Freya
My ears are ringing and my head is throbbing. With blurry eyes I open them to see metal bent at all shapes all around us. As my hearing returns, I catch the tail end of yelling and the distinct sound of Arella screeching.
My baby is the one thing that makes me push my airbag out of the way and attempt to unbuckle my seatbelt. One look to my left shows that Damon is knocked unconscious. There's a large cut on his forehead that's rapidly turning into a bruise.
"Get the baby and the wife out of the car." A deep male voice states in Russian.
Oh god. Please no. I can't imagine what they'll do to Arella and I if they get us to a secondary location. My one saving grace in this situation is the metal of our car is bent to bits. It's not going to be easy to get us out.
I just need to buy some time for the boys to take them down. It takes me a minute to locate my buckle and by the way my ribs are screaming at me, I know I broke something.
That doesn't stop me from popping off my belt and twisting to look in the back. Alessandro is also passed out with one hand on Arella's chest and his gun held loosely in his hand.
His chest is rising up and down in even movements, so I know he's alive. My baby boy was even smart enough to cover his sister's seat with a blanket so the shattered glass didn't fall on her.
Carefully wiggling my way over the center console, I grimace with each small, sharp piece of glass that digs into my clothes. My body wavers to the side for a second as I struggle to push through my throbbing headache and aching bones.
It's a tight squeeze in the back. Alessandro isn't a small boy and the car seat is bulky as hell. Putting my hand on my son's shoulder, I give him a rough shake to try and wake him.
"Dro? Please, wake up. I need your help. They're going to get in the car. Please, son." I beg, tears forming in my eyes.
I get no response. That's okay. I can handle this. I was born and raised in this life. Although a woman and therefore kept from training with the men, I do know how to use a gun.
Pulling the weapon from Alessandro's limp hand, I check that the safety is off and aim it at the broken window. It's not big enough to pull me out of, as the shape was distorted in the wreck. It is big enough to pull Arella out of, though.
Pulling the blanket off my baby girl, I see her bright red and screaming her head off. Besides where the straps kept her secure in the wreck, she seems otherwise unharmed.
Cupping her cheek, I rub my thumb across her cherub cheek, accidentally leaving a red smudge of my blood across her skin.
"Shhh. It's okay. Mama's going to make sure we're okay. Brother's are coming any time now." I try to reassure her, but in reality I'm trying to reassure myself.
They should be here by now. Unless there was a second car that hit them too. Fear strikes as I think about my children. What if they're knocked out in their own car somewhere?
I try not to think about that as I listen to the sounds of crunching glass next to our smashed car. They're coming.
Raising the gun, I point it towards the window and take a deep breath. As soon as a face appears, I don't think, I just shoot. Blood splatters and Arella's screeches get louder.
The ringing in my ears gets louder. Firing a gun is such small confines is never a good idea. Then again, what choice do I have?
The force of the weapon being fired makes my injured ribs throb and burn even harder. There's no time to think about it. I take aim again, my body draped over Arella's, careful not to smush her.
Whoever watched their buddy die was smart enough not to look into the window again. So when a voice demands that I drop the gun from the opposite window, I jump and turn in fright.
Swinging around, I aim at the window and shoot again. It misses by barely an inch.
"I wouldn't do that again if I were you." He warns, pointing behind me.
I know that I'm not supposed to take my eyes off a target. It's one of the first things that Damon taught me when we first got married. With a foggy head and an injured body, my brain isn't working like it's supposed to, so I turn and see a gun aimed right at my head through the same window I just shot out of.
Right in this moment I know that I'm totally powerless. Outgunned, injured, and alone. I have no idea where our guards are. My kids are possibly ran off the road, injured or dead. It's over.
Tears fall freely down my cheeks, the saltiness stinging the small cuts that are on my face. Looking down at my angel, I see it on her face too. Even at her young age, she knows that we're not getting out of this.
Her deep blue eyes shine with tears and she whimpers.
"We technically don't need you, lady. Put down the fucking gun or I'll shoot you and take the child." Our future kidnapper reiterates.
With no option left and knowing that being kidnapped with Arella is better than her being left alone, I go to slowly lower the gun. That's exactly when hell breaks loose.
Two large bangs happen almost simultaneously. Both men drop. More shots follow and I can hear the sounds of bodies hitting the ground. Wet thumps as their souls leave their bodies.
Picking up my gun again, I aim it at the window, ready to shoot anybody else that gets close to my family.
There's no time for breaths of relief or for silent prayers. I'm running solely on adrenaline now. I have to be ready.
More footsteps approach the car and right as I'm about to shoot, a familiar voice echos, "Mama! Don't shoot!"
Davide leans down and peeks his head into the car. Right then and there is when I break. Large gasping cries exit my mouth as I take in his features. Aside from a couple scratches along his face he looks fine.
"Mama, stay still. You're hurt! We're working on getting these doors open!" He calls for Andrea and together they manage to pull the door open.
It took several minutes and multiple tries. As soon as it's open, they lean over Arella's seat and pull me from the car.
