The Killing Dance - Laurell K. Hamilton [167]
I dropped to one knee and braced myself, with a blade in each hand. He wanted to come in close. He even wanted to be hurt, so no feinting, no trying each other’s skill. I’d make him come to me, and I’d cut him up.
Power curled inside my stomach. It burst over me in a wave of sensations. The smell of the summer woods was so strong it was choking. For a second, I couldn’t see the room. I had a glimpse of somewhere else, chaotic bits and pieces like a jigsaw puzzle thrown across the ground. I came away with three thoughts; fear, helplessness, and need.
My vision cleared to Gabriel frowning down at me. “What is wrong with you, Anita? Did Cassandra hit you a little too hard?”
I shook my head and took a shaky breath. “Are you all talk and no bite, Gabriel?”
He smiled, a slow, lazy grin that showed his fangs. He was suddenly there. I slashed out without thinking, pure reaction, no thought. He leaped away, and blood seeped down his stomach in a thin, crimson line.
He rubbed his fingers in the blood slowly, sensuously, then licked them with long, slow tongue movements. Playing for the camera. He crawled onto the bed and wrapped the white sheets around his body, rolling in them until he was tangled. He leaned over backwards, exposing his neck. Almost within reach of me. “Come play, Anita.”
It was tempting, and it was meant to be, but I knew better. I’d seen Richard rip sheets earlier like they were paper. “I’m staying here, Gabriel. You’re going to have to come to me.”
He rolled onto his stomach. “I thought I’d get to chase you. This isn’t any fun.”
I smiled. “Come closer, and it’ll be a lot of fun.”
He rose onto his knees. The sheets were smeared with blood as he crawled out of them. Gabriel was just suddenly there, too fast for me to see it. He was by me and past me before I could react.
I fell back on my butt, trying desperately to keep him in sight. But he stood there, just out of reach. A second later, a sharp pain ran through my right arm. I glanced, and found bleeding claw marks on my upper arm.
He raised one hand in front of his face, and claws sprang out from under his fingernails. “Meow,” he said.
I tried to swallow my beating heart and couldn’t. This meant that even if he didn’t kill me, a month from now I might be sprouting fur.
It wasn’t a scream that you could hear with your ears. It wasn’t a sound. I had no words for it, but I felt Richard scream inside me. His power poured over me, and down that long line I felt Jean-Claude. Something tight and painful held him down. I tried to get to my feet and stumbled.
“What’s wrong, Anita? I didn’t hurt you that badly.”
I shook my head, and got to my feet. He wasn’t going to come to me. Richard was growing desperate. I reached outward with that flare of power and I could feel Dominic’s spell. He’d been shielding it somehow, but he couldn’t hide from me. The spell was growing. The time of sacrifice was coming. I didn’t have time for Gabriel to play with me. “Stop playacting, Gabriel, or don’t you want me?”
His eyes narrowed. “You’re up to something.”
“You bet. Now, fuck me, Gabriel, if you’ve got the balls for it.”
I put my back to the wall and hoped it would be enough, and knew it wouldn’t be. I threw a thread of power back to Richard, hoping he’d get the hint and not interrupt for the next few minutes. If he distracted me at the wrong time, it would be all over.
Gabriel stalked in front of me, daring me to come out from the wall and get him. I did what he thought I would do. I tried for him and he just wasn’t there. It was like trying to cut air.
He slashed out with one hand and sliced the back of my left hand open. I slashed at him with my right hand, trying to hold onto the left-hand knife. He hit the hand again, not with claws but backhanded. My hand spasmed, and the knife went spinning.
His body hit mine full out, slamming me to the floor. I shoved the right-hand knife into his stomach