Quietly, I passed between the sliding glass doors and walked into the backyard. Since I’d left the front door open, I could sneak back in without Skylar or the killer knowing.
And he had no backup now.
While I was planning to stay true to my word about not using my magic on that bastard, I didn’t say I wouldn’t use other means to capture him.
Each minute that ticked by without Skylar freeing her friend was another second closer to the murderer losing his temper or getting desperate. Desperate men, human or not, were dangerous. They were unpredictable and they did things without thinking. That’s when mistakes were made.
As I crept through the yard toward the front, the wind rustled the leaves in the tress and a dove called, breaking the silence of the night.
It was a largely commercial part of town, which meant there were few humans around. It was about as quiet as you could get from them. Humans were notoriously loud creatures. Clumsy, awkward, and unaware of their surroundings, they usually announced their presence long before you ever saw them.
So when one appeared in front of me, seemingly materializing out of thin air, I had to admit, I was impressed. She lifted a gun, pointing it at me. “Stay where you are.”
“You’re aiming that thing at the wrong person,” I said.
“You’re not a person,” she said.
I tried to make out her features, but she was keeping to the shadows, making it so even I struggled to see her. From what I could gather, she was about as tall as Skylar and had dark hair pulled up away from her face. She was probably one of those humans who got wind of supernaturals and tried to catch one to prove her cause. Or one of the vampires did something to her and she wanted revenge. I approved of that, but now wasn’t the time.
“I don’t want to hurt you, and you don’t belong here,” I said.
She smirked. “Your kind always seem to underestimate me.”
“Your weapon can’t hurt me,” I said. “Please go. I don’t want to harm you.”
She pulled the trigger, sending a bullet my way. I didn’t even bother to dodge. It would sting, then I’d pull it out and I’d be healed by the time I got to the front door. The part I was the most upset about was that I now had to waste time wiping this human’s memory and sending her on her way.
The bullet hit hard, with a force that surprised me, dead center in my chest. I had to admit, the woman had killer aim. Searing pain spread from the site of impact and I winced as I reached for the bullet.
My fingers brushed against the source of the pain. It wasn’t a bullet, it was a dart. Blackness seeped in around the corners of my vision and my head was spinning.
The pain mixed with nausea, a strange combination. I dropped to my knees, unable to move.
“What?” I managed only the single word, before falling to my side, paralyzed. I couldn’t move at all.
Stinging pain spread slowly from the source of the wound, traveling through my chest to my arms and stomach. It moved through me like poison flowing through my veins.
It didn’t make sense, I was impervious to poison. I was immortal. There wasn’t anything in this realm that could kill me.
Yet, I could feel myself dying. My quest was unfinished, nobody would avenge my sister, and David would be left to his own devices. But none of that seemed to matter as much as the grief that hung heavy at the thought that I’d let Skylar down. If she survived, I could let the rest go. Skylar had to be okay. It was the only thing I could think about, the only thing that mattered.
My only regret as the poison seeped in was that I didn’t have more time with her. I ached for her touch, longed to taste her kiss, feel the softness of her hair. As my senses dulled, I reached out for her, trying to send my final thoughts her way.
Skylar, you’re on your own. Please, be safe.