Defiance (32 page)
Authors: Lili St Crow
Graves inhaled. He’d gone completely white, and his mouth dropped open. Blaine’s eyebrows went up, his entire face a comic illustration of surprise. Kip raised his 9mm slowly, like a boy in a nightmare.
My body was wiser than I was. It dropped into a crouch, but too late. Graves’s warning was wasted.
CRUNCH.
He hit me from behind, flinging me forward, and I felt bones break.
My
bones.
My
bones.
Sergej had gotten the lampstand out somehow, after all.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Tucking. Rolling. Great
gouging pain in my side. The aspect burned, and I stopped short, lying against the wall. The
malaika
clattered, both my fists clutching reflexively. I hadn’t lost them.
gouging pain in my side. The aspect burned, and I stopped short, lying against the wall. The
malaika
clattered, both my fists clutching reflexively. I hadn’t lost them.
Which was good, because Sergej, a huge hole in his flapping T-shirt, drenched in black blood and with his face a purple-red, hateful leer, was already on me. I jerked, my right-hand blade blurring up and missing him by a fraction as he bent back. He looked like he was about to do an overenthusiastic back walkover, spine creaking and crackling, the tip of the blade whispering past his chin.
I was somehow on my feet now, the wall at my back and red agony jolting up and down my left-hand side as broken bits of rib grated together. The aspect turned to liquid fire, peeling back my skin and grinding in as each break in my bones sang a hallelujah chorus of pain.
Sergej spun the length of iron lamppost, its end making a low hard sound as it tore through air. His mouth opened, but a roaring covered any sound he might’ve made—it was the sound of fire as a cool draft slid past us.
There was an open door somewhere, and the fire down the hall was sucking at it like a calf at a mama cow’s teat.
Sergej snarled, his face turning even more alarmingly purple. I didn’t dare glance past him, but I’d guess the boys had gotten Anna out of here. Graves was probably gone, too, thank God. At least I’d done what I’d set out to do.
Now I just had to face down the king of vampires, the one who had killed my mother. Kill him, if I could.
Yeah. Right. I’d settle for just escaping.
Screaming and gunfire through the roaring noise. Sergej choked, but he scuttled in quick, swinging the length of iron still dripping with thin black fluid. My right arm still worked; the
malaika
flicked out like a snake’s tongue, deflecting the are of his attack and slicing inward. If I’d been just a little faster it would’ve opened up his belly, but my left side seized up with a mother of all cramps, bones grinding together, and I screamed.
malaika
flicked out like a snake’s tongue, deflecting the are of his attack and slicing inward. If I’d been just a little faster it would’ve opened up his belly, but my left side seized up with a mother of all cramps, bones grinding together, and I screamed.
The sound cut through all the other chaos. The draft of cooler air coming from behind Sergej—he was between me and escape, just great—swirled and flirted uneasily. Heat touched my back.
Nosferatu
crispy-critter really quickly; open flame or direct sunlight are really bad for them. But I wouldn’t put it past him to wait for the fire to be too much for me—I couldn’t move my left arm, my breath came in coughing gasps, and if he could get over getting stabbed in the heart and still have this much juice left a little thing like an entire fucking burning warehouse wasn’t going to put much of a dent in his day, you know?
crispy-critter really quickly; open flame or direct sunlight are really bad for them. But I wouldn’t put it past him to wait for the fire to be too much for me—I couldn’t move my left arm, my breath came in coughing gasps, and if he could get over getting stabbed in the heart and still have this much juice left a little thing like an entire fucking burning warehouse wasn’t going to put much of a dent in his day, you know?
Sergej darted forward again, the aspect bit down in my left side like there were metal jaws meeting in my flesh, and I battered his attack aside with my right-hand
malaika
again, with a thunder crack of pain and effort.
malaika
again, with a thunder crack of pain and effort.
Over the roaring and the gunfire, another sound penetrated.
“DRU! DRU!”
My name, screamed over and over again. I knew that voice.
