Diamonds In Her Veins

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Beginning of the End

Channing's POV:

I didn't have time to retrieve one of Liam's guns. I caught Chasity and dragged her to the floor with me. The bullet whipped right over my head. But it wasn't a solo shot. Hayden fired again and again. This was my worst nightmare come true. Chasity and the Royal family were in danger, and even though Liam was out of the picture, I might not be able to save them.

The orange flames began to eat their way through the stables, and I knew that Ameri , Aleanna and the Queen were trapped. There was no exit in that corner, and they'd have to get past Hayden to escape. An impossible task, especially with the panicked women in tow.

The horse reared again, and I used that opportunity to grab Chasity and move her just inside one of the stalls. I didn't pick that one randomly; it was next to the fire extinguisher, which I tore from the wall. I didn't come up with a plan. There wasn't time for that. I had to react now. Using the mare for cover, I maneuvered myself to the back of the stable. The smoke was already so thick that Hayden was coughing and trying to make her way to the front exit.

I didn't want to let her escape, but I had to save The Queen, Chasity, and the twins. Chasity obviously had the same idea, because she raced toward Ameri and pulled the coughing Aleanna into her arms. Now I had to create an escape path for us all.

Unfortunately, Hayden was on the other side of the mare and closer to the fresh air. She turned and fired. I jumped in front of Chasity to shield her and then tossed the fire extinguisher to Ameri. Putting out that fire was our only chance right now. I heard Ameri spraying the flames, and I raced toward Hayden- who was taking aim at Chasity, Aleanna, and the Queen.

I dove toward Liam's body and slid across the floor so that I could snatch up one of the Glocks. I lifted the gun just as Hayden whirled toward me and prepared to shoot me. But I fired first.

Hayden froze as if in shock. Her startled gaze met mine for just a second before she collapsed into a dead heap in the stable floor.

"Chasity?" I shouted. I didn't bother to confirm that Hayden was dead because the extinguisher hadn't yet taken care of the flames. The fire was out of control and quickly making its way through the stable.

I got to Chasity, who was trying to stomp out the flames, and I latched on to both Chasity and Ameri. It was a race for their lives. Thankfully, the mare realized that and bolted out of the opening that Liam had created when he'd crashed through the stable doors with the truck. I wasn't far behind. I grabbed Aleanna and the Queen , and we all ran towards the opening. I felt the heat from the flames and felt my throat close from the smothering smoke. But I didn't stop. It tightened my grip on Aleanna and the Queen and got them all outside into the cold, fresh rain. Despite the fact that the women were crying and that we'd just endured a nightmare, we had survived. We were all alive.

But there was no time to celebrate. Chasity collapsed on the ground in front of me.