by S. E. Akers
I flashed him a snarky grin. “Thoughtful.”
“So? How do you want to do this?” Ferrol alluded and gave the end of his carnelian staff a quick slam on the ground, igniting its flames. I pulled out my hilt and brandished my diamond straightaway. His lip curled into a gruesome scowl. “The hard way it is.”
With that, Ferrol swung his fiery staff at me. I whirled my blade against its shaft with a mighty swing, but it didn’t break. The thick fragments of diamond-dust were hard to miss at this angle, sparkling through the flames.
“Fresh coat,” Ferrol acknowledged, twitching his thick black brows. “Just for you.” Then a swift kick to my gut sent me several yards back where I crashed into a wooden confessional. Ferrol reached into his pocket and pulled out three sparkly stones. “I made these carnelians especially for you. They have more of a kick.”
I didn’t like the sound or looks of those. Straightaway, I dove towards a baptismal as he slung one my way. I felt it hit my side and then a scorching pain coursed up my arm. I tugged on my sleeve to find it charred and my arm minus a few layers of skin. I shook it several times with a wince, hoping to stifle the pain. He’d even managed to singe the outside of my spell-clad purse. I whipped it off and swiftly patted out a dwindling flame. Bastard!
“There’s more where that came from,” Ferrol vowed.
I tucked my purse underneath some rubble. I couldn’t afford to have this precious baby burnt to a crisp. I felt his approach, so I turned invisible and dashed out from behind my current shelter.
“You can’t hide from me,” Ferrol laughed as he hurled another diamond-spiked carnelian my way. I dove straight into the pews. The powerful little stone’s blast took out the entire left-section of benches and regrettably rattled the wand right out of my hand. “I’ll always find you,” he swore proudly.
I should have known better. Granted, his howlite didn’t have a turquoise’s error-free aim, but it still tracked a Talisman’s energy spot-on, especially at this range and with me currently sans my gris-gris. I sprang to my feet, now visible, in a desperate search for my fully extended wand. There it was, vulnerably exposed and lying dead center between us.
Ferrol leaned back against a large cross and gave his last stone a few frivolous tosses. “Go ahead,” he goaded. I watched his deceptively casual stance like a hawk, ready to seize the perfect chance to grab my weapon — with the least risk of further injury. “Here,” Ferrol remarked as he dropped the carnelian back inside his pocket. “I’ll give you the advantage. Let’s see who’s quicker…or luckier, you might say.”
He gave his carnelian staff a couple of lackadaisical twirls through his fingers. I tilted my head cynically. I’m so not falling for this.
“No tricks,” Ferrol vowed. “Just your speed…against mine.”
I edged one step closer to test his claim. He didn’t even flinch. I started to make a break for the wand when Ferrol halted his twirling staff with his hand. He tightened his grip and two diamond spikes jutted out of each of its ends. “I lied,” he growled.
With breakneck speed, I slid towards the wand as he reared back his arm. As soon as I’d snatched my prized weapon, I rolled over and flew to my feet. My lips parted, stunned that I hadn’t been pierced, but more so by the sight now before me — Ferrol, staff-less and securely tethered to the large cross by a blazing long braid. The rope around his neck tightened slowly, constricting his screams. The sound of a female’s laugh rang out from behind the cross. Not a second later, a raven-haired woman donning a set of dark shades emerged, tugging on the ends of the two whip-like fiery restraints. She picked up the staff and worked her way up the mound of rubble that lay at his feet.
The woman leaned into his face. “No one likes a cheater,” she growled and gave the carnelian staff a whirl. “And this doesn’t belong to you,” she scolded in a sugary tone and then used it to cold-cock him right in the face. “That’s for Adean.” The woman had no sooner tossed the weapon onto the floor when she raised her leg and swiftly rammed her knee into his groin like a wrecking ball. I thought surely her kneecap would pop out the back of his ass. The groan that exploded out of Ferrol’s mouth made it sound like it had. Ouch! “And that’s for me…to start,” she purred.
Judging by the elemental power of her weapons, her knowledge of Tanner’s sister, and her obvious hatred of Ferrol, I assumed she had to be a Talisman.
