I don’t have long, so I jerk out my guns to start firing into the masses. Blood spatters, and I check my mask to make sure it’s still intact as I twist and swirl through the congestion. I taste the death of the fallen around me, and I stare into the pale eyes as I fire freely. Very few of them are wearing masks, and I only pray once I lose my invincibility, my blood doesn’t find its way to their mouths.
Oh damn. That would be so, so bad. Then everyone would know what I can do for them. Not to mention I’d have to fuc-
My thoughts are cut short when I see a grenade being launched toward our cavalry, and I shoot at it to force a premature explosion. It rains down its uranium blast, and everyone rushes away from the falling, burning debris. I can feel my invincibility wavering, and I know I don’t have long before it vanishes completely. I look up to the top, and I see Brazen still firing into the blood running packs while Hale continues to try and fight the multitudes rushing the edges for freedom.
He doesn’t have long either. Who knows if Grayson can continue ashing into the crowd without burning through his olophine too rapidly. It’s now or never.
I throw my arms out to stop the hail of bullets pelting down from the sky, and I fling them back into the crowds while carefully dodging our men.
“You really want to get out of here,” I murmur with an eerie tone as I stare at our standing men.
Their faces go pale, and they begin clambering over each other to try to reach the sides. I begin flinging the grenades sitting idly on the ground, and I awaken them to be the explosive balls of mayhem they love to be as my gift carries them to the fools who have really pissed me off. Why are there so many?
With the extreme masses still teeming in the bottom of this bowl, I’m forced to lose sight of some of them. Now that I’ve sent away my backup, my blind spots leave me vulnerable. I feel a sharp piercing pain as my blood is drawn from my side, and my gift slings my blindside attackers sailing backwards as the gunshots from above rapidly increase in a frenzied response.
Brazen saw that.
Just as I turn around to throw others back, an enormous explosion ignites below their feet to send them sailing into the air.
Apparently Hale saw me get shot as well. Damn it.
I promised them I could do this on my own, and this bowl-like setting could possibly keep my explosive gift that is building confined. I keep stopping bullets midair and launching thrown grenades. I keep dodging close calls and dancing through the dead bodies lying cold at my feet. Each step brings me closer to the deadly finale at my fingertips, and I’m almost praying it hurries its pace when a new bullet strikes me.
Then suddenly I feel a large blast that knocks me off my feet. A fucking grenade has exploded right beside me, and I never saw it coming.
“Araya!” I hear screamed in unison as I fall to the ground, and explosions rattle out with more panic as I see the hillside crumbling.
I throw my arms out, but I’m too weak to use my gift now. I start shooting into the men firing at me as I drag myself behind a rock. Suddenly shots ring out from behind me as the rocks from above trickle down. Brazen launches two grenades as he scoops me up from the ground with one arm around my waist.
Hale joins us as he blasts into the crowd, and then he screams, “That’s all I’ve got without going savage. Get her out of here. I’ll hold them back.”
“Hale, no,” I whimper as he takes three shots to his side, and then suddenly the fight shifts.
The ground vibrates, rattles, and the rocks from behind us crash into the swarm of men. I look around in disbelief as they are forced to the ground, submission being their only choice, and Grayson screams out as he ashes all of the subdued men. But how are they subdued? That’s my gift. That’s my power. No one else can have it unless…
In a blink the massacre has been brought to a halt, but I know what Grayson had to do to exert that much power. And I know if someone other than me used that ability that means…
I look up to see the dilated eyes of Grayson as he stalks toward Angelica, and she lowers her hands to her sides while staring at me with the guilt in her eyes now more pronounced. Understanding floods through me like a sick feeling as every inch of my body is covered in chills. Nausea attacks me, and my eyes blur from the tears I’m trying to restrain.
No. It’s not possible. She can’t be my… no.
“I’m sorry,” she mouths, and then Grayson’s arms wrap around her as his fervent attack consumes her lips.
She throws her arms around him, and I see her pull a vial of olophine out as she prepares to sacrifice her body to him. I’m so overwhelmed by this sudden revelation, I can’t even fathom what to say or do.
“Araya,” Hale winces out as he bleeds profusely. “You need blood. Come on.”
Brazen drops his weapons so he can fully carry me, and his lips press against my forehead as he climbs up the steep bank. Hale reaches the top first, and Brazen hands me to him when he has to use his hands to climb the rest of the way out.
Hale rushes me over to a military vehicle and lays me down on the seat. He leans over to pull out a blood pack, and he rips it open before handing it to me. I guzzle it down as he grabs two for himself. My wounds are more substantial than his, but I heal off much less blood. I feel the magic of the blood working as it ignites against my healing cells, and I breathe in the first painless breath I’ve had since the explosion.
“Baby, are you okay?” Brazen pants out as he moves beside me to start inspecting my closing wounds.
My eyes look away from both of the men I love, and I see Angelica leading Grayson to the back of a vehicle as she goes to sacrifice her body to bring him down.
“She has my gift,” I almost whisper.
They both remain silent, and I see Hale’s body healing out of the corner of my eye as he sips on the second pack of blood.
