Protecting You ("The Shadows" Series: Book I)

XXI.

Lily's POV

I was sitting in the backseat of the car with Ryan, while the driver continued driving us to whatever place Ryan had told him. Silence enveloped us the whole time until Ryan decided to break it.

"Are you alright?"

I was going to say something really bad to him. How can he ask me that question? I'm a mess, if I put it out lightly. But then he spoke

"That's the most stupid thing that ever came out of my mouth." He muttered to himself but I was able to hear that. If this was a normal day for me, I would have laughed. But I was exhausted because of the turn of events and the toll they had taken on me. I sighed and looked back out the window. Everything was silent around us again until I saw a car following behind us. Before I could point out the weariness that I felt when I noticed the black tinged glass windows of the car, the window shield went down and a man with a gun started firing at us.

"SHIT..." Ryan cursed loudly as our car swiveled. The driver hit the gas pedal and our car accelerated. Ryan and I ducked down as the bullets continued to break the glass of our cars. When I looked at Ryan in panic, he was on the phone

"YES WE ARE BEING CHASED BY FUCKING SHOOTERS!!!! GET TO THIS ROAD-" before he could complete the sentence, another car drove up to our left side, taking down our driver. The car swirled and toppled.

"RYAN!!!!!" I screamed in agony and fear. But my voice got muffled by the crashing and breaking all around us. I tried to focus on Ryan to see what was exactly happening. I saw him turn and tossed like a rag doll, just like me, inside the car while the car continued to turn up and down. I wanted to hold his hand but that would have surely happened if we were in a movie. The car came to a halt while we were hanging upside down inside it because of the seat belts. My head was spinning and hurting like hell and I was not able to concentrate on anything when I heard screeching of tires. My hair curtained my face. I looked around to gather how far the situation had gone. Ryan's eyes were closed and he was breathing lightly. A thick line of red liquid was dripping down his forehead as his head hung lifelessly. I looked at the front seat to see the driver already dead, having a big hole on his temple. I cringed but felt light headed. I touched the back of my head to feel warm something on my fingers. I knew I was bleeding too but I was scared more for Ryan. All my thoughts were interrupted when the backseat door of Ryan's side was yanked open. I wanted to protest and shout for help but I had no energy to utter a single word. They cut his seat belts and pulled his body out and kicked him mercilessly. This time I did scream in horror.

"STOP IT!!! YOU'LL KILL HIM!!!"

Suddenly I got pulled out of the car by my hair and I yelped. The man pushed me to the ground and kicked me hard in my stomach. I rolled over, not able to handle the pain that coursed through me. I went limp as they continued hitting Ryan. I knew I had to do something very quick. I tried to open my eyes and felt a cold metal at my back. I realized that I still had my gun from my house, tucked behind my back. I willed myself to be ready to shoot as fast as possible to as many men as possible, in the first attempt. The loaded gun was the only thing that could save me and Ryan now.

This time with all my will power that I could muster, I opened my eyes and scanned the place. Three men were kicking Ryan badly while two stood on the side looking at the commotion and the remaining three were making their way towards Ryan's body to continue the beating. I pulled out my gun slowly not to alarm anyone. The guy who had pulled me out of the car was right now looking like spectator, smiling evilly. I was lying on the side of the road so that was an advantage on my side. I aimed at the man who was busy hitting Ryan and shot. He collapsed as all of them started looking around frantically and aimed in all the directions possible. They hid behind their own cars as two of them tried to take Ryan with them, picking him by his arms and legs. I shot another bullet at one of them. He fell down near Ryan's leg as the other guy who was carrying him tried to take cover of something, leaving his body on the road. I had nothing in my mind except killing all of them. But I knew I had not that much bullet. I was also worried if I would be able to shoot them down. Suddenly they started shooting in my direction. But past me. Maybe they thought someone was making me a shield. They continued firing for quite sometime. I still had four chances to shoot them but my trembling hands were not helping at all. Ryan was still on the ground and I was loosing my hope to save both of us but as soon as that thought crossed my mind, I heard firing from the other end of the road from where our car was crashed. The bullets flew around me as I tried to drag my body towards Ryan. I had no idea who was shooting whom, I just wanted to protect Ryan from everything.

I covered his body beneath mine as fully as possible while the events around me continued and then stopped abruptly. I had no energy to protest or do anything for that matter. My body went weak and numb as I started loosing my vision. I heard someone yelling and ordering around as I heard footsteps running towards us. I tried to look at the faces but I was not even able to pull my head off Ryan's back. He stayed still underneath me when suddenly I felt hands on my shoulder. Gentle hands. They turned me over and spoke something that I was not able to figure out.

But before I fell into darkness, I tried and opened my eyes to be greeted by a very horrified but slightly relieved face of Evan.

And then I slipped into unconsciousness...