"Hannah." Silver reached for her, but she shrank in on herself and he hesitated to touch her. The thought that she feared him tore Silver apart. He couldn't do anything else to traumatize her, so he stood there while she sobbed. At a complete loss, he wiped his hands on his shirt, cleaning away the blood. Nick wasn't the first person Silver had killed and probably wouldn't be the last, but he regretted what he'd done because it'd hurt Hannah. The enormity damn near reduced him to tears, because all he'd wanted was to set her free.
"That was marvelous." A slow clap accompanied the man's proclamation. Kholkikos sauntered toward them.
Silver performed a tight swivel on his heel to face the crime lord. He adopted a ready stance in expectation of another brutal attack. Kholkikos, however, remained the poster child for jaded cynics. His intent gaze, however, was at distinct odd with his seeming boredom. Serpent eyes—solid amber irises and slit pupils like a cat or a viper—bright and unblinking.
"That was amazing. You kicked Nick's ass. It was a takedown that was long overdue," Kholkikos said with an easy laugh. "It's always great to see the scrappy underdog win. If we'd been taking bets on the outcome of the fight, my money would've been on Nick."
"Gee, thanks." Silver's head spun as the adrenaline rush faded. His gunshot wound throbbed like a motherfucker, and weakness from the blood loss set in. Coyote-shifters healed faster than humans, but not with the swiftness of their wolf cousins. Changing shape would speed along the process but Silver had to be sure Hannah was safe before he shifted.
"I'm serious. I'm impressed," Kholkikos said. "That garrote was slick."
Hannah scooted across the grass on her hands and knees. Initially, he worried she was in shock, but then she reached Nick's dropped pistol and snatched it up. Thus far, the crime lord showed no sign of being aware of her actions. Silver preferred it stayed way. To provide a distraction, he returned his attention to Kholkikos.
"Nick was arrogant: an easy kill," Silver said with a bragging note. "Maybe you ought a hire more competent minions."
"Yeah, maybe I oughta." Kholkikos snickered. He snapped his fingers and a business card appeared in his hand. "Once this is all over, I'll need to hire someone to replace Nick. Let me know if you'd be interested."
"No. Thanks." Silver deliberated, staring at the card. He preferred to flat-out refuse, but Kholkikos wasn't someone he wanted to piss off, especially on top of the Russian mafia.
"I insisss." Kholkikos ended the word on a sibilant sizzle, dropping the "t". The hiss crawled over Silver's skin.
"Uh, thanks." Silver snatched the card and shoved it into his pocket.
"Now, down to business..." Kholkikos rubbed his palms together, all but salivating in his excessive greed. "I believe you have something that belongs to me."
"You mean the box?" Silver asked, playing dumb on purpose. He put stalling as his top priority, though he had to admit to a certain pressing curiosity about the coveted little container that'd caused so much damn trouble. To the best of his knowledge, Hannah had the object; however, he wasn't a hundred percent sure. With so much going on, she may have lost it in the fight or given it to her sister... Whatever the case, he couldn't ask her without drawing Kholkikos' attention to Hannah, and that was a risk he refused to take.
"The box," Kholkikos sneered and added air quotes for sarcastic emphasis. "That's such a mundane description for such a stunning artifact. Now, I've waited long enough. Where is it?" His serpentine eyes glowed molten gold.
Unthinking, Silver took a swift step back, raising his hands in a sudden motion that jolted his shoulder. Pain radiated through his torso. "Easy now. Don't lose your temper. So, you don't like 'the box' because it's disrespectful? Tell me what I should call it then?"
Kholkikos narrowed his eyes and stared straight through Silver. He flexed his hands, perhaps debating whether to break the coyote in half. Finally, Kholkikos spoke in a low voice and with astonishing reverence, "Its true name: Vitur Blettur."
"Yeah?" Silver rocked on the balls of his feet. He marked the veneration Kholkikos showed for an object and then contrasted it to his frivolous disregard for his own follower's death. The guy had dangerous psycho written all over him.
"You want your stupid box?" Hannah asked in a surprisingly strong voice. She marched toward them and flashed the box at Kholkikos. She carried Nick's pistol in her other hand. She embodied the three Cs—calm, cool, and collected.
