Unforgettable (OLD COPY DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 40

"Give it up Clayton, I don't want to have to hurt you," Diana warns.

He turns to look at her, his face shifting strangely from the other side of the shield separating us. He looks feral and unpredictable as his eyes flit from mine to Diana's.

Beyond him, Astrid nervously eyes me.

"Keep him distracted," she tells me in a low voice even though it's coming from inside my head.

"We will," Diana promises, her eyes darting between us.

"I will not obey you like a dog when I am a wolf," Clayton says as a smile slips across his mouth.

Diana cries out, the sound high and strained. I flinch when she collapses to her knees and grabs at her throat.

"Diana!" Astrid yells.

I freeze in place, desperately trying to keep an eye on Diana and my wand trained on Clayton as he takes a step forward, a menacing look shadowing his eyes.

"Let down the shield," I beg Astrid silently, but she doesn't respond.

"Give in, Diana, it's much easier that way," Clayton urges her as he dares to try and take another step.

Diana takes aim then, her arm snapping up to point her gun at him instead, "Not another step, that shield may stop spells, but it won't stop a mortal bullet."

Her voice is a low, hissed warning, like a noise a cornered cat would make as her jaw clenches and unclenches, the tendons in her neck taut. The blood drains from her face, her skin looking paler than ever as she shivers and shuts her eyes.

Clayton lunges then, his fingers curled into claws as his mouth opens into a nearly bestial howl. I bring my wand up to try and stop him but Diana must hear him move because she opens her eyes and pulls the trigger.

There's a bang and a bright red spot appears on Clayton's shoulder as he skitters to a stop. He blinks, his eyes hazy as he touches the spot like he's been surprised as Diana shakily gets to her feet. He bares his teeth in a snarl as he opens his mouth, his eyes focusing on her as they spark with rage.

"You'll regret that," he whispers as he stumbles forward out of the protection of the shield.

Diana uses her wand then, a stun spell hitting him hard as his mouth opens into an 'o'. He falls forward without another sound, hitting the floor hard as he lies still.

I glance over at Astrid to see that she's staring blankly at her uncle before she looks to Diana. She silently climbs down from the chair to step over his motionless body as she hesitates to get near Diana as she looks from me to her.

I take a step towards Diana as she sways on her feet, her eyes blearily meeting mine. She makes another painful noise, like a gasp for air before her knees buckle as she collapses onto her side and curls into a ball.

"Diana," I rush to kneel beside her as she remains lying on her side, her breath coming out in ragged gasps of air.

I fear for a moment that Clayton has somehow cursed her, but there's no blood to be seen as I examine her. I helplessly look to Astrid as she stoops beside me and hovers her hands over Diana as she meets my eyes, her gaze full of worry and fear.

"She's not injured," she announces after a moment.

"Everything hurts," Diana groans as she lifts her head for a moment before it falls limp against the wooden floor with a thud.