Chapter 39 Forged In Blood #2
I hate my name in his mouth, it makes me grind my back teeth.
Something in me goes still. The fear burns out, replaced by heat.
My eyes move to Tex—bloodied, restrained, breathing through the pain— then the men holding him, at Daniel, standing like this is peak entertainment.
All I can think about is tearing him apart right now, shooting him right in his stupid, smug face.
“I see the fire in your eyes.” He taunts, grinning wide. “Let’s see how strong you’ll be.”
A gunshot cracks through the night.
Loud. Final.
I’m frozen. My breath hitches. No.
No.
I watch Tex crumple, knees buckling, his body slamming against the concrete with a sickening thud.
Daniel’s gun is still raised, smoke curling from the barrel.
He shot him.
He shot Tex.
A scream tears from my throat before I can think. “TEX!”
Gunfire erupts around me all at once.
Automatic rounds shredding through the night, splintering concrete, lighting the shadows with flashes of muzzle fire.
Shouts ring out. Orders. Panic. Chaos.
I don’t care.
I’m already running.
I’m running from one block to another. Every instinct is screaming to take cover. But I won’t leave him alone.
Someone yells my name. I don’t stop.
A bullet clips the concrete beside me.
I flinch, duck, sprint.
The air reeks of smoke, blood, and gunpowder.
“Hold on, Tex, I’m coming—” My voice cracks, my throat thick with pain.
I drop behind a low concrete barrier for cover, my heart slamming against my ribs.
Tears blur my vision.
This wasn’t supposed to happen.
He wasn’t supposed to…
I peek out.
Daniel’s gone.
His men are moving back through the concrete blocks but still engaged.
All I can see is Tex lying motionless in a growing pool of red.
I scream his name and launch toward him, slipping across the slick concrete as I reach his side. Blood pours from his torso, bright and fast and wrong.
“No—no, no, no—” I press down hard, hands already soaked.
His body arches with a groan.
“Reinforcements ETA: one minute!” Noah shouts from somewhere.
Tex coughs, blood flecking his lips. “Iz…”
“I’m here,” I choke out. “You’re okay. You’re going to be okay.” Tears roll down my cheeks.
His hand finds mine, gripping tight, too tight. Desperate. “Don’t… cry for me.”
“Shut up,” I hiss. “You’re not going anywhere.”
An explosion rocks the far side of the training ground.
“I need a medical bag!” I scream.
“Coming!” Noah tears toward me, dodging gunfire, diving over a narrow pillar to slide into place beside us. “Iz… It’s not going to help.”
“Hand it over, Noah!”
“There’s too much blood! That bullet hit something major.”
“I don’t care,” I growl at him. “Help me!”
He shoves supplies in my hands. “He doesn’t have long,” he murmurs low.
Noah places a hand on Tex’s shoulder, squeezing it.
Tex’s grip loosens.
“Hey! Hey—stay awake!” I press harder, heart pounding so loud it drowns the battle.
Because in this moment, there’s only the blood.
Only the fear.
Only Tex.
His grip slips.
“Don’t you dare.” My voice is barely a whisper, trembling as I lean over him, pressing both palms harder into the wound. “You’re fine. You’re going to be fine. We’ve gotten out of worse, remember?”
Tex’s eyes are glassy. He coughs, blood bubbling at the corner of his mouth, and he tries to smile through it. His chest rises in shallow, broken pulls.
“This can’t be happening,” I choke, shaking my head like I can shake the truth away. “Fight, Tex, Fight!”
He reaches into his pocket, pulling something out. His hand finds mine. It’s weak but still warm. He squeezes once. Pressing the rough object into my hands.
I know what it is without even looking at it.
“No, Tex. No.”
“Take it, Iz.” He coughs, the sound wet and wrong. “I’ll be watching over you.”
“You’re not dying, Tex.”
Tex takes my hands from his chest and holds them.
“Hey! What are you doing? You’ll bleed—”
“Iz, just be with me.”
“Tex,” I choke on air. “Please, don’t do this.”
“It’s okay.” He closes his eyes for a moment, and when he opens them there’s something more terrifying there. Acceptance. “You’ll be okay.”
My chest caves. “Please, you can’t—don’t leave me.”
“Don’t be sad,” he says. “Promise me.”
Something in his eyes shatters me entirely.
“I-I promise.” I sob.
“I’ll always be with you.” He pushes the words out as he squeezes my hands tight.
I can’t speak. All the things I want to say. But there’s not enough time.
“Don’t forget me.” He chuckles.
I hold onto the sound, trying to commit it to my memory. Because I know this will be the last time I hear it.
“As if I could ever forget you.” I cough out a watery laugh, trying to give him a smile.
“She’s calling for me.” His blue eyes look past me. “She says I’ve kept her waiting.”
I close my eyes, dropping my head, as my heart tears itself apart.
“Go to her… Go to Ellie. She needs you.”
His eyes flutter open one last time, and somehow, he still manages a smile, crooked, familiar, Tex.
“Tex—”
“I love you.”
I watch the light leave his eyes.
His chest deflates.
Hands falling away from mine.
It’s quiet.
Like he took all the air with him.
I press my forehead to his and whisper, “I love you too.”