John got tired of waiting for me to respond. “I’m sorry.”
I shoved the green vitriol into the furnace. The heat from the flames was intense and made my skin burn. I wanted to pretend I hadn’t heard him. I didn’t want his apology. I didn’t want our shared predicament to forge any sort of intimacy. “Forget about it,” I said finally. I turned before I continued, “I’m just here to help Danny. Don’t expect me to help you fight him, John. I can’t afford to get involved any more than I am.”
He watched me for a moment. My gaze skittered from the disappointment in his eyes. Finally, he nodded curtly. “You think that’s going to work?”
“I sure as hell hope so,” I said. “Otherwise we’ll be screwed.”
A laugh echoed through the lab. Low, mean, and very unexpected. We both swung around to see Ramses Bane himself standing by the doorway. “Oh, I’d say you’re both a little more than screwed.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
My gun was in my hand before Bane finished his sentence. “Stay where you are.”
Those doll eyes were dancing with humor and his lips were twisted into a sick pretender of a smile. “Does that mean I’m not invited to your little magic party?” His tongue darted out to lick his pale lips, like a predator tasting blood on the air. “Put down the gun, please.” He had one of his own pointed at us.
It was the first time I’d seen him since he’d forced my brother to use a potion that almost killed him. Maybe still would. Hatred boiled up in my stomach, and my fingers itched to scratch his eyes out. But I couldn’t let him see how angry I was because he’d use it to his advantage. No, I had to play it nice and cool, even if I felt anything but. “My team is already on their way here, Bane.”
While I spoke, I slid the vial of antipotion up my left shirtsleeve. If Bane got ahold of it, we’d have to create a new batch from scratch, which would delay my ability to get it to Danny. Although, honestly, hiding it was a mere formality. I’d tear Bane apart with my bare hands if he tried to take it.
“Don’t be silly. Your team isn’t coming for you at all.”
“Yes, they are,” I said. “You’ve got maybe two minutes.”
He laughed too confidently. “Nope.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because I’ve been watching you, Katherine.” At my curse, he chuckled. “That dreadful car of yours isn’t exactly difficult to spot.”
John’s hand came up to grab my arm in warning. “What do you want, Bane?” he demanded.
Bane threw back his bald head and laughed. “Don’t pretend you don’t know.” He glanced toward the end of the aisle. “Michael, come help your friend get more comfortable.”
From the shadows behind the coven leader, Officer Michael Hanson entered the room with a gun raised high. “Drop the weapon, Prospero.”
Rage threatened to boil out of every pore in my body. “If it’s all the same to you, I’m more comfortable with the gun,” I quipped, but the tremor in my voice gave me away.
Bane’s lips quirked at my bravado. Hanson made quick work of divesting me of the Glock and the S&P spray from the pocket of my jacket. He didn’t take the amulet tucked into my bra, though. Or the salt flare at my ankle. Rookie fucking mistake.
But there was no way for me to activate the amulet with Bane watching me like a hawk staring down some juicy carrion, and they were both positioned to put a bullet through my brain before I got anywhere near my ankle.
A smile spread over his cherry Kool-Aid lips. Now that Hanson had his own weapon and mine pointed at us, Bane put his weapon in his waistband and removed something from his jacket pocket. He held it up for us to see that it was a vial. He popped open the top of the ampoule and brought the potion to his nose for a sniff. “Mmmm,” he murmured. “This is something new I cooked up. A youth potion.” He glanced at me and winked. “None of us are getting any younger, are we?”
With deliberate movements, he darted the tip of his tongue out for a taste. “Coppery.” He closed his eyes and tasted again. “Sweet. That’s the goji berry, I think. Oh, and there’s the turmeric and chili.” He opened his eyes and licked his lips. “Spicy.”
He tipped back the vial and drank the rest of the potion. His eyes rolled back and his whole body shuddered.
An unsettling giggle escaped him. “My tongue is numb.” He leaned forward and whispered, “It’s the cocaine. I add it for energy.” He placed a pale finger in front of his lips, as if it was our little secret.
“You’re a lunatic.” Volos’s tone was calm but had a cadence that was engineered to make the listener feel like an idiot.
“Careful, boy. I’ve skinned men for less insult.” Bane sniffed. “Tell me honestly, Kate. How is dear Danny doing?”
I saw red. Hot, bloody red. If I’d been able to burn him alive with my eyes, I would have charred him to the bone. “I’m going to kill you.”
“Not if I kill you first,” he sing-songed.
“How do you think you’re going to pull that off?” John asked. “The minute they find our bodies they’ll know it was you.”
“That’s right,” I said quickly. “You think the cops circled the wagons after you hurt Danny? Wait until you see what they do after you murder a cop.”
Bane snorted. “Methinks the city will be more torn up to lose the mayor’s new toy. Tell me, John, is it true Owens is a power bottom?”
I glanced up and saw John’s face had hardened into a bored expression, but his eyes glowed with heat.
“All right,” Bane continued, “I can respect that you don’t want to kiss ass and tell. Regardless, you’re more valuable than Prospero to this town.”
A scornful laugh escaped Volos. “And you’re nothing more than a tunnel rat. You’ll die in the gutter where you belong.”
“Careful,” Hanson warned, stepping forward. “You might be good at magic, but you’re not immune to lead poisoning.”
“Back off, you fucking traitor!” I yelled.
His gun swiveled in my direction. He didn’t look angry or as if he anticipated making me bleed. Instead, he almost appeared resigned.
Bane clicked his tongue. “Oh, Katherine. Why the harsh language? Poor Michael here is as much a pawn in this game as you, I’m afraid.”