Page 101 of Scorned
He was in a standoff, being shot repeatedly as he fought his way through six guards. One lifted a crossbow, aiming it at his back and Sage took aim, shooting the guard in the chest twice as Winnie and I simultaneously took out the rest of the guards.
“Thanks.” Ravage slouched against the wall completely covered in blood. I counted at least seven wounds as he caught his breath, healing quickly. “I’m glad these aren’t silver,” he said, picking a bullet out.
Once he was ready, he fell into step with us as we continued on, making our way through each area, killing anyone who was in our way. I didn’t bother counting the amount of bodies we were leaving behind.
We had finally made it to the main area of the Hive and cleared it when my first wave of exhaustion hit me.
Sage stopped by the exit and said, “This door goes to the intake and decontamination area, which leads outside. We need to make sure everyone is out before we leave. Do you have updates on everyone’s location?”
“I did a few mins ago,” Winnie answered, shaking his head, his eyes worried. “Everyone is out but Marcus and he’s not answering.”
“We can’t leave anyone behind. I have to go back.” Sage turned away, the sound of her heart thundering loudly in my ears.
I grabbed her arm, halting her. “We go back. We go back together,” I said, and her eyes searched my face before she nodded.
Each of us took a second to reload before we headed back toward Public Health. Clearing the hallway as we went.
We’d finally come upon the main door to the next area and right when Winnie went to pull the handle, it opened on its own. Each of us raised our guns, quickly halting ourselves as Marcus limped through it.
“Whoa, shit,” he whispered, the smell of fresh blood filling my nostrils. I glanced down at his hand holding onto his side. He had taken a bullet to the abdomen.
“Marcus,” Sage yelled, relief in her voice. “I’m glad you’re okay. Follow us toward . . .” Her words trailed off as she finally noticed his wound. “No, no, no!” She ran to him, throwing her hands over it.
“I’m okay. It’s just a flesh wound.”
Ravage locked eyes with me because we both knew by the sound of his heart, it wasn’t a flesh wound.
“Can one of them give you blood?” Sage asked, and Marcus shook his head.
“There’s no time for that, plus I wouldn’t be able to walk because of the euphoria. I’m too heavy to be carried, so just get me to my brother, please.”
Ravage put one of Marcus’s arms over his shoulder, and I put his other over mine before sliding my hand across his backside into something wet. A hard breath left me when I realized the blood came from another wound on his lower back.
I met Marcus’s eyes and he shook his head, telling me to shut up. He either didn’t want Sage to know or he didn’t want to be a vampire. Possibly both.
My heart hurt, my chest heavy with each step Ravage and I took, assisting Marcus with seeing his brother one last time.
Winnie and Sage led the way, clearing any threats, and Carmen stayed to the side, unsure of what to do until we finally made it to Decontamination.
That was when the second wave of exhaustion hit, my eyes unfocusing, the white walls making me dizzy.
The hall was the longest I’d ever been in, clear of any dead bodies or people. We took a few twists and turns before stopping at the exit.
Winnie tapped his badge and the door beeped, the light staying red. “Fuck!”
“Let me try,” Sage said, tapping her badge, and the door beeped again.
Winnie put his hand to his earbud. “Jimmy, we’re at the entrance and can’t get out.” Silence. “Have you tried—”
Gunshots flew down the hall toward us and Ravage and I moved in unison, attempting to get Marcus out of the way. A bullet hit me in the lower right side of my back and I hissed.
Winnie and Sage immediately stepped around us and shot toward the threat, and Carmen followed suit.
“We’re clear,” Winnie said before clicking his ear piece again. “Hurry up. We’re sitting ducks here!”
Winnie’s eyes darted to mine and he realized the same thing I had. Marcus’s heartbeat slowed tremendously, almost stopping.
The door clicked, then made a whooshing sound when opening.