“Who are you?” I asked, almost hating to interrupt. The woman hopped down and whisked off her shades. Standing before me was the same woman I’d seen Tanner drive off with and to my bewilderment, the same rude chick from the airport in New Orleans — the very woman who had stolen my cab.
“My apologies for not introducing myself to you earlier…” The woman then shifted her appearance into the lady at the passport office, the overly attentive maid at the hotel, and then back to her original form. This time, the striking Indian woman was sporting a red ruby in the center of her forehead, about an inch above her light brown eyes that were swirling with fiery streaks of crimson. She lifted her wrist to her nose and took a gentle whiff. “But I believe you are familiar with my scent,” she added with a sly grin.
The Ruby Talisman hopped down and extended her hand. “Kamya Kamandha,” she announced. Ferrol tried to free himself as I shook her hand. With her gaze solely on me, Kamya quickly gave her whips a swift tug. She used enough force to pull the cross off its stone base and sent it crashing with him face-first down onto the tile floor.
Kamya glanced at Ferrol and growled, “STAY. DOWN!” She turned back to me with a smile. “That’s twice you’ve dropped your weapon,” Kamya remarked as she eyed my blade. “Might I suggest you nix the lotion and start using glue?”
“You were the one in the street, fighting off Damiec.”
Kamya shrugged her shoulders. “What else is a chaperone supposed to do?”
“Chaperone?”
“Beatrix sent me. She thought you might need an extra set of eyes on you.”
I retracted my blade as I lowered my head. “I should have known.”
“Yes, but I doubt even if one were to have the eyes of a fly, they wouldn’t be enough to keep tabs on you. You’ve been a busy girl, haven’t you?” Kamya hinted.
“Not intentionally,” I assured her as I went to retrieve my purse out from under the rubble. I dusted it off and tucked my hilt securely inside it.
“I wasn’t supposed to let you know I was here, but Tanner assured me it would be all right. He arranged for us to meet today. I find it a pleasure to finally chat with the girl I’ve saved three times now,” she added, wiggling her fingers.
“Three?” I questioned.
“The possessed oaf at the cemetery. Of course, I felt rather bad about that one. If I hadn’t stolen your cab, you wouldn’t have gotten into his,” Kamya confirmed.
“Did you tell Tanner about that? Or about saving my butt in the street?” I questioned.
“Those are not my secrets to tell,” Kamya stressed and threw me a wink. “But I’m afraid you’ve left a very messy bed. It’s time to change the sheets.”
“How mad is he? Really?”
“Let’s just say…I haven’t seen anyone, in all my years of knowing Tanner, that has gotten under his skin like you.” She sounded almost proud, and a heck of a lot like Bea.
“Great,” I moaned.
“It’s quite a treat to witness…well, for me,” Kamya added with a laugh. “He needs a good humbling now and then, don’t you agree?”
Ferrol started to twist about again. This time, Kamya lifted the cross straight up and then used her foot to kick the base of it back, sending him crashing to the floor. With a calculated gait, she prowled around his pinned body. “But this one needs more than humbling.” She knelt down beside him and hovered over his head. “He needs retribution,” she announced and then circled his face with her fingers, burning a trail on his skin where she touched. Ferrol let out a fierce scream as the flames faded. Kamya shot to her feet and started tapping her f
inger on her chin. “Hmmmm. But what should his punishment be?” I had a sneaky suspicion she already had something in mind. She didn’t seem like the type of gal who left home without “a plan”. “Maybe I should be courteous and save some of you for Tanner?” she said to Ferrol. Kamya walked right over his hand with a purposeful dig of her five-inch spiked heel. “Which half do you think he would want, Shiloh?” She pointed to him, using his waist as a border.
“I know why Tanner hates him, but what was Adean to you?” I asked.
“My closest friend,” the Ruby Talisman announced with a solemn sigh. The whites of her eyes appeared glazed. “We were inseparable.” She turned towards Ferrol and gave the fiery whips another feisty yank. “Until her untimely end.”
Sadly, Kamya and I had something dear in common. “That explains a lot.”
“You won’t do it,” Ferrol gurgled out. He glanced at me and then looked up at Kamya. “You don’t have it in you to kill me.”
