"How the hell do you stop these things?"
MacEwan's sharp question jarred the silence.
"I told you. Break their necks.” She barely glanced at him, all her attention on the exit across the far side of the roof. A warning pulsed through her, and she checked.
The door opened, and two of MacEwan's men stepped out. They looked around, then ran towards the detective.
Behind them, the door opened again. The third zombie stepped out. She swore and stopped. The creature had the exit blocked, and there was no other way off the roof. They were trapped.
* * * *
The plaza pulsed with music and light. People danced and drank, filling the night with heat and music. Michael kept a close watch on the partygoers from his vantage point above the square. Jasper wove his way through the unsuspecting crowd, a red haze in the darkness, easy to follow. Michael sensed the other vampire's hunger, felt his need. Knew he would attempt to feed tonight. He watched him move from figure to figure, searching for easy prey, someone to lead off into the night and feed upon. Only Michael had already made sure there were no loners in the immediate area, forcing the drunks and lone partygoers to move on. Jasper would have to extend his search to a less populated section of the city.
And there he would die. Nikki would be safe.
He stirred, shifting from one foot to the other. He wouldn't—couldn't—think about her. Not when he had a murderer to catch. Maybe not even after.
But the memory of her smoky amber eyes, clouded in confusion and fear, kept running through his mind, haunting him.
He sighed and leaned wearily against the wall. He had never wanted to fall in love. Not with Nikki. Not with anyone. His life was too dangerous and human life too tenuous, too short. But right from the beginning he'd had no choice. He might have told himself he was only using her as bait, but the truth was, he had simply used it as an excuse to stay near her. She was a flame, a bright torch that had pierced the darkness surrounding him. He needed the touch of that fire. Needed her. He didn't want to return to the emptiness of an eternity alone. Better death, if it came to a choice. He frowned and watched Jasper move back to the center of the square. What was the fiend up to now?
The younger vampire found shape, intercepting the attentions of a pretty young woman, spinning her away from her partner in a dance both erotic and sensual.
Why the hell was Jasper dancing? Why was he risking exposure like this? Michael stood up straight. Something was going on, though he wasn't sure what.
The younger vampire turned. Their gazes locked in a battle Michael knew neither could win. Then Jasper sneered and mouthed a word.
Jake.
Michael clenched his fists. Somehow, Jasper was going after Jake. Probably the zombies again, he thought, and wished he'd killed them when he'd had the chance. Though what was the point when Jasper could so easily call more of his victims from the dead? He jumped to the ground and moved forward, slipping quickly through the crowd. There was nothing he could do for Jake right now. As much as he liked the man, as much as his death might hurt Nikki, he wasn't going to let Jasper slip through his fingers now that he almost had him...
Jasper's laughter stopped. His eyes widened as he suddenly realized his plan wasn't working. The fiend turned and ran, pushing his way through the crowd.
Michael smiled grimly. Jasper could never escape, no matter how fast he ran. Not when the air recoiled against his evil.
He walked quickly through the crowd, following Jasper's trail. They moved out of the square and into the main street. Jasper crossed the road, then ran into an alley. Michael hesitated as a car drove by, and picked up an old steel bar from a bin before he entered the alley. Jasper's life force shimmered ahead. He tossed the bar in his hand a couple of times, then glanced towards Jasper. Hefting the bar a third time, he threw it as hard as he could. It hit with a satisfying thump. Jasper staggered forward, then regained his momentum and kept on running. But for the first time, Michael felt fear rather than gloating in the younger vampire's thoughts. Jasper crossed another street. He was heading for the docks, perhaps hoping to lose Michael amongst all the old warehouses.
The tang of salt air grew heavier on the wind. Michael listened to the waves breaking across the wharf supports, an angry sound that matched his mood. Jasper ran down a wooden walkway and into a building.
Michael studied it. The warehouse appeared deserted. There was no one about, either inside or in the nearby buildings.
A trap waiting to be sprung.
He stopped near the door, then moved around to the left. Turning a corner, he saw a small building in the shadows of the next warehouse. He walked across, keeping watch on the building to make sure Jasper made no attempt to escape.
