Dragon Clans Bk. 01 Pt. 14

"Get her out as fast as you can, there is too much petrol leaking from the tank, its going to explode," Tera yelled as she moved behind him to the front of the car bringing her Walther up scanning the other two cars.

............

"Michael," she sighed seeing his face appear at the shattered window next to her.

"It's ok, I'm going to get you out of here," he said as he moved into the car through the window trying to find the release for the seat belt.

One of the sedans pulled away and accelerated out of sight, the two gunmen that took up positions behind the front and rear of the remaining black Mercedes commenced firing.

Upon hearing the gunfire and then an instant later feeling the white heat of a bullet passing too closely to his shoulder, Michael looked out the window and saw the other two men raising their rifles.

'Damn it!' he cursed in his head and reached out once again. It was harder this time, seeming to take much more energy, one of them he couldn't read at all the connection to the other was tenuous.

In that instant he could only think of saving Valerie and getting her and Tera out of there, one less person shooting at them would help achieve that goal. Drawing his strength he moved into the mans mind; again he conjured a blackboard and began to erase another's life.

.........

The man at the front of the car slumped over the hood, Tera concentrated on the last gunmen, taking a chance she moved quickly, slipping around the overturned car and running straight towards the gunman who had paused for just a moment to look over at his fallen comrade, it would be the last thing he saw.

He caught her movement out of the corner of his eye, moving fast straight at him, he brought his gun up in a slow arch, tracking her movement trying to get to a point he thought she would be at when the muzzle was level with her.

At the last moment Tera switched direction, making a quick turn towards the front of the car launching herself over it as she came within a few feet. She twisted in mid air; the gun in her hand spouting a small flame as the final round exited the barrel on its twirling trajectory towards the gunman's head.

He didn't even see her move, only seeing the flash from the front of the car. His body was slumped to the ground from the impact and he lay there on the side of the road, a small rivulet of blood sliding down his forehead and over his open unseeing eye from the angry black hole left by the passing of her bullet.

Tera landed on the hard pavement, rolled and was back up and moving towards the over turned car before the gunman's body hit the ground.

She saw the blue flames starting to show from the engine; she increased her speed yelling, "HURRY!"

.........

Michael found the catch and engaged it, Valerie's body slumped against him, he hurriedly pulled her to him and out of the car.

Valerie was coming around, she felt the pull of the seatbelt release, the firmness of Michael's chest as he pulled her too him and out of the car.

She opened her eyes as he picked her up and ran from the car. Glancing over she saw another woman; she should have known her name...familiar...police? She was running close behind Michael, her hand on his back.

She heard and then felt the explosion, the heat washing over her. She found herself on the ground again, not pavement this time though, soft grass. She felt another body next to her, she saw the other woman looking at her.

They both looked up to see Michael above them.

He was shielding them from the explosion, crouched down between them and Valerie's flaming car, a look of pure concern, need and pain playing over his features.

Then, as they watched, Michael slowly rose, his eyes focusing on something behind them.

Both women followed his stare and found another gunman on the hill behind them.

.........

Tera tried to pull her gun out but it was empty and trapped beneath her from where Michael had grabbed her and thrown her in front of himself to shield her.

Valerie tried to scream but it caught in her throat as she glanced at Michael, meeting his calm gaze they connected for an instant and then she saw his gaze shift and give a look that matched her own to the woman lying next to her.

.........

'What is he doing?' Tera wondered and then she was lost for a split second as their eyes met and she fell into their warm brown depths, reveling in the before unknown understanding of pure love and care.

The moment ended and she watched mute as Michael moved.

.........

'No energy left or he is shielded, they will die unless...,' his move was automatic, pulling the last of his strength he leapt over the women at his feet, shielding them as the gunman pulled the trigger, the machine pistol spewing a stream of fiery death as Michael's body moved between it and the two women he now acknowledged...he loved.

As the bullets started to hit him his last thought was a penance 'Aoife.... I'm...sorry'

*

*The name Aoife comes from the Celtic origin. In Celtic The meaning of the name Aoife is: A great warrior woman of myth. Pronounced EE-fa