The First

Chapter 66

The helicopter drifted into the dark arms of the night. Its guns raged at the males as they ran for their lives. Rockets launched into the trees. Massive explosions decimated handfuls at a time. Body parts scattered throughout the woods.

Savannah scanned over the massacre on the roof. A small hand under several bodies twitched for a moment. Tears flooded her eyes and mingled with a steady flow of blood down her face. Now she knew how the humans felt when one of theirs died.

"Goodbye, little one."

Her fingers trickled down the length of her body. In her mind, Ross yelled for her to get down. Then she re-experienced each hole blasted into her skin. One shot after the other pelted her from behind. Blood had drizzled from the wounds on her chest, cascaded down her leather skirt, and soaked into the leggings.

Had Maleia survived?

There still wasn't a psychic connection with her brood. She remembered Maleia had moved fast, took hold of her and turned her toward the onslaught which left both of their males in a heap of entrails. Now Savannah lay in her own blood, unable to move anything but her eyes.

Ross staggered forward, his shirt firm against his shoulder. He dropped to his knees and scooted the rest of the way to her side.

"You're pretty messed up." Concern reflected in his eyes and he winced.

"If that means hurt? You're not wrong. What about you?" She gestured toward his shoulder.

"This ... this isn't life threatening. Will you heal?"

"I'm not sure." She glanced at the pile on top of the little one. "Your weapons can kill us now."

"I lost track of you. What happened? Why didn't you duck when the shooting started?"

"I'm not sure. Maleia grabbed me and shielded herself. After, I have no idea where she went. She either jumped or fell off the roof."

"That bitch." Ross sighed and rubbed his hand across his forehead. Blood smudged his brow. 

"Do you think she got far?" he asked.

"I don't know. She was ... hurt. I think one or two of the bullets went through me and into her." Her breaths came quick and she couldn't slow them down.

Ross took her left hand in his. "I'm so sorry I wasn't faster getting to you."

"She was supposed to be the first." Savannah patted her empty stomach. Before her short life washed away, her eyes widened one last time. She hoped Ross got the message.