Malaika turned toward the fisherman, who was watching in silence. “What about him?”
Xander turned toward the fisherman. “Him? Caught him trying to warn some of our prospects away from the siren. He knew too much to be allowed to remain free so I've kept him for sustenance. We'll use your human in much the same way until we tire of him.”
“Put your mouth on me and I'll rip your fucking heart out,” Jonah promised.
Xander chuckled again. “I do like his bravado. Hopefully, you'll comply with my request so I don't have to kill him.”
“What request?”
“Have you not listened to a word I've said?” Xander turned his gaze back to her, his eyes displaying his exasperation. “You will take me to the child.”
“There is no child. I don't know the vampires you're talking about.”
Xander closed in, invading her space. “You've had the vision, and it will come to pass. Once it does, you will give me that child to kill.”
“To hell I will.”
His eyes narrowed. “You either give me the child to kill, or I kill Jonah.”
“I thought you wanted to keep Jonah,” Malaika challenged.
“I want the child more.”
“Don't tell him anything!” Jonah yelled.
“Ah, your boyfriend seems to think you might know something,” Xander said softly, his tone full of menace. “I wonder why. Maybe you have already met the vampire couple since you've met their friend.”
Malaika cursed inwardly. “The vampires may have saved Jonah from that madman, but it doesn't mean they've stayed in touch with him. They could be anywhere.”
“But they're not.” He jerked his head in the direction of the fisherman. “Why do you think we kept Samuel for our own sustenance instead of letting the hyenas have him?”
Malaika looked at the fisherman and burned with anger as he looked away, unable to meet her eyes. He was psychic, and had been helping the vampires. “How could you help them?”
“Wait until they torture you a little bit,” he said gruffly. “You'll break, too.”
“I know you've met them,” Xander said. “We can wait around for the baby to be born, however many months that may take, and kill it.” He paused, staring her in the eye. “Or we could do this the easy way and kill the woman before she gives birth so you don't have to hear the baby's screams.”
However many months? Aria was about to pop. Either Samuel wasn't very good in the psychic department or he'd made sure he'd only “helped” enough to spare his life, without endangering anyone else's.
“Will it be option A or option B?”
Malaika took a deep, calming breath, unsure what to do. She had to stall him for as long as possible. Give someone—and she hoped there was someone, namely, Jake—enough time to rescue them. “I think I'll go with option C.”
Xander frowned. “Option C?”
“Yeah, the one where you kiss my big, black ass and go to hell.”
Xander's eyes widened and in the next second pain ripped across Malaika's face. The son-of-a-bitch had backhanded her! She hit the floor the same time a roar ripped out of Jonah's throat. She looked up in time to see him plow into Xander. He'd somehow worked himself free of the binding and was going to get himself seriously hurt—or killed—defending her.
“Jonah!” She leapt to her feet and summoned fire. By the time the first ball formed in her hand, Xander had thrown Jonah off and sent him crashing against the wall. She threw the fireball at Xander, but the lightning-fast vampire ducked out of the way before she could fry him. Craig hit her from the side before she could get another ball fully formed.
They went down and Craig shifted to take the brunt of the fall. “Don't provoke him,” he whispered as they hit, but it was too late. A roar of rage rent the air and the room shook with it.
“Confine her,” Xander ordered, pointing a shaking finger in her direction before stomping over to Jonah.
Malaika started forward, but Craig clamped his hand on her forearm and yanked her back. In his other hand, she caught sight of silver dust. Another witch's net. If she allowed herself to be trapped in another one, she'd be no help to Jonah.
Craig pulled back his arm, ready to throw the net. Desperate, Malaika kneed him in the groin, figuring racking a vampire hurt just as much as racking a human. They still had balls. Craig bent forward in pain, and Malaika brought up her knee again, connecting it with his face. He fell back and the witch's net poured from his hand.
