Page 47

Kerry

I forced the outside world far, far away as I tightened the storm. To be sure I didn’t miss anything, I threw out a dozen more lightning grabbers. When they returned empty-handed, I knew two things: There were no more djinn within my reach - and that meant she wasn’t, either.

The last tether of my control snapped and it was easy - so, so easy! - to call the power holding the djinn into my hands. They thrashed inside the blue globe like wild things.

“I have a message for your masters!” I yelled. “You tell those sons of whores there’s nowhere they can hide from me!”

As I squashed the globe down to the size of a bowling ball, the djinn’s bones burst into powder.

“I’ll find them again and, when I do, I’ll kill them and all who stand with them!”

I managed to crunch their prison down to a softball, but my arms shook from the strain and sweat rolled down my face. I needed to end this. I had one more thing to say, though.

“Something you need to understand about tigers. You think you’re the hunter ’til you turn around and find yourself eye to eye with the one who’s been stalking you all along.”

I smashed the sphere into a golf ball, but it cost me and I dropped to my knees. My whole body trembled as I cupped the ball carefully in my palms. I didn’t wanna screw it up by dropping it now.

“Surprise, sucker,” I purred to the fiery essences swirling inside like a mini firestorm. “You’re dead.”

Using the very last of my strength and power, I crushed the ball between my hands, and the world caught on fire.

#

Someone called my name from a long, long way away.

“You’re alive. You look like you ran out of a burning building. You’re even smoking a little, but you’re alive. Chance wants a look at you, but I think it can wait a few minutes.”

It was a male voice, and I knew it from somewhere. Hearing it made me feel comforted, although I couldn’t say why. The words were hard to process and I ignored them for now. They’d make sense later.

Right now, all I wanted to know was why my lungs hurt so bad.

Backlash from the trap. The thought filtered through the pain. After all, djinn are made in fire.

“I wish you had called me sooner.” Now the voice sounded unhappy. “I would have helped you, kiddo.”

“Hank?” I managed to push the word out in a puff of air.

“Yeah, it’s me. You’re safe. We’ll worry about the rest later.”

I laughed weakly.

“What?” he asked.

“You said that … the very first … time we talked.”

I slowly opened my eyes, then regretted it when the sunshine blinded me. Choking a little, I turned my head to spit out a lump of black tar .

“Oh.” He laughed a little. “I guess I did.”

My eyes adjusting, I glanced around. We were in the center of a war zone. Trees and buildings were sliced up all around me and rubble was everywhere. I turned to the man kneeling next to me.

“Everyone’s all right. You didn’t kill anyone but bad guys.” His face was grim. “But I know what’s bothering you the most. I’ll help you. Between you and me, we have a vast network of contacts and resources. We’ll find her, kiddo.”

Last fall, I’d decided to hold Hank at bay until I could figure out his true reason for becoming my warden. And a week ago, I’d had to consider that he might be my enemy’s man. Now, I wondered how I’d ever doubted him. I wasn’t a perfect judge of character, but there was no mistaking what I saw in his face.

“You want to sit up?” he asked.

“Not y—”

My lungs squeezed and I coughed for a lot longer this time. I curled onto my side and spat up gobs of black phlegm. When I finished and lay back with a groan, he asked if I wanted water.

I nodded.

Jax brought over a plastic bottle and, when I couldn’t lift my arm, Hank took it. I didn’t ask for help, and everyone knew not to touch me when I was injured, but they musta known I was too beat to fight. They propped me up and held the bottle to my lips, and I put a shaking hand on Hank’s to drink the water in slow sips. When I was done, my throat felt a little better.

“Down,” I gasped. “Put me down.”

They did, and I blinked up at Jax.

Still here. Does pity come with loyalty like this?

“You okay?” he asked.

“It’s only pain.” I bent my wrist so I was kinda holding out a fist.

“It doesn’t matter.” He half-smiled and bumped my knuckles with his.

Then Rome came over and crouched next to Hank. He rested his forearms on his knees and scanned the area.

“You still want to follow the original plan?” His eyes flicked to mine.

“Yeah, ’cept Chance goes with us. No Chessie for now.”

