Spell Bound - Kelley Armstrong [118]
“I’m good,” I said, hefting the bedpan.
Bryce nodded and advanced on Anita. I could see him straining to keep himself upright, his face flushed with fever.
He lifted the syringe. “Why would you want to waste this on Savannah? This is your chance to use it on yourself.”
“No,” she said.
“But it’s a gift, isn’t it? A reward. That’s why I got it. A reward for services rendered.”
“I don’t want it.”
He stepped closer. “That’s okay. I didn’t either.”
She jumped up, surprisingly agile for her age and size. She smacked him in the leg as I ran forward. Bryce fell. She grabbed the syringe.
“No!” Bryce shouted as I ran at Anita, bedpan raised. “Stay back. You don’t want that shot, Savannah.”
I stopped short. “What’s in there?” I asked Anita.
“Why don’t you ask Bryce? Our prize subject. His reward for his assistance.” The grandmotherly façade shattered as she sneered at Bryce. “Did you really think we wouldn’t know what you were up to? Giving us the child so you could worm your way in and report back to your Cabal? Did you think we wouldn’t wonder why you asked so many questions? Why you insisted on seeing the facilities? A word of advice, boy? Next time your Cabal decides to send a spy, make sure they pick someone a little brighter.”
“No one sent—” Bryce stopped.
“Was this your master plan for impressing your family? Proving big brother isn’t the only Nast with initiative? Oh, you showed them, boy. You showed them you’re as inept as they always thought.”
Bryce lunged at her.
“Don’t,” I said. “She’s baiting you because she knows she’s screwed. Notice she’s not even trying to escape? She’s trapped.”
“I’m not the only one who’s trapped,” Anita said. “You’re in a solid room behind a locked steel door, children. The only way you’re getting out is when my colleagues come to let you out. And it will go much better for you if I’m alive when they get here. You both know I’m very important to this group.”
“Maybe,” I said. “But I’m not sure my colleagues will agree when they get in here. And they’re a lot closer than yours.”
I phoned Adam. “Hey. Turns out we had someone in here—Anita Barrington was cowering under a cover spell. Bryce and I have her cornered, but the sooner you get that door open, the happier we’ll all be.”
“We’re working on it,” Adam said. “I found the switch, but the door won’t open. Jeremy’s working on it now. A little show of werewolf force should get the thing moving.”
I hung up.
“Jeremy Danvers,” Anita said, having obviously overheard. “I would enjoy making his acquaintance again. If only his werewolf strength could break that door. The designers took all precautions. The patients in here are very valuable. We can’t let them fall into the wrong hands. The only way that door is opening is when we open it.”
The door clanged once. Then twice. The walls quavered.
“Let me guess,” I said. “Not many werewolves on your team to test that theory, were there?”
She backed into the corner. “I’ll tell you anything you need to know. Just tell them to spare me.”
“Witches,” Bryce sneered. Then he glanced at me. “Sorry.”
“In some cases, the insult is warranted. Now lie down before you keel over. I can keep watch on this—”
Anita reached under the counter and pushed something. I smacked her with the bedpan and sent her flying, then stomped on her arm and grabbed the syringe.
“Sounding the alarm isn’t going to help unless you’ve got a squadron of fighters on standby.”
“Help won’t get here in time to stop you from leaving. So I did something that will.”
I went very still and looked around, listening for any telltale ticking. The pipes overhead groaned and whistled. Then a whoosh, like someone had flipped on the air conditioner.
When I turned back to Anita, she’d grabbed a gas mask from a cupboard. Bryce tried to snatch it from her, but she scuttled out of reach. I flung open the cupboard.
“Don’t bother looking for more,” she said, her voice muffled as she pulled it on. “This is the only one and—” She stopped. Pulled it away from