Divine Wrath, page 19
Michael stood silent for a moment. At last he returned his untouched glass to the mantle and faced Kendra. “I’m sorry to have to ask this, but would you mind if I spoke with Grace alone? It’s important.” He offered a hand.
“Go ahead.” Kendra took it, and Michael helped her stand. “I think I’ll go straighten up in the kitchen.”
Michael kissed the corner of her mouth. “Thank you.”
Kendra sent Grace an imploring look, and left the room.
“It’s nice to have my mother’s money, isn’t it?” Grace said when Kendra was out of earshot.
Shaking his head, Michael moved to the loveseat and dropped onto the cushions. “Not everyone in the world is out to use you. Or your mother. I’m not.”
“Right. Your intentions are entirely altruistic. And I’m... Elvis Presley.”
“What?”
“Never mind.” Grace drew a breath, and let it out slow. “You do understand why I’m a little suspicious. It’s an old trick. Younger man, rich older woman. Believe me, you’re not the first to think you can land Kendra Carrington.”
“I’m not trying to land her, Grace,” Michael said quietly. “And I’m fifty years old.”
Grace snorted. “Oh, come on. I figured you were lying to Megan, but that’s pushing it. I’d give you thirty, maybe.”
“I’m fifty,” Michael repeated. “We don’t age. At least, not like normal people.”
“Uh-huh. So what happens when we hit eighty, or ninety? Do we just drop dead?”
“If we don’t die of... unnatural causes, we can live for centuries.”
Grace started to object again, but her intuition whispered that Michael was telling the truth. “Centuries,” she said. “So, you expect us to spend centuries working for the government?”
“No. I expect you to spend a few years learning to survive. I can’t protect any of you here for very long. Those unnatural causes I mentioned? I’m talking about the angels. They’re older, stronger, and more powerful than all of us combined. And they hate us.”
“Not all of them do. What about Dawn and David’s father?”
Michael closed his eyes briefly. “Just one of them could slaughter all of us here without breaking a sweat. Especially the one that controls the Stalker. The one looking for you. That’s why I had to talk to you.” He paused, and passed a hand over his face. “Keeping you here, even with the drug masking your power, is a serious risk. I’ve tried everything to come up with an alternative, but there just isn’t another option.”
“Another option besides what?”
“My contact will be here in a few hours. You’re leaving tonight.”
From somewhere in the depths of the house came the sound of shattering glass.
Michael sprang to his feet and whirled. “Kendra! Are you all right?”
Silence replied.
Michael made his way around the couch and strode for the doorway. Kendra stepped into view before he reached it. She regarded him with moist, accusing eyes. “You said a few days,” she whispered. “A few days. Not tonight! I didn’t even get to...”
“Oh, Kendra. How much of that did you hear?” He drew her to him, rubbed her back. “I’m sorry. I really am. Please try to understand... it’s the only way she’ll be safe. I’m trying to protect her. Protect all of us.”
Grace stood. Her hands clenched at her sides, nails digging her palms. “I don’t need your protection,” she said in a tight voice. “I’ll leave, because I don’t want anyone else getting hurt. But I’m not going with your government buddy. You might want to reconsider your strategy, Michael, because none of the others want to participate. In fact, before I go, I’m going to ask them to come with me.”
“You really don’t get it, do you?” Michael said. “If you head off alone, they’ll find you. They’ll kill you. And anyone else with you.”
“I’ve managed to survive so far.” Grace clenched her jaw. Why did he have to be right, again? She couldn’t protect anyone else. Asking them to come would be selfish, and cruel. Still, she would try to accomplish what she’d come here for in the first place. “Look, Michael. I’m the danger here, right? I’m the one with the bulls-eye on my back.”
“There’s more to it than that.”
“Fine. Debate semantics, if you want. But that’s what it boils down to.” Grace took a fortifying breath. “I’m going to leave. By myself, not with your contact. The others don’t want to join the Army, or the CIA, or whatever. Just... please. Let them stay here. Without me around, they’ll be all right. Won’t they?”
