It doesn’t last long.

I feel a set of hands wrap around my body and lift me. I open my eyes to see Granger. He and four other guys are the ones who drove me in here. How did they get into the compound? I feel him running towards the back door, and when we get out into the sunlight, I see the car we came in sitting at the back entrance next to three dead bikers. I close my eyes, shuddering. They’re Hogan’s men, I know that. Granger gets me to the car, and I can still hear gunshots. He throws me in the backseat and runs around to the driver’s side, jumping in and hitting the gas. We speed off down the road, and he skids down a dirt track. There, behind a mass of logs and trees, are the three other guys, shooting down at the compound.

“Get in, now!” he barks.

They run to the car, and as soon as the last door is closed, Granger speeds off. I can hear the rumbling of Harley’s firing up, and I know my father and his gang won’t be far behind.  Granger speeds down the road, his eyes frantic. I feel my eyes drooping as I struggle to keep them open, shock is rushing through my body quickly.

“They’re goin’ to be up our tail in a matter of minutes,” one of the bikers yells.

“I know that,” Granger barks.

“We need to find a back road, and disappear down it fast.”

“I gotta find one first!” Granger screams.

“You need to find it fuckin’ fast; I can see a fuckin’ bike!”

Panic rises in my chest, the first emotion I’ve felt for days. Granger steps on the gas, and the car skids in the dirt. I hear a shot ring out, and hit the metal loudly. I gasp, and Granger curses.

“Go fuckin’ left, it’s a sharp turn,” one of the bikers yell.

“No, it’s a fuckin’ dead end. Head into town,” another screams.

My head spins, and my heart thumps as my eyes dart around frantically.

“Lay down lower, Serenity,” Granger orders.

I lay down lower, my hands shaking, my heart throbbing. I hear another gunshot, and it takes everything not to scream. The Harley sound comes closer and closer, and I know this could be it for us. I close my eyes, and warm tears trickle down my cheeks. The car skids suddenly to the left, and bumps up and down, like we’re going over some serious dirt.

“Yeah, good plan,” one of the bikers says. “They can’t bring those bikes down...”

Another shot, the smashing of glass...and then I’m covered in blood. Thick, hard chunks cover my body...oh god...that isn’t blood...I open my mouth and I scream. Granger curses, one of the Bikers starts shooting a gun, and we keep bouncing up and down over the road.

“They’re backing away, they can’t get the bikes over the dirt,” someone yells, I’ve stopped trying to figure out who.

“Is he...” Granger rasps.

“He’s dead...brains every fuckin’ where.”

“Fuck. Serenity?” Granger calls.

I’m silent, my mouth is open, and I’m struggling to breathe. Brains. Brains. I’m covered in brains. I make a whimpering sound, but my body has gone into shock.

“She’s fuckin’ in shock, get her back, now!”

“Serenity, sweetheart,” Granger says gently. “Talk to me.”

I can’t. I am shaking so badly my teeth are rattling together, and I feel sick. So sick. I open my mouth and gag.

“She’s ok,” a biker rasps, his voice broken. “She’s alive.”

“Close your eyes sweetheart,” Granger says softly. “Close them and don’t look.”

I do as he asks, closing them and trying hard to forget about the blood covering me. It’s soaked into my shirt, and I can smell it. That awful, copper smell. I open my mouth and vomit comes out, I can’t stop it. I throw up until I’m gagging and sobbing loudly. My body convulses, and I break. I cry so hard that I begin to wail.

“Hey, hey, shhh,” Granger tries to soothe me.

“She’s in shock, get her back, G.”

I scream and cry the entire way back, shaking and laying in blood and vomit. When we get to the warehouse, I hear frantic voices. Granger leaps from the car, I hear him talking, and then I hear the door swing open. I’m on the floor, curled in a ball, still screaming.

“Oh shit, get Jackson.”

Spike.

“Fuck.”

Cade.

“Jackson!” Granger bellows. “Out here, now!”

I hear the crunching of boots, and then I hear his voice, like my calm breaking through the panic.

“Oh fuck, baby.”

I feel a set of arms grip me, and pull me up. I’m covered still, but I keep my eyes clenched. I feel my head press to a hard chest, and right away I know whose it is. Jackson. I am still screaming; I can’t stop it, even though I want to.

“I’m here,” he murmurs, turning and walking. “I’m here. I’ve got you.”

He walks inside, I hear voices, Addison’s I think. I stop screaming, and instead shake violently in Jackson’s arms. He walks into a shower, and closes the door, and then very gently he places me on my feet, wrapping an arm around my waist.

“Keep your eyes closed, I got you baby. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

I keep my eyes closed, and a little shaky, whiny sound escapes my throat. He lifts my arms, and slides my shirt off, and then he pulls my pants off. I hear him shuffle around, and open the door.

“Get rid of that, now,” he orders someone.