lammed into me. I instantly lost what little food I had in my stomach, dimly aware that the syraza was beside me, pale and shaking as she struggled to get to her hands and knees. Whatever that rock had been, the cuff seemed to have shielded me from the worst of its effect, even if it had made me puke in reaction. I struggled to get control of my stomach as my hand curled tight around my gun.
I froze at the feel of a gun barrel against the side of my head. “Don’t, Kara,” Tracy said, voice utterly calm. “Let the gun go.”
My pulse slammed as I loosened my grip and pulled my hand back. I still had my backup piece in my ankle holster, but I knew I’d lose several precious seconds getting to it, and Tracy only needed to tighten his finger.
He kicked my gun under the couch. “I don’t know how you’re fighting the drug,” he said. “But it’s pissing me off. I want to finish this shit up.”
Where the hell were Ryan and Zack? Surely they’d heard the gunfire? “What shit?” I managed, fighting to get enough control of my gut that I could function.
He chuckled. “No, not playing that game. Just stop fucking around. Otherwise I’ll have to provide some extra incentive.”
“You need me alive to find it,” I said, lifting my head to stare down the barrel of his gun. Holy fuck, but pointed at me that thing looked big enough to crawl inside and take a nap in.
“I already know where it is,” he said, mouth curving into something resembling a smile. “But yes, I need you alive to make it work.” Then before I could even twitch, he shifted his aim to Eilahn. “But not her.” He fired twice, and I jerked in shock as the sound slammed through the room.
My ears rang as I scrabbled for my backup gun, but he turned and ran, and was out of the room before my gun even cleared the holster. I spun to Eilahn. Her eyes were wide as blood tracked down her chest from two neat little holes.
“Hang on, Eilahn.” I grabbed the couch throw and pressed it to her chest to try and stop the bleeding. “You’re gonna be fine. I’ll call an ambulance, and you’re gonna be fine!” I fumbled my phone out of my pocket but her hand seized my wrist.
“No. No time for that,” she rasped, and my gut clenched at the bubbles of blood in her mouth.
“No, no, no, it’s just blood,” I gabbled. “If it was fatal you’d be…you’d be leaving.”
She gave me a wavering smile. “It is coming. I can sense it. I am sorry I cannot protect you in what is to come.”
“I’ll summon you back,” I said fiercely. “You can’t get out of this that easily!”
She gave a small nod. “It will take time before I return to my world. But when I do, I will find you. You will not get rid of me so easily, my friend.” Her grip loosened on my wrist, and her arm dropped to her side.
“Stand back, Kara,” Eilahn whispered, then her head sagged to the floor. I looked down to see that the bleeding had stopped, and light was beginning to stream from the two punctures. I retreated a couple of feet, breathing raggedly as the light increased to near-blinding levels. A few seconds later a ripping crack filled the room, and she was gone—even the blood. Nothing left but a smell of sulfur and ozone and a faintly discolored patch on the carpet.