Chapter 13 Athena
ATHENA
Isit in the passenger seat, arms crossed, staring at the gas station's flickering sign, trying to convince myself I'm not completely screwed. The silence in the car matches the emptiness of the night.
Dimitri's absence feels like both relief and some apprehension. With him gone, I can breathe, but I'm also vulnerable.
The gas station is deserted. It's way too late for anyone normal to be out here. Just us. There are two trucks parked off to the side, but they're dark and I assume the people driving them are sleeping.
I glance at the convenience store. Dimitri's inside, moving around like he owns the place, like no one could touch him. I hate him for it.
I wipe at my feet again with the crumpled tissues he gave me. The bleeding's stopped. It's just a nervous habit now. My body aches. I'm so fucking tired. I want to sleep so badly. I don't know how much longer I can stay awake. The sun will be coming up soon.
I glance around.
No one is coming to save me.
Not this time.
Then headlights sweep across the lot.
I sit up.
A dark SUV pulls in slowly and stops directly in front of our car. I look behind me and another one pulls up.
My chest tightens.
Men get out. Five, no, six of them. And then I see someone I know.
John G.
Thank God. My shoulders drop in relief and I nearly sob.
He's here. He's actually here.
Finally, after everything, they found me and have come to my rescue.
I press my palms against the window, my eyes wide. He'll get me out of this nightmare. Away from Dimitri. Away from all of this.
I look at the convenience store just as Dimitri steps out, his posture immediately stiffening.
I look back as John says something to the men beside him, pointing toward the car.
Toward me.
I raise my hand. "John!" I call out, my voice muffled by the glass. "I'm in here!"
But something in his face changes.
One of the men turns, raises a gun right at me.
And fires.
Bullets slam into the windshield.
I scream and drop below the dash, arms over my head.
My ears ring with the deafening gunfire.
BANG.
BANG.
BANG.
More bullets punch through the windshield, sending cracks spiderwebbing across the glass. I curl into a ball on the floor, heart beating so hard I think I might have a heart attack.
Why the fuck are they shooting at me?!
John, my savior, my contact, my fucking ticket to justice, just ordered his men to shoot me.
Another shot, louder. Closer. Glass breaks over my head and falls on me.
Tears burn my eyes.
They're trying to kill me.
Bullets ping against the metal frame of the car. I peek up above the dashboard. They're firing toward Dimitri now.
Shit, I'm going to die here. In a car at a gas station in the middle of fucking nowhere.
No. No. No. I don't want to die.
Something snaps in me, a surge of instinct or adrenaline, and before I can think, I'm lunging for the passenger door, shoving it open, and crawling out.
I move fast around the back of the car, ducking low, bullets whipping past. The gunshots are constant now and I feel like they are all around me.
I slam against the bumper. I cover my ears and scream as chaos swallows me.
From this position, I can see Dimitri. He's moving, fast. One man drops, then another, and another. Blood sprays across the concrete like paint.
I can't breathe.
They're everywhere.
A shadow moves to my right.
I turn and look up into the barrel of a gun.
This is it.
I freeze, breath frozen in my lungs, tears streaking my face.
I'm dead.
His finger tightens on the trigger.
Suddenly his head jerks backward and warm blood splatters across my face and chest.
I choke, wipe my face as the man's body hits the pavement beside me, a hole appearing between his eyes.
Turning, I see Dimitri, his gun still raised, gaze locked with mine.
He saved me.
Before I can move, three men rush him.
He turns too late. They slam him to the ground, his gun flies from his hand as their fists pound into him. He fights back, but he's outnumbered.
Two more men run up and slam their boots into his ribs.
I scream.
"No! Stop!"
They're beating him bad.
I can't. I... Shit. What can I do? He's only like this because he saved me. Now they're going to kill him.
My eyes fall to the dead man beside me.
His gun, right there, still in his hand.
I grab it. My hands shaking. It's heavy, cold, like nothing I've ever held before.
"Come on. Come on, Athena," I say to myself, my body shaking with nerves.
I raise the gun and aim at the men attacking Dimitri.
"Get off him!" I scream, but they don't even look up.
I squeeze the trigger.
BANG.
The recoil jolts through my arms. One of the men slumps forward, falling across Dimitri.
The others turn toward me, their faces twisted with surprise and rage.
Time seems to slow as their hands move toward their weapons, their mouths opening to shout orders.
But the moment of distraction is all Dimitri needs.
He grabs a gun, I don't even see from where, and suddenly the night erupts with more gunfire.
The men drop one by one.
Then silence.
Dimitri staggers up, blood dripping from his face, his breathing heavy. He scans the area, checks the bodies, and kicks a gun away from one twitching hand.
I can't move. The gun is still in my hands, but I've forgotten how to let go.
I killed someone. I actually killed someone.
My vision tunnels, the edges going dark.
Dimitri disappears into the convenience store, reappearing moments later with items clutched in his hands. He looks around the area once more before running toward me.
"C'mon we have to go, NOW," he orders, his voice rough.
I don't move. Can't move.
His hand closes around my arm, surprisingly gentle as he pulls me to my feet. "Now, Athena."
He guides me to the passenger side, practically lifting me in. I'm still clutching the gun.
"You can let go," he says, prying my fingers off it. "It's over."
Dimitri tosses the gun away, moves around to the driver's side, and slides in. He throws what looks like a first aid kit and bottles of water into the backseat.
The engine roars to life and we peel out of the gas station, tires screeching as we hit the main road.
I don't know where we're going. I only know I'm with him. And for now, that might be the safest place to be.