Page 112 of Bloodlust

"Okay," Hazel whimpers, dropping to her knees as she grabs the keys, hands shaking. Not good. She holds them in her hand for a second, and I nod, encouraging her. She swallows, passing them to Zhao slowly. "Here, baby."

Stay the course.

"You're a fucking idiot," I state, meeting Hazel's eyes as I take a step forward. "Really? You're going to let him talk to you like that?" I take another step, gaze locked on hers. "Like you're some slave? Some fucking servant?" I shake my head in rehearsed disapproval. "Until you start acting like something other than his little submissive whore, he's going to keep treating you like one!"

"Shut up!" Hazel screams, pulling a tiny pistol out of her jacket pocket. She wraps both hands around the gunand glowers at me, her arms extended, sturdy. Her aim...Perfect. On target. Me. "Shut the fuck up!"

"Hazel!" Zhao barks. "The fuck you doing? We got the keys, let's fucking go!"

"No!" Hazel yells, ignoring Zhao. "She disrespected me. She'sbeendisrespecting me!" Hazel quickly glances at Zhao. "Andyou!" She shakes her head. "As your futurewife...I can't let that happen."

"What are you going to do, Hazel?" I ask, catching Alba and the troll quietly retreating out of the back exit. "You're gonna shoot me? Huh? You think you got it in you to kill me? Hmm? You're weak, Hazel! You're not gonna do it. Youcan'tdo it."

"Oh, I can," she states in a faltering voice. "I can do a lot of things, Camilla." She swallows. "I'm stronger than you think."

"Really?" I ask, my chest rising against the vest as she takes a step closer. My pulse quickens. "Do it then, Hazel. Shoot me."

"I will..." she breathes, nodding. "I?—"

"Do it," I whisper, taking a step closer.

"Cami!" Zoey squeaks from behind me. "Too close?—"

"Fucking do it then!" I yell, commanding her.

I've always thought that humans are born as shields—strong, secure, and impenetrable.

It's people that make us weak.

It's people that take away our power.

But the thing about shields… They can be mended, fixed, repaired.

Sometimes they become stronger than ever before.

It's a cycle.

A cycle Hazel broke.

"Cami!" Zoella screams as a bullet hits the center of my chest, and I tumble backward falling on the cold metal floor. I gasp for air, my skin burning as I dip my fingers into the gushing blood pouring out. "Cami!"

"Let's fucking go!" Zhao yells, and their footsteps disappear.

"Bravo Team, go!" Hayden yells in my ear. "Camilla, breathe! It's okay! You're going to be okay!"

"It hurts," I breathe out, eyes watering as I examine my crimson-soaked fingers. I turn my head toward Zoey. "Zoe..."

"It's okay," she whimpers, stroking my cheek, my forehead, my lips. She hesitates, but then I swallow, coughing. "You're going to be okay."

"We need to go," Leo states, scooping me up in his arms as he runs toward the door.

"Relax." My eyelids flutter, looking up at him as he gets outside. "I'm going to be—" Another cough. "Just fine."

"Camilla!" Frankie grunts, struggling against the zip tie restraints. His eyes widen as he sees all the blood flowing from my chest. "Fucking hell!"

"Here." Zoella runs to Frankie, flicking open a switchblade before cutting him loose. "She needs to go to the hospital now!"

"Shit!" Frankie grunts as he runs toward the parked SUV, the rest of his men waiting for Zoey to untie them.