Nothing happened.
Miller laughed, teeth scarlet, as I threw the gun at his shredded face. Lucas fell back, gripping his arm to his chest. Blood dripped to the floor, but he pushed himself up. “Sophia, you have to go now?—”
A shout from the front of the house caught our attention. “Colonels? We heard shots?—”
Miller screamed for help. Still pushing me away, Lucas yanked his spiral blade from Miller’s wrist, and rammed it through the most fatal place he could reach. Footsteps entered the house.
Lucas grabbed my hand.
We ran, slipping through the doorway. I met the eyes of one guard, who stared in confusion as Lucas darted past.
His voice echoed behind us as we reached a side door. “Colonel?”
“He attacked us!” Lucas sent them on a false trail. “He’s back there!”
Behind us, Jack screamed, “Get him! Don’t let him get away!”
The guards headed further into the house as we burst into the chilly night air. We fled down the dark neighborhood street, Luke cradling his arm. I tried not to step on anything too sharp. Adrenaline faded fast, and my back screamed at me. Every jolting step throbbed like fiery knives in my flesh. Rocks dug into my bare feet. My gaze darted left and right, peering at the dark houses.
An engine roared to life behind us, and Luke jerked me to the side. He pressed me against the trunk of a large oak, his arms on either side of me, caging me in.
“Shh.”
I struggled to control my ragged breathing, each breath louder than the one before.
A Humvee sped by.
Lucas dragged me onto the street while shouts echoed behind us.
The silver Jeep was parked where he said it would be. I scrambled into the passenger seat and handed him the key he’d given me earlier. We zoomed down the street without headlights, whipping past guards who shouted and ran after us.
Driving in silence, the stress of the last few minutes washed over me. My heart pounded, and the images pulsed with each beat.
Panic set in.
“Hey,” he said, voice eerily relaxed. “It’s okay. Breathe. You’re almost done. A few more minutes and it will be done.”
No, it wouldn’t! We’d killed five of his fellow Blood Colonels. How would we ever untangle the knots we’d tied? My hands shook. Stained with blood, I tried to wipe them on the silk, but the blood had already dried. I couldn’t breathe.
“Sophia?”
I glanced at him. He drove one-handed, his right arm cradled against his chest.
“Breathe.” He said it so calmly. “In and out. Think of the forest. Tall trees. Warm rain. Cypress.”
I nodded and forced myself to simmer down.
“You okay now?”
“No, I’m not fucking okay, Lucas. I killed a man today. I had a Brotherhood Cross carved into my back today. I’ve been a prisoner for a week.”
He said nothing, his face lined and stiff.
I took a breath. “I need a minute.”
He nodded.
I studied him again, lingering over the blood spatters. Bruised and bloody fingers gripped the steering wheel.
