The Same Place (The Lamb and the Lion #2) - Gregory Ashe Page 0,140

me.”

“You’re ok,” Tean said. “You’re going to be just fine. You handled that dog like nothing. Now all you’ve got to do is rest.” His throat tightened. “We’re going to get you some McDonald’s on the way home.”

“That sounds nice,” Jem said. “I think a dog bit me.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Tean said. The pain in his head was in crescendo. It wasn’t just a feeling now; it had a dimension of light too. It was like watching a star being born in slow motion right inside his head. “Just think about what you’re going to get at McDonald’s.”

“I like a Big Mac.”

“I know you do.” Tean could see what was taking Leroy so long: Tean had knotted the belt, and when Roger had thrashed around, he’d pulled the leather even tighter. Leroy couldn’t get the knot undone.

“I think a dog bit me.”

“I bet you want a chocolate shake too.”

“Yeah.” Then, hesitantly, “Was it Scipio?”

“No, it wasn’t Scipio.”

“Oh.” Jem said. “Good. Tean, I feel really funny. I think I’m going to pass out.”

“Take some deep breaths. You don’t need to talk right now. Just take deep breaths.” And then he had reached Leroy and Roger. “Get away from the dog. You’re finished. If you—”

For an old man, Leroy struck like a viper. He rotated at the waist and swung. Tean turned his head in time—he was picturing the tomato again—but Leroy’s big fist smashed into his ear, and the force of the blow made Tean stagger. He stayed up, but he felt like somebody had a finger on the light switch inside his head, ready to flip it if things got any wilder.

“Get away from that dog,” Tean said. The voice was somebody else’s. Somebody who probably needed his nose realigned. “I won’t tell you again.”

“Come near me,” Leroy said, “and I’ll beat you to death. I won’t tell you again either.”

Tean wobbled, tried to stand straight, and settled for not falling over. He knew how things would go: Leroy would keep trying to release Roger. Tean would try to stop him. Leroy, who was stronger and obviously a much better fighter would win. Impossible odds. Tean didn’t like fights, but if he had to fight, he preferred everything stacked in his favor. Then his gaze shifted to Jem, who was pale and bloody, who had never had a single fight with the odds on his side.

With one shaking hand, Tean got his pocketknife out. He opened the blade and said, “Get away from the dog.”

Something in his voice must have attracted Leroy’s attention because the big man glanced over his shoulder. “That’ll do,” he said. Rising to his full height, he added, “Let me have that.”

“Go sit against the wall,” Tean said.

“I’m only going to ask you the one time,” Leroy said.

“Do you know what they do to dogs who attack people? They put them down. It’s a humane process; they use a barbituric acid derivative. Sodium pentobarbital is the most common.”

“Shut your mouth,” Leroy said.

“It has a rapid onset leading to loss of consciousness. Most animals barely have time to feel even the prick of the needle.”

“Shut your mouth.”

“It shuts down the central nervous system. Eventually, they can’t breathe, and they go into cardiac arrest.” Tean ran his tongue over his teeth and tried to smile. “I’m going to ask them to let me stick the needle in Roger.”

Leroy roared and charged. Tean dropped into a crouch to meet him. He got in one good slice across Leroy’s belly before the other man clobbered him with a huge, two-handed blow that landed on the top of Tean’s head. It was like somebody had run lightning down Tean’s spine. His legs gave out, and he fell. When he hit the ground, Leroy kicked him in the gut, and the air exploded from Tean’s lungs. He flopped onto his back, struggling to breathe.

The old man settled down onto Tean’s chest, his weight pinning him to the ground. Then he grabbed Tean by the hair and punched him. There was no finesse. No art. Just all the force Leroy could muster delivered to a fist-sized area of Tean’s face. His head rebounded from the ground. Whoever was in charge of the lights flipped them on and off like crazy.

When Tean could see somewhat clearly again, he realized that Leroy had been waiting for him.

“Say that again about Roger,” Leroy said. Spittle flecked Tean’s face. “Say it!”

Tean drove the knife into Leroy’s thigh.

Leroy howled, but instead of releasing Tean, he punched him