I pushed Quillan forward, the gun still threatening his lower neck just as two gunshots rang out. My heart in my throat, I continued pushing Quillan into the hallway and down the long corridor. It seemed like it took years to get out of the hallway and emerge into the living room.
In the darkness, I could just make out the shapes of two large lumps on the floor. It took my fairy vision a second to kick in, but once it did, I realized the gnome and the human were dead, a single bullet wound in each of their heads. Two points for Knight. Then I suddenly realized Knight, the creature and the vamp were nowhere to be found.
“Who's with you?” Quillan asked.
“No one you need to concern yourself with.”
Thinking Knight had gone outside to battle against them, I pushed Quillan toward the door, imagining I could walk him to the Wrangler and hogtie him with some horsehair rope in my trunk. The rope would keep him from using his magic to escape—horses' hair being one of the few substances immune to magic.
“You and I are going to go for a quick walk,” I said.
Quillan didn't say anything but stepped over the shards of broken glass that used to be the living room doors and jumped onto the dirt below. I was directly behind him. When we hit the ground, he started walking a bit too fast for my comfort. “Slow the hell down.”
He didn't slow down but, instead, took off running. I had the split-second thought to shoot him in the leg but the dragon blood bullets in his gun would kill him as soon as they made contact with his blood. And I definitely didn’t want to kill him, so I started after him, running full bore. There weren't any fences or anything else that might slow Quillan down—just a hill with a clear path to the highway below, and a few pepper trees dotting the landscape.
“Quillan, I WILL shoot you,” I yelled.
Surprisingly, he stopped and held his hands up, turning around to face me. If I thought he was surrendering, the little smile pulling at his lips made me think otherwise. I was prohibited from any other thoughts as a maniacal laugh pierced the air. Quillan and I glanced at each other, question marks clearly emanating from each of our eyes.
“Goddamit!”
Knight.
Knight's voice was followed by the sound of someone landing on the ground...hard. I could only hope it wasn't him.
“Let me go, Dulcie. It sounds like your friend is in over his head.”
Maybe Knight was in over his head. I tightened my grip around the gun, ignoring the thundering pain in my hand. But, if Knight wasn't in over his head, I'd be making a crucial mistake.
“I'm not letting you go,” I said, hoping Knight could take care of himself. He had said he was as strong as three men. But, that hadn't included a vamp and they were renowned for their physical strength. And the creature wasn’t anything to scoff at either.
Quillan started walking backward. “Let me go, Dulcie, it's a lot easier than killing me.”
I kept the Op 7 aimed on him but he continued to back away. I wasn’t sure why he didn’t just resort to using magic—he could’ve escaped me a lot easier by surrounding me in a thick fog or just becoming invisible. Instead, he was playing by the rules. Admirable. “Stop walking now.”
“Dulcie, you know if you take me into custody, the Netherworld will order me dead. I can't have that. I'd hope you wouldn't want it either.”
Damn him to hell. Of course I didn't want his blood on my hands. But, I had to let justice run its course. “Stop walking, Quillan.”
He didn't, and I squeezed the trigger ever so slightly. He was within range. If I hit him, I'd definitely kill him. And it was at that moment I realized I couldn't do it. As much as I hated admitting it, I still cared for Quillan and I couldn't kill him. The sound of grunting and fists meeting flesh assaulted my ears. I had to make my choice. Either go after Quillan or help Knight.
The choice was already made. I lowered the gun and Quillan smiled gratefully.
“I'll make it up to you, Dulce.”
“I don't ever want to see your face again. You were lucky this time; you won't be lucky next time.”
He didn't respond but turned away and started down the hill, disappearing into the distance. Fighting the soreness in my gut, I prepared to confront a more important subject—Knight.
TWENTY
I didn’t have time to regret letting Quillan go.
Another loud grunt sliced the tranquility of the evening air, pulling my attention to the fact that Knight might be in trouble. I took a deep breath and cocking Quillan’s Op 7, started in the direction of the muffled sounds.
