Page 110 of Run, Little Rabbit

My heart pounds in my chest as my body crashes into Rory just as he pulls the trigger. The sound is deafening this close to it, a sharp slice against my eardrums. But that’s nothing compared to the pain that blooms and spreads along my side. It moves through me like fire, all jagged edges and searing agony.

More shots ring out through the night, and I’m almost certain that I hear the tell-tale whistle of a sniper shot, but there’s also a high chance that I might have imagined it.

Rory pushes me off him, and I collapse onto the ground. He scrambles to his feet as another whistle sounds, and his body jerks awkwardly before smacking the ground with a thud.

Huh. Definitely a sniper somewhere.

It’s good that they’re on our side. They can help keep Echo safe.

She's safe, which is good.

Maybe I should invest in some bulletproof vests. We’ve certainly needed them more times this week than I ever thought necessary. Not that I’ll need one. I'm pretty sure I'm dying.

A chill seeps into my bones, and a vision of Echo swims before my eyes.

Tears spill down her cheeks and drip onto my face.

Not a vision then.

“Echo…” I go to brush the tears from her face, but I can’t lift my arms. That’s not good.

“M..Max… Wh-what have you d-done?”

There’s so much anguish in her voice, and it makes me feel sad. It should be sassy and bright, not full of pain. “You said you’d wait for me. Why did you do that?” She pushes down on the wound, futilely trying to stop the blood pouring from it. It’s too late. Sweet that she’s trying, though.

Because I love youis what I want to say, but no words leave my lips, just a shaky breath as I memorise the contours of her face for the last time.

The pain subsides to a dull throb, and darkness creeps in at the edges of my vision.

I dig deep, pulling the last traces of strength to the surface and cup her jaw. I smear her beautiful face with blood as I roll my thumb across her chin and trail my fingers across her pulse point for the last time. Her heart beats a frantic rhythm for me and I let that sensation wash over me as I finally surrender to the darkness and let it swallow me whole.

Chapter Forty-Three

Echo

My hands shake in front of me.

Hands that are covered in blood.

Maxim’s blood.

It’s dry and cracked now. Itchy. I want to wash it off, but what if it’s the last part of him I’ll ever have?

There had been so much blood. The ground beneath him had been soaked with it.

I hadn’t even been aware of anything else that had happened around me. I just sat there and watched as Angel tried to keep Max alive long enough until the paramedics came. Niki had been furious. He’d killed everyone who tried to run. Not that there were many who had been loyal. The twins had made sure of that over the last year. The only one I wasn’t sure about was Jace, but I’m sure the twins will either make him see things their way or kill him.

Angel and Niki sit either side of me, their bodies pressed against mine as we wait.

I’m sick of waiting. The not knowing is eating away at my insides.

What if he doesn’t make it?

No. I can’t think like that.

I squeeze my eyes shut and breathe long and deep. In and out. I do it again and again until my hands stop trembling quite as much.

“How long has it been?” My throat is raw, and it makes my voice sound scratchy.