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But that was their fatal mistake.
The moment he falls to the ground, I drop my gun and drop to my knees beside Snow, immediately pulling her into my lap. “I’m so sorry, baby,” I whisper.
“It’s not your fault.” She winces.
My eyes trail down her body until they lock on the red spot that seems to get bigger by the second and a fresh wave of panic hits me, knocking the air right from my lungs. How much blood has she lost?
“It looks worse than it is,” Snow hisses out.
I glare at her. “Don’t lie to me, Snowflake. You know I can see right through it.” Her weight settles in my lap, and even though I need to get her the hell out of here, I’m not sure I should move her.
Her eyes flutter closed, her breathing shallow and harsh. “Elijah,” she whimpers.
“It’s okay, baby. Just stay with me, okay? I’m going to get you out of here and get you some help as soon as I can, but I need you to hold on just a little longer. Can you do that for me?”
Snow nods, but the muscles in her neck barely hold the weight of her head. She’s fading fast.
“How is she?” Storm asks, crouching down in front of us.
“We have to get her out of here.”
Storm glances down at his phone and frowns. “I’m waiting on confirmation that we’re not walking into a fucking war zone when we get out there.”
“Make it happen,” I snap, brushing Snow’s blonde curls from her cheeks and cupping her face in my hand. “Just hold on for me, Snowflake. I waited too long to get you, I can’t lose you when you’re finally mine.” My voice cracks, but I don’t give a fuck if these people know Snow is my weakness.
“It hurts.” Tears roll down her cheeks, and each one that falls has another crack forming in my heart. The organ I thought was dead for so long, beats for the woman bleeding in my arms. Without her, there is no sense in living, because the sun can’t rise and fall without the moon.
“I know it does, Snowflake,” I whisper, holding her tight against my body. “Just hold on for me.”
The front doors of the church burst open and I’m in motion before I even realize I’m doing it. I move my back to the threat, holding Snow tightly against me to make sure she won’t bear the brunt of an attack.
“It’s Rayne. Let’s get her out of here,” Storm says, his eyes watching us curiously, as if he’s seeing us together for the first time. Up until now, he believed I was only with Snow as a bargaining chip, but now he sees it. Now he sees that my feelings for his sister transcend infatuation.
55
Snow
Agony tears through my torso and radiates in every direction. I never gave much thought to how it would feel to be shot, but I never thought anything could hurt like this. It’s like the bullet still travels through me, ripping through flesh and muscles and organs as it forces its way through them.
“I’m going to get you out of here, Snowflake,” Elijah murmurs, his eyes sweeping over me for what feels like the hundredth time. I think he’s checking over and over that I’m really hurt, like he thinks he can pinch himself and wake up from this nightmare. Believe me, if that was an option, I would have already done it.
“There’s an ambulance waiting out the front,” Everett says as he approaches us, his brows knitted together as he takes in the sight.
“We can’t take her to a hospital,” Elijah snaps. “That’s exactly what they’ll expect us to do and there are too many things that can go wrong, too much time, I won’t be able to be with her.”
Storm sighs and rubs his hand over his face, wiping away some of the dust and debris that had settled on his skin. “I know, but we don’t have much choice. Doc doesn’t have the facilities for the level of care she needs, and I’m not willing to risk my sister's life because we were too stubborn to take her to a real hospital.” His words are calm, but just beneath the surface is seething anger. When you grow up as close as we did, you get to know the tiny tells you each give off.
“Absolutely not.” Elijah tightens his grip on me, and I hiss out in pain. It’s not him, not really, my entire body hurts. Every inch of my skin is in agony, my insides are on fire, and every breath is like a searing hot poker is being driven through my lungs. The sound of my exhale gets his attention and guilt flashes through the green of his eyes. “Fuck, I’m sorry, Snow.”
“It’s okay,” I wheeze.
“She needs a hospital, Elijah.” Everett approaches us carefully, as if he’s approaching a wild animal. “I’ve already called ahead, and I’ve already arranged for an entire floor to be vacated, I’ve called in every security company in the city for every spare guard, and I’ve paid off the doctors and nurses to allow one of us to be present for all treatment, including surgery if she needs it. She’s going to be in good hands, but we need to get her there as soon as possible to make sure the bullet doesn’t do any extra damage.”
Elijah considers him for a moment before turning his attention back to me. “I’m going to make it better, Snow. I promise I’ll make it better.” The conviction in his voice is so deep, so sure of his words, and I can’t help but believe him. “Every single person involved in what happened today will lose their life for hurting you, and when I find their leader, I’ll bring you their heart as a trophy.”
A tear slips down my cheek. I hate that he’s hurting. I hate that my pain is causing him pain. And I hate that we haven’t had the chance to tell each other how we really feel. Before I can respond, a wave of nausea hits me, and I pry myself from Elijah’s arms just enough to throw up beside us. The heaving causes heavy sobs to break through my chest and agony to shoot through my body. I’ve never known pain like this, and I hope I’ll never have to experience anything like this again.
“I’ve got you, Snow,” Elijah murmurs. “I’ve always got you.”
