The cop bristled. “I don’t have all day.”
“It won’t take all day, officer. They both work here in the Quarter. For that matter, his mother’s office is just around the corner and his father’s is less than two miles away. It’ll save you paperwork later.” Father Jeffrey pulled out his cell phone and handed it to Nick. “Call your parents, son.”
Nick reached for it before he remembered that he had no idea what the numbers were. For that matter, he didn’t know where his “parents” worked.
The cop eyed him coldly. “Is there a problem?”
“I don’t have their work numbers memorized. They’re on my speed dial and I don’t have my phone on me.” It was in the backpack he’d thrown into Caleb’s arms before he left school.
Father Jeffrey stepped between Nick and the cop, who was quickly losing patience with them. “Then I can look it up. It won’t take but a moment. Both of his parents are frequent volunteers here and their numbers are on my desk.”
It was obvious the officer didn’t want to wait, but he didn’t say anything more.
Nick followed Father Jeffrey to his office, but with every step he took, he couldn’t help wondering what was happening with Kody. What was taking her so long to get here?
And what would happen to him once the cop got his way and hauled him out of the building?
This was the first time in Nick’s entire life that he’d ever felt truly defenseless. Even when Alan and crew had held him on the ground and shot him, he’d felt more in control of himself and his fate.
But this …
How do I fight against evil when I have no powers?
For all intents and purposes, Amanda and Tabitha were human and female. He couldn’t even hit them to protect himself. There was nothing he could do. The moment he left here, they would be on him like spice on sausage. And there was no telling what they planned to do with him once they had him alone again.
Why did I tell them I was the Malachai?
Because they were supposed to be your allies.
Yeah, in a different time and place. Now he’d trapped Kody and himself.
What would Acheron do?
Stupid question. Ash could teleport. He’d never be in this position. He’d simply wave his hand over the women or the cop and they’d forget that they’d ever seen him. These are not the droids you’re looking for. Ash made those powers seem so easy to command and yet Nick screwed them up every time he tried.
I’m so not Ash.
Nor was he Kyrian, who could fight or talk his way out of the worst event.
His stomach tightened to a painful knot while the priest called and Nick sat in a chair, waiting for the rest of the preternatural world to come get him.
C’mon, Nick. Think.…
There had to be some way out of this.
Father Jeffrey hung up the phone. “His mother is showing a house in the Garden District and his father’s in a meeting.”
“Then they can pick him up at the station.” The officer pulled out his handcuffs.
Nick bolted to his feet. He started to protest, but was distracted by the door behind the cop that opened to show what had to be the baddest of bad. Standing a good six-eight, this newcomer oozed the kind of feral power that Acheron held. Massive. Terrifying.
Lethal.
That don’t-cut-your-eyes-at-me-if-you-want-to-keep-breathing-human stance.
With short dark hair and a goatee, the man had eyes so dark a blue they appeared purple in color. He was dressed black on black and held himself like a predator. Head low, eyes alert to every single thing.
When that deadly gaze locked on him, Nick felt like he’d just been targeted by a nuclear device of some kind. One that would take no mercy on him.
“Come with me, kid.”
It was only then that Nick realized both the priest and the cop were frozen.
Ah man, this can’t be good.
What now?
“Who are you?” What was he?
A slow, arrogant smile curved his lips. One that said he enjoyed Nick’s fear a little too much. “Your only hope.”
Last time he heard something like that was in The Terminator movie.
Not a good analogy.
Nick stepped back at the same time another person joined them in the room. One who lacked Nick’s self-preservation as she playfully slapped the supernatural being on his arm. It was tantamount to popping a rabid lion on the nose with a newspaper and telling it to shush. “Savitar, stop. He’s traumatized enough.”
Nick let out a relieved breath at the sweet, soft tone that meant everything to him. He was so glad to see her that it left him weak in his knees. “Kody, thank God you’re all right.”
It wasn’t until she stood in front of him that he saw the bruises on her face where someone had hit her. Hard.
His vision darkened as he gently touched her cheek. “Who did this to you?”
She covered his hand with hers and offered him that tender smile that always made it hard for him to breathe. “Long story, and we don’t have time for that now. We have to get you out of here before Tabitha and Amanda tell everyone where you are. Right now, they think you’re about to be led out to them.”
In spite of the danger, he had to hug her, just to make sure she was really all right and here. The sweet scent of her hair went a long way in soothing his ravaged nerves.
“Break it up before I throw water on you two to separate you.”
Laughing, Kody pulled back and ruffled Nick’s hair. “How did you get away from them?”
“Ran screaming like a cheerleader in a horror film. You?”
“Fought like a demon.”
Nick laughed at her joke. “Are you really a ghost?”
“We’ll talk about it later, okay?”
Nodding, he took her hand and allowed her to pull him toward the back of the church where a side door let them out onto Pirate’s Alley. Savitar pulled up the rear and herded them down the Cabildo Alley to St. Peter.
As soon as they reached the curb, Nick slowed to a stop. Bubba was waiting for them in his large black SUV.
Without warning, Savitar literally picked Nick up and threw him into the backseat. Kody climbed into the back with him while Savitar took shotgun.
“Buckle up, Nick, or Mom will kill me.” Bubba didn’t wait as he pulled away from the curb. “Did you have any trouble?” he asked Savitar.
“No. They had no idea we were there.”
“Good.”
Completely baffled, Nick rubbed his head as he struggled to catch up to this newest and most bizarre turn of events. “Pardon, but I think I left my sanity in church. We might need to go back and get it.”
Bubba laughed. “He looks and sounds just like my boy. Are you two absolutely sure you’re right about him?”
“I’m positive.” Kody took Nick’s hand and squeezed it. “And we stupidly informed the Malachai’s šakkan in this realm what Nick really is.”
Now there was a term Nick had never heard before. “My what?”
“Šakkan,” she repeated. “He’s the head general who leads your strongest forces in battle. And he’s going to come for you, full force, so that he can take your powers and use them as his own.”
Bubba cursed. “Like we needed anything else to fight.”
Kody expelled a heavy sigh. “I know. Sorry.”
“So who is this šakkan?” Nick asked, wanting to make sure he cut the beast a wide berth.
“In our world, he’s someone you haven’t met yet. He was imprisoned until your father died. Here in this realm, the šakkan who leads their dark forces is Thorn.”