At that point, the others musta thought I was safe enough and came over, too.

Trusting fools. Even half out of it and drained, I coulda killed them all if I’d wanted to.

“Kerry, I’m going to heal you while Rome catches everyone up.” Chance knelt next to me. “Where can I touch you?”

I held out my hand and closed my eyes when he grabbed it. Golden power washed over me like a swarm of wasps as he repaired burns and cuts and a broken bone in my foot I hadn’t even felt. He even took care of the muscle in my back that I’d ripped during the succubus’ ambush. Then he let go of my hand and sank back on his heels.

My lungs were still a mess, though, and I opened my eyes, ready to ask him if that was the best he could do, but a coughing spasm hit me again. He helped me onto my side so I could choke out more black stuff. When it was over, he eased me back again.

“Backlash sickness I can’t cure.” He pulled off his coat and sweater, folded the sweater up and put it under my head like a pillow, and put his coat back on. “Far as I know, only time and rest can do that.”

Fuzzy-headed, I nodded, which took way more strength than it shoulda.

“I need to swing by my place.” Hank got to his feet. “I’m in this for the duration now, so I want my go bag and a few other things. And I need to bring in another warden.”

“No,” me and Rome said at the same time.

“It’s my wife, Gina. Ms. Weatherbee to you kids.”

“You can bet your life and ours on her loyalty?” Rome asked.

“Unequivocally. She is not a traitor.”

I didn’t know what ‘unequivocally’ meant, but I was too tired to ask. And I didn’t really care. I only cared about one thing.

I was so close! Why didn’t I just run to her? She was yards away from me. My throat got tight all of a sudden and my eyes smarted. And she was hurt.

I would do anything to find her now.

Didn’t matter how reckless or ruthless or relentless I needed to be. Nothing and no one would keep me from her.

You are the only one I want to be with, her soft voice whispered in my mind. I want to be with you forever.

The memory of her words hit me like a boot to the gut.

Rome was right. My broken self needed her far more than she needed me. I’d been hers from the beginning and would be til the end, and I wanted her to know that. Even if I wasn’t her only one anymore, even if she decided not to be with me forever, I wanted the chance to say the words.

What if I’m too late? What if she gets killed before I find her again?

My breath stuttered in my chest, making Chance give me an alarmed look. I rolled my head away so he wouldn’t see what was in my eyes.

Then the monster I was before will be nothing compared to the one I’ll become.

“I’m positive Miss Weatherbee’s okay, Kerry,” Jax interrupted my thoughts. “I mean, Mrs. Bishop.”

“Me, too.” Gigi bobbed her head up and down. “She’s my warden. I’d trust her with my life.”

“Remember her, Rome?” Spin came closer with the new girl. “She taught Angelic languages.”

“I remember her.”

“Freshman year, my strategy teacher did a unit on Hank Bishop,” Spin went on. “Just him. After what I learned, I can’t believe anyone would ever be able to dupe Hank thoroughly enough that he’d marry her. Well, unless she has you enthralled or coerced, Hank.”

“Enchanted, maybe, but not enthralled or coerced.” Grinning, Hank slipped his hand under his coat collar and pulled out a ball chain necklace. The silver dog tag on it flashed white in the sun. “I’ve picked up a few things over the years, including a ward against dominion.”

“Bet that didn’t come cheap!” Jax snorted.

“You have no idea.”

“Okay, you’re in.” Rome blew out a heavy breath. “Kerry?”

On the edge of unconsciousness, I’d been listening to them about as closely as you listen to music in an elevator.

“Yeah?” I muttered.

“We need to hole up and heal and rest. If it’s okay with you, I’m going to send Spin ahead to find us a place.”

I grunted. I didn’t care. I was gonna lay here for a while, then get my butt up and find my girl. Hopefully, I’d run into Hubler and Castle along the way so I could settle my score with them, too.

“I’ll call Gina.” Hank reached for his phone. “Maybe John can ’port her here before we leave. Just in case, though, do you know which direction you’ll be heading in?”

“New York.” Closing my eyes, I drew in a ragged breath. “I’m going home.”

~ End of Book Two ~