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She pulled herself free and lunged at me time and time again, ignoring the blood that poured from her arm. It was easy to see her goal—wear me down as I kept swinging the sword to defend myself. My arms ached from the unaccustomed activity, and my swings and thrusts became sloppy and wild.
“You are full of surprises tonight,” she said, looking thoughtful. “You are stronger than we thought. You are almost ready.” Suddenly she twisted to the side and kicked my stomach and shoved me backward, using enough force that I landed on the sofa. Then she spun around until she was standing directly between David and Allison.
“I’ve seen enough.” An evil smile spread across her face, her sharp teeth gleaming in the moonlight. “Butsomeonemust die.”
Then she turned toward David and thrust her hand at his chest.
“David!”I screamed.
But at the last moment, her body pivoted, and her hand plunged into Allison’s chest instead.
Allison’s eyes widened in surprise before she screamed in pain and terror.
The Raven Mocker’s arm rotated as her mouth twisted into a wicked smile, her hand still buried deep inside the other woman’s body.
Allison gave one last scream and then fell limp as the Raven Mocker pulled her heart from her chest. The creature spun around and held the organ in front of her, smiling.
“It’s a pity. If you had not seen me this night, I would have gotten many years from this one.”
Then her mouth opened wider than I would have thought possible as she lifted Allison’s heart above her head, then brought it to her mouth, taking a huge bite. Blood squirted all over her face and body. She grinned as I gasped in shock and disgust, stumbling backward as she took another bite.
Fury rose inside me as I leapt for her, thrusting toward her chest with the sword, but she just laughed and turned into a flame that shot into the air and out the window.
And the Raven Mockers above the house released their haunting screams of triumph.
Chapter13
“What happened, Ellie?” David shouted, crawling over to Allison and feeling for her pulse.
“It took her heart.” Black dots danced in front of my eyes and I felt like I was going to pass out, but there wasn’t time for that. “Tsagasi!” I ran over to the little figure that was still slumped against the wall.
His eyes were closed, but he cracked them open when I leaned over him.
I dropped to my knees beside him. “Are you okay?”
He climbed to his feet, tilting his head back and forth, the bones popping. “Fucking Raven Mockers. Nasty sons of bitches.”
I closed my eyes, trying to keep control. I was about to lose it. “I failed.”
“No,” Tsagasi said in a hard voice. “You never accessed your power as a witness to creation until tonight, and yet you still killed three of them.”
“They killed Allison.” My voice broke as I crawled across the floor toward David.
Allison’s head lay in his lap, and he looked up at me with tears on his face. “She’s dead, Ellie. She’s really dead.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” I started to cry. “I tried to save her. I promise.” I had failed them both. I might have tapped into my power as the witness of creation, but what good was it if I couldn’t even save people?
I relived those last moments in my head, remembering how terrified I had been when I was sure the Raven Mocker was going to kill David. “It almost killed you.” I threw my arms around his neck, clinging to him. “She almost killed you.”
“What are you talking about?” His voice was emotionless.
“The Raven Mocker was reaching for your chest, but then she swerved at the last second and took Allison’s heart instead.” My last words choked on a sob.
“How could they kill her?” His voice rose. “It doesn’t make any sense! Raven Mockers only take a victim’s heart after they’re dead.”
“I know what I saw, David. Allison was alive when she pulled out her heart.” I looked around the trashed room, battling my rising hysteria. “What are we going to do?”
“We have to call the police.”
