“Don’t count your ducks lucky, devil.” I threw out one of Addy’s favorite mixed metaphors, trying to distract it with words rather than weapons.
Rex paused, his head tilting slightly. “Fate plays no part in what I have planned for you.”
“Why are you coming for me instead of Masterson? He’s the one who held you captive for years.”
“You are in the way.”
I inched closer to the hallway. If I could just make it out the back door and to my SUV, I could grab the mirror and see if I could catch it somehow on my own. “In the way of what?” Or should I say of whom?
“We have plans for greatness the likes of which you have never witnessed.”
What was this “we” business? Was Dominick involved?
“What makes you think I don’t want to join with you in this greatness endeavor?” I eased another step toward the back door.
One of Rex’s blond eyebrows arched. “It is not in your nature. Your kind have only one goal in mind.”
I took another step, almost to the hallway. “And what is that?”
He shrugged. “To slay without prejudice.”
“I beg to differ. I’m partial to some more than others.”
“If you are referring to the Guardian, I would remind you that you are nothing more than a paid assassin in his eyes. Your loyalty is misplaced.”
“My loyalty is not up for sale.”
His smile was downright predatory. “And that is why your flame must be doused.”
I shifted again, so close to the hallway. “Tell me, how many of my kind have you slain in your time?”
“You will be the third.”
“So this isn’t your first rodeo.” It wasn’t a question. “But it will be your last.”
“Rodeo?” his dark eyes narrowed. “I am not familiar with that word. If you mean this will be my last contest, then you are mistaken. I am on the rise once again.”
The lidérc had big plans. If Dominick wasn’t orchestrating this, then he might want to take heed.
“Tell me about the other Scharfrichter you killed.” I had a feeling this smoky asshole liked to brag.
“Which?”
“Either.”
“They were far more skilled than you.”
Jeez! Was this jerk related to Prudence? “It appears their superior skill didn’t benefit them in the end.”
There was a nugget in there to remember. Agility would not win the battle with this bastard. Fortunately, that was not on the top ten list of my strengths.
His grin was pure devil. “No, but it did offer a more rewarding defeat.” In a blink, it rounded the end of my desk and closed the distance between us, seizing my arm in a painful grip. “Enough of this game.”
Before I could gasp, the lidérc twisted me around, pulling me back against Rex’s chest. His arm snaked around my throat, pressing on my windpipe. From somewhere, he pulled out a hunting knife and held the tip at my cheek.
“It is a shame to disembowel such a glorious predator.” His breath was cold on my ear, smelling of rot and a foul mustiness. “I thought after our last two meetings that you would be more of a challenge.”
I stiffened my spine as heat flowed from my core. My heartbeat steadied, my muscles feeling like they were swelling under my skin.
“Just close your eyes,” he whispered, his tongue running along my ear. “You won’t even know when I slip inside of you.”
I snorted. Who would have known that possession by a lidérc would feel the same as sex with Rex?
“Listen to you,” I taunted as waves of adrenaline flooded through my limbs. “So cocky for such an old terror. But you’ve overlooked one thing.”
His arm tightened. “What would that be, Scharfrichter?”
“You forgot to say the magic words.”
“What magic words?”
“Little pig, little pig, let me in.”
“Little pi—” he started.
I rammed my elbow back into Rex’s solar plexus. A gush of breath blew past my ear. Then I brought the stapler up hard and fast, slamming it into his forehead. His arm loosened a fraction, giving me the window I needed to drop and roll toward the hallway. When I came up, Rex was reaching for me again, but his eyes were rolling loosely in their sockets. I whipped the stapler at him and ran for the back door.
Jane stood outside of Jerry’s office, blocking my path.
“Move!” I’d go through her if she didn’t.
She held up both arms, her mouth wide in a silent scream.
I slid to a stop. “What?”
She pointed toward Jerry’s office. The door was open again. Before I had time to ponder why, I felt a shove from the side and stumbled through the doorway, almost falling. The door slammed shut behind me.
My pulse pounded in my ears. My body hummed with surges of energy rushing clear to my fingertips and toes. I couldn’t believe what had just happened out there, and I didn’t want to think about what was still waiting for me on the other side of that door.
I sniffed, wiping at my nose with the back of my wrist. That’s when I noticed the blood on my shirt.
Was it Rex’s or … A stinging pain finally registered in my pumped-up brain. I flipped my arm over and peeled up my sleeve, frowning at the oozing gash. He must have cut me with that knife at some point during our struggle. It didn’t look too deep. I spread the skin to make sure, blowing out a breath of relief. A flesh wound, but it was deep enough to leave a scar.
Grabbing a tissue from the file cabinet, I stared at Cornelius’s banana. Had he seen what happened?
I started pacing in front of Jerry’s desk. Somehow, I was going to have to face that devil, come what may, but I needed a better weapon first. I looked around the office for something to use to beat the hell out of that bastard.
The closet door creaked open.
My hand pressed against my chest to keep my heart from head-butting its way through my ribcage. Slowly, I turned. The trapdoor leading to the basement flipped open.
Ah,
