Chapter Forty-four
“No!” Vaughn shouted, trying to catch Natalie as she fell. She knelt to help her, to try to get her back up. But she was limp in her arms and Vaughn was too weak to pull her away, her back screaming at her in agony.
She looked to the man, who she assumed was Allen. He was staring at Natalie, eyes glossed over, spent gun trembling in his hand. He appeared to be in shock. Vaughn took advantage and charged him, as fast as she could, pain be damned, letting out a low roar as she slammed into him, barreling him backward. He got another shot off before he crashed into the table and she landed atop him, on the floor. She pushed herself up, a burning stab of pain in her shoulder, and began to choke him. But her strength had dwindled from the charge and the tackle, and her shoulder, something was wrong with her shoulder. She squeezed as hard as she could, but he fought her off easily, hitting her in the temple with the butt of the gun. She fell off him and lay crumpled on the ground, fading in and out of consciousness, her blurry vision trying to focus on Natalie’s still form, lying in a heap by the door.
“Natalie,” she said, blinking back tears. “Run.” But Natalie didn’t move, didn’t acknowledge her. Vaughn heard movement to her right. She shifted her gaze and saw Allen getting to his feet. He staggered, got his bearings, and stood above her, gun aimed at her head.
“Fucking dyke,” he said. Drool oozed down his chin as he wavered again. “I’m gonna kill you. Just like I killed Natalie.”
“Natalie,” she said again. She couldn’t be dead. No. She wanted to grab his leg and pull him down. Climb atop him again and strangle the life out of him. Squeeze him until his eyes bulged. But she couldn’t move, could hardly manage to blink as darkness threatened. “Fuck you,” she whispered.
A raucous laugh came from him and the last thing she saw before unconsciousness took her was June stepping into the doorway, shotgun aimed.
And then, a loud blast.