Page 57 of Merciless

In the next beat, he fires a shot into the ceiling, specifically at one of the empire chandeliers.

Just that single, well-aimed shot dislodges it and it crashes down in a thunderous rush, forcing the Gatekeepers to break position and jump back before it flattens them beneath it.

In the commotion, the guy makes a beeline for the couch, flips it over, and grabs my hand, taking me with him behind its cover.

Bullets bite into it in the next second and he covers me with his body, keeping us low to avoid the damage.

Before I can get a word out or even begin to question who the hell he is, automatic fire tears through the area.

Merciless, unhinged, and unforgiving fire that has bloodcurdling screams sounding from the Gatekeepers.

The moment it finally stops, a very familiar voice calls out, “Motherfuckers down.”

Cal!

“You’re good to go,” the guy covering me says, pushing off me. He offers me a hand-up and I take it, grateful for the support in my messed-up state.

The moment I’m standing, I locate Cal just beyond the living room, his automatic still held at the ready.

He grins as our gazes clash. “Got you, woman.” His eyes dip down my body and he grimaces at the sight of my bloodied side. “You never should’ve doubted that.”

I shake my head as I take in the carnage and the corpses littering the pristine living. Once bathed in luxury, it’s now bathed in blood and the bodies of Matthew’s fallen. “You crazy bastard.”

“It’s the only thing those assholes respond to. You know that.”

I nod. It’s undeniable fact.

“Nice meeting you,” the mysterious guy says. “Maverick. SAA of Thorns.”

I take his hand as he holds it out to me. “Ex-military too, yes?” I ask as we shake firmly. His training and experience really shone through just now.

“Yes, Ma’am.”

Cal ushers me over to him. “Let’s move. The path out of here is clear, but that ain’t gonna last. Priest has silent alarm triggers all over the place. Weren’t time to avoid all of them.”

I stumble as I reach Cal and he reacts quickly, wrapping his arm around me, while keeping his other steady holding his weapon at the ready.

Maverick moves ahead of us, watching our backs as Cal helps me along.

We’re barely a few feet away from the living room when everything around me starts becoming blurry and more than a little unstable. I waver on my feet and find myself clinging to Cal, needing him to hold up my near dead weight.

“Shit,” I grunt.

“Here,” Cal calls to Maverick, holding out his automatic.

Maverick turns quickly and takes the weapon.

In the next moment, Cal is sweeping me up in his arms and taking all my weight.

“You got a first-aid kit in the car?” he asks Maverick. “She’s losing blood.”

“I… I… my go-bag,” I eke out.

“Where?” Cal asks me gently.

I think I manage to give him a location before the toll of everything finally gets the best of me and I pass out.

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