Page 125 of Saxon

BAMBAMBAM—I'm thrown forward as the rounds hit my back. Can't breathe, my body a raging inferno of agony.

Tough it out, motherfucker.

Roll to my back, groaning, teeth gritted so hard I feel a molar crack. Snarling.

JT and his last lackey face me, guns pointed at me.

"You're tough, I'll give you that." JT swaggers toward me.

I gasp a laugh. "Still a pathetic…whiny…little…shitstain." Fuck, I can't breathe.

"You remember me?"

"Sad little bitch." I spit blood—I bit my tongue. "Couldn't hack it."

"Couldn't hack it?" He swaggers closer. "Who's on the ground, about to be fuckin' dead?"

I spit more blood—Jesus, must've taken a chunk out. Good, though—makes me look more hurt than I am. Good thing these fuckers can't make a headshot.

"Camilla Marccione sends her regards," I say, wiping my lips on my forearm. "She'll see you real soon."

"I remember her. That was a fun night. I went twice. She cried real pretty."

"You're the last one, you know that?"

He frowns. "Last one what?"

"Everyone else who was there that night is dead. She hunted them all down and killed them, every last one. Starting with her father and brothers and ending with you."

He pulls a face. "Huh. Well, if you're here to get me, she fucked up. I heard a rumor about you." He circles me—a move he probably got from a movie and thinks is cool and threatening. "You don't kill anymore."

"I might make an exception, in your case."

"See, I don't think you will." He kneels behind me and touches the barrel of his pistol—a huge gold-plated Desert Eagle, the official firearm of wannabe hardasses everywhere. "You haven't killed anyone yet. Which I think puts me at an advantage, here. See, I'm well aware you could still pull this out. Get off a few shots. But you won't. Because you got soft. Took a vow, and now you have that girl out there somewhere. You wanna impress her. Keep your vow. Well…guess what?" He stands up. Towers over me, behind me—or tries to. "I'll make this quick, and then I'll hunt down your sweet little redheaded slut, and I'll put her to work…personally."

I laugh. "Think you're gonna rile me up? Piss me off so I do something rash?"

I haven't heard anything from Terra's side of the connection—she must have cut the call.

This is bad.

My leg is bleeding badly—I've lost a lot of blood, and I'm getting woozy. JT is behind me, his last soldier opposite.

Don't think. Just do.

I pivot so JT is on my left and the other on my right. Bring my left hand up against my torso and fire under my right armpit. The round goes high and wide, takes off his ear.

Drop.

A bullet buzzes past my nose. Hit the dirt and roll—the lackey is on the ground, cupping his ear. I fire from the hip, and it's pure dumb fucking luck my round hits his hand and sends his gun flying.

Roll on my back to put my feet toward JT, aiming both pistols down my body at him.

He's aiming at me.

"Real standoff, here." He grins. "You won't kill me."

"No, but I will." Terra's voice, off to my right.