by Nina Bangs
Nine beamed at her. “Thanks to your charming self, Ty and one of his friends will rush in to rescue you from my evil clutches—” he glanced at his watch—“in I’d say about ten minutes. When that happens, I’ll be here to greet them. Don’t worry, you’ll see Ty again. After all, he and his friend will be our guests of honor.”
“Won’t they be a little tough for you to handle?” After looking into Nine’s eyes, she didn’t really believe her words, but she wanted to keep him talking while she tried to figure things out.
“Look at me, my dear.” He tilted her head up, forcing her to meet his gaze.
Kelly couldn’t help it; she shrank away from him, her heart pounding hard and fast. Billions of years of death and destruction shone in his ordinary brown eyes. She fought back her renewed nausea.
“Now you understand. I’ll handle them just fine. Once I’ve shown them to the middle of the arena, Thadeus, my very capable sorcerer, will cast a circle to keep them inside. Then…” He seemed to pause so he could savor his next disclosure. “Then I’ll take away their memories of everything except their previous lives. The souls of their beasts will consume them. They’ll no longer be human, and they’ll revert to the wonderful predators they once were.”
She stared at him in horror. Wasn’t it enough that Fin had stolen Ty’s memory of another time? Now this creep would take away his memories of this time. Of her.
He seemed pleased by her reaction. “You have to agree, it’s brilliant. Primitive instincts will take over, and they’ll try to kill each other.”
“But they’re immortal.” Kelly hung on to that truth.
“Ah, I see that Fin hasn’t told you everything. When their dinosaur souls are dominant, they’re invulnerable to most attacks. But…” He dragged out the suspense, rolling it around and playing with it. “They can kill each other.”
Kelly stared back at him, forcing her expression into one of calm confidence, but inside her terror shrieked and babbled.
“And now you’ll have the honor of sitting at my side as I address my Houston recruits.”
He shifted his attention to the crowd, and Kelly exhaled the breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding. Panic pulled at her, but descending into mindless hysteria wouldn’t help Ty.
Her flute. She could picture it lying on the floor of her apartment and felt the despair of knowing that her only real weapon was beyond her reach.
Lee leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Mr. Wyatt gave you to me. You’ll be my first live meal in a very long time. I just wanted you to know how special you are.”
Kelly clenched her teeth, refusing to give Lee the reaction the vampire was hoping for. But as Nine picked up a microphone and started talking, she forgot about Lee.
“This night is for you, future rulers of Houston. From this night forward, you’ll reclaim the darkness.” The audience roared. “The humans will disappear, a few more each night. And by the time December twenty-first, 2012 arrives, the human population will be in a frenzy of fear. At that moment, you, guided by me and the ones who came with me, will rise up and destroy all of them.”
Overdramatic but effective.
Nine paused to acknowledge the cheers.
“Tonight will be my last in Houston. I’m leaving to take my message to another city. But the organization will be left in capable hands. If needed, I can return instantly.” His thinly veiled threat, aimed at anyone who subscribed to the when-the-cat’s-away philosophy, had the desired effect.
Kelly could almost feel the fear radiating from the crowd. What could make a vicious mob of supernatural beings so afraid? Maybe she didn’t want to know.
“As a going-away offering, I’ve planned something special for you. In a few minutes, you’ll witness the ultimate fight, a spectacle no one on Earth has ever seen. Enjoy.”
There was an excited buzz from the audience.
Fear clogged her throat, not for herself, but for the man she loved. Amazing how easy the thought of loving him was now that she couldn’t tell him. Would she ever get the chance? Kelly drew in a deep breath and calmed herself. She’d find a way to help him. Somehow. She’d just have to center her concentration and think. Fin? He’d realize Ty was in trouble in time to do his god act, wouldn’t he? She only hoped he was as powerful as Ty thought.
Ty sat in the SUV with Seir and Gig, waiting until everyone was in place. He knew his backup was out there, but he couldn’t spot anyone. The parking lots were empty. Everyone had parked on side streets where cars wouldn’t be noticed. Come to think of it, he wondered where Nine’s people had parked. It sure wasn’t here.
