"We should go," Callie informed me.
"You're not going anywhere," Pelt growled from behind her, gun raised.
Callie's snakes snapped and bit at the air as Pelt carefully kept out of reach. Callie looked at her over her shoulder and smiled.
Pelt gasped, her hand jerking. She gurgled, her throat working but all that came out was a muffled moan. Terror filled her features.
Callie petted her snakes, calming them. "Shh, my lovelies. You've done your job."
The snakes settled down, their movements not quite so frantic. A few flicked their tongue out, touching Callie's cheeks and hands in tiny snake kisses.
"You really should have listened to Aileen when she told you to leave," Callie said, preoccupied with tending to her snakes. She made a tsking sound. "Shooting an unarmed woman in her own home. A bound one, no less. And you call me the monster."
I pulled Connor close to me, scooting away from Callie and her new victim. It was like watching a massive car accident. You wanted to look away but you couldn't.
Pelt's skin lost all color and warmth as she slowly petrified. Pelt quivered, fighting to escape, but unable. The gun trembled in her hand, now nothing more than a paperweight.
Callie looked on dispassionately, still petting her snakes.
Another gurgle came from Pelt.
Callie shook her head at the woman. "It's no use begging. You must learn your lesson."
The dark smoke that had retreated at the sound of the gunshot redoubled its efforts. It ate away my door in seconds. From its depths, Don stepped into the apartment, coming up short at the sight of the medusa.
"I had hoped to beat you to her," he said with a disappointed sigh.
She beamed at him. "You should have used the window then. The locks were easy to force and the wards weaker there."
"What did you do with Nathan and Makoto?" I asked. I didn't want their attention but I needed to know.
Speaking was more difficult than I'd thought it would be. My words came out reedy and thin, a bubble of blood on my lips. I was pretty sure the bullet nicked a lung.
If I remembered my first aid training, that meant my lungs were likely filling with blood.
If I'd been human, I would need immediate medical attention.
Don’s frown held a rebuke for Callie. "She's damaged."
"That's what happens when you play games," Callie pointed out. "If you hadn't decided to be a showman, she would be in one piece."
He made a grumpy sound.
I didn't move, focusing instead on trying to direct my energy toward healing the damage done to my body. It wasn't easy.
I moved my fingers to Connor's throat. The slow thud of his heart beat made that tight feeling in my stomach loosen. Callie hadn't been lying. He was still alive.
"Finish with the human and let's go." he said, already strolling toward me.
"No!" I lunged forward, grabbing the medusa's ankle.
Don froze.
Callie's attention swiveled toward me, surprise in her face.
"Don't kill her." I forced the word, "Please," through numb lips.
Callie crouched, bringing her face close to mine. Dozens of snakes tasted the air in front of me, a few of their tongues flicking against my skin.