"Yes. Hand it over." Kholkikos' attention riveted on Vitur Blettur; he had eyes only for it. He acquired the patina of avarice, the green-tinted hue of aged copper. He stuck out "gimme" hands, comical in his overeager zeal, but there was nothing funny about his rumbled threat.
"I will, but first I want a guarantee. We're allowed to go free. I want your word you won't chase us or retaliate in the future."
"That's mine." Kholkikos advanced with his hands raised. He radiated palpable menace.
"Stop or the box gets it." Hannah pressed the muzzle against the lid. An involuntary grin split the sides of Silver's mouth. He was mightily impressed and damn proud of her. When Hannah beckoned to him to come, he sidled closer to her. He settled his arm around her waist and tugged, guiding her retreat.
"Follow my lead. Pretend we're dancing," he whispered into her ear.
She snickered. "Just so happens, I like to lead."
"I'm not surprised." He chuckled in return. Slowly, they backed toward the stadium entrance and ultimately the parking lot where Silver hoped his band was waiting. Safety, however, was half a field, the full expanse of the stands, and the interior courtyard distant.
"You wouldn't dare." Kholkikos froze mid-step.
"Oh, I so would dare," Hannah shot back. "I'd shoot this... this stupid trinket box full of holes, and I'd love every second of it. This fucking thing has caused me nothing but grief. I can't wait to be rid of it. If I never see it again, it'll be too soon."
"So help me, if you do anything to damage it..." He shifted in heightened agitation. He slithered in an undulation that contorted his torso and should've broken his spine... if he'd been human.
"One more step and I'll shoot." Hannah's volume hitched from stress. Following Silver's guidance, she sped her pace.
Kholkikos halted again. His demeanor morphed from frantic concern to calculating. He clenched and unclenched his jaws, strung tight on a line.
Silver cast an appraising glance over his shoulder. Another thirty feet and they'd reach the ramp leading onto the stands. To Hannah, he whispered, "We're almost there."
She gave a minute nod, the only sign of acknowledgement.
"Fine, I accept your terms. Hand Vitur Blettur over and you may both go free without consequences, however..." Kholkikos narrowed his eyes. "If there's any trickery or should you try to steal it again at any point in the future, the deal's off."
"Understood," Hannah said. "Give me your word."
A tic tugged at the corner of Kholkikos' eye and his mouth puckered as though he'd sucked sour lemons. He raised his hands like a catcher and spat his next words. "You have my word. Now give it here. Toss it to me."
They reached the edge of the ramp, and the going got smoother. Halfway up, Hannah stopped and he followed her lead. "Get ready to run," Hannah said from the side of her mouth. She raised her arm, holding the box aloft.
"I'm ready." Weariness weighed Silver down so each step required a monumental effort, as though he had blocks chained to his legs.
"Catch!" Hannah hauled her arm back and hurled the box high into the air. Either she threw like a wimp or her throw fell short on purpose. It ascended but not high, and then seemed to hang at the pinnacle, defying gravity.
The spectacle possessed a train-wreck fascination for Silver. While a part of him screamed to run, he couldn't tear his eyes off the box. He craned his neck, following its trajectory.
"Miiinnnne!" Kholkikos' head ballooned many times over and double rows of dagger-sharp teeth sprouted in his gaping mouth. He leapt headlong, arms outreached and hands open, in a
n effort to snatch the treasure from midair. His entire body blurred, grew long and lean, and transformed into a serpent's winding form. Twin horns thrust from his skull, and great wings blossomed from his shoulders to spread like unfurling sails. Reflected sunshine glanced off metallic scales: copper across his backside and jade on his belly.
The dragon snatched Vitur Blettur from the air. A cat with a prize: he crouched over it with clasped claws and arched his rump. His spiny tail flagged straight up and the tip quivered.
"Damn it, Silver. We've got to go!" Hannah yanked on his injured arm so hard she almost dislocated it from the socket. Agony slammed Silver, eliciting a cry of raw anguish from him.
"I can't. You go." His legs buckled and he sank to his knees. Only Hannah's support kept him from plunging face-first to the ground. She held onto him and slowed his descent. Woozy, he swayed on the verge of toppling into oblivion.