She started to cross the room, but halted as she caught sight of Xander. He'd forced Jonah to his knees and held his head at a hard angle. One twist of his arm and Jonah's neck would snap. “Let him go, Xander.”
“Xander? Shouldn't you call me Grandfather? The title holds a higher level of respect.” He smiled at her, enjoying her fear. She didn't bother hiding the emotion. One wrong move and Jonah was dead. The evil beast looked down at the man he tortured. “Of course, he could probably tell us where to find the chosen.”
“Fuck you,” Jonah rasped. “I'd rather you kill me.”
“If you kill him, I'll never help you,” Malaika cried.
“Is that so?” He cut a glance toward Craig, who was rising to a stand behind her. “I could always take your daughter.”
“No!” Craig bellowed. “That was not the deal.”
“You forget who the master is here,” Xander snarled. “The child has no power. She is expendable.”
Malaika choked back the fear climbing her throat. She used her anger to keep it at bay so it wouldn't hinder her. She had to get out of this, if only to save those she loved. “Deja is well-protected. You'll never get to her.”
“Protected by whom? The slayer?” His mouth twisted into a mocking grin. “Don't you realize I would plan for him if I took his brother?”
Jonah's pain-filled eyes widened in fear and connected with hers across the room. Dread filled Malaika's stomach. Jake should have come to their rescue by now. Surely he wouldn't allow the vampires to take his brother from the apartment without being hot on their heels.
“Where is Jake?”
Xander laughed. “Where all good little slayers go when their time ends, I suppose.”
Jonah jerked and was roughly restrained by Xander's tightening grip. Hot tears of hopelessness fell from Malaika's eyes. “He's not dead. You're lying.”
“Check and see.” He nodded his head toward Samuel.
Malaika looked between Xander and Craig, saw that neither appeared ready to tackle her, and crossed the distance to the fisherman. She placed her fingertips to his temple as Seta had taught her and filtered through his mind for images of Jacob Porter. She hit some sort of wall and frowned, but continued to travel along it until images fell through.
The fine hairs along the back of Jake's neck stood on end as magic stirred in the air. Dark magic, black and unnatural. He tightened his grip around his blade and exited his car, his gaze scanning the alley as he made his way toward the front of the apartment building.
Glass shattered and he looked up to see shards of it raining down from the windows of Malaika's apartment. Ropes hung from the roof. The brazen hyenas had traveled by rooftop and swung through the windows.
But they weren't alone. The sense of magic hinted at something else entirely. Some sort of witch, and it wasn't Malaika emitting the dark power. Her power was more earthy and natural.
He barreled through the front doors of the apartment building and raced up the steps toward the sound of screaming, but came face to face with the source of the dark power before he could reach the apartment. He stopped, a breath away from the busty brunette in the flesh-colored gown. The shade matched her skin so perfectly, she looked naked. She opened her mouth and the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard came out, drifting onto the night air. She reached out and touched his face, licking her lips, promising him with her eyes that though he might die tonight, he would enjoy it. Maybe even beg for it.
He sensed evil behind him and realized the pranic
vampire who'd attacked Malaika had been a busy little soul-sucker, fathering more prannies. They closed in on him, but allowed room on the stairs for him to back down, or as it turned out, follow the siren down.
She passed him, pressing her breasts to his chest, letting them rub against him as she passed, singing that strange, intoxicating little melody. He turned and followed, aware of the prannies and hyenas following close on his heels. They were going to kill him, he knew, but thought nothing about it. He only followed the woman before him, allowed her to lead him back into the dark alley until she stopped and turned toward him.
Her smile was cunning, a promise of death, and he smiled in response. “Do you want me, Jacob Porter?” She lowered the thin straps of her gown, revealing heavy, round breasts topped with dark, pebbled nipples.
“Oh, yes,” he whispered, his palms growing sweaty.
“Good. I want you to do something for me,” she said, the words coming out as part of a lilting song. She smelled of the sea and Jake could actually smell the ocean breeze on her breath.
