Page 170 of Bones
“That’s Raven,” Jax said, grunting as Griz helped him to his feet.
I wearily pulled myself up too, trying to ignore how everything spun.
"You getting close to burnout?" Griz asked, and I glanced at him to see his sharp eyes studying me.
“I’m fine,” I said.
Griz frowned, looking hurt. “We really goin’ back to that shit again?”
I didn’t have time for this. “Let’s go,” I muttered, moving to push past him, but he caught my arm in a tight grip.
He studied my battered face. His brown eyes were so different from Trey’s eyes. While Trey’s eyes had been so full of warmth and sunshine, Griz’s eyes were cool like pebbles in a mountain stream. I didn't know what he was looking for, so I waited, staring back at him. After a few seconds, he sighed and pulled me back so he could walk first.
“Stay behind me.”
I nodded and he released my arm, stepping out of the booth to lead the way. Jax followed behind him, leaving me to bring up the rear. As we left the market, the number of dead bodies increased. These looked like they'd been ripped apart, littered with bullet holes from the machine gun. The carnage and the smell of blood made me want to gag, despite all my experience.
One of the bodies let out a wet-sounding noise, and I quickly followed the sound to find an older woman gasping her last breaths. She had a huge fucking hole in her abdomen. I crouched beside her, then hesitated and glanced up at Griz.
“I don’t know,” he answered my unspoken question of which side she fought for.
I looked back down at her. She had precious seconds left. I wasn’t even sure if she could see me. Her eyes stared at the sky, unfocused and taking on that glossy sheen of death as she wheezed.
It’s what Trey would’ve done.
I laid my hands on the gaping wound and let my power flow as quickly as I dared. It took a long time to close the wound, draining me of energy and power as I very narrowly saved her life. When I finished, I pulled my trembling hands back, swiping my bleeding nose with my filthy sleeve.
“Bones?”
I met the woman’s eyes, now clear and focused.
“You healed me.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t waste it,” Griz growled at her, bending to take my elbow and help me up.
The woman swallowed hard, her eyes glimmering with tears. “Thank you.”
I tried to take a step away and swayed. Griz’s hand tightened on my elbow.
“Jax, cover us,” he said, jerking his head toward the woman.
Jax raised his pistol, keeping the woman in his sights as we moved up to the watchtower. Griz didn’t let go of my arm, and I didn’t argue. My legs wobbled like a newborn calf.
“How many more?” Griz asked once we managed to get up alongside the watchtower.
“What?” I asked, trying to catch my breath.
“How many more can you heal? And don’t give me that ‘I’m fine’ bullshit.”
I leaned against the cool stone wall. “One. Maybe two.”
He nodded. “That’s what I guessed. Kid, can you?—”
Bullets slammed into the tower around us. Before I could react, Griz darted in front of me, taking the bullet meant for me. I tried to hold him up as he began to fall, but a sharp pain in my leg made me stumble, bringing both of us down. On the other side of Griz, Jax let out a horrible gurgling cry.
The machine gun roared to life in the tower, deafening me as bullets sprayed into the alley where the shots came from, tearing through everything in their path. I clapped my hands to my ears as I frantically scanned Griz. He clutched his abdomen, blood oozing, his nostrils flaring in pain. On the other side of him, Jax held his neck, choking as blood spurted between his fingers. Panic seized control of my lungs. Both wounds would kill them in a matter of minutes.
