Chapter 48: Forty eight

•Lexus

"It's me." I whispered in her ear and she calmed down. I loosened my hold on her and she looked back up at me. The firing had ceased now.

"Lexus…" She whispered my name, then her gaze landed on the gun in my other hand. "You-"

"Don't worry. I didn't use it." She relaxed a bit after hearing that. I kept her close and glanced from behind the tree. The area was clear. "Arius sent his men to take care of them." I spotted a man in black lying face down while it started to drizzle. I think he was shot but I couldn't make out where, since he was wearing all black it was difficult to spot.

Lighting struck as the rain started becoming heavier. After looking around I decided it was okay to take her back with me now.

I looked back at her, "It's okay. They're gone. We can leave now."

"Are you sure?" She asked and I nodded, Arius's men should have taken care of all of them. I just have to make sure Rosalie doesn't see the dead bodies.

I held her hand as thunder rumbled and the rain started pouring heavily.

"Let's go-" A loud sound made us both pause. What was that? The sound was ringing in my ear.

"Lex-us…" I looked at Rosalie. At her teary eyes and her hands over her stomach.

"No…" Her shirt started filling with blood and she stumbled to the ground, I caught her in my arms. She was shot.

A hideous sound of laughter made me turn to the person who shot her. The darkness and the rain made it a little difficult to see, but the gun that pointed our way was clear. Joey stood at a distance, his right arm and legs bleeding. A grotesque grin plastered on his face.

He was ready to shoot again when a bullet went straight to his head. The sound of gunshots could be heard only to nearby people since the majority of it was lulled by the rain. Just one bullet didn't satisfy me.

So I shot him again, and again and again, my fury knew no bounds at that moment but a bloodied hand that touched my face with weak force halted me.

I dropped the gun and held her hand.

"Stay with me." I began to pick her up in my arms. "I got you."

"You know." She started, "The rain and Strom- doesn't seem so scary anymore…" Her voice was fading with each word. She was losing too much blood.

"Don't you dare do this to me!"

She laughed meekly while I made our way out of the forest.

"If-" She started.

"No ifs!!!" I yelled, "Just stay with me. Just a little more…" Everything felt like a blur, it was getting foggy and the rain had no intention of slowing down.

"If anything happens.."

"I said no!!" I reached the house.

"Please make up with your family…" Her voice cracked.

Since there was no back door I had to run around to get to the front. The car was parked further down the street near a candy shop.

When I finally managed to reach the car I was out of breath. Panting desperately I tried opening the door.

The streets were empty, probably because of the heavy rain.

I laid her inside and noticed her eyes were closed. The rain was so heavy that it should have cleaned a lot of blood yet my white T-shirt was dyed red.

"Rosalie?"

She didn't respond. I touched her cheeks, they were cold.

They must be cold since we were in the rain. I tried to reassure myself. That has to be it.

Closing the door I took my place on the driver's seat and started the car.

The heater. I should turn on the heater.

My vision was hazy, maybe because I was out of breath, maybe because I was scared or maybe I was confused.

But where is the heater button? I looked for it frantically. Where the hell is it?!!!!

"God Damn it!!!!"

I looked back at her, she didn't move at all…

I looked at the front again. There it is, I pressed the button and then drove the car.

Calm down. I told myself. Calm down. I told myself again, yet I was driving so rashly. As fast as I could, paying no heed to anything, my soul focus was to reach the hospital.

Upon arriving I parked the car in front of the emergency entrance. I got out and carefully picked her in my arms.

"Rosalie." I called her name as I made my way in, "Nurse!!!" I called out as soon as I entered, "Doctor!!!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. "Help, please…"

I looked down at her in my arms as a doctor along with two nurses came running towards us.

She was pale, very very pale, her arm that was on her stomach slipped and dangled by her side as no other movement came from her.

"Rosalie??"