Grace, no!
Grace flinched. Megan’s voice screamed in her head, drowning Michael’s reply.
I have to go, Megan. I can’t let those monsters kill you.
Either you stay, or I’m going with you.
Megan...
“Grace?” Kendra stared at her. “Will you think about it?”
“Think about what?”
Michael’s brow furrowed. “I said, I might be able to let them stay if you go with my contact. I have to know you’re safe. If they find you, they can force you to tell them about this place. Remember?”
Can you hear me?
Grace fought to conceal her reaction. That was Michael’s voice.
You can! How? You’re not supposed to be able to do anything. They’ll sense it!
“Get out of my head!”
Michael recoiled, nearly knocking Kendra over. “How did you do that?”
“Do what?”
“You forced me out.”
“I did?” Grace shook her head, attempting to clear the ringing in her ears. “I... didn’t know you could do that. The telepathy thing, I mean.”
“It’s called Reaching. The one power we all share. Mind abilities are different with everyone, but technically you should be able to Reach any Nephil.”
Grace. Megan’s voice sounded small and worried. I think someone’s coming...
Grace glowered at Michael. “Your contact is early.”
“What? No, he can’t be. He was too far away to get here so soon.”
Someone pounded on the door. Once, twice, three times.
Michael glanced at Kendra, and then Grace. “Can’t be him. Impossible.”
A heavy thud shook the house. The windows rattled with the force.
“You two stay here.” Michael left the room, headed around the corner. A brief pause followed. The door opened. Michael spoke in strangled tones.
“Oh Jesus, no... Kaden!”
Chapter 49
Kendra raced from the room. Grace followed, speaking to Megan as she moved. You guys better come to the house. I think there’s trouble.
The front door stood open, the porch light on. Kendra froze just outside the entrance with one hand clasped to her mouth. To the left, Michael crouched beside a filthy, ragged heap that vaguely resembled a person — a young man, though beyond that it was impossible to determine more. Dirt caked his hair, smeared his face and lined his cracked lips. Dark beads of blood glistened at one corner of his mouth. The remnants of his clothing were stiff with mud, and red-brown stains that looked like blood as well.
“Kaden,” Michael murmured. “What happened?” Not expecting an answer, he hooked his hands under Kaden’s arms and pulled the lax form toward him to prop him on his thighs.
Kaden stirred. His lips parted, and garbled sound emerged.
“Don’t try to talk.” Michael’s voice broke. “Let me get you inside first. Kendra, would you please get some water and bring it into the den?”
Nodding, Kendra rushed inside. Grace stepped onto the porch, just as Megan and Lawrence thundered up the stairs and stopped short.
Megan uttered a brief shriek. “Who is that? What’s going on?”
“It’s Kaden,” Grace whispered. “The guy Dawn was talking about earlier...”
Michael glanced at the new arrivals. “I’m not even going to ask how you two got here so fast. Lawrence, will you help me bring him in?”
“Of course.” Lawrence moved to Kaden’s feet. They lifted him, and Grace moved aside to let them into the house. She and Megan brought up the rear, and left the front door open.
They settled Kaden on the couch. Megan sent Grace a worried glance, and approached the motionless figure. “Let me see him,” she said to Michael. “I can help.”
“Megan, don’t!” Grace blurted. You’ve already done too much today. We don’t know what will happen if you go too far.
“I have to try.” Megan reached for him, but Michael caught her wrist in mid-air.
“What are you doing?”
Megan wrenched her hand away. “Healing him.”
“Well, that explains a lot.” Michael stepped back. “You two are something else. I don’t know whether to be grateful, or furious.”
Megan ignored him. She slipped a hand behind Kaden’s back, pressed her palm between his shoulder blades. A groan escaped her. “So tired...” Her eyes rolled, and she folded to the floor.
“Megan!” Grace ran to her and dropped beside her.
The girl shuddered. “I’m okay. Need to sit. Thirsty.”
Grace helped her to a chair. “Kendra’s bringing water.”
“Good.” Megan glanced at the couch. “I couldn’t finish, but he’s better now. Is he awake?”