The door was padlocked. But from inside came the smell of gasoline. Michael wrenched the door open. How fortunate, he thought, seeing a dozen or so cans.
Picking up two, he moved back to the warehouse. Jasper hadn't moved. He could see his red haze hunkered down in one corner.
Michael opened the can and splashed the gas across the building's wooden wall. Then he stepped back, reaching into his pocket for the matches he'd picked up earlier. The fire wouldn't kill Jasper, but it would make him sweat. Make him relive the horror of his childhood. Make him fear, as he'd made Nikki fear.
Lighting a match, Michael flicked it at the wall, then stepped back quickly as the wall exploded into flame.
Fear hit him, almost suffocating his senses. Only it wasn't Jasper's fear. It was Nikki's. He immediately opened the link and reached out, demanding to know what was wrong. Her mind was closed to him, refusing to acknowledge his call. He cursed softly. When he'd shared his psyche with her, he'd not only strengthened the link between them, but he'd also strengthened her ability to ignore him as well.
He glanced back at the fire. Hungry fingers of flame were beginning to spread along the roof. It wouldn't be long before the whole building was ablaze. Jasper hadn't yet moved. He would wait until the last possible moment. But Michael couldn't.
Nikki was in danger. He had to leave.
At least dawn wasn't far off. With a bit of luck, Jasper wouldn't have the courage to do any hunting tonight.
And that, in turn, would weaken him, make them a more even match. When Michael had shared his psyche with Nikki, he'd lost a lot of his strength. If Jasper fed, he would be hard to beat. Not that it mattered. If Michael had to die, then so be it.
As long as he took Jasper with him.
He turned and broke into a run, heading for the hospital and Nikki.
* * * *
The zombie charged her. Nikki leaped away, but not fast enough. The creature's fist clipped her jaw and sent her flying. She hit the concrete hard, her breath whooshing from her lungs. The zombie turned, its movements ponderous yet not slow. A sick grin marred the features that had once been pretty. Rolling over, Nikki scrambled to her feet. The zombie rushed again. She dodged sideways, barely avoiding the creature's fist, then glanced at the shadows at the chimney's base. Slowly, foot by foot, she was leading the creature away from Jake.
A shot rang out through the silence, then a string of curses and the sound of running footsteps. MacEwan and his men were trying to deal with the second of the creatures. The third still held guard near the door. The zombie rushed Nikki again. She ducked, but not fast enough. The creature's hand smashed into the back of her skull and sent her flying. Her knees skinned against the concrete, and she shook her head, fighting tears and the stars dancing before her eyes.
From behind her came the sound of a scraped footstep. Panic surged. She twisted away, but the zombie hit her hard, knocking her sideways, back onto the concrete. It laughed, an oddly vacant sound that chilled her soul. She blinked back tears of pain and tried to roll to one side. The zombie reached down and stopped her, then put its hands round her neck and hauled her upright. She might not be able to die, but right at this moment, it sure as hell felt as if she could. The creature's grip tightened. Gritting her teeth against the pain, gasping for breath and trying not to panic, she reached into her pocket.
The edge of darkness was closing in fast. She quickly loosened the top of the salt container, then took it out of her pocket and flung it into the zombie's face.
The creature roared and let go, tearing at its eyes as it staggered away. Nikki pushed upright. She could barely see through tears, and her throat felt raw, as if it were on fire. It hurt to breathe, let alone move. But she had to move, before the creature came back.
A warning pulsed through her mind. She scrubbed the tears away and turned. The zombie sniffed the breeze, using scent instead of vision.
It spun and charged. Nikki didn't move. The creature was too fast to outrun, too strong to fight by normal means. All she had left were her abilities. But she needed time to use them again, time to recover from the stress of lifting Jake. Time she didn't have.
She took a deep breath and prayed for a miracle.
Thrusting a tight beam of energy at the creature, she halted its charge. It screamed in fury, struggling against the invisible cords holding it immobile.
