Heart's Redemption (MxM)

Chapter 13 ~ Ian

Pain explodes in my skull and stars burst across my vision as a blow connects with my head. I'm pretty sure this one came from Toni, and my confusion doubles.

When Sam screamed and pointed at something behind me, and I'd turned to find Carlos about to take me out with a wrench à la Colonel Mustard in the Ball Room, I'd figured he was possessed. Toni, on the other hand, I'd assumed was immune on account of being an exorcist.

Which means we've been betrayed, or someone has a hellova lot of explaining to do.

I hear another scream, again from Sam, and roll myself to the side as best I can with a busted shoulder and a head that feels like it's on fire.

I avoid the worst of it. Toni's foot connects with the soft tissue of my abdomen with enough force to wind me but not enough to cause serious damage. On the other hand, now I can't move, and if they mean to kill me, there's little I can do to stop them.

There's one thing—one last measure I could take. It's something I'm sworn only to do in the direst of need, but I'm pretty sure mortal peril meets that requirement.

I could shift and reveal myself as a bear. In that form, feelings are different. Pain is still pain, but I don't process it quite the same. I could take out Toni and Carlos easy, broken shoulder or not.

I'm about to do just that, but something holds me back.

Ever since the night that my dad died—when I'd failed to protect... anyone, really—I've felt like I've been living on borrowed time.

I've felt like it should've been me.

It should've been me who fought my psycho uncle and paid whatever price it took to protect the people I love.

If I wasn't such a fucking coward—if I wasn't so goddamned stupid—maybe my dad would still be alive. Maybe...

Maybe I deserve this.

Before I can pursue that line of thought to its morbid conclusion, something soft and heavy lands on top of me. It's Sam, I realize, trying to shield me from further hurt. I feel his body shudder and hear him gasp as whatever blow was meant for me falls on him instead.

And here I am doing it again. Letting other people get hurt instead of standing up and facing shit like a man. Or at least like a bear.

I'm about to Shift, when Sam's weight seems to double, effectively pinning me in place. I blink to clear my vision and look up to see him pushing himself off me, gold-skinned and demonic, blood streaking the side of his face and a wild look in his startlingly red eyes. He looks down at me a moment, and a dangerous smile curls his mouth. Then he leaps to his feet, spinning to face Carlos with an inhuman snarl.

Carlos's expression remains strangely blank. He's still got the wrench, and he raises it to strike, but Sam grabs his wrist with one hand, then grabs at his face with the other, seeming to latch on to something in the air that I can't see.

He yanks hard, his claw-tipped fingers clenched like he's gripping something, and Carlos jerks forward as if pulled by a chain. He makes a strange retching noise, and then a torrent of black, viscous fluid pours from his mouth. He collapses to his knees, coughing and gasping for breath.

Meanwhile, the pool of black vomit smokes in the sun, and its surface writhes like a mass of worms. Then it dissipates, sinking into the earth and vanishing from sight. I struggle to my feet as Sam rounds on Toni next.

She's watching him with a look of mingled horror and awe. In one hand she clutches the little cloth bag she was using earlier, and in the other, she has the ceremonial dagger, pointed at Sam.