onto Kid’s arm. He twisted
till Kid caved and released him. Standing back up, he grabbed Kid by his throat and tossed him across the room.
Kid plowed into a table so hard that it snapped in two.
Craetis loosened the belt around his neck and gasped for air.
“Fucking dick,” he said. He fondled his bal s and turned to
Kinzer. “You!”
Dedrus dropped to the floor, scooped up Kinzer’s sword,
which had slid near him just moments earlier. Keeping up with
Deter’s attacks, he sliced through Craetis’s shin.
“Ah!” Craetis cal ed out.
As his leg snapped off, he toppled like Goliath. Blood oozed
CLIPPED 112
across the carpet.
Dedrus spotted Mika, who’d been lying listlessly on the floor
for some time after Treycore had decked him good. Mika stumbled
to his feet and headed for Dedrus.
Just what I need .
He used Kinzer’s sword to defend himself against Mika and
continued using his own to defend against Deter.
Craetis cried like a baby as he nursed his severed limb.
~
Kinzer raced into the study.
He was right behind Treycore.
Maggie headed toward a window behind the desk.
Vera appeared, mid-air, her wings outstretched, soaring at
her.
“Come here, sweetlips!” she exclaimed.
“Behind you!” Kinzer cal ed. “Don’t let her touch you,
Maggie!”Maggie squealed. She ducked and crawled under the desk.
Vera landed on top of it.
Treycore bounded into the air, swinging his sword violently
before him. As the tip of his blade grazed her feathers, she
disappeared.
He landed on the desk, his feet dancing about as he
struggled to maintain his balance on the stacks of papers and files
113 Devon McCormack scattered across it.
As Maggie crawled out the other side of the desk, Vera
appeared behind her, covered in sweat, breathing heavily, her eyes savage as she reached for Maggie’s leg.
Treycore swiped his sword across the floor, slicing her hand
off.
“Ahhhh!” she wailed. She vanished.
Hopping off the desk, Treycore knelt to cover Maggie.
~
Dedrus’s chest vibrated rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. He didn’t know how much longer he’d be able to take on Mika and
Deter. They continued swapping attacks, when he heard, “Boys!”
Vera stood on the stairwel , cradling a bleeding stump.
“We’ve gotta go,” she said.
Craetis limped to the stairs.
“Vera, we can do this!” Mika shouted, not taking his eyes of
Dedrus.
Red flashed in her eyes. “Now!”
Mika and Deter pul ed back. Dedrus halted his attack as
they exchanged knowing looks, agreeing to have a peaceful retreat.
“We’l be back,” Vera said. A river of blood rushed down her
dress, sparkling in the glow of the lamplights. Her wings fanned around Deter, Mika, and Craetis, and they disappeared.
“Godfuckingdammit,” Dedrus said.
CLIPPED 114
He ran into the study to join the others. Kid, rising from
the two halves of the table, fol owed after him.
“They know we have the Antichrist!” Dedrus exclaimed.
Treycore wiped sweat from his brow. Kinzer fel back against
a bookshelf.
Kid hurried to Maggie and helped her to her feet.
“We need to leave...now,” Kinzer said. “Vera could hop in
any second and nab her.”
“Naw,” Treycore said. “Bitch needs to find herself another
hand. And she was already getting too weak. Her moves were
slowing down. Probably only has a few left in her.”
“And I saved them just for you, sweetlips.”
Vera was suddenly standing between Kid and Maggie, sweat
pouring down her forehead. She panted, desperately struggling for air. Stretching her arms out, blood spewed from her stump, across Kinzer and Dedrus’s faces as she lunged at Maggie.
“Stop her!” Dedrus cried.
Kid leapt on her back and twisted his arm around her neck.
Treycore slipped between Vera and Maggie. Her arms
wrapped around him.
Vera snarled as she, Treycore, and Kid disappeared.
“Fucking cunt!” Dedrus shouted.
“Get her!” Kinzer said, motioning to Maggie. “We’re
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