my wrists. Dante’s body jerked backward as a small red hole appeared in his chest. He looked surprised for a split second, then the light left his eyes, and he slumped forward, his head hitting the floor with a dull thud.

The room fell silent, the smell of smoke filling the air. I stood there, my hands still shaking, looking at the man I had just killed. I didn't feel like I was in my own body; I felt like ...