Chapter 27 · Wrong Kind of Gift

"Get away from him, Vera." Hector's voice came through the ceiling speaker. "If he takes one more step, put a round through his knee."

Vera's pistol pressed harder against my ribs.

"You heard him," she said. "Back up."

I looked past the barrel to her face. Her jaw was tight. Her finger rested beside the trigger, not on it.

That was the only reason I was still standing.

"You want me to back up?" I asked. "After you dragged me into this cage?"

"I didn't drag you anywhere. You followed me."

"You shot at me."

"You were eating a hunter."

"He had it coming."

Her eyes dropped to my hands.

Black plates covered my fingers now. Not armor. Not exactly. The surface flexed when I moved, sliding over bone that no longer sat where it should. A thin line of silver light ran beneath each claw.

The stolen core had settled inside me like a hot stone. It kept pulsing.