Free Twice the Bang by Delilah Devlin

team had taken their first loss. And from the chortles coming from down the field, Pansy had her first kill.
    “She can shoot?” Billy asked.
    “Of course she can,” Beau said. “She has a photo in her house with her standing beside a large buck she killed.”
    Billy’s eyebrows shot upward. “You’ve been inside her place?”
    “Haven’t you?”
    Billy frowned, but Beau didn’t give him time to think about it. He ran to a large foam-filled X, slung his rifle over his shoulder and climbed into the upper cross, hoping to get a better view of where the red teammates were. Blue team had made it to midfield and had split to take cover.
    A pop sounded, and Beau jumped to the ground. Paint dripped down the side of the X. “Missed!” he called out then grinned at Billy.
    Silence reigned for long moments, broken by the sounds of scurrying feet as the red team members moved toward them. Blue had decided to wage a defensive war, hurrying to near midfield but taking cover to pick off the enemy one by one.
    Billy caught sight of Jackson rounding a barrel and shoved the stock of his rifle into his shoulder to sight down the barrel. When Jackson appeared in his line of sight, he squeezed off a shot, aiming for his chest.
    Jackson jerked and then glanced up at him. “Well, fuck.” He set down his weapon and sat beside it, his face screwed up in a ferocious frown.
    “Doesn’t like to lose, does he?” Billy said to Beau who patted his shoulder in congratulations.
    “Who does? See her yet?”
    “Not so much as a glimpse.” Billy glanced to his side to find Mondo and Marti gesturing to each other, Marti darting out as Mondo laid down fire to keep the red team’s heads down.
    Another pop sounded. “Got you, Craig,” Marti yelled, but then she made a rookie mistake, doing a little dance in the open that earned her three splatters of paint, all on her ass.
    “Holy shit,” she said, rubbing her behind. She sat in the grass and groaned dramatically before shifting to lie on her side.
    More shots sounded, followed by a shout. “I’m down,” shouted Mondo. “Damn, Pansy, that was close.”
    “Wasn’t aimin’ for your package, Dom ino,” she shouted.
    Billy grinned. “She’s something.”
    “I thought she’d be into this.”
    “You created a damn monster,” Mondo grumbled.
    Ash and Jenn went down in quick succession. Now only Aiden and Pansy stood for the red team, with Beau and Billy still alive for the blue. They were all center field, both sides playing a more defensive game now that they were on the home stretch.
    After being forced to give up his position when Aiden began circling his barrel, Billy darted to a tall X and eased down beside Beau, breathing hard.
    Beau gave him a rueful glance. “Really? You’re winded?”
    Billy aimed a glare at him. “Aiden’s gunning for me. You’d think his big ass would be a great target, but the man’s fast.”
    “Excuses, excuses.”
    Paint exploded near his head, and Beau jerked down to a crouch. “This has gotta end.”
    “Should we let her win?”
    Beau’s eyebrows rose. “Where are your cajones , man?”
    “Right in my nut sac. Seriously, do you think we should let her win?”
    Beau shook his head. “Nah. She’d know it. But we have to make it more exciting. Give her something moving to take a shot at.”
    They both eased up.
    Beau jerked his chin to the right. “I’ll head right. You go left. Run and roll to the next barricade. And keep your eyes open for Aiden. I’d love to see his ass covered in pink.”
    “You fancy his ass?”
    “Unless you want to wear my paint, you won’t say that again.”
    Billy grinned. “On three?”
    Beau counted quietly.
    On three, Billy ducked out and charged toward another barrel. Guns popped, but he kept his head down and scurried, dropping to roll behind the next barrier.
    Just as he righted himself, he spotted Aiden popping up from his perch atop an X. With his gun only halfway up, Billy fired off a shot, aiming