Page 76 of Come Fill Me

Jacob continued firing. Bullets tore into the floor around Kele from Carreon’s men. She scooted back as fast as she could while continuing to shoot. Zeke gave her another round of cover then rammed his shoulder against Jacob’s thigh.

His brother staggered back but didn’t go down.

A bullet whizzed past Zeke’s head then another and another.

Crying out, Jacob fell to his knees.

No, no, noooooooo.It was just as Zeke had seen in his vision. Jacob was face down on the floor, blood on his thigh. The next bullet would rip through his shoulder then his back, killing him.

No. Never.

Firing with one hand, Zeke grabbed his brother’s arm with his other, pulling Jacob around the corner, behind the wall. More shots came from the area they’d just left. From Carreon’s men or Kele, Zeke didn’t know.

Panting, he dragged Jacob down the hall with his brother fighting him.

“Stop it,” Zeke growled.

“No. I’m not hit that bad.”

He would be.

“I said stop it.” Zeke let go of Jacob’s arm, hauled back, and slugged his brother in his jaw.

The blow did the trick. Jacob slumped to the floor unconscious.

Kele rounded the corner, fired once more, then stared at Jacob. “He’s been hit?” she cried.

“Keep firing,” Zeke yelled.

She did, preventing Carreon’s men from moving forward.

Zeke worked as fast as he could, pressing the wood panel that hid one of the safe rooms. The door opened. He dragged Jacob inside.

Kele watched for a moment, fired once more, then jumped to her feet and ran to Zeke.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her inside the room, shutting the door.

“Stay with Jacob,” Zeke ordered.

Already at his side, she touched his injured leg and wailed.

“Dammit, shut up,” Zeke said, shaking her shoulders until she looked up at him. “When he comes to, keep him here. If necessary, slug him. But do not let him leave. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Her face scrunched with more tears.

Shit. “I saw him die in my vision, Kele. If you don’t do what I’m telling you, Carreon’s men will finish him—”

“I won’t let him go out there. I promise!”

“Come on, help me.”

Zeke grabbed Jacob’s left arm, Kele his right. Together, they dragged him to the far end of the room. There, Zeke opened yet another hidden door that led to a series of internal halls.

From the room came the sounds of men running and firing. It wouldn’t be long before they guessed that he, Kele, and Jacob hadn’t simply escaped down that hall into another. When Carreon’s men noticed where the trail of blood stopped, they’d start firing into the walls. Zeke wasn’t about to take a chance on the limestone being completely impenetrable.

He closed the door to this hall.

“Wait,” Kele said, grabbing his arm. “Where are you going?”

---