Blood.
Emily’s hands were covered in it.
It was warm and sticky, seeping between her fingers, staining her skin, turning her palms red.
She pressed them harder against Olivia’s wound, her pulse hammering, her mind screaming at her to hold on, don’t let go, don’t let her die.
"Stay with me," Emily whispered, her voice tight with panic. "We’re going to get you out of this, okay?"
Olivia winced, her breath ragged and shallow. "You… suck at lying."
Emily let out a choked laugh, but it wasn’t funny.
"Shut up and focus on not dying."
James was already moving, his body tense with controlled urgency, pulling her and Olivia toward the car.
His jaw was tight, his blue eyes ice-cold with focus.
There was no hesitation in him—only the brutal efficiency of someone who had been here before, wh