Sweat broke out across Nikki's brow, running into her eyes, stinging them. She didn't blink, didn't move, fearing either might cause her to lose her grip. Fire ripped through her mind, a red haze of agony she had no choice but to ignore as she battled to contain the creature. But simple containment was not the answer. The zombie had to die, or else it would come back again and again. The creature who controlled its mind wanted Jake dead. The zombie would follow the wishes of its master until it succeeded.
Or died.
She had no choice. Slowly but surely, she pushed the creature backwards, forcing it towards the edge of the building. The creature hit the ledge, and its arms flailed. It screamed, a sound so human, Nikki hesitated.
In that instant, the creature surged forward again—running straight for the shadows that held Jake. Nikki gasped and dropped to her knees. She couldn't do it again. She bit her lip and hugged her body tightly. She had to. This zombie had to die, or more people would. People like Jake, who'd done nothing to Jasper except be her friend.
She forced past the pain and grabbed the creature, thrusting it back to the edge. It struggled desperately, wrenching and twisting the invisible lines holding it captive. Pain rippled through every fiber, every cell. Nikki ignored it and tightened her hold, then thrust the creature past the edge. When it had cleared the concrete edge by several feet, she let go. The creature fell, screaming. She closed her eyes and rocked back and forth, desperately trying to catch her breath. She felt like she'd run a damn marathon—but it wasn't over yet. Two zombies still remained. Another gunshot shattered the night. Nikki licked her lips and climbed unsteadily to her feet. MacEwan appeared out of the shadows to her left, half carrying one of his men. A zombie followed them, dragging one leg more than usual.
She clenched her fist and threw a ball of power at the creature. It staggered under the impact and stopped, giving MacEwan the chance to escape immediate danger.
Then it turned. A roar of anger bit through the night. Giving the creature no chance to charge, she sent another whip of power towards it, knocking it sideways.
She reached again, but agony locked her mind tight. She fell to her knees, fighting tears, fighting the red tide threatening to engulf her. She'd done too much, pushed too hard. Now there was nothing left. Nothing but pain and approaching death.
I don't want to die.
Not that she could, unless someone broke her neck. And she had a bad feeling the zombie knew that. That Jasper knew that.
But there was nothing she could do except close her eyes and wait.
Chapter Eighteen
The footsteps stopped. An eerie silence followed.
Confused, Nikki opened her eyes and looked up. Pain shot through her head at that smallest of movements. She blinked back tears, unable to believe what she saw. The zombie lay on the concrete ten feet away, its neck twisted at an odd angle. What on earth ... ?
"Nikki?” The soft question flowed out of the night.
Michael. Her heart leaped, rushing heat through her body. She turned carefully, searching for him. Nothing but shadows filled the night.
"Are you all right?” Again his whisper cut through the night.
"Yes.” Why didn't he show himself? Was it MacEwan's nearby presence that stopped him? Fear pounded through her heart, and she reached out to the link, only to be stopped by a wall of pain.
"Take care then, little one.” His voice was distant.
He's leaving me. She squeezed her eyes shut, and tried to control the panic pounding at her pulse. This was for the best. It's what she wanted. But fingers of fear wrapped around her heart, squeezing it tight. Tears trickled past her closed eyelids. Maybe she was a fool for letting him go, but what choice did she really have? She'd always been cursed when it came to love. Jake had managed to survive its touch, but she didn't love him the way she had loved her parents and Tommy. And now Michael. She had to believe it was better that he left. It was the only way she could survive. Footsteps approached. She opened her eyes. MacEwan eyed the dead zombie warily, his gun at the ready. The look on his face would've made her laugh any other day.
"The creature near the door is also dead,” he said, nudging the zombie with the toe of his boot. “Care to explain how it happened?"
"One of those situations that can't be explained.” God, it hurt to think, hurt to move. But she had to do both. She couldn't stay here.
His gaze was disbelieving. Nikki ignored him. She didn't have the energy to even try to explain Michael's intervention.
After a moment, MacEwan shrugged and put his gun away. “Who am I to question deliverance? Need a hand up?"
She nodded. He clasped her arm and hauled her upright. Pain shot like fire through her brain, and she gasped, fighting the urge to be sick.