Royalty Secrecy

Twilight Hour

Lauren and Zayn crash to the ballroom floor, the force of his body knocking the wind out of the girl.

Zayn groans in pain as he rolls to the side, clutching his shoulder.

When he pulls his hand away, it's shiny and wet with blood.

The color drains from his face.

"Zayn!" Gandy yells. He runs up to them, sidearm drawn. Gandy helps Lauren to her feet first, then Zayn.

Zayn wobbles on his feet, so Lauren steps forward to steady him.

"Lauren! There's a servant's entrance to the left. Help Zayn and stay low, I'll cover you!" Gandy orders.

"Come on, Zayn. Let's get you out of here," Lauren grunts out.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me," Zayn says, blood staining the whole right side of his body and fast.

"Lauren, get him out of here! Now!" Gandy growls.

Lauren holds onto Zayn, carefully keeping pressure on his injured arm, and runs.

Gandy points to an SUV waiting at the end of the drive. "Hurry!" He ushers. Gandy ducks into the car and punches an address into the console "This'll take you to a safe house. There are first-aid supplies there. Patch Zayn up as soon as you arrive he should be fine, as long as you get the bleeding under control," Gandy instructs.

"Me? I've got this! Go protect our Queen!" Lauren pants out.

"I will," Gandy nods firmly.

Lauren turns to help Zayn into the car.

His eyelids droop, and his grip on Lauren is weak.

"Zayn..." Lauren whispers.

A short drive later, Lauren helps a bleeding, but conscious Zayn, out of their getaway car and into a secluded cabin.

The cabin's lit only by what appears to be emergency lights.

Zayn grunts as Lauren lowers him onto the couch, and he sags into it with a heavy sigh.

He closes his eyes while Lauren finds a light switch on the wall next to the main door and flips it.

Nothing happens.

"Fucking hell," Lauren grumbles.

"Maybe the generator's busted. They must have an emergency backup, since it's a safe house," Zayn speaks softly, almost inaudible.

"Lights are the least of our problems right now. We've got to stop the bleeding. Where's the first-aid kit?" Lauren runs a hand through her slightly damp hair.

As she begins fumbling around in the dark, searching for the kit, she hears Zayn release a pained gasp.

Lauren hurries, glancing in the closet, rifling through cabinets, until at last, in a kitchen drawer...

"Found it," Lauren says.

She turns back to Zayn, whose face is contorted into a pained grimace.

"Man, am I happy to see that thing," Zayn says.

Only when Lauren draws close does she realize how pale he is.

"Zayn, you took a bullet for me," Lauren says softly.

"Come on, Jauregui. Don't sound so impressed. You're scaring me," Zayn chuckles softly.

"Zayn... I just want you to know how much it means to me that you'd do something like that," Lauren says.