As though responding to her question, Kaden twitched. His eyes flew open. Amber light shone from them, highlighting his bewildered expression. “Michael?”
“I’m here.” Michael knelt in front of Kaden and put a hand on his shoulder. “What’s going on? You should have been long gone. Safe. What happened?”
“I’ve got water,” Kendra announced from the doorway. She entered with a pitcher and a stack of plastic cups, and set them on the hearth. Grace scooted over and helped hand out cups to Megan and Michael, who helped Kaden drink.
“Thank you,” Kaden gasped. His gaze flew to Megan. “Another healer. You saved my ass. I owe you.”
“Another?”
“Me, too. I was spent, though.” He faced Michael again, and his eyes flared. “You have to evacuate this place. Right now.”
“Why?”
“Your contact. Zane.” Kaden’s hand brushed his throat. A dark red line scored the surface, just visible beneath the dirt. “He tried to kill me. Must’ve thought he did, otherwise he would’ve stuck around. He slit my throat and dumped me in the ground. Good thing it was a shallow grave.”
“No...” Michael lurched back and sprang to his feet. “No. He’s an FBI agent. A recruitment specialist. You’re remembering it wrong.”
“He’s an angel, Michael.” Kaden struggled to stand. “The others are dead. He killed them. We have to get the kids out of here.”
“No!”
“It’s not your fault. He fooled everyone. Even the government.”
“You’re wrong. They’re not dead...”
“Michael.” Kaden reached for his hand and lifted his unresisting arm. “Look.” He pressed Michael’s fingers to his temple.
Michael went rigid. His eyes locked open, staring blindly. Endless seconds passed, and then violent tremors shook his body.
“Stop it!” Grace reached out automatically to steady Michael.
Kaden’s eyes tracked her movement. “Don’t touch him!” he shouted.
The warning came too late. Grace’s hand brushed Michael’s shoulder, and clamped down as though she’d stuck it over a vacuum hose. A powerful shockwave slammed through her arm and exploded in her mind, releasing fragmented visions.
A car, driving through dark woods. Worry. This is the wrong way, deeper into the mountains. The car stops. A door opens. Come on.
There’s nothing here.
We’re staying on a base tonight.
Secret military operation? Maybe. Feels wrong. The man’s foot taps.
You want to serve your country?
Get out. Walk. Trees rush by. A clearing, bathed in moonlight. Packed mounds of earth. Loose dirt piled around a shallow hole. Not a base. A graveyard...
A useful Nephil is a dead one.
Steel flashes. Blood pours. Dirt tastes like sorrow, sounds like death.
Grace screamed and wrenched her hand free. Reality shattered the visions. She fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands. So many dead.
So many more to follow, if they didn’t get moving. Zane was headed here, now.
The realization shook her from stupor. She stood. Michael faced her, and his expression said he’d realized the same thing. “We’ll get the others and drive into town,” he said. “No, further. I can drive through the night. After we get some distance, we’ll worry about long-term decisions.”
“We can trade off.” Kendra rose from the hearth, pale and determined. “I’ll do some driving, too.”
Michael nodded. “Thank you.”
Lawrence, who had been watching from the doorway, straightened suddenly. “What’s that smell?” Before anyone could react, he darted around the corner. His footsteps pounded across the porch, down the stairs. Less than a minute later, he bellowed from outside, “Michael! Get out here!”
Michael took off after him. Grace helped Megan up, and the two of them headed out with Kendra and Kaden close behind.
There was no sign of Michael or Lawrence in the yard. They descended and circled the camp house, until the main house came into view. Thick black smoke billowed from the rear of the structure, and flames licked along the roof at an alarming rate.
Lawrence and Michael were shadows streaking along the ground. They’d already closed half the distance. The rest of them shed their collective exhaustion and sprinted for the house.
Chapter 50
“Lemme go! Ace, make him let go! Dawn!”
Grace heard David’s frantic cries before she reached the group huddled on the lawn, and her heart sank. Dawn was still inside.
