An offended roar told me Volos was done playing around.
Strong—so fucking strong. Even with Mez’s potion in my veins, it took every ounce of strength in my body to fight off the blows. I tried to grab the salt flare from my ankle, but his fist slammed into my face and I was suddenly too busy trying to stay conscious.
He grabbed me by my hair and threw me out of the room and into the larger brewing space. Judging from the intense pain of impact, my body slammed into a concrete pillar. If it hadn’t been for Mez’s potion, I probably would have died right then. I was either very lucky or extremely unlucky I did not die. But before I could decide which side of that question I fell on, the weight of the enraged werewolf slammed down on me again.
The bone structure that used to be my face morphed into a matrix of pain. I could see only through my left eye and what it registered terrified me so much I wanted to squeeze it closed again. Saliva dripped from the canines he aimed at my throat. Only adrenaline and fear combined with the elbow wedged between us stood between me and death.
On the periphery of my vision, just beyond the monstrous visage looming over me, I saw Bane had come closer to watch the scene. The violence excited him so much, he was rubbing his crotch like a perv at a nudie show. I hated to disappoint the sick bastard, but he wasn’t going to have a happy ending.
There are certain times in your life when you have to surrender to reality. When I’d gone to meet John that night, I’d had a plan: Get the antipotion, help my brother, and save the day like a comic book hero.
But this wasn’t a comic book and I sure as shit wasn’t Wonder Woman. My only means of survival was the antipotion in my left hand. The only way to save Danny’s life now was to ensure that John Volos lived.
My right arm was losing strength fast. With my left hand, I tried to uncap the needle without pricking myself with the antipotion. Hot breath on my neck, stinging scratches on my shoulders, rage-growls echoing in my ears. My fingers fumbled to spin the plunger into stabbing position.
Sharp points scraped my neck. It felt as though he’d gained fifty pounds. The weight and the struggle and the fear were weakening me. Time to move—or die.
I threw my weight right. He didn’t budge but a few centimeters, but it was enough to swing my left hand up. I stabbed the needle into his jugular and punched the plunger. He reared back and his eyes widened on a roar. A split second later, the yellowed pupils rolled back in their sockets.
Panting as though I’d just run a marathon, I dislodged his weight and dragged myself out of grabbing range. He fell back onto the concrete, panting.
I watched in shock from the dirty floor as the doubts bubbled up. What if I’d been wrong about the green vitriol? What if my not using magic for so many years had dampened its power? What if Uncle Abe booby-trapped Gray Wolf so antipotions sped up death?
John’s body convulsed like I’d applied jumper cables to his limbs. Saliva bubbled from his mouth. His hands clenched into fists and his body bowed up off the floor. He froze at the top of the arc and a scream ripped from his chest.
My brain flashed back to another untested potion. The one that killed my mother. Had I just killed John, too?
The trembling began in my limbs. I told myself it was Mez’s potion wearing off, but in my gut I knew it was fear. I couldn’t carry the debt of his death, too. Especially since John’s demise would also doom Danny.
Oh God, Danny. My stomach roiled at the thought of a future without that kid around to drive me crazy.
Volos gasped and listed to his side away from me. A racking cough shook him as his body tried to rid itself of the dirty magic. A split second later, the vomiting began. His rib cage heaved with each retch as his body tried to dispel the toxic Gray Wolf from his system.
Finally, I could breathe again. The vomit was proof the green vitriol was working. As far as signs of hope go, it was pretty gross, but I’d take it because it meant I didn’t have to add John’s name to the roster of people I’d murdered.
Thank Christ.
I rose to go check on him, but a clapping sound behind me made the hairs on my neck prickle. Bane had hoped to see me lying battered and bleeding out on the floor. Instead, I was swaying but on my own two feet over the prone body of his assassin by proxy.
The ironic applause stopped as he got a good look at my face. His hands fumbled for the gun in his waistband. The barrel got caught in his belt, which gave me an opening to leap toward Hanson’s gun, which had been kicked that direction during my scuffle with the beast.
I dove at the same moment Bane pulled off his first shot. It pinged off a metal shelf somewhere behind me and ricocheted to the concrete.
“Might as well give up now, Bane. Volos won’t be killing anyone today.”
“Shut up, bitch. I’ll just kill you both.”
I swallowed the fear that clogged my throat. He sounded crazy enough to deliver on the promise. “If you kill us, how are you going to pin this on Volos?”
“Won’t matter as long as he’s dead.”
I decided to keep him talking. “You know, I never bought that you came up with the formula on your own. Figures you had to have Uncle Abe help you. He’s gonna be so pissed when he finds out you fucked up this bad.”
“Be quiet! I’m thinking.”
“You know what I think? I think that by the time your own son finishes singing to the BPD, you’re going to spend a nice, long time in Crowley.” I pointed the gun right between his doll eyes. “Unless if I kill you first.”
“I said fucking shut up!” He whimpered like an injured animal. He stalked Volos’s still form. He raised his head and I saw the red rimming his eyes. “I’m dead anyway. You’re right. Abe’s going to kill me the minute they put me in Crowley.”
He smiled wildly and brought the gun closer to Volos’s head. I didn’t want to kill Bane. I mean, yes, I wanted to kill him, but it seemed like the easy way out for him. Suicide by cop.
I stepped forward. “Back off, Bane.”
“Stop or I’ll shoot him right fucking now,” Bane said.
Time to make my move. “I’ll save you the time.” I swung the gun toward Volos’s back.
“What—” Bane shouted.
I squeezed the trigger twice. Bane’s shouts were lost in the explosions. Volos’s body jerked with each hit. After the shots echoed off the walls, he went completely still.
“What the fuck?” Bane yelled.
I shrugged. “You wanted him dead, right?” I tossed the emptied gun aside and removed the one from my ankle holster.