Death Becomes Us

Chapter Twenty (Pt. 1)

"Oh my god."

Elizabeth emerges from the back seat of the taxi nearest to me, the blood draining from her face when she sees me. She is dressed in a formal gown, her purple skirt and bodice trimmed in gauzy fabric that billows gently around her. I step towards her and stop when she slams back into the side of the taxi.

"Elizabeth Barrow," I croak and she flinches. "You need to run."

Thin fingers take my shoulder and yank backwards, throwing me away from Elizabeth. Skidding along the street, I slam against a minivan and the door crumples like it is made of tin. The car's occupants are screaming, evacuating through the other side as Donovan approaches. He lifts me up and slams me again into the side of the van, breaking the glass with my head. Spots burst in my eyes and my ears ring, blood tickling down my scalp.

"You should know," Donovan grunts, roughly tossing me against the bridge rail. "I never planned on killing you, but you had to stand in my way."

I cling to the rail, absorbing a blow to my midriff and crying out as several ribs crack. My breathes shallow and labored, I attempt to stand up and drop again. Only the rail keeps me from falling altogether and I look up as Donovan crouches to my level.

"Let this be quick," he says. "For both our sakes."

The watch dangles in my face, now hanging from around his neck, teasing me with its proximity. It's so close. Donovan laughs, snatching the timepiece away when I reach to grab it and tucking it into the folds of his ragged shirt. He clamps a hand around my throat and holds me up against the rail so that my feet tread open air.

"Pathetic," Donovan says as I wheeze. "Look at yourself, James. You could have been a god to them, you could have been invincible, but without your power you're just like the rest of them. You. Are. Nothing."

"Hey!"

There is a ringing clank of metal against bone and Donovan's grip loosens a fraction; I inhale sharply.

"Do us a favor and shut up."

He rotates and curiously regards Elizabeth standing a foot away with the pole from Sydney brandished like a baseball bat. She swings again and he bends fluidly backwards, the pole bouncing off the rail instead. The watch is jarred from its place of protection, slipping from underneath the fabric of Donovan's shirt, the black obsidian glinting in the light as it swings within reach.

"How adorable," Donovan simpers, unaware that I strain a hand out to take hold of my watch. "The hero's lover has come to the rescue. I can see why you like her, James."

The bar catches him across the cheek and any amusement he had vanishes. Elizabeth's next swing is caught by his free hand and he yanks her forward so that she nearly falls into him. Face to face it is harder for her to hide her fear, but she doesn't let go of the bar.

"Did you think you had a chance, Lizzie?" Donovan spits. "Did you really believe that you could fight me?"

"Like it's difficult?" she gasps, trembling hard now.

A column of rippling air catches her in the chest and she is thrown several yards, landing against an abandoned car. The pole falls to the ground and Donovan raises his hand out towards her. Black tendrils seep from his outstretched palm, slithering to the ground and coiling in Elizabeth's direction. Holding her side, Elizabeth stumbles back with her eyes trained on the encroaching dark matter.