More grunts and swearing, then the definite sound of fists pounding flesh led me to the grisly scene. Blood splattered the ground, the moonlight reflecting on it like spilled oil. Knight was caught between the vamp and the Kragengen shifter, doing his best to keep them both at arm’s length.
The vamp lashed his dagger-like fingernails out, but Knight ducked, the blades just missing his throat. The rise and fall of Knight's chest bore witness to the fact that they'd been at this for a while—this pattern of thrust and parry.
Using the girth of a nearby pepper tree, I managed to hide my body and regroup, wiping my still bleeding palm on my jeans. I needed a plan—I couldn't just charge in or I'd be done...that or Knight would be. Okay, second idea: maybe I could get off a good shot and nail the creature. The dragon blood bullets would kill it. And the vampire? Before jumping to extremes, I examined the bullets in the chamber. They weren't dragon blood bullets, but just standard lead ones. And those wouldn't kill a vampire or a shape-shifter—they’d just piss them off. Goddamit!
But, bullets would stun them and buy me some precious seconds; maybe enough to give Knight the upper hand? I really hoped so.
Knight pushed against the vamp, barreling him into a tree. The vamp hissed out and sliced his cheek with a rake of his claws. Blood immediately began coursing down the harsh planes of Knight's face. The creature just paced along the sidelines and watched.
Much though I wanted to take out the vamp, I couldn’t get a clear shot at him without the possibility of hitting Knight and those were odds I wasn’t about to take. Double goddamit.
So, instead, I watched idly—waiting for an opportunity to strike. The Kragengen, apparently unsatisfied with just being a spectator, lurched at Knight. It raised a clawed paw as if to strike. But, he deflected the attack and with a push, catapulted the creature toward my pepper tree.
It hit the trunk with a resounding thud then plopped onto the ground, shaking its head. It got up on all fours almost immediately. I sprang from behind the tree, my gun aimed at its temple. I squeezed the trigger and the Kragengen’s body shook as it landed on the ground. It was still. Well, dragon blood bullets or not, a bullet to the head should’ve been enough to seriously incapacitate it. Eyeing it, I unloaded another two bullets into its head. Hey, I wasn’t taking any chances.
“That’s enough!” I yelled at the vamp. “Step away from my partner.”
The vamp smirked and spat a bloody clot, revealing a tooth. Ew.
“Dulcie, get the hell away from the…” Knight started before the vamp took advantage of Knight's shift in attention and sucker-punched the side of his head, sending him flying three feet into the air. Knight hit the ground with a grunt but rolled back onto his feet.
I aimed the Op 7 at the vampire’s head and was about to squeeze off a shot when something smashed into me, sending me flying. I dropped the gun. When I hit the ground, I had to force myself upright. But, I was too late. The Kragengen straddled me. I pushed against its chest, trying to keep its mouth from my throat. The tear in my palm burned as the gold of my blood stained the creature’s coat.
Without my magic, this was hopeless. I didn’t have the strength to keep it from tearing me apart. Feeling my arms weaken, I heaved against the beast and using the quickness inherent in my species, rolled out of the Kragengen’s grasp.
I stood up and faced the creature, panting as drops of blood coursed down my open palm.
?
??Face me as a woman,” I screamed, thinking any chance I had of taking it would require it to be in human form. “Woman to woman.”
The creature seemed to smile—its teeth reflecting the moonlight. It stood before me on all fours and like a great, rumbling bear, stood up on its hind legs until it towered over me.
“Dulcie!” It was Knight but I couldn’t spare him a glance.
“Fight me like a woman,” I repeated, this time softer.
The Kragengen just stood there, staring at me. It took me a second to realize it was shifting—the crude hair on its body began to recede back into its skin, leaving nothing but a smooth palate of porcelain. Its rib cage seemed to fold in on itself until it had a definite waist flanked by large breasts on one side and generous hips on the other.
