screams of rage as much as fear. Kat must have picked up one of the stools and brained the thug.
“Stand back, Kat!” she shrieked. Then, pushing herself away from the Matteoni goon by the simple expedient of stabbing him with the little knife again—in the belly this time—Maria swung a ferocious blow of the cleaver. She felt the blade hack into Stephano’s skull. Frenzied, she wrenched it loose and hacked again; again; again. The last blow hit something softer than a skull, and got wedged. The man’s shoulder, apparently, since a moment later she felt his heavy body slumping against her legs.
Enough! The door was behind her. She pulled at it and it swung open, showing twilit Venice beyond. “Kat! Let’s go!”
The two, half-falling, careened down the stairs and ran up the Calle. Soon enough, Kat spotted a passing gondola and yelled for it. As soon as the boatman drew alongside, they bundled in.
If
“Stand back, Kat!” she shrieked. Then, pushing herself away from the Matteoni goon by the simple expedient of stabbing him with the little knife again—in the belly this time—Maria swung a ferocious blow of the cleaver. She felt the blade hack into Stephano’s skull. Frenzied, she wrenched it loose and hacked again; again; again. The last blow hit something softer than a skull, and got wedged. The man’s shoulder, apparently, since a moment later she felt his heavy body slumping against her legs.
Enough! The door was behind her. She pulled at it and it swung open, showing twilit Venice beyond. “Kat! Let’s go!”
The two, half-falling, careened down the stairs and ran up the Calle. Soon enough, Kat spotted a passing gondola and yelled for it. As soon as the boatman drew alongside, they bundled in.
If