Exported [Book 3 in the Expiring Series]

70 Exposed

Jonas~~

A gun goes off as my back hits the stones, joints cracking and pain racing along my spine. Erik presses me down. Not far from us, one of Odette's soldiers lowers their gun that was pointed my way.

I let out a rough breath. "Thanks."

"I'll be holding this over you for a while," Erik says already on his knees and aiming at the Amoris.

I pull myself up, grabbing my handgun. Colton and Iris have tucked themselves behind chairs they've lined up as a makeshift shield. A piece of fabric from Iris's dress, blue and stained with a patch of red, is wrapped around his shoulder. I grab hold of a chair of my own and drag it away from the table. With a harsh tug, I turn it around so the back of it faces me. I crouch behind it. The chair won't do much against bullets, but they should stop the tranquilizers.

The room has divided itself. On the other side of the table, the majority of the soldiers are Odette's Amoris, and on the other side are our Amoris and Elleanian soldiers. Odette, Isabeau, and the third female who I've gathered is her Beta are across the room. They can't be allowed to be carried out by their soldiers.

With both guns in my hand, I fire a bullet into an Amoris headed for Odette, following it with a tranquilizer dart. I repeat the same move three more times before I have to duck to avoid a bullet. I do my best to block out the earsplitting pops that come from guns—the cries of pain, the shouting, the screaming—but it's not enough.

I chance sparing another glance at my brother and Iris. They work in synchrony from behind the chairs, covering and defending one another.

I aim my handgun at an Amoris that's about to launch herself with three others over the table. The bullet hits somewhere near her stomach, and our soldiers take down the others in her party.

There's an acrid smell in the air from all of the guns being fired. The screaming and yelling grow louder.

Closer to the table are Gwen and Alastair looking as if they're the wrath of hell even with Gwen using only her left arm to shoot, which isn't the arm she normally uses. I don't have time to think about what that means. Firing into an Amoris's shoulder, I crouch behind the chair and reload.

Soldiers rush into the room through the entryway on our side, but these soldiers belong to Odette.

Two Amoris approach my brother and Iris. She kicks over her chair, tripping one of the Amoris, which sends him sprawling to the ground. Colton swings his chair into the second Amoris. The chair splinters along with probably a few of the Amoris's bones.

I fire both of my guns at two soldiers entering the room, expelling three of my normal bullets and two darts.

In this mess, I don't have any idea where Erik, Vienna, Tobias, or Sebastian are.

Off to my right, Iris fights hand to hand with an Amorian man while Colton picks up one of the splintered legs of the chair and drives it into the shoulder of the Amoris he had hit with the chair.

Two Amoris approach me, one man and one woman, their guns raised. Not making eye contact while fighting has always been incredibly difficult. But this is when it matters most.

Copying Colton, I throw the chair at them, hitting one in the wrist while the woman jumps back. He drops his gun, and I use the small distraction to fire at her. The bullet hits her leg. Gritting her teeth, she clutches at her thigh. The man, his wrist looking rather limp, reaches for his gun, but I kick it away. Changing tactics, he lunges for me. Ducking, I clench my fist and drive it into his stomach. With a grunt, he curls in on himself.