Chapter 97 - 99
Kelsey POV
I push myself up, my breath hitching as I lift my head from my arm as chaos unfolds all around me. Blood streaks on the pristine altar, a stark scarlet against the wedding’s white elegance. Gunshots thunder through the air, jerking my head as I glimpse the man in black storming a gunman.
He collides with brutal force, knocking the rifle skyward. A burst of bullets sprays the air before he disarms and finishes the assailant with a weapon drawn from his waistband—a double tap, precise and final. Pivoting seamlessly, he takes down two more attackers, his movements a violent burst of efficiency.
The officiant lies dead alongside several Vacheron relatives. My gaze lands on Avara amids, the carnage, blood pooling beneath her, its crimson tide spreading across the immaculate floor.
Panic slams through me. My scream rises but feels swallowed by the cacophony. Desperation surges as I push up, but a heavy force rams me back to the ground. Luciano covers me with his body, shielding me as bullets rip through the air, shattering decor into a storm of splinters that rains down in sharp fragments.
Without hesitation, Luciano drags me to my feet as I stagger, my legs shaky, as we flee. Over my shoulder, I catch a fleeting glimpse—Vance gathering Avara in his arms while Silas shields them both.
Luciano pulls me forward, and we race into the botanical gardens, the air thick with fear and the acrid stench of gunpowder. Behind us, the once-idyllic scene dissolves into a hellish nightmare, fading as we sprint toward the safety of the manor house. That’s when we’re intercepted by the on–site security, most of them disheveled and injured as they encourage us onwards before they proceed to confront the assailants.
The journey feels like a grueling hike. By the time we reach the ground level via the back door, Vance is drenched in sweat, his white shirt plastered to his chest, turning nearly transparent. Save for the dark patches of blood leaking from Avara, whose pallor deepens with every passing second, her skin as lifeless as a starless sky.
"We need to stop the bleeding!" Silas yells, his voice cracking with panic, his glassy eyes darting to check our rear as we make our way toward the primary lounge.
Luciano surges ahead, yanking the runner off the ornate table with a violent pull, sending glasses and decor shattering to the floor. The crash reverberates through the tense air as Vance hurries to lay Avara carefully on the now-bare surface, improvising it into a makeshift operating table.