Hiraeth {Book 3 in The Emerald of Annihilation trilogy}

(25). Betrayal

Lily's POV.

They say that just before you die, your life flashes before your eyes. Well, that's what happened to me. Well....it wasn't death per say. But it was one hell of a nightmare. But I'll get to that later. Right now I'm going to focus on the big titan of a man holding Dylan by his throat. 

I tried my best not to run out at him, despite the massive urge to do so. I had to think of a plan and fast. "Hey.....I've seen you somewhere before..." The hulk narrowed his gaze at Dylan, racking his brain to remember where he'd seen him before. 

My heart dropped. Now or never. I dashed out of behind the trash bin which I had been ducking behind. "Hey, jerk-face!" I shouted. Whipping out my gun. 'Jerk-face? Really?' I shoved the critical thoughts from my head, aiming the barrel at the Viper agent's face.

Wrong move. He stared at me with realization. The pieces of the puzzle came together in his head. "You..." I noticed a smirk rising on his face as his grip on Dylan tightened. "Lily Hamato." He grinned, showing off some rotting teeth. Dylan let out a strangled yelp as the man's grip on his throat tightened. 

"So this must be treasured, Dylan Tanner." His eyes turned to Dylan, crushing his windpipe, which gave me the opportunity to shot him in the leg. His howl of pain was mixed with the grunt of Dylan who was dropped and landed on his ankle. 

I rushed to him and caught him before he passed out and collapsed. My arm wrapping around his torso and his arm slung over my shoulder. I began running as best I could while supporting a 100+ pound male. "You ok?" I turned to look at him. He coughed, trying to regain his breath.

"I-I'm fine..." He managed a small grin, right before I heard the gun go off.

My first instinct was to search Dylan to see if he had been shot. He seemed to be as shocked as I was. His eyes found mine just as I concluded he wasn't harmed. That's when the pain shot through my leg. Starting from my calf, it spread like wildfire up my leg and made me stumble.

I let out a shriek of pain as a second bullet penetrated my right shoulder and made me stumble forward, Dylan's weight working against me and making me collapse to one knee. I was determined not to let him fall. "Lily!" Dylan was ripped from my grip and dragged by two Viper Agents. I winced and shook my eyes to a atempt to rid my sight of the swarming red and white dots.

The buff agent from before lifted his foot to my throbbing shoulder and pushed harshly. I fell back like a brick and gasped desperately for air as the pain shot from my shoulder to my chest and up my neck. Tears stung my eyes and I panted pathetically as I lay on my back. 

"L-Lily!!" Dylan's voice broke through the loud rushing of blood in my ears. I opened my eyes and pushed myself up with my Good arm to see him. The agent to his left had a AK47 to his head. Dylan searched my gaze pleadingly. 

My eyes widened. I tried to speak but my words caught in my throat. Buff guy suddenly slammed his foot into my shoulder, forcing me back to the concrete. My head smacked the ground full force. Stars swarmed like bees in my vision and the sound of a thousand hornets invaded my ears. My head felt as if it were bowling.

His foot pressed further into my wounded shoulder. I screamed in agony. No matter how many times you are shot it still hurts like hell. "So this is the savior." He taunted. "The one who we were told would be smart and strong enough to thwart our plans?" I whimpered as he ground his boot into my wound more. "You are pathetic. You thought you could save the world? Hah!You can't even keep your own loved ones safe!"

That's when I stopped fighting. He was right about that. I was pathetic I had let my family down countless times and now that I finally got the love of my life back he had been ripped from me once more. I was a failure. I didn't even feel the pain anymore. The hurt in my chest was way worse than any bullet could inflict.