Blud

Part 10: Liam

After going over the plan with Eve, she leaves. The events from today start to take a toll as my chest aches. I press on my sternum, trying to stretch my ribs out but it doesn't help. Once I have my gear on, head to toe in tactical black, I load my assault rifle with silver rounds and bursting UV cartridges. I'm only going to get evidence, but I'm sure as fuck not going empty handed. I head out, making sure to lock my door this time so I don't come home to any more visitors.

The line at Beans or Bust is longer than usual, but I finally get to the speaker and order a double shot of espresso. I chug the whole thing as I speed down the highway to Reap, almost running later than the one hour to meet with Eve. I hope she was able to lock down a meeting with her boss, Nicolas, and my stomach churns nervously at the thought of seeing him. Or it's the espresso.

When I pull up to the club, I park a block away so I can hardly hear the intense bass radiating from the building as I get out and sling my rifle into my back. I lift my mask and hood onto my face and stay out of the glow of the street lamps to the side of Reap. I go around the back where I met Eve and open the door, and luckily it's empty. I wasn't planning on confronting anyone yet. I'll save that for after I take care of Nicolas. I walk across the room to the door in the back that I'm assuming goes into the main part of the club, as I hear the familiar pop of gunshots, clearly from automatic weapons. I crouch down out of instinct, grabbing my gun from my back and holding it at the ready as I gently crack the door open and peek out.

At the front of the club four men stand in a line, shooting at the crowd. The music stops as the DJ is shot, his body slumping across his booth. The bartender tries running up the stairs to the balcony and one of the shooters sees him, catching him halfway up with a pop to the back. People drop left and right, screaming and panic ensuing as humans and vampires alike flee for the exit. I swallow my fear and duck out into the dark hallway, letting my skills from the special forces take over. The gunshots and screaming amplify as I walk down the darkness under cover of the balcony, using the chaos as a distraction to keep me hidden. I creep over to the DJ booth and duck behind it, laying low until the bullets slow and I hear thumping above.

Shit, Eve is up there.

I hurry out of my hiding spot and run back the way I came, trying to get back to the entrance where the stairs lead up to Eve's office. To my right I see two men going up the stairs on the opposite balcony, kicking doors open and shooting inside. I race now, flashes of Trav's driveway blocking my vision. I shake it out of my mind as I swing on the bannister and skip silently up the stairs two by two. Commotion from down the hall causes me to pause, and I slip into an open door, ignoring the smell of blood coming from it.

Eve's cry of pain pulls me from the room, and I slink to her office, slinging my gun back on like a backpack and pulling my dagger out. I drive it into the back of the man who holds her by her hair, right where his cold heart is, the squelching crunch of bone the only sound. He drops her, and crumples to the floor in front of her, revealing me. She looks up and I swear she almost looks happy to see me.

"Am I late?" I joke, and she smirks at me.

~

I now carry her, blood oozing from her wounds down the dark hallway to the doctor, who I pray isn't shot and dead somewhere. The club is silent now, the other two shooters gone. Her body flops limply in my arms, and as her eyes close I feel an urgency to get there, my legs strong and steady as I approach the door and kick it down.

"Hello?!" I yell, my voice breaking at the end of the word. Hot tears spring again from my eyes. I've cried way too much today and I'm getting dizzy from it. I walk with her to the end of the hallway, calling out again, "Hello! I need help, please!"