Gifted Connections 4

I ran and dove towards Anna just as I heard the distinctive sound of a gun going off. I felt a burning sensation in my left arm and heard screams all around me. Anna made a loud noise of surprise as I pushed her to the ground.

Answering shots rang out, and I continued to cover Anna as Lincoln covered us both. “What the hell?!” Anna asked frantically.

“Your stalker must have gotten tired of waiting,” Lincoln said grimly.

I didn’t know if I could get a clear shot of the shooter or not and tried to get up.

“Stay down,” he bit out.

As fast as the shooting started, it had stopped. The screaming wasn’t over yet, though. I winced at the pain in my arm and the sounds of panic.

“Please, everyone calm down,” I heard Troy yell over the screams. “The assailant has been neutralized. We don’t need any more injuries. If you are well, please file outside in front in an orderly fashion, the police are on their way.”

The screams ceased, but I could hear a cacophony of crying and talking. In the silence of the music being shut off, it was deafening loud.

“Lincoln, shit, you’re bleeding,” I heard a man state grimly as he yanked Linc off of us.

Two men that looked suspiciously like bodyguards pulled Linc to his feet and began unbuttoning his top.

“I’m not shot,” Lincoln bit out as he looked down. Surprise entered his features as he looked down at me. “Shit, Blake,” he muttered as ripped off his jacket.

I looked down in shock at my arm. A small section of my bicep was bleeding. It seemed like the top layer of my arm had been burned off. I hissed in pain as Lincoln placed his coat on my arm, applying pressure.

“Silvermist,” Anna sat up in panic. “I knew there was a reason I liked you. How stupid are you to take a bullet for me?”

“Blake!” Noah cried out in worry as he ran over to our side, followed closely by Jaxson and Remy.

“Did he get you?” Noah dropped down beside me.

“I think he just grazed me,” I closed my eyes willing the nausea away. I didn’t think it was a result of the blood loss, just me coming down from an adrenaline rush and the shock of seeing the wound.

“We need another paramedic,” I heard Remy bark into the phone.

“Let me in there,” Noah stated grimly to Lincoln.

“The bleeding hasn’t stopped yet,” Lincoln bit out.

“I’m a med student,” Noah snapped back.

I looked up at Noah and tried to give him a reassuring look. I could see his hands clench and unclench. It was killing him that he was powerless. It was killing him that he couldn’t heal me at will anymore.

I could hear the distant sounds of sirens.

“Good for you, but I’m not releasing the pressure,” Lincoln said coolly.

“I guess Pretty Boy here has more skills than just acting,” Jaxson said, clearly agitated that Lincoln was pushing back on Noah.

I felt the absurd need to giggle and couldn’t stop it from escaping. They all looked at me like I was nuts. “Jemmy’s going to be so mad that her crush is somewhat of a dick and she never got to meet him. Where’s my cell phone when I need it? I need a selfie as proof.”

“You’re becoming loopy, baby girl,” Remy said unamused.

“Did you know that alcohol thins your blood and causes you to lose more in a normal situation?” I asked as I closed my eyes. “Noah,” I murmured. He leaned in close to me.

“Stay right there,” I insisted as I felt his chest on the other side of me. I leaned into him, seeking his warmth. I was trying to stop my body from shaking but I couldn’t.

“She’s going into shock, we need to lift her feet up,” Noah barked out.

I closed my eyes, knowing I was in good hands.