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The aversions and protections at work, I thought. The good ones.
“And then one day I just … felt like trying.”
Yeah, that would have been when I had the damn things taken down. Idiot.
“Breaking in was fairly simple, especially since there was already a broken window in the back. I came in here and … there was something—a little Tinker Bell thing. It attacked me and stung me, but then I grabbed it.” She shook her head. “I don’t really remember what happened, but … God almighty, it was like consuming a dozen lives at once. I think I passed out … but when I came to, I was different. Stronger.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Hungrier.” A shudder racked her, and I could see a sheen of sweat on her forehead. “I don’t want to have to kill anyone else. I swear. But I don’t know how much longer I can control this.” She flicked a glance at the warded portal. “It came out of that corner. I remember that. I figure if I can find another one of those things, then that could hold me for a while. Maybe I could just feed on those and not have to kill anyone else. But nothing’s coming out.” The look she gave me was one of desperate pleading. “You have to help me get another one of those things out. Please!”
I shook my head slowly. “Rachel, I can’t do that. It would only make things worse. I’m sorry.”
Her hands shook as she clenched and unclenched them. “No, you’re not sorry. You want me to starve to death.”
Would that work? Could she be weaned from this sort of addiction? “Let me figure out another way to help you.”
“No! I don’t have time for you to figure something out!” She licked dry lips. “If you won’t help me, then I’ll have to … to do something else. What? You think you can stop me?” She gave a laugh tinged with hysteria. “You can’t shoot me.”
“And what makes you say that?” Ryan asked calmly.
“You would shoot the poor distraught wife of a recently deceased judge, who came to see you only to find out more about her husband’s crimes?” Her eyes glittered. “You don’t have any proof that I killed anyone!” She took a step toward us.
“I don’t fucking care,” I snarled. “Take another step and I will shoot you.” Better to risk losing my career than let her touch me.
She hesitated a second, breathing harshly, then shrugged. “Well, let’s see how that goes then, shall we?” she said cryptically. I was still trying to figure out what she meant when she leaped toward us, hands outstretched.
I fired at the same time that Ryan did, my finger tightening spasmodically on the trigger. Spots of blood bloomed on the front of her shirt, but unlike in the movies, the shots didn’t throw her dramatically across the room. Rachel stumbled forward as Ryan backed to the wall, and she grabbed his gun hand even as he pumped another round into her chest.
Ryan screamed—a sound I hoped to never hear again.
“Shoot me again and he dies!” Rachel rasped, clutching at Ryan’s hand as he dropped his gun and went to his knees, his eyes wide and agony spasming across his face.
“No! Stop!” I shouted, fear for Ryan slamming through me. “Don’t pull any more from him! I’ll help you, I swear.”
Her breath came raggedly, and she seized his hair with her other hand. “Drop your gun!” she ordered. Blood pumped from several places in her torso, but even as I watched I could see the blood flow slow and then—grotesquely—the holes close. Ryan shuddered, face graying, and I realized with horror that she’d pulled from him and somehow used his essence, his natural potency, to heal herself.
“Stop pulling from him!” I yelled again.
“Drop your gun,” she ordered, “or I’ll suck him dry!”
If I shoot her in the head, would that stop her? The thought flashed through my mind and I dismissed it just as quickly. I was several feet away from her, she was using Ryan as a shield, and while I was a decent enough marksman, I didn’t trust my skill enough to be certain I wouldn’t shoot Ryan in the head instead.
I slowly lowered the gun. “If you swear not to kill him or me, I’ll … open another portal so you can get more of those pixie-things.”
Her eyes narrowed in distrust. “How?”
“I have the ability to open a portal between this world and another. So did my aunt.”
Her lips pulled back from her teeth. “Then do it!”
“I can’t work with this one,” I lied. “I have to create a new one. Swear you won’t hurt either of us, and I’ll open another one, just for you.”
“He’s really strong,” she said, voice barely above a whisper. Her hand tightened on Ryan’s arm and he gasped in pain. She actually licked her lips. “Never tasted anything like him before.”
I could feel Ryan’s essence pulsing erratically. “I can’t open this portal,” I said quickly, “but I can create another one. Up in the attic. It would take me only a moment … and it’s much bigger and stronger.” I dropped my voice. “But, if you kill him, I swear to you that I will call powers that you cannot even begin to comprehend, and you will be well and truly fucked.”
Distrust, fear, and hunger flickered in her eyes, but she jerked her head in a nod. “Lead the way,” she snapped, pulling Ryan to his feet. His breath rasped harshly, and his face was ashen. But he met my eyes and gave me a faint shake of his head. He thought I was giving in to her. Or maybe he suspected what I was planning to do.
“Try anything stupid and your boyfriend’s a goner,” she reminded me unnecessarily.
“He’s not my damn boyfriend,” I muttered as I turned and started down the hall toward the staircase. She followed, leading Ryan with the grip on his arm and his hair. He looked like shit, but there was still a murderous look in his eyes.
