Page 54 of Bulletproof Love

As I round the corner, Leon emerges, blood smeared on his face, dripping onto the pure white snow where it spreads like watercolor paint. Two young women wearing nothing but thin T-shirts stumble after him, frantically clutching each other. “This way,” I hear myself yell.

Leon tosses me the keys to the van, and understanding clicks into place. I nod, and sprint back, pulling it as close to the house as I can. My hand’s on the door handle when Leon ushers the girls inside. “No, stay. I’ll need you to drive.”

My fingers tremble against the steering wheel. “Where’s Damon?” Blake’s voice cracks, barely audible over the wails of the child.

Where is he? Where’s Jasper? Whose blood? Was Leon shot?Questions spin but won’t form words.

I open my lips to speak, but the words get lost in my throat. Jasper emerges from the shadows again, carrying another child. This one looks smaller than the first. My heart cracks in two. As he steps in front of the headlights, I see the dark stains coating his clothes, wet like spilled ink.

Damon appears last, a woman by his side. She moves differently than the others, standing straight and confident, wearing loose jeans that hang from her hips and an oversize flannel. As she gets closer I see the pain in her expression. There’s something familiar?—

“Oh my God!” Blake’s voice cracks as she drops a roll of gauze. “Mischa?”

CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO

JASPER

I placethe child into the van as gently as my shaking limbs allow and she shuffles across the seat into the arms of one of the older victims. “Bella, come here.” It’s number two, the young woman with more strength than I could ever muster. She’s holding them all together by a thread. I tried not to spill blood in front of them, but it was impossible.

“Jasper?” Falin’s voice cracks. She’s behind the wheel, eyes wide, taking in the chaos unfolding.

“I’m okay,” I smear the blood on my hoodie. “It’s not mine.”

She visibly shudders and her gaze moves to Mischa Orlova. I’m still in shock myself. Blake’s asking the questions we’re all wondering.

“Are you hurt?”

Mischa holds her head higher, but I see the mask she wears. “I’m fine.”

“Why are you here?” Blake asks.

“Listen,” Damon interrupts. “We’re running out of time. Angel, I need you to go with Leon and Falin to meet up with Ray’s team. I’ll meet you back home soon.” He blocks Mischa’s body, not so gently moving her out of his way to get to Blake. She falls into his arms, speaking softly so only he can hear.

My eyes stray back to Falin and I have the same urge to hold her. I don’t know if it’s reassurance that we’ll come out the end of this unscathed. Or maybe I simply need to feel her against my skin. I should say something to break this thread of tension between us. “I’ll get him back to her in one piece.”

“You better,” she says.

Blake climbs into the van, attention focused on the girls again. Leon pats my shoulder. “You know what you have to do?”

“Yes.” At this point it’s not about what Ihaveto do. It’s about what Iwantto do. I’ll take pleasure in ending his life. My eyes stray back to Falin, who’s nervously tapping the steering wheel, her lips moving.

“I’ve got them,” Leon says. “Don’t worry, brother.”

“And what are we doing with her?” Damon asks, his words like venom. Mischa wraps her arms around her chest and I barely notice her begin to sway on her feet.

“Grab her!” I yell.

Damon holds her by the shoulders right as she’s about to go down. “Fuck. She’s not right. She should go with you guys, if we keep her here with us, she’ll be a liability,” he says.

Leon nods. “Let’s search her for weapons or anything she can use to communicate with King or her father. Be quick.”

Mischa’s high-pitched laughter breaks through Leon’s words. “You think I’d try to reach him? He couldn’t care less if I was found rotting in a ditch.”

The three of us exchange baffled looks. We don’t have time to discuss any of that at the moment. Damon gives Mischa a quick pat down and ushers her into the van with the others. He pats the top of the van and stares at Blake like a lovesick puppy again. These two really need to read the room. “I love you,” he tells her.

“She loves you. They love you. We love you. There’s love all around,” I joke. “Let’s get going.”

As soon as he slides the van door shut, his posture changes. The Damon that I need slips back into place. I take one last look at Falin through the foggy window and tell myself she’ll be safe with Leon. For this, I need a clear head.

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