Page 27 of Concluded
“Aw, c’mon.You know you want to.It’ll be fun.”She had a playful smile, as if she were enticing Martell to eat an extra dessert.
Achilles said, “Don’t.”He was gratified that it sounded more like an order than a plea.It seemed that he hadn’t abandonedallof his dignity.
Martell looked at Dunn and then at Achilles, his eyes weirdly absent of emotion, then suddenly shrugged out from under Achilles’ arm.Achilles folded to his knees, while Martell shuffled to her side, head hanging, shoulders drooping.
“That’s a good boy,” Dunn crooned.She raised a hand toward Achilles, fingers crooked.But just as the first wave of agony hit Achilles, Martell launched himself at Dunn, taking them both to the floor with a crash.
They thrashed together, he roaring something wordless as she screeched like a wounded harpy.With pain still echoing through him, Achilles got onto all fours and crawled over to them, because he’d already abandoned his dignity, hadn’t he?And no way did he want that monster zapping him again.
When the bear shifter had gutted him, Achilles had lain there, bleeding and helpless, watching Santiago die.At least this time he couldtry.
Every cell in his body hurt, and his movements felt like wading through molasses.When he reached them, Achilles wedged his arms between the two struggling bodies, stiffened one hand, and with as much force as he could muster, jammed his fingers into Dunn’s neck.
She made a terrible strangled gasp and stopped fighting, instead clutching desperately at her throat.Even if she had the vulnerabilities of an ordinary human, the damage he’d done to her trachea might not kill her.But it was the best he could do in the current circumstances, and at least it would slow her down.
“Get us out of here,” Achilles said to Martell, who’d let go of Dunn and was staring, wide-eyed.“Now.”
Luckily he obeyed, hauling Achilles upright.Although Achilles did his best to help, Martell had to pretty much drag him out the front door and down a gravel walkway.Which would have hurt Achilles’ bare feet if he wasn’t already overloaded with negative sensations.It was dark outside except for the lights from the house, and the air was cold.He couldn’t make out any details around them.
Martell brought them to a stop, which wasn’t good.“Find help,” Achilles ordered.Talking was hard.“Phone.”
“I don’t….There’s nobody for miles.I don’t have a phone.”
Shit.But surely Dunn hadn’t brought them here on foot.“Car.”
“Over there.But I don’t have the keys.”
Achilles wanted to cry.Couldn’t anything just be goddamneasy?He was capable of hot-wiring some vehicles; it was one of the varied skills the Bureau taught.But some cars were almost impossible to hot-wire, and he was currently in no shape to do it himself or even talk Martell through it.Still, maybe they could do the wish thing when they got in the car.And sitting there seemed like a better idea than tottering here in the open, in the cold.“Just take us there.”
Once again Martell was obedient.Achilles stepped on something thorny along the way.And despite Martell’s shared body heat, Achilles shivered hard enough to rattle his teeth.For all he knew, Dunn was preparing to fly outside like a vengeful spirit in a horror movie, her fingers ready to inflict more agony.
“Hurry,” Achilles gasped.He saw the car maybe twenty yards away.
Martell was panting.“Trying.You’re heavy.”Which was true enough.
They’d closed half the distance to the car when an earthquake struck, or at least that’s what it felt like.The ground shuddered so violently that they were knocked down.Before they could regain their footing, the house and car disappeared with an enormous boom that stole the air from Achilles’ lungs and left his ears ringing.
Then he and Martell were alone in the dark.On their asses in the middle of nowhere.
The world wobbled again.Achilles felt himself toppling onto his side but couldn’t stop it… nor could he prevent the engulfing wave of nothingness that washed over him.
CHAPTER12
Apparently cars and mansions could instantly poof away.Maybe it had something to do with them being created by wishes; Dee didn’t know and was currently in no condition to find out.He needed to concentrate on the much more immediate mystery of how to get to safety.
Had he been alone, he would have jogged to the road, which wasn’t far away, and proceeded as fast as he could back to civilization.It might take him a day or so, but eventually he’d reach a place with some traffic and he’d wave someone down.
But he wasn’t alone.A naked, battered, and unconscious Bureau agent lay at his feet.Dee wanted to tell himself that Spanos was not his responsibility, but he knew that was a lie.The guy had been dragged into this mess because of Dee, and until a few minutes ago, Dee had done nothing to help him.Had, in fact, aided Ashley in her torture.
Evidently Dee had at least the ghost of a conscience and a dusting of ethics, because he couldn’t bring himself to simply abandon Spanos.
That didn’t leave him with many options, however.Even if the agent regained consciousness, he wouldn’t make it to the end of the driveway, let alone to a main road.Dee could fetch help, but that might take a day or two, and in the interim Spanos would be defenseless.Despite that nifty ninja move he’d made on Ashley, she could still be alive somewhere and might return.Or her pals could show up instead.Those coyotes that Dee heard howling and yipping nearby might decide that Spanos made a tasty meal.Or hell, the guy could simply die of hypothermia.
Dee shook Spanos, hoping to rouse him enough to make a wish, but got nothing.Not even a moan.
Well, fuck.
Finally, Dee did the only thing he could think of.He smoothed a nearby patch of soil as best he could, dragged Spanos there, and lay down with him.Lay down pressed tightly against him, in fact, protectively spooning the agent’s back, Dee’s shirt draped over their torsos.When was the last time he’d held someone in his arms?He honestly couldn’t remember, but it had been years.