As the creature shifted into its human counterpart, it dropped in height. Its shark-like teeth recessed into the cavity of its mouth until only a set of human teeth smiled out at me. When it was finished metamorphosing, the beautiful red-head beamed at me…naked.
Okay, so I’d never had to fight a naked person before. I guess there’s always a first.
The creature’s attention fell to my dripping palm. “You don’t have your magic.”
I didn’t feel the need to agree and instead, turned to the fact that human form or not, her strength easily out powered mine.
I was done.
As if to prove my point, she lurched for me and with a push, sent me careening into the tree behind me. I hit my head against the bark and had to shake my vision free of stars. That’s when I was able to glance at Knight who was on his back, the vampire sucking at his throat.
“Knight!” I screamed.
There wasn’t an answer.
Tears threatened my eyes but I blinked them away. I couldn’t focus on the loss of someone I now considered a friend. I had to face the fact that I was next and I had to do something about it.
I pulled my attention back to the Kragengen just as it pounced. It threw its full weight into me and smashed my head against the bark. Holding my neck against the tree with its forearm, I could smell flesh on its breath. Its eyes found the pulse in my neck and it stood transfixed. That’s when I realized that in its human form or not, there was nothing even remotely human about this creature. It was wild.
Its eyes found mine as its mouth opened and its teeth elongated. Without any warning, it buried its face into my lower neck. The feel of its teeth perforating my skin was nothing compared to the agony as it bit through my collarbone.
I screamed and it released me.
I sunk down the line of the tree and collapsed against the ground.
This was it. I was going to die.
I glanced up at Knight and found him still lying prostrate against the ground, his throat open and gaping. The vamp was no longer feeding from him though. Instead, it was making its way toward me.
I didn’t flinch as the vamp grasped my head and pulled it back, revealing my neck. He was on me instantly, tearing through my flesh like a kid ripping through wrapping paper on Christmas morning. The creature joined the feast with renewed energy and buried its face into my side, its teeth gnashing my flesh.
This was not the way I’d planned to go.
I fisted my hand and prayed my magic would work even with a ripped palm. I shook it and focused hard, focused on those little specks of fairy magic that would see me through this. I reopened my palm and noted nothing but the gold of my blood.
Dulcie.
It was Knight’s voice in my head. I glanced over at the heap of inanimate pile that was Knight.
So, now I was losing so much blood, I was losing my mind.
I’m going to heal you. You have to let me into your mind like you did in your dreams.
But, you’re dead, I thought.
No, I’m not. Let me inside your head, Dulcie. Once your palm is healed, I want you to envision a stake and aim it over the vamp’s heart. Can you do that?
Yeah.
I closed my eyes, thinking it might help.
And then I felt him. It was like liquid heat rising up through my body. Every appendage stung with what felt like electricity. I opened my eyes, thinking the vamp and the creature must have felt it too but they were both too busy feeding on me to notice. I glanced at my palm and the wound was gone.
I closed my eyes again and shook my fist, imagining a wooden stake. Dust flowed between my fingers and I wanted to cry. It had worked! Somehow it had worked.
I rotated the stake in my hand and moving slowly, so as not to alert the vamp, I held the stake directly before his chest.
It’s there, I thought, hoping Knight was still listening.
I opened my eyes and watched Knight sit up, his neck no longer a gaping wound, but smooth as if it had never suffered the insult in the first place. He moved quickly until he was directly behind the vamp. With a smile at me, he shoved the vamp from behind until the stake buried itself deep into the vamp’s chest. The vamp’s eyes widened as they met mine and then he merely collapsed onto the ground beside me.
His eyes went vapid, the life slipping out of them as his body and face rapidly aged, decades going by in mere seconds. When his body stopped morphing, an old man lay before me.
The Kragengen gave a cry of alarm and turned away from me, facing Knight.
I stood up, feeling slightly woozy and watched Knight turn to face the creature.
“No, this is my fight,” I said.
