Fangs and Fennel (The Venom Trilogy #2)(26)

Ernie did a quick spin in the air. “The Supe Squad could take them, even unorganized as they are. If you can make it.”

I slogged out of the water, limping hard. The burn had faded, washed off in the river. But the open wound was anything but pleasant. At least it didn’t make me lose my mind like the . . . whatever it was that had cut me open.

“You lead, I’ll follow,” I said. “I can’t think past moving.”

“Hurry, this way.”

I could only hope that he didn’t lead me straight to Theseus. Or worse, Hera. I forced myself to work through the pain. When I’d burned myself baking, I’d still had to bake, I couldn’t stop. This was the same. Work toward the goal through the hurt, through the sharp stabs. Hard breaths slipped out of me through clenched teeth, and I tried not to think about the warm blood sliding down my leg.

“The blood, that’s how they’re finding me.”

Ernie groaned. “As long as they don’t stop and lap any up, you’ll be okay.”

“Deep-fried dog turds, that . . . would be bad,” I whispered and forced myself to a higher rate of speed. I’d not even thought about the vampires getting a boost of power if they stopped and took some of my blood. They wouldn’t, though, would they? They wouldn’t know that my blood gave a vamp the increased speed and power that didn’t normally come to them even if they had lived thousands of years.

A streetlight flickered into view, and suddenly I knew where we were. Three houses down on the right was Merlin’s place. The windows were dark, though, and the door was boarded up. Not that I thought he’d help anyway, no matter what Yaya said.

“Ernie, I can find the station from here. Go get Remo. Please.”

Ernie flew backward in front of me. “Are you sure?”

“Please, find Hermes and get Remo. I can’t fight them like this.” I wasn’t sure I could fight them at all.

I ran down the street—okay, limped quickly down the street. From the corner of my eyes I saw movement between the houses, the flitting of shadowy forms.

They were surrounding me. With a whimper I forced myself to move faster, ignoring the stab of pain with each step, ignoring the hard ground beneath my bare feet.

Two vampires shot out from either side of me, and a new burst of energy fired through my veins. I dodged them, but only barely, as they reached for me. One of them had that damn snake catcher.

Shouting erupted all around, and their cries drove me forward. Something slammed into my knees, and I was sent flying through the air. I hit the ground hard, a large body on top of me. I stared up into the red beard.

“Viking.”

“Ball-crushing bitch,” he snarled.

I shouldn’t have laughed, I knew it. But I did anyway. I burst out laughing, unable to contain the hysteria, the fear driving it more than anything. Funny enough, Viking did not laugh with me.

He grabbed me around the neck and hefted me up, strangling me with one hand. I clawed at his arms and, slowly, consciousness faded.

As my awareness slipped, the Drakaina in me woke.

And she was not happy. It was like watching a movie from inside my head. I shot a hand forward, driving it into the back of Viking’s elbow and breaking his arm so badly the bone shot out the crook of his elbow. He screamed and dropped me, but I didn’t back off.

I grabbed him and yanked him forward, as if I were going to kiss him. Only I didn’t kiss him. I drove my fangs into his face, scoring his skin with the venomous tips.

Screeching, he slapped his good hand over his cheek and reeled back. I spun and caught the next vampire by his hair and twisted, yanking his neck at an impossible, bone-shattering angle.

As the blood pumped through me, I fought with my inner nature. I was not this girl; I was not this violent snake monster.

Santos approached, the snake catcher in his hand once more. “Well, well, so you do know how to fight.”

The words that slipped from my lips were not my own; they couldn’t be, because I wasn’t like that. “I will destroy you, vampire.” The husky slither of my voice seemed to curl around him. “Drop the weapon.”

He dropped it as though it were a hot frying pan.

His eyes widened and fear coursed over them, followed swiftly by a hatred so intense it all but crackled in the air between us. I swallowed hard, and the snake in me receded.

“Go back to your home,” I commanded. “And take all your vampires with you.”

The power in my voice shocked me as much as it seemed to shock him.

He snapped his fingers, and he and his vampires, even the wounded ones, slunk away into the darkness.

I stumbled back and put a hand to my head. “Oh my good grief.”

The street around us was silent as a grave, and I didn’t like that comparison. I took a step, and then another, until I was running once more. I didn’t stop until I hit the doors of the SDMP station and burst into the main lobby. I dropped to my knees, sobbing with relief.

“Ms. Budrene. What in the devil’s name are you doing here?” The hard voice had never sounded so lovely to me. I looked up into Smithy’s icy blue eyes.

“Santos and his crew. They attacked me.”

His eyes widened as they swept over my body, taking in my injuries.

“Where?”

“Near Merlin’s house.”

He swung around and barked at the men behind him. “Boys, get on it. Drive them out of town.”