Q, Lio, and Al crouched behind small trees and buildings close to the Astrodome. Fin never sent all of the Eleven into battle at once if he could help it. No use in giving the enemy a chance to wipe them all out in one attack. Fin had said he’d be nearby, too, if they needed him.
The huge parking lots around the stadium didn’t offer any cover, so Jude and his vampires were pressed flat atop the roof of Reliant Stadium next door to the Astrodome, ready to jump into battle. Macario and his wolves were skulking in the shadows. They must be doing a good job of it because he couldn’t see them either.
“Ready to go in?” Seir glanced at both of them.
“I’m ready to kill.” Gig’s smile was a scary thing.
In fact, all of Gig was scary. Big, with those pale eyes and that wild mane of hair, he had a lust for violence. That was why Fin had chosen him. Gig’s soul was a Giganoto-saurus, a meat eater even bigger than the T. rex. Between the two of them, they’d tear up the Astrodome.
Ty nodded at Seir. “Let’s do it.”
Seir eased the SUV into a spot in front of one of the stadium’s doors. “I don’t know what’ll happen once we get inside. You’ll have to wing it. I do know that Wyatt had his pet sorcerer ward the entrances. Thadeus will be waiting for us so he can drop the ward. The cover story is that he’s my friend on the inside.”
“Right.” Tension coiled in Ty’s stomach. Kelly was alive. He could feel her as surely as he could feel the wrongness of this whole place.
Ty and the others silently approached the door. Then they waited. Suddenly the door swung open and a tall thin man scowled out at them.
“Get in fast.” Thadeus’s eyes were as black as the clothes he wore.
They stepped inside, then waited while the sorcerer replaced his ward. He waved at them. “This way.” He led them down a dark tunnel. At the end, Ty could see a faint light. Somewhere along the way Seir disappeared.
“This doesn’t feel right,” Gig muttered behind him. “We should kill the sorcerer now and then do our own thing.” Obviously, he liked the direct approach.
Ty didn’t get a chance to reply because suddenly light flared in front of them. Within the light stood a man. An ordinary-looking man. But there was nothing ordinary about the power surrounding him, power strong enough to push Ty back.
The man glanced at the sorcerer. “You may go now, Thadeus. Make the preparations.” Thadeus silently departed.
Ty trusted his instincts, and his instinct said to act now. He gathered himself, ready to rush the man. Ty sensed Gig doing the same.
The man didn’t say anything, didn’t do anything, but suddenly Ty felt as if his body were encased in cement. He couldn’t move. What the hell? He strained against whatever held him. Nothing. Gig stood frozen beside him.
The man smiled and shook his head. “If I were you, I’d save my energy. You’ll need it.” The glow surrounding him wasn’t from any light. The glow came from him. “I’m sure you’ve already guessed my identity. I can’t believe Fin calls me Nine.” He looked insulted. “Nine really doesn’t speak to all my individual talents.”
Ty cursed himself. He’d been arrogant enough to think he could just waltz in here, catch Nine off guard, find Kelly, and escape with her. Even with Fin and the others waiting outside, he was afraid they had underestimated Nine. And, yes, he’d undoubtedly let his fear for Kelly cloud his judgment. He
wondered now whether Fin had realized he was probably sending two of the Eleven to their deaths.
“But enough of my chatter. We have a show to put on. Follow me.”
Nine didn’t even look at them when he said it, but Ty’s feet started moving. He wasn’t in control of his body anymore. Hell, this couldn’t be happening.
They emerged from the tunnel into the arena to the roar of excited voices. Nine marched them to the middle of the field and stopped.
“If you’ll look around…Oh, wait, you can’t. Well, I’ll tell you what you’d see if you could look around. All of my shiny new recruits are waiting for the show to begin. And your friend Kelly is sitting directly behind you. Since you can’t say hello, I’ll do it for you.” The creep waved.
Evidently tired of his game, Nine finally got to the point. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’ll free your animal soul and fight each other. To the death. I promised my people a spectacle, and it can’t get better than that.”
Ty wasn’t able to speak, but he hoped his eyes said that Nine couldn’t make him fight. Besides, he and Gig were immortal. They could fight until they fell over without killing each other.
