GAME ON - GoM 2

21

Diane jumped to her feet and Alex threw the obsidian dust to her face. Tom stepped up to cover her, his bow up, the arrow pointing at the woman's chest. Diane let out a low hiss but didn't move. And there was nothing human about her, with those fangs dripping blood and the snake eyes shining golden in the flashlight beam, as she leaned in like an animal about to attack. She hissed again and Tom pulled the bow string.

"Diane!"

Alex's lashing voice kept Tom from shooting.

The woman shivered from head to toes. Her eyes turned brown and the fangs turned into normal teeth. She shielded her eyes from the blinding beam, saw the blood in her own hands and let out a muffled cry.

"Easy, Diane," said Alex, in the firm, soothing tone she used to calm Claire down after a bad dream. "It's okay."

She lowered the flashlight and signaled Tom to do the same with his bow. The woman stared at them blankly, panting.

"It's alright, Diane. Come with us now."

Alex stretched her hand out. But the woman growled again and ran straight to them, shoving Alex out of her way as she sprinted away toward the river. Tom didn't pursue her. He helped Alex back to her feet and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Go home and lock yourself up until I'm back," he said.

"What? No way!"

"There can be no woman around when the Lamia dies, Alex. I gotta do this alone."

She hated to admit he was right, but nodded. Tom nodded too. He was gone in a heartbeat, following the scent of blood his neighbor had left behind.

A few minutes later, Alex paced up down Tom's kitchen. The river muffled any other sound, and she couldn't see a damn thing through the windows. So she had no way to know what was going on out there.

She heard the steps at the porch and ran to the front door, opening it before Tom could knock. He walked in, shaking his head to anticipate her questions.

"She outran me into her house," he said, keeping his eyes down as he headed to the kitchen.

Alex frowned, not believing that was possible. "She outran you?"

Tom grabbed a beer from the fridge and stood before the window to take a long sip. Alex waited, hands in her pockets. But he didn't speak. He drank in silence, eyes on the window. He only faced her after dropping the empty can into the trash bin.

"Let's go to sleep," he said, his blue eyes veiled.

Alex watched him start up the stairs. "If you won't do it, I will, Tom," she said to his back. "I ain't letting that thing start killing children any given day."

He paused for a moment, then resumed his way to the second floor. "I know. I'll do it. Just not tonight."

Alex swallowed a sigh, hating the whole damn situation. She lingered downstairs, turning off the lights and making sure windows and doors were locked. When she went upstairs, Tom was already in bed, a hand behind his head and the other resting on her chest, his face turned to the window.

She got undressed and slipped under the covers with him. But she didn't stick to his side as she used to. Instead, she rounded him with her arms and tugged gently. Tom let her guide him to rest his head on her shoulder, allowing her to hold him tight without a word in the room full of shadows.