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My hu who, until Bex hit Isaac so hard that his body sailed across the air, and he landed in the exact spot he started, next to Shax

"It's like people tennis," Ryan said, in awe "Everyone keeps flying across the rooain, but this tiround, and after the second time Isaac landed a blow that would have been fatal to a hu!" I said

"I can't leave you," he said "If I take my attention off of you for a second, they'l attack"

Donovan walked down the center aisle with purpose, dodging the fal ing chunks of ceiling Claire pul ed out her firearht at his face

Isaac's attention was distracted, then, and Bex head-butted Isaac, and then threw hiainst Donovan They both slid across the floor

Isaac stood, pul ed out his gun, and ai herself in front of him

Ryan and Claire were face to face when Isaac's gun discharged Claire's body jerked twice as it was hit, and Ryan's horrified expression matched hers

Stunned, Claire looked down, and then turned to Jared "They went through me"

Claire and Ryan fel to their knees at the same time, and Jared rushed to his sisters side He pul ed me with him, and I fel to my knees just behind hihed, blood spraying up and spattering across his cheek

"Oh, God, no!" Jared cried, pul ing off his shirt and wadding it up, pressing it against Ryan's wounds

Isaac's h see slanced at the bloody scene, and then focused on Isaac, his hands bal ed into fists at his sides He lowered his chin, then, and his expression ht see froel

Claire looked up at her brother, expressionless "End this"

Horrified, I watched Claire tend to Ryan's wounds, but within moments, Jared pul ed me to my feet

He took my hand in one of his, and then pul ed out his side ar one round after another, walking toward hi me to fol ow

Isaac jerked with each hit, stu backward "You son-of-a-bitch!" Jared screaht, the skin around them hite

"Jared!" Bex cried, but it was too late

Donovan had his gun to Jared's temple "I suppose it'l take you a while to heal from this one," Donovan said

An abrupt blast resounded in the roo over, succu to the bul et hole I had just shot into his brain

"Shawn!" Isaac said, struggling to reach his Taleh

It was too late for both of them Shawn Donovan's life had already spil ed onto the floor

Isaac fel back, already feeling a weakness in his body

Jared's eyes ide as he processed what had just happened "You kil ed hi to un at your head," I explained

Jared laughed once,that ere stil surrounded by the enemy

A quick wind passed by, and Bex and Shax were suddenly in a balThe sounds co from their scuffle were horrific Distracted, Shax lost his control on the dean descending fro around us

"Run to Ki me in her direction

The hundred yards down the aisle to where she was protecting the book seemed a mile away, but I took off without hesitation

Seeing that I was running to her, Ki down the aisle toShax, and histo the floor in endless numbers Adrenaline kicked in, and my feet ht me

"Run, Nina!" Ki me in moments I would be crushed and torn apart by the Hel so closely pursuing my flesh

Their screeches were al arhtwhat Ki resounding farther aas ht with Jared and Bex

And then it was quiet

Chapter Nineteen

Waiting

I peeked out fro their way down the aisle Ki , and he was uncharacteristical y shaken

"Are you okay?" Jared asked, evaluating every inch of ns of trau as the adrenaline soaked back intoandaround the ruins of St Anne's to the entrance

With the inordinate level of noise froht see concrete, wood and sheet rock grated against each other under my feet with every step Those tiniest sounds echoed, even though the church seemed to be torn open and vulnerable, a contrast to the silence outside

"We're going," Claire said, her voice distant and eht behind you," Jared said He lead me quickly out of St Anne's by the hand

I turned to take one last look at the rubble, and saw Kim help Father Francis to his feet She threw his ar herself beside him as they fol owed us to the Escalade

Tiet Ryan to the hospital, the distance to Jared's SUV see, settled into their seats was a slow, frustrating process

Claire rode with Ryan in the hatch, holding his head in her lap as he was nearly sprawled out She see his face intently

Bex sat in the back seat with Kim and the priest, but his focus was on Claire He reached back, gripping his sister's shoulder Bex's expression was heartbreaking, as the worries in his mind played out across his face

"The closest hospital, Father," Jared said

"Landmark Medical Center Two minutes away Stay on this street, and then turn left on Cass Avenue"

Jared blew through the stoplight, and then weaved in and out of traffic, ht turn into the hospital's ambulance bay

"We need help here!" Jared yel ed, ju out of the driver's side

I ran to the back, watching Jared open the hatch Bex helped the priest into the Eurney

Jared was gentle, as if it were Claire he were holding A s Jared's attention away for just a mo sense of déjà vu --butJared and Claire hover over Ryan's li my last trip to the hospital from a different, more real perspective It was cruel for both of theain