21. Twenty-one

twenty-one

I stared at the blade, my brain taking way too long to figure out why Kragen was offering me a knife. The wyrfangs didn't need knives.

When it hit me, I didn't hesitate. I watched Bill as he tracked me grab the knife and move to stand in front of him. "This is for Sarah." I plunged the knife into his side. "This is for Grace." I stuck the knife into the top of his thigh.

His violent jerks against the ropes holding him caused the chair to rock back and forth. Drym stepped forward and put a massive hand on his shoulder, ceasing all movement. His eyes rolled and he wailed until his head slumped forward.

Roul flicked a claw through Bill's ear. "No passing out."

Bill whimpered.

"This is for Catherine." I shoved the blade into his belly. "And this is for me." The knife handle was slick with blood so I wiped my palm on Bill's pants before thrusting it into his chest. I pulled it back out and watched blood run from the wounds I'd inflicted. A sizable puddle formed on the floor.

Every time Bill passed out, one of the wyrfangs would slice a claw into his body until even that no longer roused him.

Drym's hand ran down my forearm and gently pried the knife from my fingers. "I'll get rid of these." He waved the knife to include Bill.

"Actually, I'd like to keep it." The six beasts went still. "The knife, I mean. Definitely get rid of the body."

I chuckled at the chorus of sighs. They would have let Bill rot in that cave if I wanted it, but I wasn't a masochist and the smell of blood was already overwhelming. I didn't need decomposition added on top.

Roul grabbed the back of Bill's chair and dragged it, and him, from the room.

I stood in the middle of the cavern, watching Bill's body until it disappeared into darkness. I could feel Drym standing behind me. I spun and stared up at him as tears gathered in my eyes. What had I done?

"I just killed a man in cold blood."

Drym nodded and took my hands in his. "You did."

I blinked and tears tracked down my cheeks. "Am I a monster? Am I like those men who hunted me for sport?"

He crouched in front of me, his eyes glowing bright gold rimmed with red. "Do you think me a monster?"

I shook my head. "No. The people who held you captive are the monsters."

"Then you are no more monster than I am, Kendal. I killed those men in the forest because they held you captive. I would have killed Bill for the same reason."

He stood and pulled me into a tight hug. I rubbed my check on the soft fur on his chest and sighed.

"Do you regret taking the knife?"

I thought about it for a long time as his warm palm slid soothing circles on my back. Did I regret taking the knife from Kragen? I could have just as easily stood by and watched one of the wyrfangs kill him. I didn't have to get so involved.

Catherine's face floated through my memory, fierce determination in her stiff posture as they led her from the basement. A memory of Grace, sobbing and begging to be let go morphed to one of Sarah, her small voice and timid movements etched into my brain. "No. He was part of the others being killed. I'm the only one left who can stand for them. They would have wanted me to do it. To take back a little of the power they took from all of us."

The rough timber of his voice vibrated through his chest. "Good girl." He pushed me to arm's length and then tipped my chin up with a finger. "Let's get you cleaned up."

I was confused until I saw my hand covered in blood, and more spattered across my shirt and pants. I shuddered and let him lead me to his nest where I found my bag and a basin of water. I scrubbed at my hands until I felt clean, emotionally washing away some of the trauma from earlier.

My therapist would have a field day with this.

I changed my clothes and balled up the bloody shirt and pants. Drym waited just outside the entrance to lead me back to the main area, where the other five wyrfangs were engaged in a heated debate. Roul and Thurl wanted to return to the house, certain the men wouldn't abandon such a prime location.

Kragen argued that there were too many variables, chief of which was time. They couldn't afford to be out in the open for the days or even weeks it might take for the men to return.

They all fell silent when I stepped up. "Kragen's right. You can't expose yourself like that for me." Several growls filled the air until I held up a hand. "We can still look for them. I think property records are public. I can start there while y'all work on finding more about the director of BioSynth."

"Kendal, they tried to take you again, in broad daylight." Drym's snarl elicited nodding from Roul and Thurl.

I put my hand on his chest, needing to touch him. "It will take them time to find new goons willing to do their dirty work. We have time."

"What if those weren't their only ‘goons', as you call them?"

"Then we'll deal with them." The ever-present growl in the cavern reached a new volume. I looked at each wyrfang, making sure I had their attention. "I won't be alone. I'll be with you." I chuckled. "And with six monster bodyguards, I feel invincible."

"You will not go anywhere without one of us acting as your shadow." Drym shifted on his feet, clearly uncomfortable with the arrangement.

"I won't. I don't have a death wish, and I'm well aware they're too angry to let me loose on another hunt." I sighed. "Besides, they'll have learned what happened to the goons in the woods. They can't think I'm still easy prey."

They seemed to relax a bit, but Drym remained worried. I snuggled into his chest and hugged him tight. When I let go, I looked into his eyes and smiled. "Let's get to work."