noirsealed part 4

The blood poured out of the bulletwound, and Cucali grit her teeth, trying to steady her aim despite the pain in her shoulder. "Shit."

How did she get into this situation? It was just a normal job to start out with -- then those other four guys had ambushed her. They were still out there behind the corner, advancing. She'd have to think fast if she didn't want to bite it.

Cucali flung herself out from behind the corner, firing a shot -- if she went out, fuck, she'd go out fighting.

But it wasn't just one guy who crumpled to the ground.

It was two.

Cucali only noticed the songbird standing behind the group when she fired a shot from a second derringer, hitting the third man square in the chest. She wasn't about to let her shock get the better of her -- she took care of the last guy before he could react.

"The fuck are you doin'?!", she called out to Paloma, ignoring the haze which began to bite at the edges of her vision.

The girl ran up to her, pulling her scarf away from her neck as she went. "Oh no, oh god, you're bleeding, just hold still --" and before Cucali could protest, she was wrapping the scarf around her wound, binding it as best she could in its awkward position.

"Oi, oi, get offa me!"

"You're bleeding badly," there was clear concern in Paloma's voice. "My house isn't far from here. I'll fix you up there, okay?"

"I don't need no..."

Cucali passed out.