Tainted Attraction (Ziall)

Chapter 36

Glass was flying all over the place. The couch was shredded. Zayn and I were flattened to the floor, covering our faces and the backs of our heads. When the shooting stopped, briefly, I looked up at Zayn, unable to speak a word to him, but with such a terror stricken face that he knew what I was pleading for.

Don't move. He mouth to me, slowly getting up with his gun already out. His phone was across the floor. John had probably called to warn us. And Ashton.... He was still lying in the doorway. Just lying there. Dead.

Zayn was quick and shot a few rounds at the people in the house. All I could hear were loud gunshots and shattering glass and furniture. I covered my ear and huddled in on myself. I couldn't believe that it was happening again. What was left of this safe house was being shot up and Zayn was risking his life yet again.

"Move, Niall!" I heard Zayn through my hands. The back of my shirt was pulled and I was on my feet, being dragged around the corner. Zayn was breathing hard and holding his stomach while pointing the gun in the air with his good hand. "You need to hide." He told me. I shook my head, grabbing his sleeve. "Please, Niall."

"Not this time." I told his sternly. We then ducked down again when shots fired. I wasn't going to lie. I was scared for my life. We definitely did not have the upper hand. I didn't know how many people were in the house, but they took out Ashton who was apparently the "best shot" that Zayn had ever seen.

"Alright, outside then. My car is down the street." Zayn reached his arm out as if to shield me somehow. "John has to be on his way. He has to be." Zayn told me, or rather, told himself for reassurance. I hoped that John would be there soon. He was in much better shape and probably had a better aim than Zayn did at the moment.

"I-I can shoot." I don't know why I had said it. The thought of holding a gun was terrifying. Zayn gave me this look like I was crazy. Well, maybe I was. "Y-You just look like you are going to pass out any minute."

"It's a possibility." Zayn told me flat out. His breathing was ragged as he clutched his stomach again where he had stitches. They were probably busted at that point. "There's a window across the way there. Do you see it?" Zayn asked me, nodding across the room. I nodded. "Run for it when I give you the signal."

"What sig-" I was cut off by a very frightening voice.

"I know you're in here!" Liam. He was there. We were dead for sure. "Come out, come out wherever you are!" Everything was silent and settled. I looked up at Zayn and he was breathing heavily. I glanced down at his stomach and he was bleeding again. "Are you over here?" Liam was getting closer. We only had one chance to get to that window, get it open and run.

"Ready?" Zayn whispered. I shook my head, but Zayn was grabbing my wrist and yanking me forward with him.

"There you are!" I glanced over and Liam was standing there with his gun pointed directly at us. He didn't hesitate and he pulled the trigger, sending a bullet whizzing our way. Thankfully, we were still running, dodging whatever was coming at us, but eventually one had to hit. And it was the worst pain in my life. It was a searing pain that ripped through the flesh of my calf, making me fall to the ground.

"Ah!" I cried, clutching my leg. It was bleeding so bad and the pressure of my hands was not enough to stop it from coming out of my leg. Zayn grabbed my shirt again, pulling me up from the ground.

"Dammit! I was aiming for you, Zayn!" Liam's crazed voice came closer to us. Zayn tried to keep me up, but my dead weight was too much for his weakened body. I cringed as I tried to move my leg, only to feel more pain as I did so. "I'm taking him. You can't keep him all to yourself." The others with Liam surrounded us, all pointing their guns at us. He stepped forward and Zayn basically shielded me from him. "Don't do that, Zayn."