False Horizon - Alex Archer [103]
Vanya backslashed at Annja, who checked the blow and then stabbed into Vanya’s stomach with the scalpel. The cut was superficial, but Vanya staggered back, clutching at her abdomen.
Vanya suddenly flew at Annja and the rush of energy toppled them back over the bed. The nightstand yielded to their body weight, splintering and breaking into pieces.
Jagged bits of wood scattered about them and Vanya raised herself up, grabbing one of the coarse pieces. She brought it down on Annja’s head.
Annja felt the impact and nearly lost consciousness. But she fought back against the rising tide of blackness, punching at Vanya and scoring a direct hit on the older woman’s face.
Vanya’s nose cracked and a stream of blood shot out, staining an already slick floor.
Annja tried to stand but her head throbbed. I can’t take much more of this, she thought.
For a moment, her vision wavered and then Annja sank to the floor. She closed her eyes and prayed that she would see the sword. She needed it now.
The sword materialized in her mind’s eye. She grabbed it and opened her eyes just in time to see Vanya rushing at her with everything she had.
Annja slid back down against the wall, the sword held up in front of her.
Vanya’s eyes locked onto the blade and then, with a scream, she slipped on the bloody floor and pitched onto the blade.
Annja felt a sickening lurch as Vanya’s body hit the tip. There was a moment of tension and then Vanya’s body slid down the blade, coming to rest on the floor at Annja’s feet.
“You want the sword?” Annja said. “Now you’ve got it.”
Annja slumped back against the wall and realized that the world hurt a whole lot more than she’d ever been willing to admit.
The door to her room flew open.
“Annja!”
Annja raised a hand weakly. “Here.”
Garin’s bulk rushed in and Annja couldn’t believe how happy she was to see him.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“What are you saying? I look like crap?”
Garin eyed Vanya. “I wondered if anyone might try to make an attempt on your life. I went to find the nurse who was acting strangely.”
“Tuk said you were checking her out.”
“I was. But not in the way you think.” He looked over Vanya’s body. “She had some fight in her, didn’t she?”
“Almost too much,” Annja said.
Garin stepped outside and called for a doctor. When he came back in, he knelt by Annja and looked at her arm. “This is going to take a while to heal.”
“Great.”
“Just can’t stay out of the fights, can you?” He smiled at her and, despite feeling like death, Annja grinned back.
She heard a commotion out in the hallway. “Doctors are coming,” she said.
Garin nodded. “Yeah, and you might want to put that blade away before anyone sees it.”
Annja nodded. “Good point.” The sword vanished.
Garin helped her get back to the bed. Annja felt the incredible strength in his body and wished that she could borrow some of it so she didn’t feel quite so small and weak as she did just then.
Garin hovered over her. “You’re going to be fine, Annja. It takes more than this to keep you down.”
Annja smiled. “If you say so.”
The doctors and nurses rushed in. Their shouts echoed down the hallways as they called for police, more nurses and a cleanup crew. Garin hovered close by and Annja got the distinct impression he wasn’t going to let her out of his sight for a good long time.
That was fine. Because if Vanya had any friends looking for revenge, there was no way that Annja was going to be able to fend them off.
Garin leaned over her as the doctors and nurses started tending to her wounds. “Hang in there,” he said.
She smiled weakly. “What else would I do?”
Garin backed up as more nurses came in and shooed him away from Annja’s bed. She let herself be tended to, not really feeling much pain anymore—not really feeling much of anything. Her mind drifted and floated all around the hospital room. She saw the doctors studying her wound intently while one prepared to sew her up. Nurses and attendants hauled Vanya’s body away with a sense of bewilderment on their faces. They could see that Vanya had impaled herself on something,