Gunmetal Magic: A Novel in the World of Kate Daniels

Doolittle’s voice snapped.
    I concentrated every ounce of my will on the pain.
    Heat spread through me, combing through my flesh with spiked fingers.
    Get out of my body. Get the hell out!
    The needle shivered.
    I cried out.
    “Expel it,” Doolittle urged.
    “You can do it,” Barabas told me.
    I pushed. The needle slid free and scalding-hot blood gushed down my arm. It ran gray, purple, and then finally bright red. Raphael let go of my arm and I punched him in the chest. It was the closest part of him.
    “Good girl.” Doolittle exhaled. “Well done.”
    I wiped tears from my eyes and saw Ascanio. He stared at me. His eyes were huge and terrified.
    “Let that be a lesson to you,” Doolittle told him. “Don’t get bitten. Bring the meat from the refrigerator. Andrea needs to eat.”
    It’s amazing how much good a sandwich, or three, can do for you. My head had stopped spinning and I no longer felt like my legs wouldn’t support me. I eyed the dwindling ham, from which Julie had carved the meat for my sandwiches. No more food would physically fit into my stomach, but I was still hungry.
    Doolittle set a small plastic box down in front of me and flipped open the top. Six small ampoules in a neat row.
    “Antivenom,” he said and showed me a gun-looking object. “One ampoule goes in here. Once you hear a click, press it against the skin and pull the trigger. Not for use on humans. It is in the form of a gun, so you should have no difficulties using it.”
    An antivenom gun—load, press, squeeze the trigger. Okay, I could do that.
    “Unfortunately, that is all I can do until I know more,” Doolittle said. He leaned closer and looked into my eyes. “I strongly advise against any physical activity for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Nothing strenuous. No sexual relations, no running, and no fighting. Do you understand me?”
    “Perfectly.”
    “I’m not naive enough to think that you’ll heed my advice.”
    “I solemnly swear to heed at least one-third of it. No sexual relations won’t be a problem.”
    Barabas laughed under his breath.
    Doolittle shook his head. “Should you feel faint, you
will
take another dose of antivenom and you
will
lie down.”
    “Yes, sir.”
    Doolittle shook his head again and went to pack up his tools. Barabas stepped into his place and leaned against my desk, his arms folded over his chest. “As your attorney, I’m forced to advise you to stay away from that crime scene. We both know you won’t, but if you get caught, there will be repercussions.”
    “Thank you for the warning.” Now I had advice from both a doctor and a lawyer. I tried to fight a yawn, but it won. “I’ll definitely take it under consideration.”
    I had to go back to the scene. Everyone in the room knew it.
    “Also, you won’t like hearing this, but as a lawyer, I’m used to that. Your position with the Pack is muddy. This makes things a hell of a lot more complicated than they have to be. Sort yourself out.”
    Settle things with the woman who sent two boudas to beat the crap out of me. Right.
    Barabas looked at Julie. “Please get your bag. We’re going back to the Keep.”
    Julie crossed her arms. “But…”
    “Julia,” Barabas said calmly. “Please get your bag.”
    Julie stomped to the kitchen and returned with her backpack.
    My eyes were apparently producing glue instead of moisture, because I had trouble keeping them open. “Take Ascanio with you, too,” I said. The boy was looking really rattled.
    “No,” Raphael said.
    I turned to him. “You don’t get to give orders here.”
    “I’m still his alpha. Ascanio or me, one of us will stay here with you and stand guard while you sleep. Gloria is dead and now her friends and relations might be looking for you. You can barely keep your eyes open. I don’t care how good this door is, you need someone awake and alert in case they showup. That can be Ascanio if you prefer, but I’m more than happy to lie in the bed with you and hold you while you sleep. It’s your choice.”
    There came a point in everyone’s life when they were just too tired to argue. I opened my mouth and realized I had hit that point. If they weren’t gone in the next half minute, I’d fall asleep sitting up. “I’ll take the kid.”
    Ascanio blinked. Julie stomped on his foot as she passed him and he elbowed her in the ribs.
    “Call me if anything,” Barabas told me.
    “Sure.”
    A moment later and both the lawyer and the doctor