“Anything.”
“Take your knife and kill yourself.”
“Okay.” He raised the blade and brought it down hard into his gut, falling to his knees with a smile as his blood poured out to coat the alley. The last thing he heard before his heart ceased beating was the loud maniacal laughter of the were-hyenas.
Malaika pulled out of Samuel's mind and let out a cry of anguish. Behind her, Jonah growled in rage and Xander laughed. They were doomed. If a slayer couldn't fight a siren, how in the hell could she and Jonah fight off pranic vampires and were-hyenas? And there'd been so many surrounding Jake. She could only imagine how many were outside the cell Xander held them in.
“I take it you just witnessed the vision Samuel shared with me before the two of you regained consciousness. You know there is no one strong enough to save you, no one to come to your rescue. The vampires helped Jonah when one of their own was in trouble. They will not put their lives on the line to help either of you now.”
Malaika slowly turned, glaring at the evil vampire, and wished looks really could kill. She'd love to rip the cockiness out of Xander before destroying him completely.
“You must help yourself, Malaika. Give me the child and I will release Jonah.”
“Don't,” Jonah managed to get out, his voice heavily strained.
Malaika looked at him, her heart twisting. His brother was dead and the siren was still out there, finding more psychics for Xander to recruit for his evil army. They would kill Jonah eventually, no matter what she did, and they would eventually kill Deja. Even if she managed to escape and take Deja into hiding, there would be a war and innocents would be killed. There was no way for her to win. God help us, she pleaded silently, her soul weighed down with hopelessness.
Loud maniacal laughter rent the air from beyond the room, the sound of the hyenas calling to one another. All heads turned toward the door and heard the sound of gunfire.
“What the hell is going on?” Xander released Jonah to the floor and strode forward. “Did Rema return?”
Craig shrugged. “The siren hasn't been heard from since she took out the slayer.”
The two vampires rushed toward the door to check out what was happening as screams and gunfire grew more plentiful. Now was the only chance she'd get. Malaika remembered the idea she'd had earlier when the hyenas had rushed Jonah, and called upon the earth just as Xander and Craig reached the door.
The ground rumbled as it shifted and the vampires lost their footing, falling down. The floor cracked and divided into two sections, divided by a ten-foot wide, and twice as deep, canyon. The left wall crumbled and the roof caved. Malaika summoned the wind to carry the pieces away from her and Jonah, but wasn't as kind to the vampires. Stone rained down upon them, cutting their flesh. They let out howls of pain and fury as they dug themselves out from under the debris.
She stumbled toward Jonah, too new in her powers to perform so much magic at once, and knelt at his side. “Jonah?”
“Jake's dead? Really dead?” Tears dripped down his face, leaving tracks in the grime and blood he'd collected since they'd been attacked.
Malaika released her own set of hot tears and gathered Jonah in her arms, kissing his head. “I'm so sorry,” she whispered against his temple. “The siren snared him.”
“But he's a slayer.” He frowned. “He kills vampires and demons.”
“But he was also a man. He gave in to the siren's pull.” She swallowed down bile. At least he hadn't really fantasized about the siren in the same way Craig had, but still… she was disappointed in him. She'd thought he was a much more honorable man. Poor Nyla. How would she tell the woman that the father of her child had succumbed to the siren? She'd been in her place, and it was an awful place to be.
Laughter pulled her from the thought. “Stupid witch. Do you really think this will save you?” Xander squinted at her while the gash above his brow bled into his eyes, and picked up a large chunk of the roof. With a growl of rage, he threw the stone at them. Malaika gasped and found herself rolling out of the way, Jonah's arms wrapped tight around her. The chunk of ceiling skimmed over them and hit the wall, shattering on impact.
“Hey! Quit throwing shit at my brother, you fugly bastard!”
Malaika's head jerked up and she froze, taking in the scene before her. Jacob Porter stood in the doorway, living and breathing. Xander turned toward him and stood in open-mouthed surprise as Jake swung his arm, a long, silver blade in his hand, and effectively sliced the vampire's head clean off his body.