Christophe. Oh, God.
I didn’t take my eyes off Sergej. He shifted his weight, and I did too, Anna’s long-ago training echoing in my head. Her blood burned in me, whispered, tried to show me more of
her
. The touch pushed it back, making a fist inside my head so I could concentrate. He was going to come at me again, and I didn’t know if I could hold him off. The smoke thickened, tearing at my eyes just like the fluorescents. Who knew when the lights would give out, too? Something about the sound of the fire told me it was Serious Business.
her
. The touch pushed it back, making a fist inside my head so I could concentrate. He was going to come at me again, and I didn’t know if I could hold him off. The smoke thickened, tearing at my eyes just like the fluorescents. Who knew when the lights would give out, too? Something about the sound of the fire told me it was Serious Business.
Sergej dropped back a step. Two.
I stared. The aspect gave one last crunching flare of pain, then, amazingly, I took a deep breath. Smoke rasped against the blood-hunger; hot tears slicked my cheeks as I blinked furiously. The agony retreated, turned into a deep bruising ache, and I raised my left-hand blade. Held the
malaika
in second-guard, naturally as breathing, and straightened. My face settled, eyes narrowing, and I had the sudden lunatic idea that I looked like Dad.
malaika
in second-guard, naturally as breathing, and straightened. My face settled, eyes narrowing, and I had the sudden lunatic idea that I looked like Dad.
Fury boiled up inside me, pushing aside the pain. The hunger fed on rage, feasted on it, and this time I was a clear glass girl full of red wrath, but it didn’t own me. I stood in the middle of all that anger, a ribbon of cold steel inside me, and felt something inside me shift like a key clicking over in a lock.
Sergej stepped back again. Under the dirty honey-gold curls, he looked almost . . . my God.
My God.
He looked
frightened
, his eyes completely black now, widening—but the force in them wasn’t reaching through to crush all independent thought. Fine thin threads of gray crawled out of his eyes, fanning like crow’s-feet toward his temples. A great gout of black stinking blood pattered down from his chest, slicking his jeans and boots, and for a split second I saw something else far back in his gaze.
frightened
, his eyes completely black now, widening—but the force in them wasn’t reaching through to crush all independent thought. Fine thin threads of gray crawled out of his eyes, fanning like crow’s-feet toward his temples. A great gout of black stinking blood pattered down from his chest, slicking his jeans and boots, and for a split second I saw something else far back in his gaze.
Recognition.
Serves you right, you bastard
.
Do you see them? Do you see both my parents in my face? You’re not the only one. Come and get me. Come on.
.
Do you see them? Do you see both my parents in my face? You’re not the only one. Come and get me. Come on.
The
malaika
twitched, my weight shifting forward just a crucial millimeter, playing through the very first initiation of the attack.
malaika
twitched, my weight shifting forward just a crucial millimeter, playing through the very first initiation of the attack.
This is where the first mistakes are committed,
Christophe’s voice said, dry and pedantic, inside my head. Why hadn’t I absorbed his training when he forced me to drink his blood?
Christophe’s voice said, dry and pedantic, inside my head. Why hadn’t I absorbed his training when he forced me to drink his blood?
But I couldn’t think about that. Because something blurred behind Sergej. A flash of black cloth, pain-darkened green eyes—
—and Graves skidded to a stop, lifted the gun, and started firing.
The first shot went wide. For the rest of my life I will swear, on a stack of Bibles if I have to, that I saw it as it whistled past my head and blew a chunk out of the wall behind me. A little more to the left and Graves would’ve shot
me
.
me
.
The second took Sergej high up on the shoulder from the back, just as the king vampire was whirling to face this new threat. The bullet blew out through the front of his shoulder, fragging and sending splinters, not to mention spatters of black acid blood, everywhere.
And I leapt. The hot hard lump of Anna’s blood in my middle was shrinking, and either the aspect was cooling off or the radiant heat from the fire down the hall was getting much more intense. Either way it was bad news, and we had to finish this, now.
