LABanks - H2 Awakening
Page 26
"Have faith? Mar—"
"Shabazz, we know how this has to go down."
Damali blocked out the other voices, her goal singular, focused. There was no shred of trust in her as she looked at the master vampire that had made her taste fear. She had to remember what he was, not allow the illusion to get to her. This liar had fooled trusting clerics. Carlos was dead. This was something else. And this entity possessing a familiar body, had shape-shifted to trick her team, had rolled up on her in a battle station-ready compound, and dissected her while she was blind. The worst part of it all was he'd been right. If it had been Fallon Nuit, she would have been dead… or worse. What did this thing want?
"Speak to me!"
"It's me, Damali—Carlos… use your third eye!"
"You're a liar! Carlos is dead!"
She circled, she moved with him. She was indeed more dangerous to him than sunlight at present.
"I can't get a mind-lock," Carlos told Marlene and the seer cleric, his line of vision shifting quickly to gain their assistance. "She's in a mental black box."
"Don't screw with my team! They don't have the telepathic capacity—I don't care what illusions you throw at them—"
"No, Damali," Marlene argued. "Listen—"
"No! They sent this one as a trap; it's a decoy. I heard Carlos die—I saw it! Vamps are masters of deception." She narrowed her gaze on the entity before her. "How dare you assume his shape… I'll gut you," she seethed, her grip tightening on Isis.
"Then plant Isis," Carlos said. "Plant it right in the brand." In one deft motion he tore away the black T-shirt to expose his scar. Hot tears of frustration stood in his eyes. "How did I get that, then, huh, Damali? Ask the damned men who pulled me out of a cave in the desert! Ask them how they found me! It saved my life and I suffered for three nights in the fucking desert."
Carlos slapped the center of his chest as Damali's hand slowly covered her mouth. "I got this carrying you, baby," he said, his voice fractured. "You're the only one that can do me in this room."
He closed his eyes, outstretched his arms, and leaned his head back. Her legs moved beneath her, hurling her toward the thing claiming to be Carlos, sword raised. She heard Marlene scream, "No!"