"I'm not going to leave you." Hannah tugged at his coat, jostling his injured shoulder more with her roughness; however, the pain swam in and out of his consciousness. She ripped his shirt off. "You've lost too much blood. You need to shift."
"I don't think I can." He pushed her away from him to force her to go. The world swirled around him, multi-colored streamers dancing on the whirlwind.
"This is a fake!" The dragon smashed his claws together, pulverizing the little box. He cast a wide spray of splinters from him.
"Shit, Branwen gave us the counterfeit," Silver muttered in horrified realization. He stopped trying to push Hannah away and instead tightened his hold. In turn, she clutched him harder.
"You tried to trick me." Kholkikos raised his head and locked his malevolent gaze on them. With a roar that boomed, he settled onto his haunches and lashed his tail. Those massive jaws parted wide—a fiery glow flickered in the deep, dark depths of his gullet. The dragon sucked in a huge breath, creating a draft that tugged their hair and clothing toward his mouth. Sulfuric smoke poured from his nostrils.
In a terribly importune timing, the opening chords to a new song flooded Silver mind. His fingers twitched, wanting for a pencil and notebook. Summarily, he shoved the distraction aside. He wasn't going to write a song for the great gecko that meant to roast them alive.
"I love you." Silver wrapped his arms around Hannah and turned toward her, shielding her with his body.
"I love you too." She clung to him, pressing her face into his throat.
With a mighty bellow, the dragon disgorged a plume of fire. Silver closed his eyes and braced in anticipation of the agony of being burned. Hannah trembled in the shelter of his arms. Unbearable heat surrounded them on all sides but the flames didn't touch their flesh. Silver inhaled fumes and smoke, and a terrible cough wracked his chest. The conflagration endured for what must've been an eternity, but then it died away.
Astonished to still be alive, Silver opened his eyes and looked up. Hannah did the same, searching for the source of their salvation. The ground all around them was charred but the grass below their feet was still green.
Gretchen Grimm guarded them. The hunter stood between them and the dragon. She held a wicked scythe brandished before her, the shield that had split the flames down the center. The final flickers danced at the sides of the drake's snout.
"Hi, Gretchen," Silver said. "Glad you made it, but don't you think that was cutting it close?"
"I got stuck in traffic." Gretchen turned her head, giving him the side eye. The merest suggestion of a smile curved the side of her mouth. "You're welcome, by the way."
"Thank you," Silver responded promptly.
"Yes, thank you," Hannah echoed him.
Gretchen snorted. "Silver, you swore there were no dragons."
"I, uh, misspoke?" He offered a crocodile smile.
"Grimm. What business is this of yours?" Kholkikos asked in a grouchy grumble. He whipped his tail several times in swift succession. He reared his head, preparing to strike.
"I'm here to help out a friend." Gretchen turned the catch phrase into something profound: a declaration of intent and loyalty. It warmed Silver's heart.
"Aww, I didn't know you felt that way." Silver flashed a huge smile. Until then, he hadn't known she considered their friendship to be genuine.
The Grimm Reaper scowled. "You—"
"Yeah, yeah, I know," he said. "I owe you."
"Silver, take your lady and get out of here. I'll deal with this tinder toad," Gretchen grumped, an unmistakable reprimand and command. She swung toward the dragon and advanced with a gladiator's march.
"Tinder toad?" Kholkikos rotated to keep Gretchen in front of him as the dragon and the hunter squared off for a fight.
"We're already gone." Silver marshaled his strength and dragged himself a yard up the ramp.
"Lean on me." Hannah got his good arm over her shoulder and pulled him to his feet. She all but carried him up the ramp and through the stands. Behind them, the dragon roared, marking the commencement of the combat.
"Hold up. I need to shift." Silver wheezed once they reached the shelter of the courtyard beneath the stands. Woozy, he fumbled with his pants.
"Should we be helping Gretchen?" Hannah shoved his hands aside, got his pants open, and yanked them down his legs. She got stuck on his boots.
"Help how? If anyone needs help, it's the dragon." Silver dropped onto his ass and raised one foot and then the other, making it easier for her to tug them off.
The ground quaked and the stadium shook, threatening to tumble down around them. Magic concentrated in the atmosphere along with smoke and fire.
