The gun cocked.
“Once I finish you, I’ll go back and skin those pets of yours and use their pelts on my floor.”
The deluge of power rippled over her, the pain nipping at her nerves. She lifted her hand to strike first when the door to the kitchen inched opened. A shape entered with a disjointed, awkward gait she recognized.
“Sarah?” Vengeance gleamed in the cloudy eyes when her gaze landed on Grandpa. She must have followed the men here. Raven instinctively took a step back, trying to pull back the swell of power. She nearly went sprawling on her ass when her foot caught on the rug she used to hide the scars etched in the floor.
Grandpa twisted, firing without hesitation. The first shot struck Sarah high in the shoulder. Her body jerked, then slowly toppled forward.
“No.” Raven ran forward to catch her, and the gun swung in her direction.
“Stay back.”
Sarah landed on her face with a sickening crunch. Her fingers twitched, her arms slowly moved as she pulled herself forward with her hands.
Grandpa laughed at her feeble attempt, lifted the gun, and shot her again. This time, the body lay still. That little flame of life sputtered then faded.
All the golden cords of power burst out of Raven, including the few remaining blue strands that had kept the lockbox sealed. They swarmed the body on the floor like ants. Drained by the total lack of power, she dropped to her knees with a painful crack. Not even the animals grumbled. Her body felt like someone had taken her out back and kicked the shit out of her.
A roar rang in her ears. A thump vibrated under her hands. She lifted her head to see the mauled body of the henchman two feet away, tossed over the railing like a paper airplane to land in a splatter of blood and bones.
Durant and Taggert loped down the stairs in a blurred speed, half-dressed but none the worse for wear. Blood rushed out of her head to see them healthy and whole. Durant didn’t even spare her a glance, his focus centered on the threat. Taggert ignored it all, his attention on her.
“I see your friends have decided to join us.” Grandpa waved the gun, the barrel pointed at her head. “Let’s keep your distance, now, shall we.”
Taggert grabbed Durant’s arm, muscles flexing when Durant resisted. Both men halted half way down the steps. Then Durant’s molten gold gaze met hers.
Eager to get the old man’s focus away from the guys, she tossed out the theory she suspected the first time she saw him. “I wonder what your friends would say if they knew you weren’t completely human. Like how you can pick out shifters from humans.”
His reaction was immediate. He lashed out with his boot. The blow caught her in the ribs, nearly picking her off the floor.
A roar reverberated in the room, and Durant leapt over the railing. A bullet cracked in the ceiling, halting all movement.
Grandpa lowered his arm and aimed the barrel at her head. “I’d rather not have any holes in my new pelts. Stand down.”
Grandpa walked to the other side of the room to keep them all in view and out of arm’s reach. Raven struggled to her feet. Without electricity to hold them back, the shadows at her core woke with a vengeance. Under their influence, the aches faded, and her emotions grew more volatile.
Taggert helped her rise as Durant stood in front of them, his large body protecting her. She grabbed his belt loop, gouging her nails into the hard muscles of his side to prevent him from doing something stupid like attacking. Gunshots at such close quarters could be lethal even for him if the old man got off enough shots.
Durant flinched, but the hum under her hand calmed. Then she saw a movement on the floor.
Sarah.
Though the rims of her eyes remained clouded, they were not that of a ghoul. Raven saw only Sarah. Recognition flashed between them.
The electric charge must have returned her humanity back to her. All the horror she lived through the last few weeks hollowed out her face. Her hand encircled a necklace at her throat, and a bitter smile came to her lips.
“No.” But Sarah didn’t listen, throwing herself at the old man, her arm raised to strike.
Grandpa turned and fired at point blank range, but she was already on him. After what felt like an eternity, they stumbled in an awkward dance and collapsed. Blood pooled beneath the bodies, spreading toward Raven in an ever increasing circle.
Durant cautiously knelt to check for life, but she knew it was already too late.
“She tore out his throat.” Durant turned Sarah over. Her sightless eyes stared up at them, her body pale and gaunt. “She’s gone.”
A terrible sadness riddled Raven’s heart. She hadn’t meant to bring Sarah back. The two powers must have mingled, merging to form an unholy union , one powerful enough to bring Sarah back from the dead and human. No one could ever know the truth.