Page 200 of Hexed
My ears ring from the loud blast, and I watch as Uncle T grabs at his side and falls to the floor. I look up at Bastien, who’s holding his gun out, clearly having just shot it.
I groan, my hands going to my hips. “What is with men and always interfering? I had this handled.”
He shrugs, waving his free hand in the air. “So handle it.”
Sighing, I reach out, grab my Glock, and walk to my uncle, staring down at him.
Aria is sputtering and coughing, sucking in air as best she can behind us, but I ignore her. I didn’t inject her with anything lethal.
“I had hoped to draw this out some, to make it more of an experience,” I tell Uncle T. “But I’ve learned sometimes being quick and to the point is best. You taught me that, actually.”
As soon as I crouch, his bloody hand shoots up from where it was pressing against his stomach, trying to rip my weapon out of my hands. I won’t lie, even with him severely injured, his strength is a lot for me, and I fall backward as he rips the gun from my grasp and struggles to his knees, pointing the barrel down at me.
“You always were pathetic and a waste of space. Weak. Just. Like. Your. Momma.”
Those words repeat in my head like a mantra and send fire blazing through me. He pulls the trigger on the gun at the same time I kick out my feet and shove him in the chest, propelling him backward.
His arm flies, and the bullet doesn’t hit me; instead, it shatters the glass of my aquarium, water pouring out onto the floor, along with my babies.
“No!” I yell, jumping up and racing over to reach them.
Bastien is there before I can do anything, gripping Uncle T around the neck and placing him in a headlock. Uncle T grunts and tries to protest, but it’s easy to see he’s growing weak from the loss of blood.
I push myself up, drenched from the aquarium water, a new anger unleashing inside me. I stomp over to my syringes and grab the venom from my pookies before heading back to where Bastien is holding my uncle, who’s wasting his precious energy trying to fight a man he’ll never overpower.
“You tried to kill my babies,” I spit, kicking his side and reveling in the way he flinches in Bastien’s arms. I kick him again, just because I’m so angry and it feels good.
He grunts and grapples to hold his side, where blood is steadily seeping from his gunshot wound.
Luckily, stonefish can survive up to twenty-four hours without water, so as long as I can transfer them to a backup soon, they’ll survive.
Still, it’s the principle of the thing.
Uncle T stares up at me, growing weaker by the second. Bastien holds him down while I crouch and inject the venom into his vein.
“You’ll never get away with this.” He forces out each word.
I smile. “You fool. I already have.”
Then I sit back and watch as the venom spreads, enjoying every second that his body physically shrivels and his eyes dim.
As I nod in satisfaction, a breath of relief escapes me, my shoulders relaxing and my victory reigning supreme.
Enzo comes bursting through the room a few seconds later, his eyes wide and his own gun drawn, only calming when he focuses on me.
“Christ, I heard gunshots and thought the worst.” His hand goes to his chest.
“Everything’s under control.” I grin at him and then look at Bastien. “Can you take care of my babies? They need to go to their backup tank.”
He nods and stands, cringing when he looks at his blood-soaked hands.
Uncle T’s body falls to the floor with a slap.
Enzo looks around, taking in the scene before his gaze lands on Aria. His brow quirks. “What’d you do to her?”
I turn to see what he’s looking at. She’s stopped her gasping now, but her eyes are wide and panicked.
Half skipping, I make my way over to her, glee filling every bone in my body.
