“Get out of there!” Alyssa screeched at Simon. It was a stupid thing to say. She could see that he was trying, but Vic was flailing at his jeans with big movements in a tiny space. One wrong step, and Simon could be knocked unconscious.
At least he wasn’t gagging anymore. He definitely had a green cast to his skin, but probably no more than she. And his eyes were narrowed in concentration.
Oh God, was he going to kill Vic? He’d been brutal as he punched her brother, but there hadn’t seemed to be much damage. Blows, yes. Blood, no. And Vic had been pissed, but she’d seen more brutal fights between ten-year-old boys, so she hadn’t interfered.
But this was different. This was a dangerous fight with a monster. She didn’t want him to kill Vic, but what could he do? She scrambled sideways, grabbing the stun gun from the nearby table. That was her plan. It wasn’t the kind that could send out darts. It was just a handheld model that she’d have to slam into his furry gut. But maybe if she could get Vic to come at her, she could zap him before he ripped her to pieces.
It was a long shot, but all she had. She held the weapon in shaking hands. It charged with a satisfying crackle, but damn she had no idea if it would take down someone as big as him.
“Vic, you bastard, turn your hairy ass around!”
Nothing. Her brother was still ripping in fury at the tattered remains of his jeans. Then the last seam gave way, and she knew she had seconds before he turned on Simon. Good. She was ready.
Except the minute Vic looked up, Simon tackled him. He sprang forward from the crushed cot and knocked Vic backward. They landed in a crash against the side of the cage, but this was exactly what Vic had wanted. He loved to wrestle and he gripped Simon like the man was a stubborn tick.
“Do it!” Simon bellowed. “Now!”
“Do what?” Run in there? Vic was on the bottom, Simon on top. No way was she going to be able to get through to her brother. And with the way they were fighting, rolling against the side of the cage, she’d be lucky if she wasn’t flattened.
Except now Vic was digging in, his claws ripping into Simon’s back. And as much as Simon fought, throwing punches like a madman, there was no room and no leverage.
“The cage!”
Shoot the cage? Oh duh! It was metal and Vic was plastered hard against it. Sure she’d get Simon, but Vic would take the worst of it.
Without overthinking, she dashed to the side of the cage where Vic’s back was pressed hard against it. That’s what Simon was doing. Pinning the larger creature against the metal. She couldn’t be a 100 percent sure she’d get the prongs into her brother, but she sure as hell would electrify the cage.
“Get clear!” she screamed.
Not possible. He was gripping hard and now she smelled blood. And then the monster opened his mouth to bite. She saw sharp white teeth in a long jaw. No way could she let that happen.
She slammed the Taser against the metal and let it crackle.
Vic roared as his back arched. His arms flew open—or maybe Simon just sprang free—and then Simon began to punch Vic in the face. Over and over.
It was awful. The Taser just kept going. Vic kept roaring, his massive body jerking in spastic contortions. And Simon didn’t stop. He slammed his fists into Vic’s jaw over and over. Too fast for much current to get him, but he screamed with every blow as if it were painful. Or he was furious. Or insane.
She didn’t know. She couldn’t tell. And maybe she was screaming and crying, too, as blood and spittle flew.
The Taser cut out and she dropped limply to the ground, her entire body shaking. Simon was standing and his blows kept coming. Over and over, the beat unrelenting. The monster stopped bellowing. His arms had dropped to the ground and his shoulders moved only in time with every blow.
Wham. Wham. Wham.
The sound was wet with every impact, and Simon grunted with every blow.
“Stop,” she whispered. “Stop.” She hadn’t the breath to scream it.
Wham. Wham. Wham.
“He’s down,” Malik said from beside her, his voice a thousand times stronger than hers. “Stop. He’s down.”
Wham. Wham. Wham.
Simon didn’t hear them and one look at his face showed a monster in human form. His jaw was tight, his brows narrowed, and his nostrils flared. There was fury in every moment and the blood came from his hands as much as Vic’s face.
“Simon!” she cried. “Stop!”
Wham. Wham. Wham.