Is he crazy?
Kamya removed the whip that was binding his neck. With a swift crack and hardly any effort, she carved his right eye slick out of its socket. His spine-chilling howl roared throughout the cathedral.
“Do not question the depths of my desire,” Kamya proclaimed in a light whisper. Blood gushed out of the hole and streamed down the side of his face. She jerked his head back by his stark black mane and dangled his severed eye over him by its nerve. “Nor the pleasure I’ll take from your misery.”
That settles that, I thought with a shudder. Ferrol’s remaining eye rolled up towards the ceiling. We listened as his grunt-like groans shifted into a low, rolling laugh.
“I think the two of you have more to worry about than just me,” Ferrol grumbled with a smug gleam. We followed his gaze up to the balcony that surrounded the cathedral. Sure enough, ten cloaked men were perched up there. They all stood as still as statues, bows drawn, while they pointed their turquoise-tipped arrows straight at us. Kamya sprang to her feet.
“Told you,” Ferrol gloated. Two of the men parted and not a second later, a familiar and hideous face stepped into view.
Kamya studied my expression. “Would I be correct in guessing that you know old handsome up there?”
I simply passed her an uncomfortable glance. Oh, I’d done a number on Valisco’s ugly mug all right. His jaw had swollen to twice its size and appeared noticeably lopsided. The symmetrically painted marks and piercings looked like they were about to slide off the side of his face. He raised his arms in one sweep and waved his skull-topped staff. The stones lodged in its eyes started to glow and then a mystical black light streamed out of its mouth. The mysterious beam formed a bubble about the size of my fist while it floated in front of him. The next thing I knew, the not-so-innocent glob of light charged towards me. It broke apart when it struck my chest. A swirling effervescence of energy scooped me up and started spinning me violently in the air. After several turns it disappeared and dropped me like a brick back onto the ground.
“I love a good tracking spell,” Ferrol cracked. “And that orb looked particularly dark.”
I saw the confirmation in Valisco’s eyes. He threw his hand down in one sweep and the men released their arrows. Quickly, Kamya and I dove behind a massive stone altar as a hail of arrows rained down on us. A couple pierced her thigh, while mine simply bounced off my body like a ping-pong ball.
“Ughhh,” Kamya grunted as she pulled out one of the arrows. “A very busy girl,” the Ruby Talisman suggested as she eyed the turquoise head. “If they’re looking for you, then why wouldn’t those fools dip the tips in diamonds?”
“They’re not looking for me…exactly,” I added in an ambiguous tone.
“I’m beginning to see Tanner’s frustration,” Kamya replied with a curt nod. She peeked out from behind the altar to see ten more arrows heading our way. Kamya grabbed me before the arrows made their hairpin turn and used my body as a shield. One did manage to find its way into her leg.
“Dammit!” Kamya screamed with a firm yank on its shaft. “That’s three!”
“Feeling tired, Kamya?” Ferrol chuckled. Kamya growled and cracked her whip at him from behind our barricade, hitting him in the chest.
“BITCH!” Ferrol barked. “I hope they drain every ounce!”
“What’s he talking about?” I asked.
“A turquoise drains some of a supernatural’s power. These little bastards are powerful and pure. If we don’t do something soon, my powers will be rendered useless until I recharge.” She pointed to the whip in her hand. Its flames had already begun to fade.
Ferrol noticed it too. The other one she’d tied around him was weakening as well. With a quick burst of force, Ferrol wrestled out of his restraints and grabbed his staff. He slammed it on the marble floor, blowing a hole in it that led straight down into the earth.
“Time to say adieu,” Ferrol announced with a wave.
“Like Hell!” Kamya roared as she lunged for him. He jumped headfirst into the hole before she could stop him. Several arrows struck her back. I grabbed her ankles and pulled her back behind our barricade. “NO! He’s getting away!” she raged.
“Not all of him,” I asserted. An eyeball wasn’t exactly the trophy she craved, but it was still a nice takeaway-prize. I glanced down at my wrist. My watch wasn’t glowing anymore, not with a shattered angelite face.
