He motions for the guards to step forward, and as soon as one of them lays a hand on me, I snap. There's no way I'm leaving Avery alone with these assholes. I turn around and swing at the guard, punching him square in the face. Another makes a grab for Avery, pulling her away from me and I seefucking red.
They aren't taking her away from me—away fromus.
I lunge forward, breaking his wrist with a loud snap, forcing him to let go of her. More swarm toward me, trying to take me down in pairs, and I slam my body into them, sending them backwards onto the ground.
Behind me, I hear the commotion as Grey and Theo lash out at the guards again, trying to break free from their holds.
Someone manages to get my arm behind my back, but Avery throws her bodyweight into him, tipping him off balance. In my peripheral vision, I see her throw a punch, managing to get a guard in the nose.
That's my fucking wife.
Smiling, I move onto the next guard closest to me, splattering him against the wall with a loud sickening crack before he drops, motionless.
A roar of voices startles everyone, our heads whipping in unison to the end of the corridor to find the members ofCirque des Mortscharging down, led by Byrone at the front of the pack. The distraction gives Christopher a moment of leverage, throwing his guard across the hallway. He falls into Arthur, the older man losing his footing as he lands heavily on the ground.
"Get up!" I hear my father yell, urgently.
Immediately, I look for Avery, reaching under a guard's arm to grab her wrist. I kick the guard hard in the kneecap, feeling it break under my foot. When he goes down, I yank her to me, Avery smashing into my chest. Her gray eyes peer up at me in panic, and I'd give anything to take that fear away—to get her out of here safely.
A few guards stumble backwards, trying to move out of the way as my people slam into them. They go flying past me, falling like dominos. I grip Avery in my tight hold, spinning her around just as the sound of a gunshot rings out.
Someone yells, followed by eerie silence as I twist my head to find my father on the ground, knocked over by a guard. The gun is still in his hand, and I quickly scan my eyes over everyone—Avery, Grey, Theo, Christopher, Byrone… trying to figure out where the shot landed.
I breathe a sigh of relief when they all look fine, surveying the carcasses on the ground.
"Damon…" Avery whispers, and I turn quickly to look at her.
Her hands are outstretched, palms up, and my heart stops at the sight of them covered in blood. My gaze darts to her face, finding tears in her eyes as she stares at me wide-eyed and panicked.
"Fuck!" I hear Grey yell, but it's muffled by a ringing in my ears.
A chill runs through me and I glance down, spotting droplets of blood dripping around me onto the floor. That's when it hits me…
I'm the one that's been shot.
"Damon!" Avery screams, pain shooting through me as my legs give out and I hit the ground.
My vision starts to go hazy, darkness creeping around the edges. The last thing I see before it all goes black is Avery and Grey leaning over me, frantically mouthing my name.