Knight smiled and backed away from the creature who faced me with renewed interest.
“Come here, you ugly bitch,” I seethed.
The Kragengen started to shift back to its true state, wiry fur unfolding down its body. It doubled in size and waved its paws through the air as massive claws sprouted from them like bulbs breaking through soil.
I fisted my palm and shook it. Then I blew the glittery particles toward the creature, imagining a roaring inferno. Once the particles hit the creature’s fur, they erupted into flames of orange.
Knight backed away as the creature began to howl and dance around in a circle, fueling the intensity of the flames. In only a few more minutes, it was an incendiary and a couple minutes later, it toppled to the ground and the flames went out.
“Nicely done,” Knight said with an appreciative grin.
I just nodded and fell back against the tree.
Knight was beside me momentarily. “I wasn’t able to completely heal you.”
I collapsed into his outstretched arms.
“Let me inside your head again.”
I closed my eyes and welcomed the heat as it poured through my body. The stinging, electrical sensation seemed to focus on my collarbone and side.
“That’s about all I can do. You’ll need to sleep well and eat lots of protein for the next few weeks to get all your strength back.”
I opened my eyes and offered him a smile. “I hope you know I’m keeping track of all your many abilities.”
Knight chuckled. “What do you say we get the hell out of here?”
He didn’t wait for a response but scooped me into his arms and stood.
“What about the bodies?” I asked.
“I’ll call for backup.”
At the mention of backup, of calling Headquarters, the fact that I’d let Quillan escape came back to haunt me. I could tell it was going to keep on haunting me. I shouldn’t have been so soft. I should’ve taken him in. Shoulda woulda coulda.
“That reminds me,” I started before taking a breather. I definitely wasn’t feeling myself. “All this talk about confidentiality and getting me dropped off the team at Headquarters…”
Knight raised an eyebrow like he had no idea where my questions were leading.
“You knew all along that someone from Headquarters was involved, didn’t you?”
He grinned. “Confidential.”
I couldn’t help my laugh, weak though it was.
Knight glanced at me. “What happened to Quillan?”
I gulped down
my own sense of failed responsibility. “He got away.”
###
Two days later, as I ambled into Headquarters, I might as well have been the Virgin Queen of England for all the whispering and knowing looks I aroused. I’d never liked being the center of attention so I hurried to my desk until I got too winded and walked the rest of the way.
Trey was at his desk but I didn’t acknowledge him, just dropped my backpack on the floor and started up my computer, relaxing into my chair.
“You okay, Dulce?”
I glanced at him and nodded although I still wasn’t feeling myself. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“If you need to…talk to anyone, I’m always free.”
I smiled, thinking Trey had definitely turned out to be a better coworker than I’d thought he would. “Thanks, Trey, I might take you up on that.”
The unmistakable sound of Sam’s heels tapping down the corridor heralded her arrival. I glanced at her with an encouraging smile and a wave of my hands.
“I’m fine, I’m fine.”
Sam’s eyes were wide and her mouth twitching—something she always did when she was nervous. She hesitated only momentarily before throwing her arms around me. “God, I was so worried. I wanted to come see you—why didn’t you answer your phone?”
I sighed. “I guess I just needed some alone time.”
Sam nodded. “I can’t believe Quillan! I can’t believe he lied to us all!”
I still couldn’t believe it, myself. The truth of the matter was that I hadn’t been able to sleep, remorse plaguing my every thought. I shouldn't have let him go—that’s what it came down to. I was, before anything else, a Regulator. And as a Regulator, my first and foremost duty was to apprehend criminals, but I’d let Quillan slip through my fingers.
I stopped berating myself as Elsie's voice interrupted.
“Guys, the chief of the Relations Office is here!”
I glanced at Trey and Sam, who stared vacantly back at me.
“He wants us all to meet in the conference room,” Elsie insisted and clapped her hands together as if to tell us to hurry when none of us made any motion to do anything.