Page 90 of Hades’ Revenge

Something is off.

“What is it?” she asked.

Atticus and Zeus rushed toward us, but it was too late to retreat. I grabbed Capri’s arm and shoved her to the ground, taking in the scene before me. She gasped when Zeus drew his gun. The person in the back of the silver SUV lowered the window just enough to get the shot they needed. Chaos erupted around me. I was usually the one taking aim. But not tonight.

Atticus looked over his shoulder as I tugged my gun from my pants and gripped the black metal, but I lost my focus when the sparks from the street popped and cracked in my direction. Capri shouldn’t be with me. Her safety came above all else. Atticus slammed into me, forcing me to the pavement.

"Stay down,” he said, his voice low and strained.

I sheltered Capri from the gunfire with my own body, holding her tight against my chest, leaving my back vulnerable to an attack. What choice did I have? She would always come first.

After the shooter got off six shots, the wheels on the oversized vehicle screeched into the distance, leaving us in the aftermath of the moment. Zeus took off, probably trying to get a plate, as I held Capri close to me. Her small frame trembled against me, but her breaths were strong. I leaned back to assess her, but when she looked up at me, her eyes widened.

“Were you hit?” I smoothed my hands along her neck and over her chest. “Are you okay?”

“I… No!” She pointed at me. “You’re bleeding.”

TWENTY-SIX

Capri

Sebastian shoved me to the ground without any warning. Despite how fast the scene unfolded before me, the events processed inside my head in slow motion. The SUV sped down the street, but in an instant, it stopped, almost as if the driver suspected we’d be there.

As Zeus raised his gun, someone lowered the window of the car in front of us. My body went numb when I realized what we were in the middle of. Atticus rushed toward Sebastian, knocking him to the ground.

“Stay down.” Atticus’ voice was lower than I would have anticipated in such a chaotic moment.

Sebastian wrapped himself around me, cradling me against him and holding me close. I breathed in the scent of him, trying not to freak out. But how could I not when we were showered in bullets? Just when I thought the attack would never end, a quietness blanketed the street before the vehicle of doom drove off.

I violently shook against Sebastian’s chest, waiting for his instructions. He let go of me and quickly searched me for injuries.

“Were you hit?” He swept his hands along my body, keeping me calm and focused. “Are you okay?”

We were okay. Neither of us had been hurt.

“I…” The bloodstain on the side of his shoulder paralyzed me, halting that temporary tranquility. “No! You’re bleeding.”

“No,” he said. “I wasn’t shot.”

He dropped his gaze to his shirt, taking in the stain before letting me go and turning toward Atticus who hadn’t moved since the shooting stopped.

“Atticus!” Sebastian touched Atticus’ leg as Zeus hurried over. “Hey.”

“Was he hit?” Zeus dropped down next to them.

“I’m fine.” Atticus winced.

“You’re not fine.” I crawled over Sebastian to get to Atticus. “You’re bleeding.”

He touched his ribs. “Ouch.”

“Let’s get some pressure on that.” Sebastian pressed his hand against Atticus’ side. “We need to get off this street.”

“Do you want me to call an ambulance?” I asked.

All three of them yelled ‘no’ in unison. Why wouldn’t I call for help? Wasn’t that the sensible thing to do?

“You’re going to let him bleed out on the street?” I ran my hand through my hair. “He needs a hospital.”