Page 82 of The Last True Hero

Twenty-One

RECEIVINGA CHEST full of hot lead felt like razor blades slicing straight through him. McClain slammed back into the wall, his knees giving out, and his hands clapping over the bloody wounds. A chill ran through him as he slid slowly to the ground, hot blood pumping through his fingers.

"Adam!" Mia screamed, sliding to her knees at his side.

Couldn't... breathe. Fuck.He clapped a hand to the worst of the wounds, his lungs whistling sharply as fluid bubbled inside them. Everything hurt. But it felt distant, as though shock insulated him from the worst of it.

Rykker had shot him in the chest.

And just like that, everything collapsed in upon him. Adam's head swam as pain lit his chest on fire. All he could see was Mia's worried face. Beautiful. She was beautiful, even now. He tried to touch her, but his arm wasn't working properly. Pressure popped in his ears as his head began to swim.

"Don't you dare!" Mia yelled, easing him onto his back. "Ellie! Someone help me!"

Adam coughed as his chest heaved. Couldn't breathe. Damn it. He tried to suck in air.

"Hold your hand down firmly," someone yelled. "It's pierced his lung. Jesus, let me out of here."

Mia’s hands were on him, and Adam tried to shove her away. “Don’t!” he tried to say, and coughed.Don’t get… my blood on you.

It would take a bite, or a scratch from his warg claws to curse her, but he didn’t want to risk it. Who knew what poison was running through his blood?

Jake slammed into Rykker, wrestling for control of the shotgun. Adam coughed again, and blood spattered Mia’s shirt. Jesus. What was going on? He could hear the two men fighting. But he world was starting to close in around him. He couldn't quite see. Something tangled in his numb fingers. Mia's hand?

"Don't you dare, don't you dare," she called, her face following him into the dark.

"Mia," he whispered, and wondered if she even heard the faint sound on his lips.

* * *

“Jake!”

A rough grunt greeted her yell. Mia caught a glimpse of Jake’s black shirt, and then both he and Rykker slammed into the cell wall. Clearly he wasn’t going to be much help. Something wet her cheek. Tears. She was crying.No. No. No.This wasn't happening.

"Here," Ellie said, resting her knees under McClain's head. "I've got him."

Mia stripped out of her loose shirt, scrunching it into a fistful and slamming it over the bloodied wound in McClain’s chest. He gasped, clapping a hand over hers. Their eyes met, and she shivered as the cool air met her bare skin. The only thing covering her was her white tank. Correction: previously white tank.

“It’s okay,” she told him, her voice weirdly distant and calm. “I’mnotgoing to let you die.”

“Mia….” A rasp.

“Don’t waste your breath.” There was a horrible whistling sound, and it was coming from his chest.

Lungs are punctured….

Don’t think that.

“You arenotleaving me like this,” she breathed, assessing the damage. Ten wounds, possibly more. He’d been standing at least twenty feet from Rykker when he was shot. “Damn you, why?”

McClain’s pained eyes met hers. “I’m—”

“Not supposed to speak.” This time it was a growl.

Most of the damage had been to his abdomen and side, which made her feel sick.Punctured stomach. Sepsis.Her mind kept going down dark alleyways, even as she worked to stanch the worst of the bleeding. Even though he’d taken at least seven shots in the side of his abdomen, it was the two or three in his chest that bothered her.

Grunts sounded nearby. Jake swore, then a shotgun discharged.

Mia screamed a little, ducking down, even though the gun hadn’t been pointed anywhere near them. Jake punched Rykker, and then the shotgun hit the ground with a clatter. He slammed Rykker back against the cell door.