This close, the flames crackled and spit their lethal intentions. Immense heat radiated from the house, flattening grass and baking the moisture from the air. Evan held a struggling David with both arms locked across the boy’s heaving chest. No one attempted to enter the place — and with good cause. They wouldn’t come back out.
Bailey turned away from the blaze, her features smudged and somber. “Lou went in after her. It’s been too long already.”
“Jesus,” Grace said. “We can’t just stand here! Is there a hose somewhere, or a pond? Buckets? Anything...”
Michael shook his head. “There’s nothing. The closest fire department is an hour from here. We’re helpless.”
Bailey stared at Megan. “Heal me.”
“What?”
“Heal me. Knock the drug out. I know you can do it, and I can go in there.”
“I... can’t. I’m spent.”
“I can.” Kaden stepped forward.
Bailey gasped. “Kaden? How...”
“I’ll explain later. Come here.” When Bailey moved toward him, Kaden stepped aside and settled a hand on her back. A moment later, he sat down hard. “There. Oughta do it. Do your thing.”
Bailey’s eyes shone in the dark. Nodding, she turned and walked toward the house. As she moved, the heat shimmer saturating the air seemed to part, to flow above and around her. She reached the front door and kicked it open. Flames shot through the opening, swirling and congregating in mid-air a few feet in front of her. She forged ahead without pause.
David slumped against Evan. “Is she going to get Dawn?”
“Let’s hope so.” Evan’s voice was a harsh croak. He stared briefly at Kaden, but didn’t ask questions. His grip on David refused to relax.
Michael scanned the yard, his expression drawn and shattered in the flickering firelight. “Dorinne?” he said. “Vera, Kyle. Are they...”
Ace shook his head, stared at his feet.
“Vera woke me up, and went to find Dorinne.” Evan grimaced. “I think Lou got everyone else. Haven’t seen Kyle at all.”
“All right. Listen.” Michael sent an anxious glance at the house. “If... I mean, as soon as Bailey, and Dawn, get out, we have to get to the van. Everyone stays together. Understand?”
Weak murmurs of assent replied. Ace shook himself and walked over to Kaden, who still sat on the ground. “Since nobody else is asking, what’s going on?”
“Ace!” Kaden looked up and smiled. He struggled to his feet and gave the boy a clumsy hug. “What’ve they been feeding you, Miracle-Gro?”
“You’ve only been gone a week.” Ace smirked. “So, I guess you’re not going to tell me anything. Right?”
“It’s a long story.”
“Later?”
“Promise.”
Ace flashed a tired smile. “Whatever happened... I’m glad you’re back.”
“Me too, kid.”
A sharp groan rose above the steady roar of the flames, commanding attention. From just inside the doorway, a heavy thud sounded. Showers of sparks spit through the opening. Thick smoke chased the sparks. When it cleared, a massive solid shape lay blocking the exit — a charred chunk of rafter from the loft ceiling in the front room.
Bailey wouldn’t be able to get out. Especially if Dawn couldn’t walk.
Bailey! Grace called without thinking. David’s renewed, panicked screaming sounded distant and muffled as Grace attempted to focus inside the house.
Who... Grace? Is that you?
Yes. Where are you?
Bottom of the stairs. I have Dawn. Can’t see the door.
I’m coming in.
You can’t!
Trust me.
Someone touched her shoulder. Grace whirled, her concentration shaken.
“You’re not thinking what I think you are.” Megan spoke through ashen lips. “There’s two of them. And Bailey has some kind of shield. What if you can’t get through it?”
“I have to try.” Grace managed a smile. “You know I do.” She lowered her head, pinched the contacts out and shoved them in a pocket. They’d be ruined. It didn’t matter now.
“Try what?” Kendra’s voice, shrill with concern, startled her. “Grace, what are you talking about? You can’t get in there. The door is blocked!”
“I’m not going through the door.”
She had to move quickly, before anyone tried to stop her. Bailey. Whatever that shield is you have, I’ll need you to turn it off for a few seconds. When I say now. Okay?
