*Here's the third installment. Hopefully it turns out as well as the other two and I hope everyone enjoys it. Have to go to work again so, if I don't finish it, I'm sorry and will another day*
"De Night Blades!" Alex gasped, "Theo, why?"
"You didn't really think I'd let you both get away with this, did you?" the vampire replied, "You broke my heart, ma chere. You disobeyed the codes and mandates of the Night Blades and you left us without a word, one scrap, anything that would help me understand why you've rejected me for him! You disappeared off the face of the Earth for almost a year, letting me believe you dead, which, by the way, is about the most cruel thing you can do to a person who loves you, no matter how you feel about them. Do I need to go on? The two of you are finished!"
Looking at Remy, he smiled.
"I have waited several months for this moment, mon ami. I am disbanding the Nocturne. Your little band of thieves will have no more license to operate in my city, nor will they find shelter or succor from any of my people. I am done with you all."
Then, turning, Theo nodded once and the church erupted into chaos.
Remy grabbed Alexandra's arm and pulled her down sharply. Bullets began to fly all around them and the Cajun launched himself towards the back of the church, pulling his wife behind him. Alex let out a scream and covered her head, ducking where Remy lead her. The young man tried to call out for his family but his cries were muffled by the gunfire. Then, there were also the horrible screams, which began immediately after the first shot was fired. Remy looked over towards where Jacques had been standing and saw the priest and the organ player lying in a pool of their own blood. Their bodies were so riddled with bullets that their clothing had nearly been torn off.
Sickened, the young Cajun cried out again and turned to see his brothers. They reacted far too late, pulling their weapons to try to defend Remy and Alex. Luc and Louis were both badly wounded in their shoulders and Michel was dragging his left leg behind him, useless. Jacques had only been grazed so far but, as the young man turned towards Remy and shouted for he and Alex to run, it seemed his luck had run out.
Another burst of fire tore through the room and this time the devastation was catastrophic. Louis was hit so fiercely that he jerked several times, like a marionette on strings, spun once, then dropped to the floor in a spray of red. Luc gave an inarticulate cry and rushed forward but successive shots took him in the knees, throat, and finally, his chest. He collapsed to the ground and let out several gasping breaths before he finally lay still. Michel, valiant until the end, leaped onto the back of one assailant and began to grapple with him. The gunman simply flipped the young man over his shoulders onto the floor and unloaded enough bullets into Michel's prone frame that his body continued to convulse long after it had ceased to move.
Remy screamed out his brothers' names and began to run towards them but a look from Jacques stopped him.
"Remy, get outta here, ya little fool!"
Jacques literally shoved Remy and Alex, both screaming and crying, towards the rear of the church and took up a position where he could guard their exit.
"Run, both of you! Just get out while you can!"
There were many things Remy wanted to say to his brother at that moment but he was choking on pure emotion, his throat already swelled shut with grief. He thought about Alex, about their baby, and where his responsibilities should lie. It only took a moment for Remy to understand and nod. Though tears welled up in his eyes, he grabbed Alex by the shoulder and shoved her through the door that lead towards the priest's sanctuary. He called back once for his brother to be well and to find him later, if he could. A stray bullet lodged itself into Remy's thigh, causing him to curse and limp, but Remy never looked back and he never saw his brother again.
"Dis way!" Remy cried, shoving a sobbing, nearly inconsolable, Alex out the door of the church, "Run!"
Alex kicked off her nice shoes and raced after him onto the harsh, desert lawn of the church. The sun had set several minutes ago and Remy cursed the young, idealistic foolishness that had prompted him to suggest getting married at sunset. The two ran, hand in hand, their hearts in their throats. They had almost made it to a copse of cacti not far from the carnage when they heard noises behind them.
Remy whirled around to face his attackers, pulling knives out of his fancy boots while shoving Alex ahead.
"Keep goin'!" he shouted, "Don't stop, no matter what!"
Frantic and afraid for the man she loved, Alex was calling out to Remy when a hard fist caught her unawares. The punch slammed into the left side of her face and left her reeling. She gasped and tried to recover but her pregnant body just would not respond to her commands. Kicks, punches, and swift jabs rained down all around her and Alex could do nothing to stop any of them. Blood flew from her mouth and nose. She could not stop the assault, nor could she see through the haze of her attackers to see what had become of Remy.
*I know this is a really depressing and bad place to end this but I did warn you all that I have to go to work. More will be posted later. Comments, etc, are welcome, as always. *
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