withdrew an automatic machine gun. “Let’s level the playing field.”
A booming voice from above interrupted. “Do you really think that will save you?”
Ripper stood on a crossbeam near the ceiling. The windows near the roof were propped open. Dressed in all black and carrying a machete, the Kinsman looked like death come to destroy them all.
Dean twisted and strafed the ceiling. His muscled back and arms, which showed through his tee shirt, flexed as he fired off the rapid burst of artillery. Ripper spun away from the bullets in a blur, dropping to the floor.
“So much for plan A.” Dean tossed down the empty machine gun and drew out two automatic handguns, one for each hand. “Anyone got plan B?”
From beneath his leather jacket, Shade withdrew a long knife. Caden opted for a shotgun. Not having come armed herself, Rage grabbed a six-foot-long metal bar from beside the door of a diameter that was comfortable for her hand. She’d never used a gun before, and she didn’t want to try to figure out how to use one while a Kinsman was chewing a hole in her neck. Raising her bar in both hands, she said, “Let’s go.”
“We won’t be able to take him down in a rush,” Caden shouted to them. “Tag team attacks will wear him down. Just like a pack of wolves taking down a bison.”
Dean fired three shots. If he managed to catch Ripper he showed no sign. Shade, with his dancing and fighting prowess, spun into Ripper as he swooped toward Caden. As he whirled, he sliced with his knife, his arm fully extended. Rage heard the blade penetrate with a slick, wet sound. Dropping to his knees, Shade twisted beneath Ripper’s clawing fingers and spun away unharmed.
Dean raised his eyebrows at Rage and muttered, “Are you sure Shade’s not a Kinsman yet?”
The strikes Shade landed slowed Ripper but didn’t stop him. He burst forth, arms wide, as he charged Caden. Rage screamed but Caden didn’t flinch as the Kinsman raced toward him. Instead he just held his ground and fired off a spray from the shotgun. The smoke and dozens of shotgun pellets flew at Ripper, catching the Kinsman at close range. His momentum carried him forward and he tackled Caden.
Ripper was bleeding but still fighting. He snapped at Caden’s neck but Rage struck the Kinsman in the side with her steel bar. Just as Dean and Shade caught Ripper by either arm, Caden managed to wedge his feet between them and kicked Ripper back. They dragged him back a few feet before Ripper caught them each by the throat.
Dean raised his pistol to Ripper’s temple. “Let us go or I blast your fucking head open.”
Ripper didn’t let go. Past his Offspring he saw Rage kneeling next to Caden. She scraped the lip of the vial along the front of the body armor, catching Ripper’s blood and adding it to the potion. The liquid inside turned a watery black with what looked like glittering metallic red confetti swirling inside.
Ripper’s will reached out to her, crushing around her chest until she couldn’t breathe. He was Summoning her to him with all his strength. Fighting the power of his magic sent splinters of a migraine into her skull, but Rage refused to surrender.
“I am not yours, Ripper. I never loved you and never could. My heart has always belonged to Caden.” Rage drank from the vial. It tasted like cherry cough syrup but she chugged it down anyway. The migraine vanished so quickly that she swayed with a sudden dizziness. Caden wrapped her in his steadying arm. The magic from Ripper’s Summoning evaporated like cemetery fog, leaving only the creepy memory of its existence in its wake. She held up the empty vial. “It is over.”
Ripper’s grip slipped from Dean and Shade’s throats. The pair stepped back out of reach. Pain and weariness paled Ripper’s features and drew the muscles of his face so tight that his pale skin seemed paper thin. Ripper’s wounds still bled. They would take several minutes more to close and stop the blood loss.
A booming voice from above interrupted. “Do you really think that will save you?”
Ripper stood on a crossbeam near the ceiling. The windows near the roof were propped open. Dressed in all black and carrying a machete, the Kinsman looked like death come to destroy them all.
Dean twisted and strafed the ceiling. His muscled back and arms, which showed through his tee shirt, flexed as he fired off the rapid burst of artillery. Ripper spun away from the bullets in a blur, dropping to the floor.
“So much for plan A.” Dean tossed down the empty machine gun and drew out two automatic handguns, one for each hand. “Anyone got plan B?”
From beneath his leather jacket, Shade withdrew a long knife. Caden opted for a shotgun. Not having come armed herself, Rage grabbed a six-foot-long metal bar from beside the door of a diameter that was comfortable for her hand. She’d never used a gun before, and she didn’t want to try to figure out how to use one while a Kinsman was chewing a hole in her neck. Raising her bar in both hands, she said, “Let’s go.”
“We won’t be able to take him down in a rush,” Caden shouted to them. “Tag team attacks will wear him down. Just like a pack of wolves taking down a bison.”
Dean fired three shots. If he managed to catch Ripper he showed no sign. Shade, with his dancing and fighting prowess, spun into Ripper as he swooped toward Caden. As he whirled, he sliced with his knife, his arm fully extended. Rage heard the blade penetrate with a slick, wet sound. Dropping to his knees, Shade twisted beneath Ripper’s clawing fingers and spun away unharmed.
Dean raised his eyebrows at Rage and muttered, “Are you sure Shade’s not a Kinsman yet?”
The strikes Shade landed slowed Ripper but didn’t stop him. He burst forth, arms wide, as he charged Caden. Rage screamed but Caden didn’t flinch as the Kinsman raced toward him. Instead he just held his ground and fired off a spray from the shotgun. The smoke and dozens of shotgun pellets flew at Ripper, catching the Kinsman at close range. His momentum carried him forward and he tackled Caden.
Ripper was bleeding but still fighting. He snapped at Caden’s neck but Rage struck the Kinsman in the side with her steel bar. Just as Dean and Shade caught Ripper by either arm, Caden managed to wedge his feet between them and kicked Ripper back. They dragged him back a few feet before Ripper caught them each by the throat.
Dean raised his pistol to Ripper’s temple. “Let us go or I blast your fucking head open.”
Ripper didn’t let go. Past his Offspring he saw Rage kneeling next to Caden. She scraped the lip of the vial along the front of the body armor, catching Ripper’s blood and adding it to the potion. The liquid inside turned a watery black with what looked like glittering metallic red confetti swirling inside.
Ripper’s will reached out to her, crushing around her chest until she couldn’t breathe. He was Summoning her to him with all his strength. Fighting the power of his magic sent splinters of a migraine into her skull, but Rage refused to surrender.
“I am not yours, Ripper. I never loved you and never could. My heart has always belonged to Caden.” Rage drank from the vial. It tasted like cherry cough syrup but she chugged it down anyway. The migraine vanished so quickly that she swayed with a sudden dizziness. Caden wrapped her in his steadying arm. The magic from Ripper’s Summoning evaporated like cemetery fog, leaving only the creepy memory of its existence in its wake. She held up the empty vial. “It is over.”
Ripper’s grip slipped from Dean and Shade’s throats. The pair stepped back out of reach. Pain and weariness paled Ripper’s features and drew the muscles of his face so tight that his pale skin seemed paper thin. Ripper’s wounds still bled. They would take several minutes more to close and stop the blood loss.
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