by Parker Blue
Not helpful. Micah, Alejandro, Shade . . . they all expected me to retrieve the books, keep them away from the bad guys, and save the day. But what could I do?
Absolutely nothing.
Except maybe talk him to death. Hey, it worked for Fang . . . ."You're not really a keeper, are you?" I blurted out.
Trevor grinned, looking cocky."That's right."
"Is there really any such thing?"
"Oh, yes."
"Then how did the keeper get separated from the books?"
Trevor shrugged."Does it matter?"
You're on the right tra—
On the right what? I demanded of the voice. On the right track? I had a pretty good idea of what that meant.
Shade took a menacing step forward."You'd better run. We figured out what you were and called for help. The SCU, Underground, and the Movement are going to arrive at any moment."
He called? When?
Trevor laughed. "You are such a bad liar. Look at Val's face."
I'm an idiot. "Sorry," I muttered.
"I wouldn't have believed it anyway," Trevor assured me. "The Slayer would never call for help. She's a glory hound—she wants all the credit for herself."
Like hell. The way I remembered it, things had happened so fast, I hadn't even thought to call for help. Then again, Dan had offered . . . . And I had a good reason for turning him down. Not because I was a glory hound.
Trevor interrupted my selfreflection with a gloating,"Sorry, Val, you won't be taking this mage demon anywhere."
We had to keep him talking until I could come up with a plan. Luckily, Shade asked him a question."Are you really a mage demon?"
Trevor inclined his head in a regal nod."Indeed. Though it took you long enough to figure that out. I thought you were the expert on demons, Shade."
Shade let the taunt roll over him."It was your shield," he said."We should have known you were hiding something."
Looking as if he were enjoying this, Trevor said,"With the vamps and the hellhounds around, I had to block my thoughts. Couldn't let you know what I was really up to."
"And what are you up to?" I asked.
"Oh, the usual," he said, waving his gun airily."Riches, power, world conquest. With the spells in those books, I can have anything I want."
The bastard was enjoying this.
"I thought you wanted to save your father," Shade said. "Was that a lie, too?"
"Oh, no, that was the truth. He's not really in the books, you know. They're just a portal to another dimension where he's been trapped. With your help, I can release him." Trevor's grin widened. "You did say you'd help me, remember?"
I clenched my fists, wishing I could strangle him, use Lola on him, stake him . . . anything to shut him up and keep him from using Shade that way.
Shade squeezed my wrist warningly."Calm down, Val. Remember, he can use emotions to power spells and he no longer needs to hide behind his shield."
"Oh, stop," the metrosexual said with a pout."You're ruining my fun."
"Really?" I asked."I think you're bluffing. Your father probably put the shield on you as a kid—and you've already admitted you can't do spells without reading them from these books. That's why you brought the gun."
Trevor's grin faded."Well, aren't you the clever one? But you know, I think the gun will suffice." He moved closer and extended the gun at full length, aiming right for my forehead."And I don't need you at all. Shall we see how easily the Slayer can heal from a bullet in the brain?"
No one could heal from that. Fear skittered through me as alternatives ran through my mind. I tensed, preparing for action, hoping my instincts would help me do the right thing.
Shade jumped in front of me, spreading his arms wide."No. If you kill her, I'll never help you. I'd rather die first."
How mortifying—someone was protecting me for a change.
Trevor lowered the gun to his side, looking exasperated."What do you see in her?" Then, before Shade could answer, he said,"Never mind. I don't care. All I want is those books, and my father released from them." Waving the gun toward the bar, he said,"Put them down and I won't shoot you."
I hesitated, and he frowned."Do it now or I might shoot out your kneecap, just for fun. Or Shade's."
Seeing he meant it, I backed up slowly and put the backpack on the bar, my mind whirling with plans to stop him. Shade moved with me, keeping his body between the gun and me.
"Take them out of that ratty bag and put them where I can see them," Trevor ordered.
I did as he asked, and Trevor seemed to relax. He gazed at the books and his eyes took on an acquisitive, unholy gleam. He moved closer until he was a few feet away."Finally. I've been waiting for this moment over ninety years."
No wonder the Underground in LA didn't know who he was."Gee, you don't look a day over eightytwo," I drawled. I couldn't help it. Sometimes my mouth just ran away with me.
"Very funny," he snarled. "Now release my father, Shade, or I'll hurt her."
Neither of us could see Shade's expression, but the shadow demon didn't move a muscle. What was he thinking? Was he going to try something heroic and get himself killed?
Do it, the voice urged.
"Do it now," Trevor unconsciously echoed. "And I'll let you both live."
I hesitated. Who did the voice belong to? I'd always thought it was the books, but could it be Trevor's father? Why else would the voice urge me to let another mage demon loose on the world? With the most dangerous books on the planet, no less.
Trust me . . . .
Shade wasn't moving and Trevor was looking even more pissed. Oh, crap. We were going to die. Could I trust this unknown voice?
