Page 94 of Bound

“Beck is fine. I made contact with Cian and asked him toshut off the waterworks,” I whisper. The jacket Dante provided is set tocamouflage mode. So far, the hag hasn’t seen us. It won’t take her long,though. Already the black cat stares in our general direction, her triangularhead tilting in a curious manner.

“I’ll take the hag. You get the cat.” I never take my eyesoff Liadan. I stare in almost helpless fascination. The hag appears bigger thanshe did before, her body stronger. There’s no question that Liadan is apredator.

Dante’s voice cracks a bit. “I don’t like cats. They’recreepy. I’m more of a dog person.”

“I’m not asking you to take it as a pet,” I practicallysnarl back. “I’m asking you to kill it. I’m taking on the big, scary hag. Youcan handle one kitty.”

“We need to talk about this new trend toward emasculating meat every given opportunity,” Dante mutters. I stare at him, my eyes narrow. “Ican handle the cat.”

“Do that.”

I pull the gun from the holster and shrug out of theconfines of the jacket. I no longer feel the chill in the air. My skin is hotwith the anticipation of the next few kill-or-be-killed moments. My heartpounds as I face down my enemy. Liadan is looking the other way. There won’t bea better time. I stand.

“That’s not a good idea.” Dante tries to pull at my hand.

“Just take care of the kitty,” I shoot back at him. It’stime.

I look out across the forest that separates us and take aim.The cat hisses, the sound so much louder than it should be. It echoes throughthe forest. As the hag turns, I let out the breath I was holding and pull thetrigger.

The hag is quick, but not fast enough. She moves to theleft. I was aiming at her heart. Blood blooms across the hag’s shoulder, andshe shrieks as the hollow-point lodges itself in her flesh. It isn’t enough. Icurse when Liadan staggers but does not fall. She remains on her feet despitethe blood beginning to soak her dress.

Liadan snarls as her eyes find me. I pull the trigger again,but Liadan is ready this time, jumping across the space. One moment, the hag isthere and the next she’s ten feet away, the bullet flying uselessly through theforest. Liadan holds her good hand up and speaks some words I don’t recognize.

It’s as though a giant rush of pure energy strikes mesquarely in the chest. It knocks me off my feet, but I don’t hit the ground. Ifly back, the air sucking from my lungs so I can’t breathe. The hag growssmaller as I race backward through the forest. The world around me seems tospin out of control. The weight of the gun in my hand is the only thing thatseems real. I clutch it tightly and don’t try to fight the power shoving mebackward. My body hits the rough bark of the tree, and my head falls limply forward.

Breathe. Beck’s voice speaks inside my mind. He’scalm and patient, and suddenly I don’t feel so alone. Beck is with me, and he’slending me his experience.

I drag in a breath as my body slides to the muddy forestfloor.

Stay down and take cover. Don’t panic. You cando this. Take out her heart and she’ll die.

“Easier said than done,” I complain quietly as I shove thegun in my holster and force my aching body to crawl through the mud toward adowned log. Every inch I gain makes my bones ache, but I manage to hold on tothe gun.

“So, the little bitch made it back.” The hag’s voice boomsthrough the forest. “I wonder how much that cost you. What did you have to paythe demon for the trip? And he gave you some form of magic as well. You musthave given him a lot.”

I make it to the relative safety of the log. It’s time toset up my next shot. I ease the gun back into my hand and peek over the curve.Dante is still in his hiding place. He’s crouched down, his eyes seekingsomething. The cat prowls not far away. Her feline nose scents the air withpredatory grace. The hag paces back and forth as though the pain from her armbothers her. Her black eyes scan the area up and down, seeking any sign ofwhere I landed.

“I had to sacrifice a virgin to that damn demon. Then I hadto sign a contract offering him my soul,” the hag admits. “And look what it gotme.”

I clench my fists thinking of the young woman who’d been sokind to me. The hag is trying to force me out. She is the one who killed Bri,and she obviously knows I cared about the girl.

But the voice inside my head urges patience. Beck whispersto me that I must stay calm. Calm wins battles.

“I slit that stupid girl’s throat, and you’re back anyway,”Liadan says with a sigh. “Do you have any idea how messy that can be? She had alot of blood in her. It should have gotten me something better than this. Ah,Ain found your friend.”

There’s a loud hiss and then something that sounds like afive-year-old girl’s scream. Apparently, Dante didn’t lie about not likingcats.

Dante lands on his back as the cat pounces. Ain, as Liadancalled her, is a hissing mass of claws and sharp teeth. Blood streaks acrossDante’s face as the cat’s claws find purchase in his flesh. Dante wraps a handaround the cat’s throat and squeezes.

“I changed my mind,” Dante yells. “I’ll take the hag. Youtake the cat.”

“Too late,” says a voice right beside my ear. I turn and thehag is at my side, so close I can smell her fetid breath.

I twist my body and roll up into a crouch, every musclescreaming in pain. The hag’s fist comes out, lancing from her body. It crossesmy jaw, and the impact snaps my head back. Pain flares and the gun slips frommy hand.

I can’t lose the gun. I don’t have magic. The gun is theonly weapon I have.

I grope for the gun, getting it back in my hand, but Liadanis too close. I have to keep moving. I kick out as Liadan tries to jump on me.I hear a satisfying groan from the hag as my foot makes contact with Liadan’sgut. I get to my feet, and Beck is whispering to me.