"Don't worry about me! Check on your brother and Papa." I demand.
I'll be fine. It's just a couple of broken ribs. I'm more concerned about my husband, daughter, and son.
"Look down, Mom." Gianni states in his most serious voice, his face the palest I've ever seen.
One glance down at my abdomen shows a red patch of blood rapidly spreading. Lifting up my shirt, I see a large gash along my stomach.
It's kinda funny how adrenaline works. What I thought was a broken rib is actually a large wound. Now that I'm looking at it and have time to process, the pain is kicking in.
Laying flat on my back on the ground, I press on the wound to try and stop the bleeding. My hands are knocked away and replaced by Gianni's.
"It's gonna be okay, Mama. The ambulance is on the way."
Any good mother knows her child like the back of her hand. My goofball, middle child who never takes anything seriously is scared. He's crying while I focus on his face. The way his tears fall down the bridge of his nose, landing on my chin.
"Davide! Andrea! I need help!" He yells pressing harder down on my abdomen.
Pulling his shirt off, he uses it to press on the wound, soaking up my blood. Surprisingly, I don't feel the pain anymore. It's like I've become numb to it.
"Is Papa okay? Dro?" I question, my voice weaker than I would like.
"Yeah," He nods with a sniffle, turning his head to wipe his nose on his shoulder, "They're fine. Dro's already waking up and Pa's getting there too."
Right as he finishes that statement, Cerberus comes barreling towards me. He whines, shimming down onto his stomach by my head. The wailing of sirens sounds down the street.
"I'm okay, Cerberus. You're a good boy." I mumble, lips cracked and dry.
"Move! Move!" Damon's rough voice yells.
His face fills my vision, blocking the sun from my eyes. I smile as he leans over and cups my cheek. I don't know why he looks so worried. He needs to worry about himself and the kids. I'll be fine. The ambulance is almost here.
His dark brown, almost black eyes peruse my body, landing on where Gianni is holding his red shirt to my skin. I don't think he was wearing a red shirt when he left.
"Fuck. No, baby. I'm right here. Keep looking at me. I love you so fucking much it hurts. Whenever I think about how much I love you, my heart physically aches, so if you leave me that's it. I'll go with you. I'll follow you wherever you go.
"Whether that be heaven, hell, or you reincarnate as a damn ant. I'll be right beside you as a fucking ant."
His voice is getting fainter in my ears and my vision is turning dark around the edges.
"You'll stay for the kids." I mumble.
He shakes his head and leans down, placing a quick kiss on my lips. He whispers an apology, shoves Gianni away, then picks me up in a cradle hold.
The sudden movement causes me to scream out in pain. He keeps apologizing as he runs towards the ambulance, further jostling me in his arms.
"My baby..." I whisper through the pain, worrying about Arella.
"She's okay. The boys have her."
With the reassurance that my kids are okay and with me safely held in my husband's arms, I decide to finally fall into the rapidly approaching darkness.
***
Beep... Beep... Beep...
That damn noise is grating on my nerves. I wish it would fucking stop. My head is throbbing and I don't want to mention the burning sensation on my stomach.
Groaning, I turn my head to the side and stretch my arm out, searching for the warmth of Damon. A large, calloused hand grasps my own and squeezes.
"I'm right here, beautiful. You're coming off sedation. Take your time. I'm not leaving you." His deep, grumbling voice says right next to my ear.
"Yeah, Mama's waking up soon. See, she's squeezing my hand. It's going to be alright now." Damon must be talking to Arella.
A tiny warm body is placed next to mine on the bed. I so wish I was strong enough to open my eyes in this moment, but they feel like they're weighed down and glued shut.
I want to hold my girl in my arms while being held by my husband. I want my son's to smile at me and make shitty jokes. All I want is to go home and pretend that this never happened. That I didn't kill a man and almost kill another.
"Don't cry, beautiful. We're all here. Everyone except, Dro. You know how he doesn't like hospitals." Damon wipes the tears that I didn't realize had fallen.
"Yeah, Mama. We're all here and you're going to be okay. Get some rest. We love you." Andrea leans down and kisses my cheek, clasping my other hand tight within his own.
I'm scared to fall back asleep. If I'm asleep I won't be able to see who's coming. They could sneak up on us again to try and take Arella. I need to open my mouth and tell them. The task feels impossible.
The beeping increases and panic fills my body, only worsening when Damon let's go of my hand.
"Go get a nurse! Quick, Davide!" He shouts.
Multiple footsteps race into the room, medical jargon flowing from mouths. All the while, I can only worry about my daughter. They're going to find and take her. I need to warn Damon.
"What's going on?" Damon demands as Arella is taken from her place next to me.
"She's having a panic attack. We're pushing sedatives."
Coldness is pushed into my veins followed by the feeling of warmth. I'm being sucked into the pit of unconsciousness again.
The beeping slows.
Right before I let sleep take me again, I feel Arella being placed back onto my bed and a large hand grabbing my own.