Children of Fire (Complete)

fifty-three

Emerson

There was a fierce ringing in my ears, and I couldn't feel anything. It took me several minutes to realize that I was laying face down on the asphalt, and that there was something heavy on my back. It was hot, much too hot for a cool evening like tonight, and it felt like my skin was melting off. I tried to push myself up on my hands, but whatever was pinning me down was too heavy. What even happened? The last thing I remembered was Gino running out of the office, and he was screaming something but I wasn't sure what he had said. Something about my desk? I tried to push myself up again, shaking my head to try and get rid of the awful ringing in my ears.

When I was able to see clearly, everything was tinted orange. I could see two bodies laying in front of me, though I couldn't tell if they were moving, the edges of my vision were still blurred. I couldn't hear anything other than the loud ringing that reverberated within my head, it shook me to my bones. Something wasn't right, and the heavy weight on my back was still there. I groaned, although I wasn't sure if any noise came out. I pushed up with as much strength as I could muster and I finally felt the heavy roll off of my back.

Where was Gideon? He was just next to me, wasn't he? I turned around and my eyes finally saw where the heat was coming from-- Tilly's. It was on fire? At least some of it was. What happened? Where the fuck was Gideon?

Suddenly, I felt something against my skin. It was the same temperature as my own, but it was soothing, comforting. My eyes snapped to my left, and I saw Gideon there, his face was covered in cuts and blood, but he seemed to be unscathed. I watched his mouth move, but still couldn't hear anything over the ringing in my ears. I shook my head again, willing the ringing to disappear, but it wouldn't. Gideon kept moving his mouth.

"Baby!" Finally! I could hear his voice. It was muffled, but it was him nonetheless.

"What happened?" I asked, the sound of my own voice unfamiliar. Gideon crawled towards me and placed his hands on my face, the pad of his thumb leaving soothing traces over my skin. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, baby. Are you okay? Someone put explosives in your office-- they tried to fucking kill you." His voice was worried at first, then quickly changed to angry as he growled out the end of his sentence. He wasn't the only one angry. At first, I was afraid. Scared that he was hurt, that I was hurt. But now, there was a fury building inside of me that wouldn't be contained... couldn't be contained. There was no way to quench my fury than with blood. And I was now thirsty for it.

"It was fucking Eddie wasn't it?" I hissed, stumbling into an upright position. Gideon stood up gracefully beside me (how the fuck was he graceful after a fucking bomb just went off?) and wrapped an arm around my waist. I looked into his face and he gave me a simple nod of his head.

"Thank God!" A female voice rang out from behind me. It was only a moment later before Kya had wrapped her arms around me tightly. I winced from the pain, I knew I had some minor burns from the way my skin tingled and stung-- and I'm sure I had a few cuts to match Gideon's as well. Although my skin was burning, it didn't burn as badly as the feeling of Kya's arms around me.

"Get the fuck off of me." I growled, yanking myself out of her grip. She stumbled backwards and the look of confusion on her face told me that she had no idea this would happen, but I couldn't allow myself to believe that. What had trusting anyone ever gotten me? Was it a mistake to trust Gideon as well? So far, he hadn't given me any reason to not trust him. As much as it pains me, maybe I should be more cautious when it comes to him. I thought I could trust Kya, and here we are, covered in the ashes of Tilly's because of Kya's boyfriend and whatever sick vendetta he had against Gideon and his club. No, I wouldn't trust her anymore.