Hannah and Silver traded a look. "Yeah, okay," she said, "Do it."
Silver rolled onto his side. He panted, gathering what little strength he had left, and then undertook the transition from man to coyote. Normally, the shift flowed over him swift and easy, but his exhaustion and injury slowed the process. He suffered agonizing contortions while he healed and changed. Whimpering, he halted, certain he lacked the strength to continue. Then, Hannah pressed herself against his side and her comforting touch gave him the strength to finish.
In his animal form, Silver rose on shaky legs. As a coyote, he was larger than average for his species, big enough to pass for a small wolf. He had tan fur with black guard hair, and a cream-colored throat and belly.
"Are you strong enough to move?" Hannah asked, regaining her feet.
He barked to indicate his readiness and took a wobbly step. Shapeshifting had healed his injury enough, so he could move freely. He needed rest and food, but he'd be okay for the meantime.
Hobbling, they fled the stadium through the front entrance. Outside, a storm brooded in the sky. It originated over the arena, no doubt Gretchen's magical handiwork. Silver had to hand it to the hunter: she possessed a natural dramatic flair. The roiling thunderclouds blanketed the heavens and blocked out the sun. The squall belched bolts of lightning and rolling booms. A blustery gale buffeted the earth, beating down on the crowd gathered in the parking lot.
"Do you believe this?" Hannah asked in a soft voice that the storm swallowed. Silver strained to hear her over the wind.
Silver hesitated, surveying the area for his band. The Russian mafia, including a nude and injured Marcus Malkin, gathered to the left of him, the hunters to the right. It seemed the fighting had ceased but tensions remained. The two groups were still armed. Posted guards kept vigil while they attended to their casualties.
He squinted at a figure in the distance and thought he identified a couple of Nick's followers fleeing on foot. Smart move. He could conceive of no better plan than to find his friends and—as the saying went—get the hell outta Dodge. The trouble was, Silver failed to find Disco and the others and his unease grew with each passing second.
Perhaps sensing his unease, Hannah settled her hand on the ruff of his neck. While she searched with him, she rubbed her fingers over his fur and his agitation waned. By unspoken consent, they circled toward the hunters, away from the Russians. Not that the hunters were any less dangerous,
but Silver considered it unlikely Gretchen's followers would attack after she'd gone to the effort to save them.
Overhead, lightning split the sky, an extended arc with multiple forks that descended into the interior of the stadium. Within the arena, the dragon produced a wounded keen and flew on beating wings. The drake appeared overhead, a streak of copper and jade across the sky. He left in a hurry.
A cheer arose among the hunters as they applauded their leader's win.
"Guess you were right about Gretchen." Hannah planted an apologetic pat on the top of Silver's head.
He released an eloquent huff.
"Don't be a smart ass." Hannah poked him and he snickered with coyote laughter.
"Hey, over here!" Oz's deep bass voice carried across the distance. Together, Hannah and Silver turned toward the call. The drummer leaned out from behind the shelter of a bus terminal, beckoning to them.
Together, they hurried over to the terminal where the entire band huddled. Ursula sat beneath a blanket, but she bore claw marks across her face and torso. Cheyenne had been shot in the leg and Disco in the buttocks. Hannah's family, both Fiona and Bonita, were also there. With a thankful cry, Hannah rushed to hug her sister and grandma. Silver watched and wagged his tail.
"Wow, identical twins. Funny how no one mentioned that," Disco said, just a touch too loudly. He interrupted the commotion and drew attention to himself.
Fiona arched her brow. "How is that relevant to anything?" Under her direct stare, Disco flushed.
"It's not," Ursula interrupted, gruff with reprimand. "Please, don't pay Disco's poor manners any mind. We are all so pleased to meet you." She went on to make introductions, smoothing out the confusion with her usual aplomb.
When Branwen draped a blanket over Silver, he pinned her with an accusatory stare. It hurt to the quick that she'd betrayed him. Her counterfeit box had put both his life and, more importantly, Hannah's at risk. Beneath his gaze, Branwen faltered. She flushed and dropped her eyes before turning away in shame. A part of him ached for her but it'd be a long time before he forgave her.
Outfoxed: A Zodiac Shifters Paranormal Romance: Gemini Page 18