My heart swelled up like a balloon. Graves braced himself, his coat flapping around his knees in the backdraft, and made his triangle, aiming carefully. He didn’t look particularly hurried, and I could see each bruise on him, smell the blood streaking him under the coat, and almost
taste
the colorless rage fuming off him as well. His lips skinned back from his teeth, and for a moment his eyes flashed bright emerald again. The wulfen Other filled his face with unholy light, and my heart made a funny jumping movement like it was going to break out of my ribs and fly straight toward him.
taste
the colorless rage fuming off him as well. His lips skinned back from his teeth, and for a moment his eyes flashed bright emerald again. The wulfen Other filled his face with unholy light, and my heart made a funny jumping movement like it was going to break out of my ribs and fly straight toward him.
Sergej twisted back around, bringing up the iron spear. It was too late; I was already inside the critical zone, malaika both slashing in the
crux au courant
pattern. Christophe had only shown it to me once, but he’d taught it to Anna over and over, drilling her like he someday knew this would happen.
crux au courant
pattern. Christophe had only shown it to me once, but he’d taught it to Anna over and over, drilling her like he someday knew this would happen.
The blades bit. I was a little off, but not by much. One slashed across his face, grating against bone, and the other scored down his chest and bit into his midriff. The iron spear cracked against my shoulder in a flash of crimson pain; I went flying. Hit the wall on the other side, I was a regular old pinball, landed on my feet but my left-hand malaika went tumbling free. The fluorescents flickered, and there was a living glare from behind me.
The fire had found us.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Graves turned on
his heel, firing smoothly as Sergej barreled past him. I couldn’t hear the shots over the roaring. I meant to bend down and scoop up my
malaika
, only made it halfway before my knees gave out and hit the floor with a jarring thud. My fingers closed around the hilt just as my teeth snapped together, fangs piercing my lower lip, and I tasted blood again. Thankfully, it was the sweet crimson of my
own
blood, not someone else’s. The bloodhunger retreated to a tired glow, and I leaned back. The wall suddenly seemed incredibly comfortable.
his heel, firing smoothly as Sergej barreled past him. I couldn’t hear the shots over the roaring. I meant to bend down and scoop up my
malaika
, only made it halfway before my knees gave out and hit the floor with a jarring thud. My fingers closed around the hilt just as my teeth snapped together, fangs piercing my lower lip, and I tasted blood again. Thankfully, it was the sweet crimson of my
own
blood, not someone else’s. The bloodhunger retreated to a tired glow, and I leaned back. The wall suddenly seemed incredibly comfortable.
Graves was suddenly
there
, looming over me. His face contorted; he was shouting. I stared up at him wonderingly. Even under the filth and blood and the ashen-gray tone to his skin, he was beautiful. I’d only seen bits of it before, but now that all the flesh was pared away from his bones he was . . .
there
, looming over me. His face contorted; he was shouting. I stared up at him wonderingly. Even under the filth and blood and the ashen-gray tone to his skin, he was beautiful. I’d only seen bits of it before, but now that all the flesh was pared away from his bones he was . . .
He reached down and grabbed my arm.
“MOVE!”
he roared, a
loup-garou
’s command voice breaking through the crackling rush of the flames.
“DAMMIT, DRU, MOVE YOUR ASS!”
“MOVE!”
he roared, a
loup-garou
’s command voice breaking through the crackling rush of the flames.
“DAMMIT, DRU, MOVE YOUR ASS!”
I found enough starch in my knees to stand up again. His fingers bit into my biceps, and I suspected I’d be feeling this all over tomorrow.
Assuming we lived to see tomorrow.
