Amaris
Seeing my brother and father, as well as the twins, in the flesh, has me struggling in his grasp and Kwan pushes down more on the blade at my throat. The slight stinging sensation lets me know that the blade has broken through the delicate skin of my neck. Kwan's grip tightens on me and his knee presses harder into my back, causing me to yelp.
"I said stay back!" Kwan shouts at everyone. Right now, he is sorely outnumbered and I really don't see a positive outcome happening for he or myself. I just know that he is going to slit me ear to ear and then he will meet his inevitable demise afterward. All that is holding him back now is the fact that this hasn't registered in his head yet. At least that is what I think.
"I hope you know that you won't win this," I taunt, my voice strained, "you are all alone and once you kill me, someone is going to kill you." I wince as he digs the blade harder into my neck. Apparently pointing out the obvious pissed him off.
He chuckles and turns my body along with his as he surveys the area before us. "While we have many guests now, I do believe they are somewhat preoccupied with one another. Their focus isn't solely on you and me, darling." He slowly starts inching our bodies backward, keeping his focus on the crowd ahead. I hear several voices murmuring in the wooded area behind us and for half a second, I had hope that my family and the twins had more people coming in from behind us.
That hope is promptly shattered when I hear their foreign language.
Well fuck, fate is a super cunt at times.
As if he read my mind, Kwan chuckled again. "Things aren't always what they seem to be now are they?" He murmurs next to my ear, causing angry tears to fill my eyes. This fucking bastard!
"You're outnumbered, Kwan! Release the girl and I might just allow everyone here to live another day!" Vlad shouts as he casually strolls forward, the twins tracking his every step with their guns. "You Sorrentino folks must think I am a fool if you think I believe it is just a small crew of you here," Vlad continues. As if summoned, several men come out of the woods, approaching my brother, father, and the guys with them. They keep their aim steady, pointing at Vlad's men as well as some pointing in Kwan's direction. I desperately want to yell out that Kwan's men are all lying in wait behind us but the pressure on the knife against my neck is too much.
"We aren't leaving without my daughter, Vlad," my father snapped. Several of their men flanked my brother and father as they turned their sole attention on Vlad and his approaching mob. The twins, and a few other men, including their father Armando, remain facing myself and Kwan.
This is one fucked situation that no doubt will end badly for everyone involved. On one hand, the Russians are going to kill my family and the Sorrentino men and their crew, while the Asians kill me and jump into the fight. A high number of casualties is certain.
"I'm afraid that isn't an option. We can do this the easy way... Or well the easy way," Vlad smirks then lets out a quick, shrill whistle.
Before I knew what was happening, gunshots rang out from everywhere. The force of Kwan landing on my body shoved his knife into my neck further, slicing right through several layers of skin. I yelp in pain and bring my hand to my neck, applying pressure in a panicked manner. The blood flowing down my chest is a slow, staggering drip. I know my carotid and jugular were missed thankfully. Whether or not he meant to do that, I don't know. I assume he was trying to dodge stray bullets and my body served as a cushion to the little fall.
I remain lying flat on my stomach, peering up to see where my family is. Several men are lying on the ground, injured and most likely a lot of them are dead. Kwan's men emerge from the dense woodlands behind us and join the battle. I slowly scoot backward, remaining on my stomach and my eyes fixed forward.
I back up to a tree and sit up partially. An abandoned gun catches my eye and I desperately check for ammo. Luck is finally on my side and I breathe a stilted sigh of temporary relief. This won't last long or do much, but it's better than nothing.
Some of Kwan's men retreat, passing right by me and not paying a bit of attention to me. They abruptly stop and engage in hand to hand combat with their pursuers. I am in awe at the grace and fluidity these men have. The constant blocking and counter attacking simply enthralls me. Now isn't the time to be impressed though.
Blinking back to reality, I raise up to a crouch. I slowly inch forward, moving a few feet toward the clearing to assess the area.
Tears of joy want to fill my eyes when I see my family as well as the twins are still standing, unharmed. But not for long. I scream out as I see Vlad and three other men approach my father and brother. The distraction aided my family but brought attention back to me.
"Get her!" Felix shouted as he and a few men start in my direction. Shit shit shit! I'm not sure if I actually shot anyone at that dinner party massacre recently, but I know I am more prepared to accept being a murderer if it means saving my family's life as well as my own. I can only pray for the twins to be safe, but sadly, they aren't my priority at this moment.
I quickly raise my gun, letting go of my neck to hold onto the gun with both hands to prepare for the recoil. I press the trigger without giving myself a chance to think, hitting one man behind Felix. Son of a bitch! I missed that asshole. I stand up fully, taking several steps back to create more distance between myself and Felix. I stop and take aim again, determined not to miss him this time. No way can I let this monster get his hands on me again.
