RIPTIDE (Shadows book 1.1)

ALLIES AND BULLETS PART (ii)

Love keeps you going even when you are on the verge of giving up. ~Vaughn Sinner

"Get down." Hope ordered them as another bullet whizzed past Atriya. A maid came in with a tray full of water. She dropped the tray and stood there frozen when she heard gunshots. Hope sprang towards Atriya, pulling her out of the dining room.

"What are you doing?" Atriya questioned as she tried to keep up with Hope. Her eyes widened when Hope pulled out a gun and dragged her upstairs towards her room.

"Trying to keep you alive." Hope replied as she ducked pulling Atriya along with her, dodging a bullet.

"Devon and the others are downstairs. They.." she trailed off when Hope gave her a look.

"They can handle themselves. You on the other hand don't know how to use a gun. You staying downstairs will only put Devon in a vulnerable position. If you are in harm's way, his main priority would be keeping you safe, hence putting him in a vulnerable position." she said as she opened her room door. She locked the door once Atriya got in. She walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out a pair of daggers and handed them over to Atriya along with a bulletproof vest.

"Put this on and lock the door once I'm out. Don't open it till I or Eroe come get you. If anyone comes in, stab to kill. You are a doctor, you'll know where it affects the most." she said. She sighed when Atriya's eyes widened.

"You are engaged to a Don, it means you are equivalent to a queen in the underworld. Killing comes with the family. It's kill or be killed, so don't hesitate." she commanded looking straight into her eyes. Atriya nodded looking positively sick. Hope gave a satisfied nod before turning back. She pulled out more bulletproof vests and put one on herself. She pulled out a couple of daggers and a karambit, tucked them into her vest and walked out of the room.

Atriya locked the door and placed a table in front of it. She took in a deep breath and clutched the daggers tightly. 

Devon, Calix and Carver turned the dining table upside down and  those near crouched behind the table. Vincent stood behind a wall along with Eriks. Vaughn stood opposite to Vincent along with Theron. Evangeline and Natalya stood on each side of the window. Both of them had a gun in one hand and a throwing knife in another. Eriks, Natalya and Evangeline looked terrifyingly calm with deadly weapons in their hands. Devon thanked his fate fo not being on their bad side.

Rueben was mad. His little sister was looking forward to this dinner, so he went all out with his cooking. All he wanted to do was have dinner with his family and cousins whom he discovered recently. He wanted his little sister to have a good time considering she came back from Detroit looking extremely exhausted. No, some trigger happy jackass had to destroy it. 

He was standing behind the dining table along with his brothers, Addyson and his cousins. He looked at Addyson. She knew about their business but she never bothered to learn self-defense like Atriya. She looked too calm for someone who was being shot at. Riven noted it mentally and decided to breach the topic later, when he was not being shot at. He tightened his grip on his gun and waited.

Everett frowned when he heard no more bullets after the second one. He looked at Hayes who shook his head. They both had the same thought. He snorted when multiple gunshots rang around them.

'Thought too soon' he thought before shooting back. There were about 50 people shooting at them. He let out a surprised yelp when Evangeline shot someone behind him. The bullet missed his head by mere inches.

"Are you crazy?" he growled as he dodged a bullet before shooting another person decked in black.

"Relax, I never miss." Evangeline muttered as she threw a knife. The knife lodged into the attackers neck. She pulled another knife and jumped back into the fight.