“Oh, okay,” he said sarcastically.
I handed him his ticket and waited for him to wander away, but instead, he leaned on the counter and grinned at me. The creeper alarm was still buzzing at the back of my head, and only got louder as we made eye contact.
“I’m curious about a certain piece I heard you might have.” He examined his nails before looking back at me. “It’s an old piece of weaponry. Very ornate.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. We had a lot of weapons at the museum. A replica of the Sword of Excalibur hung on the east wall. Knives that belonged to ancient mystics sat in a case near the back. There was even a case of shields that were said to be cursed – whoever wielded them would inevitably lose in battle. He’d have to be more specific.
“I’m not sure. Do you know anything else about it? Is it a sword?”
He shook his head. “No. It’s a dagger. It’s not very long.” He held his hands about a foot apart. “Probably only this long. It has a fancy sheath and hilt. I’ve been looking for this piece for a very long time, but I’m afraid your boss beat me to it. I’d love to get a look.”
I took an involuntary step back from the counter. He was talking about Medusa’s dagger. No other piece of weaponry in the museum matched that description.
“What did you say your name was?”
He gave me another grin, but this one didn’t reach his eyes. The air around him began to shimmer. Without the enchantment, the man’s body swelled to giant size. His arms were thicker than my waist and he stood almost twice my height. The handsome face morphed into something grotesque and misshapen, like a clay figure that the sculptor had forgotten to finish. A grin was still plastered to his face, but now it showed off two rows of broken and mismatched teeth.
The monster that stood before me was a Gorgon. I’d never met one before, but I recognized it right away.
“Theo… You’re him. You’re Theo.”
I wasn’t sure why I said it aloud. Here I was, in a museum all by myself, facing a monster who could snap me in half. But the words came tumbling out anyway. The smile melted from his face and he made a quick turn for the exit.
If Theo was here, that meant Gideon hadn’t caught him last night. And if Gideon hadn’t caught him, Michelle and Kit were probably still missing.
I felt my legs move before I could comprehend what I was doing. Running to the exit, I saw him turn a hard right and sprint down the sidewalk. My feet followed, although in my mind I was begging them to stop.
What was I doing, running after the bad guy? It wasn’t like I was carrying heat. I couldn’t exactly tackle him and perform a citizen’s arrest. It was insanity.
“Stop! Wait!” I yelled between gasping breaths, but all that did was make him run faster.
My cell phone rubbed against my side as I ran. I pulled it out and dialed Gideon’s number. While it rang, I chased Theo down Philips Street and into an alleyway. He didn’t turn to look at me, but scaled a chain linked fence and ran into the back door of an old business. My wings unfurled from my shoulders, flapping in the wind. With a great big swipe, they carried me over the fence, and I landed in a crouched position on the other side.
Gideon’s number wen
t to voice mail. Holding my phone to my face, I followed Theo into the building. Gideon’s short message played and then came the beep.
“Listen, Gideon, Theo came to the museum. He ran and now I’m chasing him. We’re in one of those old brick buildings south of the museum. Come quick. I don’t want to lose him.”
I shoved the phone back into my pocket and leaned into my sprint. All those squats and leg presses with my weight set had really paid off. The thick muscles in my legs stretched and constricted with the movement, explosive energy released with every stride.
Theo had entered the storage facility of what looked like an old grocery store. On my right was a walk-in freezer. Wooden crates and cardboard boxes lay scattered across the floor. The swish of Theo’s wind jacket ahead told me I was still hot on the trail. If I could follow him long enough, maybe Gideon could get some backup for me.
Theo flew through a side door and into another alleyway. A pile of broken boards tripped him, but he stayed on his feet. The momentary distraction gave me just enough time to catch up.
Throwing all my weight and the power of my wings into a jump, I rammed my body into his side. My talons sunk into his flesh, tearing and ripping as he screamed and tried to shake me off. For all the good my tackle did, I could’ve been a ragdoll.
“Enough of this.” He pulled me off him like a tick and threw me against the nearest brick wall, his hand squeezing my throat. “No more running.”
Little black dots popped up in front of my eyes. The sudden lack of oxygen after such a long sprint hit me hard. I kicked my heels, catching Theo in the thigh. It only made him laugh, a throaty and sick chuckle that made my blood turn cold.
Even with the blackness closing in, I could see the delight shining from those blue eyes. He had a taste for the kill. It was an addiction. He was going to kill me, there and then, with nothing but his bare hands.
In a last ditch effort to save myself, I drove my talons into the fleshy part of his arm, sinking them deep enough to feel bone. An inhuman screech bellowed from Theo’s mouth and he dropped me.
I fell to the ground, clutching at my swelling throat as Theo grabbed his arm. He growled and held up the palm of his good hand, releasing a swirl of wind. It caught my wings and picked me up, flinging me several yards away. When the tumbling finally stopped, I looked up in time to see Theo turn tail and run.
I could’ve let him go. No one would have blamed me. He’d nearly killed me.