Just as I'm about press the trigger again, I hear my brother yelling frantically. "Amaris behind you!"
I pause for a moment before his words register, but it was too late. I go to turn and look behind me but the sharp, burning pain of a knife slamming into my back is too much for me to react to right away. I can't even muster up a scream before the knife is swiftly yanked out and a hard boot kicks me forward onto the ground.
"Sorry darling, but if I can't profit from you, then nobody will!" Kwan yelled before running, his remaining men hot on his heels.
"Quick, apply pressure on her wound, Vlad will kill us all if she dies," the panicked voice of Felix surrounds me. I'm swiftly lifted to my feet while someone presses on my wound so fucking hard I almost pass out but I allow my feet to move along with the body that is helping me stay upright.
"Did I seriously get stabbed in the back?" a mirthless laugh bubbles out of me, the irony of my statement reflecting upon my life as of late.
Felix hushes me gently, surprisingly. "Yes suka, save your strength, you're going to need it if you want to survive."
"Amaris!" Dominic yells my name, grabbing my attention. I search for him but my vision is getting darker with each hurried step I'm forced to take. "Release her now!" he orders Felix but it's futile. They won't release me. Vlad has some hard on over keeping me a prisoner and won't back down. Russian dick head.
"Son, stand down," Armando says. I blink several times to see my family on their knees, along with Damon and the surviving Sorrentino crew, guns placed behind their heads. Vlad has his gun pressed into the side of Armando's head as he presses down on his shoulder, forcing him to face the ground.
"NO!" I scream out, a burst of strength coursing through me and I thrash around, attempting to escape Felix's clutches even through my weakened state. He's too strong for me though.
"Please Vlad! I will do anything you want! Please don't kill them!" I beg pathetically and start sobbing uncontrollably. The pain overtaking my body and soul is so intense I don't know whether to puke or continue crying.
I drop to my knees in an attempt to continue begging for all these men's lives to be spared. Vlad makes eye contact with me before pulling his gun back from Armando's head. Tilting his head, he carefully tries to read me. I mouth the word 'please' at him and he smiles.
Oh fuck. I don't like it when he smiles.
He changes targets quickly and fires a shot off at Dominic, nailing him right in the leg. I scream out again but stop when a hand clamps over my mouth.
Dominic clenches his jaws together and grabs at the wound as he falls to his side. No no no! I try to start crawling towards Vlad, who has his gun now pointed right at Dominic's face, but strong hands keep me rooted in place.
Dominic raises his hands in a mock surrender, a smug smirk on his face. "What are you waiting for? Do it!" he says to Vlad.
What?! Is he crazy or is he crazy?!
Vlad presses the trigger.
I flinch but the click of an empty gun makes me sag in relief momentarily. I instantly bristle when I hear his dark chuckle. "Oops. Guess I'm out," he snaps his fingers and a magazine is place in his open palm.
My body gives out and I can't struggle any longer. I cry softly as Felix grabs me by my biceps, standing me upright once again while another man applies pressure to my back wound once more. I hear Vlad reloading his gun and scream at him in one last attempt to save Dominic, as well as the rest.
"Let them all live and I will willingly go with you! I will never try to escape again!" My chest is heaving with despair as soon as my words leave my mouth.
"Mare...no..." my brother says quietly but I still hear him. My eyes find his and I bite back a violent sob as I stare back at shiny, tear-filled, brown eyes that match my own. 'I love you' I mouth to my brother and quickly look away.
I jolt as I hear a single loud clap of hands. "Alright then. Deal. But I have one thing to do first before we leave, princess," Vlad swiftly turns away from Dominic and shoots Armando right in the forehead.
Armando's head snaps back, spraying blood and brain matter across my brother, then his body slumps forward, instantly dead. I gasp loudly and cover my mouth.
Why did he do that after he said we had a deal?!
Dominic and Damon start yelling and Damon reaches behind him, snapping the forearm of the man that holds a gun to his head. Dominic quickly drops his upper body flat to the ground and reaches for his gun.
"Don't." Vlad orders coldly, aiming his gun back at Dominic while two other men hold Damon chest down to the ground. "The rest of you can live, but do remember you are living on borrowed time. Tie them all up and then we leave." Dominic glances around and drops his gun, a resigned look on his face.
My eyes flick back over to Armando's prone body. This wasn't supposed to happen. Nobody else was supposed to die. I hate Vlad and I swear I will kill him somehow.
You're the one living on borrowed time, Vlad. So is Felix and whoever else I can take out before you kill-
My thoughts are cut off by darkness and the last thing I heard was the faint yelling of my name, my body too weak from the blood loss, and I fall backwards into Felix's arms.