He dragged me down the hall, gun held low in his right hand. My
malaika
tips dragged; I couldn’t lift them but I didn’t want to leave them behind. We stumbled together, and the fire licked closer. Glass shattered behind us, and the draft got stronger. Air swirled around us, lifting my hair and teasing at his coat. The hall stretched like infinity; he slipped and I pitched aside, my dumb body weight keeping him upright; he returned the favor by yanking on my abused arm and almost getting the
malaika
’s edge against his leg.
malaika
tips dragged; I couldn’t lift them but I didn’t want to leave them behind. We stumbled together, and the fire licked closer. Glass shattered behind us, and the draft got stronger. Air swirled around us, lifting my hair and teasing at his coat. The hall stretched like infinity; he slipped and I pitched aside, my dumb body weight keeping him upright; he returned the favor by yanking on my abused arm and almost getting the
malaika
’s edge against his leg.
I didn’t realize we were running until we rounded a corner and saw the door. It had been busted off its hinges, and the wind around us became a scream. We plunged through the door and into sudden relatively-cool darkness full of little tiny kisses of spring rain.
I dropped the
malaika
, dug in my heels, grabbed Graves’s arm, and
pushed
with all the weary strength I had left. We went flying, rolling, his arms around me somehow and wet dirt squelching, as an amazing belch of red-yellow flame shot out of the open door. I lay on my side, cold water seeping into my jeans, and considered passing out.
malaika
, dug in my heels, grabbed Graves’s arm, and
pushed
with all the weary strength I had left. We went flying, rolling, his arms around me somehow and wet dirt squelching, as an amazing belch of red-yellow flame shot out of the open door. I lay on my side, cold water seeping into my jeans, and considered passing out.
No way. Still too much work to do.
But I just lay there for a few seconds, Graves in my arms, his head tipped back and his throat working as he swallowed several times. He was definitely hugging me tighter than he had to, and every time he gasped in a breath, he would exhale and his arms would tighten more.
Like he was afraid someone would take me away.
My arm was twisted underneath me, and I was exhausted. Even my toenails hurt. Even my
hair
hurt. The pain was a river, and I just lay in it.
hair
hurt. The pain was a river, and I just lay in it.
“Dru.
Dru.
” He was saying my name. He had his face in my dirty hair. I hugged him back as hard as I could. The fire roared like the sea, and I could see the side of a warehouse. We were on the verge of a greenbelt, wet bushes dripping under the fine misting rain, and the night was painted by leaping flames.
Dru.
” He was saying my name. He had his face in my dirty hair. I hugged him back as hard as I could. The fire roared like the sea, and I could see the side of a warehouse. We were on the verge of a greenbelt, wet bushes dripping under the fine misting rain, and the night was painted by leaping flames.
There were still sporadic gunshots. I didn’t hear Christophe screaming anymore. The thought sent a hot bolt of guilt through me. Thick black smoke was heaving itself up into the sky.
“Dru,” Graves repeated raggedly. “Dru. Jesus.
Dru.
”
Dru.
”
“Um.” I could find nothing to say. My fangs were still out, achingly sensitive. “Graves.”
Or should I call you Edgar?
A thin bubble of hysterical laughter welled up inside of me; I ended up letting out a wheeze that turned into a series of smoke-tarnished coughs.
Or should I call you Edgar?
A thin bubble of hysterical laughter welled up inside of me; I ended up letting out a wheeze that turned into a series of smoke-tarnished coughs.
“Jesus.” Was he shaking? I couldn’t tell, because I’d turned into mud. I could’ve just laid there and waited for morning with no trouble at all.
Except it was going to get cold, and we couldn’t stay here.
“Graves.” The word rasped against the bloodhunger, quivering on the back of my palate. No more danger candy; why had it failed me this time? Had the blooming gotten rid of it?
Worry about that later, Dru.
He hugged me even harder. “Jesus.
Jesus.
”
Jesus.
”
I coughed again. “Got. To. Get out. Graves. We’ve got to get
out
of here.”
out
of here.”
Something rustled in the greenbelt, under the suck-back draft of the fire. Graves tensed, and weary annoyance filtered through me.
Oh, Lord, what now? Take a number, I’m done for the night.
Oh, Lord, what now? Take a number, I’m done for the night.
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