Nine smiled. “Oh, but I can make you. In just a few minutes I’ll take away all your memories of this time. Nothing will remain but your animal soul and the memories that go with it. As I told Kelly, you can kill each other. Fin really should’ve explained that to you.” He looked thoughtful. “Of course, there’s always the possibility he didn’t know, but I doubt it.”
Ty wasn’t surprised that Nine could read his thoughts. He made a concentrated effort not to think about anything Nine could use.
Thadeus came into Ty’s line of vision. He was tracing a large circle that would take up most of the arena floor. “As you can see, my sorcerer is casting a circle. Once he closes it, neither of you will be able to escape.”
Crap. Ty was now a believer. He had no doubt Nine could deliver on his boasts.
Nine watched Thadeus do his thing. Then he nodded. “I’ll leave you now. And you have my sincere gratitude for making all this possible.” He walked away.
Fin. Ty’s last shot. Taking the chance that Nine wasn’t in his head right now, he tried to open his mental link. Nothing. Nine had closed all doors, physical and mental. Ty was out of ideas. Now all he could do was survive. For Kelly.
In those last few minutes, with his memories intact, he thought of Kelly. Would the others get to her in time? He had to believe they’d both come out the other side of this alive.
Ty watched Nine step outside the circle. And as Thadeus closed it, Ty felt all that made him human slipping away. His last link with humanity had Kelly’s name attached, and then it too was gone.
Kelly watched the scene unfold with numbing fear. She was a spectator at a tragedy she couldn’t stop. As soon as Nine had come out of the tunnel with Ty and another member of the Eleven, she’d realized he had them under his control. What had he done to them?
Fury and a fierce protectiveness tightened her chest. She’d been known to help spiders out of tubs, but right now she’d kill Nine without one regret. Despair tugged at her. She didn’t have the power to kill Nine. No one did. But she could have stopped him, if only she’d had her flute with her.
Who was the guy with Ty? She took a closer look. Gig. She remembered his name along with his pale, scary eyes, but not what soul form he’d take on. She’d find out soon enough.
The crowd roared as Thadeus closed the circle. She could see the flare of the energy barrier. Too bad the sorcerer wasn’t on the inside of his little creation.
Suddenly, Nine released Ty and Gig from whatever hold he had on them. But before either man could move more than a few feet, their souls took command.
Kelly bit her lip, her heart pounding in tandem with her silent cries of no, no, no. She watched as the two massive dinosaurs took form in the middle of the Astrodome. Omigod. She’d thought nothing could be more intimidating than a T. rex. She’d been wrong. Gig looked a lot like Ty, only bigger and even more terrifying. Fear such as she’d never felt before left her cold and shaking. Ty couldn’t die here. It wouldn’t be fair. But fair didn’t have a lot to do with life.
Both dinosaurs roared their challenges as they flung themselves at each other. The whole building shook with the savagery of their coming together. The shouts of the mob played counterpoint to the sounds of the death battle. Blood began to flow. Real blood.
The flickering flames of the torches threw shadows across the dimly lit arena and the massive animals in its center. Ty came in fast on the larger, but maybe a little slower, Gig. Opening immense jaws, he sank his teeth into Gig’s neck, tearing and rending. Gig’s enraged bellow drew screams of delight from the audience.
The scent of blood made Kelly gag. She wanted to look away, but she couldn’t. God, Ty had to win. But at what cost? Nine wouldn’t let the winner live anyway.
Gig threw all his weight at Ty, and they went down in a cloud of dust. The floor vibrated beneath her.
Ty lost his grip. As they lurched to their feet, Gig struck at Ty’s side, tearing a long, bloody gash in his flesh. Blood poured from the wound onto the dirt, where it seeped into the earth. Gig raised his head, and his huge teeth dripped with Ty’s blood.
The proof of Ty’s vulnerability hardened something in Kelly. Enough. If her hands had been free, she would have swiped at the tears sliding down her face. She was done with tears. They wouldn’t help Ty or Gig. Frantically, she looked around. There had to be someone who could help her.
