Page 66 of Whispers and Warriors
Liam.
His face contorted in pain, and blood seeped through his fingers, staining his shirt a dark crimson. “Bash,” he gasped, his voice barely audible above the din. “I can’t find them. Emma and William...they were in the mess hall when the attack started. Something fucking stabbed through my arm when that second explosion happened. I can’t shoot anything but the bleeding is slowing.”
Bash looked down, and no, the bleeding wasn’t slowing. Liam’s arm and leg were coated, with more oozing past his fingers every second.
A bullet whizzed past them, followed by a snarl from Alex. There was a scream as the bullet struck someone Bash couldn’t see.
Bash’s stomach dropped, a cold sense of dread washing over him. He exchanged a glance with Chris and Alex, theirexpressions mirroring his own fear and determination. “We’ll find them,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “We’ll bring them back, no matter what it takes.”
Liam nodded, his jaw clenched tight against the pain. “I’ll come with you,” he said, straightening up with a grunt of effort. “I’m not leaving them behind.”
Chris shook his head, his tone brooking no argument. “No, you’re injured. You’ll only slow us down. Get yourself to the room, Alex go with him and patch him up before he bleeds to death and then get the fuck back up here. We’ll handle this. Where’s Ranger?”
Liam looked like he wanted to protest, but a fresh wave of pain washed over him, and he sagged against the wall, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. “The room, I shut him away tight. Emma’s room, not ours.” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “Just... just bring them back, please.”
Bash nodded even though Liam spoke to Chris, his eyes fierce with resolve. “I will,” he said, his words a solemn vow. “I swear it.”
“Let’s go,” he said, his voice low and deadly. “We’ve got a job to do.”
As they moved deeper into the ship, toward the mess hall and the unknown dangers that awaited them, Bash’s thoughts were consumed by one thing and one thing only: finding Emma and William, and bringing them back to safety. No matter the cost, no matter the sacrifice, he would not fail them. He could not fail them.
“Finally,” Chris damn near hissed and waved his hand a second before dodging a bullet. “This is fucking insane,” he choked on smoke but kept pushing forward.
Bash’s grip tightened on his weapon, his knuckles turning white with the force of his determination.
Bash gritted his teeth, his patience wearing thin. “We don’t have time for plans,” he growled. “Every second we waste, Emma and Will are in danger.”
“On three,” Chris said, his voice barely above a whisper. “One... two...”
TWENTY-FIVE
Emma chokedon the thick smoke filling her lungs as she lay crumpled on the floor, unsure how she got there. Her body throbbed with pain, but in her haze, she couldn’t tell if blood was seeping from any wounds. What happened? The last few moments were a confusing blur in her ringing head.
A dark silhouette of a man materialized through the swirling smoke, approaching with purposeful strides.
Panic seized Emma’s chest. It can’t be. He’s dead.
“Marcus!” the fear tried to pull a snarl from her, but it came out as a hoarse croak that sent agony lancing through her skull. Ignoring the pain, she clawed at the ground, trying desperately to drag herself away from the looming threat. “You’re supposed to be dead!”
Tears streamed down her face as she scrambled backward, disoriented and terrified, the smoke obscuring her vision. Was this real or another flashback? Was she really seeing Marcus? Emma’s heart pounded wildly, her breath coming in ragged gasps, as the man drew closer with each passing second. She had to get away, had to escape, before it was too late.
As the figure loomed over her, Emma’s body reacted on pure instinct, fueled by the primal fear coursing through her veins. In a sudden, explosive motion, she lashed out with her leg, driving her knee upwards with all the strength she could muster. Her kneecap connected to the very real man’s stomach with a solid thud, eliciting a startled grunt from the man above her.
He stumbled back, his eyes widened in shock, a mix of surprise and confusion etched across his face. “Emma, it’s me!” he managed to gasp out, his voice strained. “It’s Will!”
But Emma’s mind was trapped in a fog of panic, unable to distinguish reality from the terrifying memories that held her captive. As the man reached for her again, she struck out once more, muscle memory from countless training sessions taking over. Despite the pain screaming through her body, Emma’s foot shot out, landing a precise, powerful kick directly to his groin.
The impact was sickening, and the man doubled over, a strangled cry tearing from his throat as he crumpled to the ground beside her. Emma’s chest heaved, adrenaline pumping through her system, her eyes wild and unfocused. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the smoke and tears from her vision, desperate to make sense of her surroundings.
“Emma...” William’s voice was strained, laced with pain and concern. “It’s okay. It’s just me. You’re safe now.” He reached out a trembling hand, his fingers gently brushing against her arm, trying to ground her in the present moment.
As the fog began to lift from her mind, Emma’s gaze locked onto William’s familiar blue eyes, the realization of what she’d done crashing over her like a tidal wave. “Will?” she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. “Oh god, I’m so sorry. I thought... I thought you were...” The words caught in her throat, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
William managed a strained smile, his face still etched with pain. “It’s okay, Em. No big deal. We’ve got to get out of here.I swear to god, when we get off this boat we’re never leaving our nice piece of the island.” He coughed, the smoke growing thicker around them. With a grunt, he pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly as he regained his balance. “Come on, let’s go.”
Emma’s heart clenched as she watched him struggle, guilt gnawing at her insides. She wanted to apologize again, to beg for his forgiveness, but there was no time. The flames were spreading rapidly, the heat intensifying with each passing second. William leaned down, scooping her into his arms with a determined strength that belied his own injuries.
As he carried her through the smoke-filled room, Emma clung to him, her face buried against his chest. She could feel the steady thrum of his heartbeat, a comforting reminder that he was still with her, still fighting by her side. Around them, the chaos of the attack raged on, the sound of shouting and gunfire echoing in the distance.