Did I have a choice?
I had to prove Trevor wrong. I had to let go of my need to be the world's savior and trust in someone else. Taking a deep breath, I nodded at Shade."Do it."
I still couldn't see his expression, but I'm sure he was confused. The ribbons of light where his face should be swirled faster.
"I don't know how," Shade said, sounding hesitant.
"Try," Trevor insisted."It should be like what you did with the healing. But this time, you're not transferring healing powers from one person to another, you're transferring my father from one dimension to another."
Still, Shade hesitated."I've been fighting all my life not to let other demons into this world."
Trevor grimaced."Is that all? Don't worry. It's a barren plain of existence. He's the only demon there. You think I'd let you bring through competition?"
Now that sounded like truth. I nodded at Shade."Try it." I just hoped I was right.
Tensing, I moved closer to Shade. I wanted Lola to be able to grab him and stabilize him if something went wrong.
Trevor moved closer, too, though he kept the gun trained on me."Hold his left wrist," he told me."I want to be able to see his face."
I wanted to see it, too, so I did as Trevor demanded.
"Now put your right hand on the books," Trevor said.
And repeat after me . . . my irreverent nature couldn't help but add.
Slowly, Shade rested his hand on the top book, his expression tense.
Do it now, the voice all but yelled at me.
Squeezing Shade's wrist, I whispered,"Go ahead. I'm here for you."
I don't know why, but that seemed to make up his mind. Nodding, Shade closed his eyes and I could almost feel him concentrating.
"No tricks now," Trevor warned.
"Shh," I said."Don't distract him."
A small lime-green cloud, shot through with bright flashes of fierce lightning, appeared above the bar."That's it," I whispered."It's working."
I let go of Shade and backed away from that virulent, creepily silent maelstrom, and so did Trevor. We both watched as it grew bigger and bigger, until it was a round sphere of roiling energy about six feet across.
"Are you . . . sure about . . . this?" Shade gasped out.
"Bring him through!" Trevor said. With his tense attitude a
nd eager, greentinged expression, he looked positively diabolical.
"I don't . . . know . . . how."
Suddenly, a man flew out of the cloud as if he'd been thrown, landing face down on the ground between us. He rolled onto his back, looking way stressed out, but the spitting image of Trevor.
Mr. Jackson, I presume.
"Father," Trevor exclaimed.
Another man leapt out as well, landing on his feet, his fists clenched. This one looked just as wild-eyed, but bigger, meaner, like a huge lumberjack with a bushy black beard and veins popping out on his forearms. Oh, crap. How many more demons were going to come through? I should have known Trevor had lied about that.
"Keep him off me," the father shouted.
The other man pointed at Shade, yelling,"Don't close that portal yet. No more demons are coming through."
I recognized that voice. It was the one who'd been talking to me."Do as he says," I told Shade. "He's on our side." I hoped.
"Shoot him," Trevor's father screamed as he scrambled to his feet.
But Trevor, caught offguard by the appearance of the second man, didn't move fast enough. I grabbed the heavy decanter on the bar and whipped it at his gun hand.
Nailed it!
The pistol flew out of Trevor's hand. The big bear of a man muttered some words and made a throwing motion at the two Jackson boys. Instantly, it was as if they stood rooted in place, struggling against invisible bonds.
The big man grabbed my hands."That won't hold them long." His words tumbled out fast, but polite."Valentine Shapiro, I beg your assistance and that of your friend to send these two felons back through the portal and rid the world of them for good."
Now that's what I'm talkin' about."Hold on, Shade, a little longer," I called out, then turned to the man who held my hands."You got it," I said with a grin."What do you need?"
"Just trust me . . . and give me everything you got."
Lola was waking up with my proximity to such a large, handsome specimen of the male species, but I didn't think he was talking about that . . . or my paltry material possessions."How?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he threw his head back and muttered some words that sounded like Latin.
A thread of magick from inside the man latched on to that tendril of interest from Lola and twined around it, braiding the two strands into a larger, stronger rope of energy. Letting go of my left hand, he thrust his right hand toward the struggling Jacksons. A strong breeze came out of nowhere, blowing from us to them, and the magick pulled on more of Lola's energy. Just as they broke free of their entanglement and tried to rush us, the rope of energy reached them, and I could feel it circling them like a lasso, anchoring them in place.
They hurled insults and curses, but nothing else, thank heavens. All my attention was caught up with noticing that Lola's energy was leaving me in a steady stream. Crap, this guy was draining my chakras . . . just like Lola did to the men she came in contact with."What are you doing?" Would he drain me dry to stop the man who appeared to be his nemesis?
"I'm sorry," he gritted out,"but I need your strength. I'll try not to harm you."
