Page 108 of Serpent King's Revenge

"Abby!" Diane's voice was sharp, laced with a threat as she burst out of Lily's room. But I was already rolling, dragging the guard down with me, his body a shield between me and her.

The guard grunted, his weight heavy on top of me. Diane's gun clicked, the sound loud in the sudden silence. I held my breath, feeling the guy's ragged gasps against my neck.

Then the shot rang out.

His body jerked, and I felt the impact as the bullet hit him. The guard slumped, dead weight now, and I shoved him off, scrambling to my feet. My heart pounded, adrenaline coursing through me. I'd survived.

Now for Diane.

"Damn it!" Diane's curse filled the hallway as she fumbled with her gun, trying to reload. I didn't give her a chance to finish.

I was up, my muscles screaming, pushing through the pain and blood that wasn't mine. Two quick steps and I slammed into her, shoulder first. The impact sent us both reeling, her gun flying out of her hands and down the stairs with a clatter that sang victory in my ears.

We hit the landing hard, a tangle of limbs and fury. It was all nails and teeth, no rules on this dirty playing field. She got a good hit in, her fist connecting with my cheek. I tasted blood, but I didn't falter. I didn't have time for pain.

Diane's leg swung out, aiming to knock me down. It worked, and I hit the floor with a thud, but I rolled quick onto my back. Her foot came crashing down, just missing my stomach by inches. The anger was a live wire inside me, hot and buzzing.

"Can't catch me that easy," I spat out, heaving for breath.

She tried again, her boot aimed like a missile at my gut. This time, though, I caught her ankle in a vice grip, teeth sinking into flesh through the fabric of her pants. Diane howled, her voice sharp.

"Get off, you bitch!" she yelled, trying to shake her leg free.

"Make me!" I snapped, tasting blood.

My fingers clawed into Diane’s flesh, finding purchase in the fabric of her pants as I dragged myself up. Her legs kicked out, but I held on, riding each buck like a stormy wave. With a grunt, I yanked on the back of her shirt, pulling with all my might.

"Gotcha," I hissed as she teetered, then toppled backward onto the floor, hard.

I didn’t give her a second to recover; I pounced, straddling her before she could wriggle away. She glared up at me, scorn written all over her face.

"Fucking Triad whore," she spat, her voice dripping with disdain.

"Look who's talking," I snapped and drove my fist into her face. Her head rocked back with the impact, and for once, I saw surprise flicker in her eyes.

Diane's laugh cracked through the air, crazy and sharp. "I bet your dad is proud of you."

The words hit me like a slap. I punched her again, hard enough that pain burst in my knuckles. "Shut up about my dad."

She squirmed beneath me, trying to land a punch on my side. Her hands clawed, desperate for something, anything. A glint caught my eye—she was reaching for my knife, just inches away.

Fury bubbled up inside me like a geyser, hot and unstoppable. I needed to end this, now. For Forrest, or Violet…for the life she was threatening. Somehow, I stretched and reached the knife before she did, held it in both hands over her.

Diane's eyes locked on mine, taunting.

"You won't do it, Abby," she sneered. "You're too scared."

"Watch me," I growled.

Then I drove the knife down with everything I had.

She gasped, her eyes wide. Blood erupted from her mouth, dripped to the floor.

Then there was nothing but silence.

Silence and her still body beneath me.

I stood up, my legs shaky. The knife dropped from my limp hand, clattering on the wood floor. Diane lay still, her chest a dark, silent pool. But I couldn't think about that now.

---