Rivals

CHAPTER 31:

Rebecca

Damian pulled me down into a squatting position on the cold balcony before I could comprehend what was happening.

My hands hit the freezing concrete, hard, sending shivers up and down my spine. I quickly lift them up and brush off any small pebbles or ash from cigarettes.

Damian reaches behind him and pulls out a small handgun with an extra magazine from his trousers.

"This is the most perfect time for me to be unarmed," I comment over the loud screams from the dining hall.

As he cocks his gun, he looks up at me, smiling.

"Don't worry," he pulls out another gun from the same spot. "I always carry a backup just in case."

"Thanks Sloppy," I say as he grabs my arm.

He covered me while guiding me to a vacant table inside and pulled me to the ground. He doesn't bother to throw off the decorations on the table, but kicks it over to its side instead to give us at least a small amount of cover.

The room is pitch black and the only light source is from the moon, but I can hear the screaming and rustling of tables.

What I can't hear though, are gunshots.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked Damian, but I knew his clueless expression would give me no good answer.

Damian fiddles with his gun for a moment and then takes a deep breath before he jumps to his feet from his crouched position.

"What do you see?" I ask as I jump up with him to inspect the dark room, just as a loud bang comes from the dining hall and Damian moves his body in front of me to pull me down.

"Motherfucker," he boomed and pressed on his right shoulder. He removed his hand for a moment and his palm was covered in blood.

"Damian," I try to help him but he forces me back on the ground with his clean hand.

"It's only a graze. I'll be fine," he reassures as he puts pressure on his shoulder.

I give him a disapproving look, but he shrugs and says, "I'm fine. You're lucky whoever that was is a lousy shot."

"Rebecca!" Killian calls as he appears out of nowhere and crouches behind the table with us, carrying two semi automatic pistols in one hand, and a shotgun in the other.

"How did you find those!" I yell.

"I am in a fucking gang Rebecca! How do you think I got the guns!" He shouts back as he loads the shotgun.

"Whatever, just please tell me you know what's going on," I yell just as the lights come on.

Killian pokes his head up first and then Damian does the same before Killian pulls me off of the floor.

The scene before me is not one to revisit. Tables had been thrown, bullets were lying on the ground, but Damian had been the only one who was shot.

"Everyone remain calm," Dimitri instructs as he makes his way to the center of the room. "Grab your weapons and keep them ready while exiting the building. This building is compromised."

As everyone started rushing to the staircases and elevators, I got another text.

Unknown: We tried to be nice, but we'll have to take you by force.

"Killian," I spoke softly as I hid my phone from everyone.

"We are leaving now," Killian ordered as he placed a hand on my waist to guide me out as the other boys walked closely behind us.

Killian handed Reese and Morgan guns so we were all armed.

Other people decide to pour into the elevator, but as soon as the door opens, gunshots come and people start falling down.

"Go!" Reese yelled as Killian pulled me behind him.

"Balcony!" Damian shouted as bullets were flying above us.

"Damian; Chicken," Killian shouted.

"You sure?" Damian skeptically asked.

"One hundred percent," Killian reassures and grabs my shoulders, forcing me to look up at his silver eyes. "No matter what you see or what you hear, do not look back. Do you trust me Princess?" Killian presses. "Do you trust me?" He retorts louder as I nod my head. "Use your words Princess."

"Yes. I trust you," I told him.

He lets out a deep breath and says, "good," before he pulls me into a tight hug. "I'm sorry for this," he whispers as he throws me over the balcony railing.

I scream on my way down, but my back hits something softs as I bounce up and then roll out of a raised tarp.

"Nice jump Bex," Damian compliments as he uses his uninjured arm to pick me up.

"What just happened?" I ask out of breath as I look behind me to see two boys holding a tarp and catching Morgan with it as he jumps.

"This is our version of an escape plan. We call it Chicken," Damian explains as Reese is the next to jump. "Killian is the distraction while we get out," he explains briefly.

"We need to go now," Reese instructs as he grabs my arm, but I move out of his grasp.

"No, Killian can't stay in there," I holler as Morgan grabs me.

"You heard the man. He said leave and that is what we are going to do," Morgan says he runs me to a vacant van and straps me in.

Reese jumps in the very back and then Damian leans against the open door, holding his arm and slouching.

"Damian, you good?" A brunette boy asks from the driver's seat.

He looked about Damian's age.

"If I don't stop losing blood, I'm passing out in ten, maybe fifteen minutes tops," he answers back breathlessly.

Gunshots and sounds of glass shattering come from the building and then smoke pours out the balcony doors.

"No, Killian!" I try to get out of the van but Reese holds me back.

"Keep her in there," Damian ordered. "Come on Killian," he says to himself as he checks his watch.

People were pouring out of the building, coughing from smoke as well as covered in blood.

They all hop in as many cars as they can and speed out, but there is still no sign of Killian.

Rain started to trickle from the sky, blurring our view of the building slightly.

"Over there, get them," a deep voice yells from a distance, causing Damian to pull out his gun and shoot twice.

You could actually hear two bodies drop if you listened close enough.

"Fuck," Damian curses as he falls to his knees, dropping his gun.

Blood soaked Damian's arm and the rain caused it to drip on the asphalt.

The other boy in the passenger seat gets out and helps Damian back to his feet before pushing him inside the van.

Damian had sweat dripping from his forehead, and his eyes were swirling.

"He's going to pass out any minute now. He's lost too much blood," Morgan deduced as the ballroom floor exploded, flames flooding through any exit.

"No!" I screamed.