Try? What was this try crap? I struggled for a moment, then realized he was exhausting his own energy just as much as he was mine. If I wanted this to succeed, I had to work with him, not against him. Shade was being a real trooper, holding the portal open, though he was bent over with the strain. Could I do any less?
I sank to my knees and let loose all the restraints, letting the guy take everything he needed. He fell to his knees alongside me, never letting go of my hand, never stopping the braiding of our energies. We faced the gorgeous panoramic view, the villains on our right, the portal on our left, and the sound of Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer playing next door.
What a strange way to die.
Slowly, we drew the Jacksons, kicking and cursing, closer to the bar and the portal. While we struggled with the bad guys, Shade lowered the books to the floor so the portal flickered in front of the bar. Good. All it would take was one good shove and they'd go through. Though where I could muster up the strength for that, I had no idea. I swayed, barely able to stay on my knees.
They were within a couple of feet of the bar, but had dug their heels into the carpet, their teeth gritted, to slow their forward movement.
"Just a bit more," my partner said."Now, push!"
Huh? There was no way I could push with my body, so I did the next best thing. I gathered up everything I had within me . . . Lola's energy, my energy . . . hell, any bit of energy I could scrape up . . . and threw it at him.
As I fell limply to the floor, the man shoved both Jacksons through the portal, yelling,"Close it!"
The pulsating green portal irised shut, cutting off the braided cord and sending all that energy barreling back along our connection. Oh, crap. I tried to ward off the backlash, but no luck. It slammed back into both of us like Thor's warhammer, and I knew no more.
Sometime later, I came slowly awake, expecting the worst. But I felt remarkably . . . fine. Opening my eyes and switching on the light, I found myself back in my bedroom again, this time with a strange man lying beside me. But it wasn't some random stranger—it was the man who'd gotten rid of Trevor and his father for good. What the heck?
SHE'S AWAKE, Fang said from outside the door. OPEN THE DOOR, DEMON BREATH. FIND SOME USE FOR THOSE OPPOSABLE THUMBS.
I smiled. It was good to hear Fang's voice again.
The door opened and Fang flew through it, jumping up to lick my face furiously. YOU ALMOST DIED. DON'T EVER DO THAT TO ME AGAIN.
Hugging him to me, I ruffled his fur. I'll try not to.
He snuggled next to me and laid his head on my leg, sighing with pleasure. Shade entered— apparently the"demon breath" Fang had addressed—followed by Micah."What happened?" I asked.
"You don't remember?" Micah asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Uh, let me see. Bad guy waves gun around, green cloud vomits demons, good guys kick butt, then nothing."
He chuckled."The backlash from the power rebound knocked the two of you out, but Shade had the presence of mind to call for help."
I winced. Yeah, like I should have done before it happened.
"How did you get us down from the tower?" I couldn't imagine.
Shade started to explain, but Micah held up a hand."Let's just say it taxed our ingenuity, but we had assistance from the SCU and the Movement." He smiled."Everyone wanted to help, and they fought over who would act as the templates to heal the two of you."
No wonder I felt so good. I shook my head at Shade."You shouldn't have."
"It was necessary," Shade said."I am careful, you know. Micah and some others monitored me to ensure I was in no danger."
Well, that was all in the past. But I wondered . . ."Who won the fight to heal us?"
"Josh was your template and Andrew helped with the other guy," Micah said."They wanted to atone for causing the books to go missing in the first place."
Oh, the books. Where were they?
CHILL, Fang said. THEY'RE ON YOUR DRESSER. YOU GUYS GOT RESTLESS WHENEVER WE TOOK THEM AWAY SO WE LEFT THEM NEAR YOU.
Good. He was right—I could feel them there.
Then I realized what Micah had said. Josh and Andrew? Eww."Does that mean we'll be living with their memories the rest of our lives?" I searched my mind for any lingering adolescent male idiocy, but couldn't find it.
"No," Shade assured me."You were unconscious so it didn't transfer. It took a lot longer to heal you that way, but he didn't get any of your memories and you won't have his."
THANK HEAVENS, Fang said with a sigh. I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD LIVE WITH YOU IF YOU HAD JOSH IN YOUR BRAIN.
Me either. Feeling the man stir behind me, I stood up and looked down at him.
He opened his eyes and smiled."Valentine Shapiro. We did it."
"Yep, but . . . who are you?"
He swung his legs to the floor, then rose unsteadily and came around the bed with his hand
outstretched."Jack Grady, the real keeper."
Exactly as I'd suspected, but Trevor had claimed the same thing.
NO LIE, Fang said. HE'S TELLING THE TRUTH. BUT IT'S HIS STORY TO TELL.
"How'd you get trapped in there with Trevor's father?" I asked.
"It's a long story," Jack said.
Micah held up his hand."Why don't we do this in the other room so you two can get something to eat and drink first?"
"Now you're talking," Jack said with approval. He gathered up the books and brought them with him, as if he couldn't bear to let them out of his sight. As he set them on the dining room table,