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The beast slithered toward one of the vehicles and slammed the hood with its nose, ripped at the metal with its fangs. The officers retreated, and the snake released a stream of liquid from its mouth, hitting one of the cops in the leg as he ran. The man let out a yell of pain and his pants leg sizzled, but he didn’t stop running.
“To hell with this,” Aric shouted. “Let me torch it!”
“No.” Nick pointed at Kalen. “Can you neutralize it? Put it to sleep or something?”
“If you can distract it long enough for me to work, yes,” the Sorcerer said, eyeing the snake. With a flick of his wrist, his Sorcerer’s staff was in his hand, glowing with power.
“Okay, let’s go!”
Nick led the group down the street and they fanned out to surround the beast. They danced around it on the balls of their feet, waving their arms and shouting to get its attention. They did a pretty good job of keeping it off guard, but it still managed to hit Ryon with its venom.
“Shit! Fuck!” He rolled on the ground, clutching his bleeding, scorched arm with his other hand. A couple of Tarron’s men rushed in and carried him from the line of fire.
Nick pushed his concern about Ryon to the background. Glancing at Kalen, he saw that the man was standing with his arms out, chanting a spell. The basilisk must’ve felt or sensed what Kalen was trying to do, because it suddenly lunged in his direction. Nick and Aric moved to intercept it, Nick palming a medium-sized blade. Rushing in, he drove the blade between two scales and winced as it screeched loudly enough that nearby windows shattered and car alarms went off everywhere.
“Nick, run!” someone yelled.
He turned, but the beast came at him. It slammed him with the side of its head, knocking him clear off his feet and hurling him several yards away. By the time he hit the pavement and skidded to a halt, it was on top of him, head lowering, eyes red and jaws gaping.
Red eyes.
Nick froze in the act of peddling backward, unable to move a muscle. Oh, God. I looked into its eyes. I’m fucked.
Mesmerized, he watched as the beast took one of his thighs in its mouth, clamped down, teeth shredding his skin. He couldn’t move, couldn’t shout his agony as the venom broke the skin and began to move through his blood. Burning. On fire.
He could only watch as it lifted him off the ground, and then dangled him helplessly upside down as he waited to be devoured. All around him, his team and Tarron’s were shouting at Kalen to hurry.
And then the creature stilled. Slowly, Nick was lowered to the pavement until he was lying on his back, his leg still in the creature’s jaws. The basilisk’s eyes drifted shut and its body relaxed in sleep.
“God,”
Nick gasped, pulling his leg to try to free it. “Get it off me.”
People swarmed him, Aric and Micah dropping to his side. Aric gripped his shoulder and spoke in a soothing tone. “Easy, boss. John and the vamps are gonna pry your leg loose.”
“Tell Kalen to wipe the humans’ memories. Everyone he can. Kill the cameras and cell phones. The few that got away, nobody will believe them.”
“I’m on it,” Kalen told him from a few feet away. Then Nick lost track of him.
The pain was incredible. His injured limb felt like it was being boiled in acid from the inside out. The fire spread up to his hip, and he writhed in agony, groaning.
“Fuck.” Sweat beaded on his face, rolled into his hair. The fire reached his chest, and his heart seized. His eyes widened and he met Aric’s worried gaze. “Can’t . . . breathe.”
“Prince Tarron!” Micah shouted. “We need to transport him!”
Hands grabbed Nick, and he was traveling through the abyss. Back in the stronghold, he wished he could lose consciousness as the men rushed him through the corridors. He was dragging air into his lungs by sheer force of will, so hot he was sure he’d fry before the doctor could help him.
The rest came in disorienting snatches. The agony. Dr. Archer, barking orders. An IV being inserted into his arm, several shots of medicine going into the line. There was some relief as the burning lessened. His breathing became easier.
Then Dr. Archer leaned over him and said, “I’m putting you under while we clean out that leg and repair some of the damage. You’re in no shape to shift just yet, and I’ve got to get to those thigh muscles before they’re too far gone to heal. Just relax.”
And those were the last words he heard for a while.
* * *
“Calla? Calla!”
“I’m coming!” As Calla jogged to the door, her heart leapt into her throat. She would recognize her brother’s anxious voice anywhere.