As if on cue, a voice spoke softly behind her. “Don’t turn your head. Don’t talk. Just listen.”
Seir? She opened her mouth to tell him what she thought of him, but something in his voice made her shut it again.
“Good. Wyatt looks like he isn’t in any hurry to rejoin you. So while he’s busy playing the asshole, I’m going to get you out of here. That’s what Ty wanted.”
She felt him working at her ankles and wrists as the thuds of huge bodies colliding and the shouts of the crowd battered at her. At last she was free. Taking a deep breath, she tried to think. Oh, God, she couldn’t focus. But she had to come up with something before one of the combatants died.
Both Ty and Gig looked unsteady on their feet, but still they fought on. Even as she watched, Ty gouged flesh from Gig’s flank right before Gig swung his lethal tail, hurling Ty to the ground. She held her breath until Ty got to his feet again. They left a trail of blood as they battled across the Astrodome.
“I don’t know what you’re planning,” Seir whispered, “but forget it. Ty’s friends plus Jude’s and Macario’s people are outside ready to storm this place as soon as you’re safe.”
Kelly still wasn’t sure whose side Seir was on, but he’d freed her, so she’d give him the benefit of the doubt. “Do you really think anyone outside will be able to get in? You’ve seen what that immortal dirtbag can do. If Fin can protect his condo from attacks by Nine, then I bet Nine can do the same thing. I bet he’d added extra juice to the sorcerer’s wards. Have you tried to reach anyone on your cell phone?”
“Yeah. Nothing.”
They were both silent for a few seconds, the screams of the mob’s bloodlust and the roars of the two crazed predators a Greek chorus for their thoughts. Kelly stared unblinkingly at the two animals trying to destroy each other. At Ty slowly dying. “I can’t see his humanity.”
“What?”
“Always before I could see Ty’s human form at the heart of his beast. He’s not there this time.” Kelly felt tears slide down her face. “I won’t leave, Seir. You try to get out and tell everyone we need them now.” Before it was too late for Ty and Gig.
Seir’s deep exhalation had all his frustration with her stubbornness packed into it. “You can’t help him.”
If only she had her flute she could…Wait. Fin had said it was the melody that would send Nine back to where he came from. Sure, he’d seen her playing it on a flute in his vision, but it was t
he actual tune that had the power.
Okay, it was grasping-at-straws time. She didn’t have the flute, but the melody was carved into her mind and soul. Every time she closed her eyes she heard it, every note perfect.
Fin had said he’d seen the future, but the future wasn’t immutable. People had free will; they could change the future. So why did she have to play her brain music on the flute?
She took a deep breath. Inside the circle, Ty and Gig continued to circle and strike, searching for that moment of weakness when they could move in for the killing blow. Covered in blood and physically overmatched by his larger enemy, Ty refused to give up. He had huge gashes and bites over most of his body, but at least nothing seemed broken. Again and again Gig knocked him to the ground. Again and again he rose from the clouds of dust. Gig’s growing exhaustion was the only thing saving Ty. But he wouldn’t last much longer.
“I’m going to try something. Can you protect me for even a few minutes?” Kelly didn’t have much hope that Seir could. Nine’s power would probably trump everyone’s except Fin’s. Sure, Nine couldn’t kill her directly, but he had a few thousand true believers ready and willing to do it for him.
Seir surprised her by not arguing. “What do you want?”
“Pick up the hand mike that Nine left on the floor. Make sure it’s turned on and then hand it to me. After that, do whatever you can to protect me.” She paused. “And if you can’t, thanks for trying.”
“You’ll have all the time you need.” He sounded sure of that.
She swallowed hard, trying to relax her throat muscles. Oh, what the hell. She gave up and nodded to Seir. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ty go down again. She willed him to his feet. Struggling to rise, he finally righted himself, but soon he wouldn’t get up again. Hurry, she had to hurry.
Seir grabbed the mike and passed it to her. Standing, Kelly blocked out the horror taking place inside the circle. Then she sang. As the first notes filled the stadium, the audience fell silent. All faces turned toward her even as Gig swung his massive tail once again, catching Ty a blow that staggered him.