Chương 11: 011

The fuck-?! Karma's voice snapped through my head. I ignored her. I was already moving, vision locked on the door. One heartbeat, then I was across the room and wrenching it open, adrenaline flooding my limbs as old instincts tore free of their leash. Dennis was right behind me, anxiety rolling off him in sharp, frantic waves. Anna sat upright on the bed, finger thrust toward the television. Tears streaked down her cheeks, and when she saw us, her face crumpled completely.

"They're hurting Bambi!" It took a second for the words to break through the roar in my ears. Then I followed her pointing finger to the screen, and groaned internally. The nature channel had betrayed me. Gone were the serene, slow-motion shots of wolves running through sunlit grass. In their place was raw reality: teeth sunk into flesh, a deer dragged down beneath flashing jaws. Karma exhaled in relief. Jeez. With that scream I thought something was actually wrong. Also, what's a Bambi?

I'll explain later, I replied absently, already snatching up the remote and flipping channels until the screen exploded into bright colors and shrill music. There. That was definitely kid friendly. Dennis sagged in relief and sat beside Anna, pulling her close.

"It's okay," he murmured.

"It was just a show." She sobbed harder. I winced and shot him an apologetic look. That one was on me. He gave a tired smile.

"I don't think she's letting me go now. We'll just talk here." I nodded, drawing in a breath to start. The front door slammed open.

"Ah, just a minute, I need to-." I turned toward the sound, narrowly dodging the door as it whipped inward, missing my face by inches.

"Hey!" I snapped. A body stumbled past me and collapsed onto the floor with a heavy thud. Karma hummed. Well. Today's shaping up to be interesting. No kidding, I grumbled, dread already settling in my gut. My luck, even at its best, sucked. For the day to start like this… Anna's eyes swung to the body, watering again, and this time, when her scream rang out, I half wanted to join her. A puddle of red leeched slowly out of the man.

"Shit," I hissed, dropping to one knee.

"Dennis, take her into my office. Now." A shuffle of movement, then the door clicked, Anna's sobs muffled through the wood. Then it was just me and the man. Brown hair. Filthy. Clothes stiff with grime. Homeless maybe? It didn't matter. I reached for his shoulder. A hand clamped around my wrist halfway there..

"Easy," I started.

"I'll get you fixed up-." He rolled over, something glinting in the dim overhead lights. I jerked backward, his blade slashing through the space where my face had been. Nikolas! Karma's shout rang like a struck bell. The man sprang to his feet. The blood wasn't blood at all, just a ruptured bag of the cheap Halloween crap taped under his shirt. He grabbed a second knife, taking up a stance as he sneered.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be, doc." For a stunned second, I stared at him. Did he really think I'd just let him stab me? Be careful, kid, Karma warned. You aren't combat trained. He lunged. I dove sideways, scrambling for the doorway he'd come through. Relief surged when he followed instead of turning toward my office. At least he wasn't aiming those knives at Anna or Dennis. A small mercy, but I'd take it. Unfortunately, I now had a knife-wielding lunatic stalking toward me.

His pupils were blown wide, nearly swallowing the color of his eyes. Drugs, most likely, but unlike most addicts, his gaze was sharp. Focused. Angry. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Whatever this was, it wasn't a robbery. The room suddenly felt too small, as if the walls had crept inward the moment the truth settled in. Dread pooled in my gut, heavy and cold. I needed out. I needed to lead him away from my office, get to a phone, something. First things first, though.

I needed to buy time.

"What is this about?" I snapped, retreating for every step he advanced.

"If you want drugs, I have them in the back. There's no reason to kill me for them." It wouldn't be the first time my clinic had been robbed. Setting up shop in the poorer district came with certain… risks. Excuse me? Karma's voice flared with sudden, incandescent rage. When the fuck did someone rob you?! Later, I shot back, teeth clenched. Preferably when I'm not about to be stabbed. The man kept coming.

His gaze was flat, cold, utterly disinterested in my life as he rumbled, "Or I could kill you, take everything, and do someone close to me a real big favor." He lunged. I twisted aside just in time, his momentum carrying him past me. He spun on his heel, scowling.

"Would you stop moving, you fat fuck?" Indignant hysteria bubbled up, cutting straight through my fear as I dodged again, closer to the exit this time.

"No," I shot back breathlessly, "and for the record, I'm not fat." A little extra padding clearly wasn't slowing me down. I was only a few feet from the door now. Just a little more and he'd be nothing but a bad memory.

"Why are you so intent on killing me?" I demanded, forcing my voice steady.

"I didn't think I'd pissed anyone off badly enough to get murdered this Tuesday." Though…Mrs. Bugle had sent me a few colorful threats back in the day. The thug stalked forward, knives catching the light as he sneered.

"Oh, you pissed off plenty of people. Nikolas de Santos, the saint doctor charging next to nothing for his work." He spat my name like a curse.

"My brother works at a clinic on Main. They're losing clients thanks to you. He's gonna be real happy to hear that problem's been handled." There was something dark beneath his tone. Something eager. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end.

"Well," I said, keeping him talking, "if other clinics didn't charge an arm and a leg, I wouldn't feel the need to exist. People shouldn't go bankrupt just to save someone they love. If that bothers them, they can sit on a stick and spin." I figured I hadn't made any friends amongst the other clinic owners nearby, but to think one would want me dead … Well, it wasn't necessarily a new thing–someone wanting to kill me–but I hadn't expected it now. He feinted right. I bit, then realized my mistake too late.

He slammed me into the wall, the air tearing from my lungs. One knife pressed cold and merciless to my throat, the other digging into my chest. I scrabbled uselessly, fingers searching for anything to grab, but he leaned in harder until pain bloomed sharp and bright. I froze. Nikolas! Panic cracked through Karma's voice, raw and unmasked. Fuck. Would she have to hear me die? You're not allowed to die, she snapped, desperation bleeding through. I can't adopt you if you're dead!

The thug grinned, triumphant, his breath hitting my face in a wave of rot and chemicals.

"Under different circumstances, Nick, I think we'd get along great. But I've got bills to pay, drugs to buy, and a brother to shut up." Alarm spiked and I tried to stall.

"You really think you'll get away with this? Kill me, score a free fix, and solve your brother's problem?" His grin stretched wider, eyes gleaming with demented delight.

"Got it in one, doc. Now shut up and don't squirm. It'll only make it hurt more." The knife pressed deeper. And beneath the fear clawing through me, disbelief took hold. After the Bugles. After the system. After my birth mother and her trafficking ring. A thug was how I died? It felt unreal. Like one of those garbage crime shows I binged out of boredom. The knife bit again. Reality snapped back into place.

"Say nighty-night, doc." Instinct screamed at me to fight, to run, but there was nothing—no leverage, no weapon, no strength left to force him off. The blade dug in. Then, a sound. Small. Sharp. Terrified. Everything froze. Slowly, the thug and I turned toward the noise. My heart plummeted. Anna stood in the doorway, one hand clamped over her mouth, eyes wide and shining with tears as she stared at us. Then she inhaled. And screamed.