One of the arrows must have hit it! Damn! I peered out to spy one of the men selecting a different bow from his quiver. But the way the light struck its turquoise tip, it looked a little too sparkly for my taste.
I pulled one of the arrows out of Kamya’s back. “I think they might have one with diamonds,” I announced. “But I’m not sure.”
“You will be if it pricks you in the ass,” Kamya claimed as I yanked out the one sticking out of hers. She rolled over with a grimace. “I hate to be the one to state the obvious, but we would use a bolt or two right about now,” Kamya urged. “I’m starting to feel like a pin-cushion.” She pointed to the stained-glass rose window up on the wall behind us.
“Sure,” I said nervously. I couldn’t bring myself to get up. This was what I’d been waiting to for, but my apprehension had me stuck to the floor.
“What’s wrong?” Kamya asked suspiciously.
“Nothing,” I snapped anxiously.
“Then DO IT!” Kamya demanded. Her brusque tone and another peek around the altar was all it took. The man with the sparkly tipped arrow was arching his bow.
Crap!
I sprang to my feet and threw my hand towards the ornate window. In less than a second, a wicked-hot bolt shattered the glass and flew into my awaiting hands. Relieved, I hurled it up to the archer just as he was about to release his arrow. The man’s body exploded before my eyes. Two of the other men got caught in the blast, sending them crashing to the ground.
Valisco’s crooked mouth dropped open. There goes my identity. I summoned another bolt, one with his name all over it. I released it swiftly, only to have him throw several of his men into its path. It killed them instantly and gave Valisco ample time to escape out one of the windows amid the hazy cloud of black smoke.
“How many are left?” Kamya asked.
“Four,” I answered as I hailed another bolt. I spotted her filing her ruby-red nails.
“Seriously?” I posed.
“Chaperones need a break too,” Kamya insisted. “Just hurry up.”
I sailed the last one up towards the balcony. It struck the metal railing and electrocuted the remaining men without delay. They fell to the ground, one by one, with the stench of sizzling flesh drifting in the air.
Tanner narrowly missed one of the falling thugs as he entered through the double-doors of the cathedral.
“Careful,” Kamya called out. “It’s raining men in here.”
“I see that,” he affirmed with a confounded stare. Tanner surveyed the carcasses that littered the ransacked, once regal-looking room. He appeared to be tugging on something. “Come along, my frien
d,” he demanded with a yank. In strolled the Amethyst Talisman with his tin belt snugly around Benicio’s wrist. The Turquoise Talisman complied, only because the magical metal belt forced him to. Tanner removed the tin harness and shoved him into what remained of a barely standing pew.
“Now,” Tanner began, “Tell me why you are trying to kill her?”
“And I repeat to you, AGAIN…I AM NOT!” Benicio declared.
“LIAR!” Tanner grumbled and punched his face.
Kamya jumped up and tossed Tanner a broken-off arm from the stone statue I’d destroyed. “Use this,” she urged. “See which is harder. The marble…or his head.”
“Hello, Kamya,” Benicio said with a catty roll. “I see you are still as gracious as ever.”
Kamya simply flicked her raven locks and smiled.
“And where did you get the carnelians?” Tanner demanded. “I know that’s what caused the blast in the Plaza. All of them. I’m very familiar with their vibe.”
“I have not used a carnelian in ages. In fact, you were present the last time I received one,” Benicio said.
“He didn’t use the carnelians,” I interrupted and took a composing pause. “Ferrol did.”
Tanner whirled around and pointed to the ground. “He was here?” Tanner asked. “You’re sure?”
“Yes,” Kamya grumbled, mirroring Tanner’s same foul expression. “He escaped when the men flooded the balcony and started shooting at us.” Tanner slammed the piece of statuary on the ground, shattering it to pieces. “But I got you a souvenir,” Kamya said proudly and tossed him Ferrol’s eye.
“Yes…The epitome of gracious,” Benicio grumbled at the sight of the gory eyeball and shook his head.
Kamya prowled behind Benicio and tenderly caressed his shoulder as she sat down. “You still haven’t answered Tanner’s question,” she whispered into his ear.
“Sorry to disappoint you, my delusional darling, but your charms will not work on me…spell or not,” Benicio added with a detestable glare.