“Nothing like the element of surprise,” Jake quipped and turned for Craig, but Craig had already seen what happened to those who stood still for too long in front of Jake Porter. He took off at a run and leaped across the magically-created canyon, landing right next to Jonah.
Malaika let out a yelp and backed away, pulling Jonah with her. Jonah shrugged her off and stood as Craig's boot came down toward him. He sidestepped it, and threw a punch, connecting his fist to Craig's head, knocking the vampire back.
“I've waited for this, bitch.” He taunted.
“Likewise, mortal.”
“We're all mortal,” Jonah spat back, ducking a blow. He punched Craig in the ribs before rising to a full stand.
“Um, Malaika,” Jake called from across the canyon. “Not that I don't like what you've done with the place, but how the hell am I supposed to get over there now? I'm awesome and all, but I can't leap like a damn vampire!”
Still surprised to see him standing there, and not in spirit form, Malaika didn't have a response. She heard the sound of flesh pounding flesh and turned her attention back to the fight. Craig held Jonah down on the ground, his hands wrapped tight around his neck and sucked in air until his face turned blue. “Why can't I drain your energy?”
Jonah landed a strong punch in Craig's face and was released. “I guess I'm just special.” He kicked Craig off and started to stand, but Craig quickly recovered and had him slammed back down on the ground in a heartbeat.
Malaika called upon fire, and after much strain, had two fully formed fireballs in her palms, but as the men twisted on the ground, she had a hard time releasing them. It would be too easy to accidentally hit Jonah.
Craig held Jonah down with one hand and punched him repeatedly with the other. Jonah was a good fighter, but Craig had the strength of a vampire behind him. That, mixed with the fact Jonah had suffered other beatings already, gave him the upper hand. Malaika raised her hands, but the fireballs fizzled out, her magical strength waning from the excessive use.
“Malaika!” Jake shouted her name and a long blade whizzed past her face, embedding itself in the wall. She glanced his way and he made a slicing motion over his own neck.
She swallowed hard and grabbed the handle of the blade, yanking hard to retrieve it from the wall. With trembling legs, she carried its surprisingly light weight toward the men.
Too busy pounding his fists into any part of Jona
h he could find purchase, Craig didn't notice her until she hovered over him, the blade raised, ready to strike. When he looked up, his eyes grew wide with shock. “Malaika, baby, what are you doing?”
“I'm not your baby,” she said, her voice a low threat of danger. “You hurt our baby, your own flesh and blood.”
“I'd never hurt Deja.”
“You drained her energy.”
His face diffused with color, shame flushed his cheeks. “I needed energy, but I never took much. I just wanted to see her, to let her know her daddy was alright, that I didn't leave her.”
“You did leave her,” Malaika snapped. “You left both of us for that siren. You saw us clearly in your mind, but followed her anyway, thinking what I didn't find out wouldn't hurt anyone!”
“You saw that?”
“I saw it all, Craig. You disgust me.”
“Baby, I couldn't help it,” he pleaded, rising to his knees, releasing his hold on Jonah, who lay limp and unconscious. Fear tugged at Malaika's heart.
“But I still love you, both of you. Xander wanted me to get the information out of you and kill you, but I refused. I've played him all along. I know you found those vampires. I can follow Deja anywhere, and I know those vampires are in that church watching over her. I could have let Xander know anytime, but I didn't. I wouldn't have until I knew the two of you were safely out of his grasp.”
“You'd lead him to a baby so he could slaughter it?”
“If it meant protecting our child, yes.” His eyes darkened. “I'll do anything to protect what is mine.”
Malaika glanced down at Jonah, then remembered the way her daughter looked so natural in his arms. “So will I.”
She brought the blade down in a fast arc, and sent Craig's head rolling, surprise still showing in his dead eyes.
Witch's Net Page 21
