Part 26 (1/2)
The very faint stench of rotting garbage and sewage.
Her heart pounded with fear. ”No,” she whispered.
The darkness inside her fully opened her eyes to see his true form just as Adam whirled a dagger out of his back pocket and stabbed Jordan in the chest.
He moved so fast Damian became a blur. He stood before Jamie, hands splayed out behind him, muscled body tensed for fighting. She struggled to get up. Her arms were dead weights, her legs, as well, hard as granite.
She flopped back helplessly, imprisoned by her body and the poison seeping through her veins.
Damian's hand drifted down to his back jeans pocket. He withdrew his phone, his fingers gliding over the b.u.t.tons as he flipped it open. It lit up as he pressed one. Then he slid it back.
The special number to call in the cavalry.
Adam grinned, flipped the dagger up, catching it by the hilt. He rolled aside Jordan's body.
”Ricky,” Damian said in a low voice. ”You know what to do. You failed her in the alley, but Jamie needs your help now. Attack him.”
”Oh, he won't listen to you. He only obeys me.” Adam flicked the flat of the blade at the biker. ”Heel, Ricky.”
The other Draicon came forward obediently.
”Change,” Adam demanded.
Before her horrified gaze, Ricky's face bulged, expanded. s.h.i.+fted, his body contorting. Ricky vanished. In his place was an exact duplicate of...
Adam.
Oh merciful heaven. Jamie's heart raced with panic.
The original Adam flipped the dagger.
”Did you know that killing a relative gains you power, but killing your own mother makes you practically invincible? You can create clones without draining energy. Human clones, not just animals. Human clones that can look different, kill for you, giving the energy of the kill back to you, their host.”
He laughed. ”It's the greatest. I could be in eight different places all at once.”
His satisfied purr sounded like metal grating against a chalkboard as he walked to the table, ran the dagger's point over the Book of Magick.
”Thanks for finding it for me. Knew you'd find it eventually. I programmed all your moves into the computer. My mother tried to stop me. So I killed her. Poor Renee.”
Oh G.o.d, Renee's son. ”Maurice died in a car crash,” Jamie cried out.
”That's what she told everyone. I changed my name and Renee kept me hidden. Needed the cover, see? Poor maman. Lost her husband and then her son, when Claude tried murdering you as a baby, Damian. He knew, like I did, just how dangerous you'd be. So when you finally s.h.i.+fted into wolf for the first time, I knew I had to act and kill you and your family.”
His smile was a pit of darkness. ”I liked their fear-it was very energizing. Especially Annie's. She was so very afraid.”
Damian went very still. Waves of fury and sorrow slammed into Jamie, but he looked perfectly in control.
”Renee couldn't bear to part with another son. It was a good arrangement. I'd hunt at night and return to her place by day to hide. Then you came to the shop, you b.i.t.c.h. She told me she couldn't live like that anymore. She'd seen what goodness s.h.i.+ning out of darkness was and that was you. She saw nothing in me but blackness. She threatened to expose me.”
Adam's smile went dead, like his eyes. ”Couldn't have that. I killed her and shape-s.h.i.+fted one of my clones into a black cat like Archimedes. Chased the real Archimedes into the street and waited to see who would show up at the shop. You have a soft spot for animals, Damian, and I needed a spy in Jamie's house. I didn't count on the real Archimedes finding a way into Jamie's house, and you killing my clone when you realized it was a Morph.”
He flipped the knife up again. ”And now that I have the book, no one can stop me. I have the greatest power of all.”
”You'll never know the greatest power of all, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d.” Damian's nostrils flared as he clenched his fists. In a flash he s.h.i.+fted into wolf.
Adam snapped an order. Ricky s.h.i.+fted into a black wolf, charged Damian. Damian sidestepped, roared with outrage and the pain of betrayal. When he turned, Adam had morphed into a wolf, all teeth and claws. Damian rushed forward.
Horror shot through her as Adam suddenly divided, again. And again. Now there were five black wolves all charging at Damian.
Two went for his throat, their teeth sinking into Damian's neck. Three others launched onto his hindquarters, trying to bring him down. Blood splashed as Damian growled, trying to shake off the ones at his throat. He wrenched free, teeth snapping and scoring a gash in the other wolf. But the three on his hindquarters were slowly bringing him down.
Damian didn't stand a chance.
Jamie summoned the last of her strength, all her love, and concentrated. She hurled stones from the garden at the wolves. Startled, they drew back, loosening their grip on Damian. Then she lifted the two charging wolves, hurled them backward like rag dolls. They hit the brick wall with such force they slid down unconscious. Freed from the immediate threat, Damian whirled, charged the closest of the three.
A loud snarling split the air. Her gaze whipped to the open doorway. Three large gray wolves entered the courtyard. Relief filled her. Damian's brothers joined the fight. It was soon over, and Adam and his clones were dead.
Damian and his brothers shape-s.h.i.+fted back, clothed themselves. Raphael went over to Jordan, checked his pulse. ”He's alive. Just missed the heart. He'll be fine. Help me get him upstairs.”
Gabriel and Alexandre helped the older Draicon sit. Jordan looked pale, blood staining his s.h.i.+rt. Jordan turned his head as if scenting her.
”I'm sorry, but I couldn't help. I can't fight well enough anymore. I scented Morph as soon as they entered, and should have warned you.”
The Draicon seemed ashamed.
”You did well. Thank you for bringing the book here,” Damian said gently.
Jamie tracked them as they helped Jordan into the house.
Damian enveloped her in his arms. ”It's all over now,” he whispered, holding her. ”Everything will be all right now, chere.”
He drew back, running his thumb along her lower lip. ”You're so cold. It's accelerating too fast. Tell me now. How can we counteract the spell?”
It felt as if her lungs were filling with concrete. Jamie dragged in a breath, finding it hard to draw in air. The spell was working on her internal organs now, speeding through her body. Soon she'd be fully immobilized.
Raphael, Gabriel and Alexandre returned, gathered around the book.
She went to raise her hand to touch him, but it remained at her side. ”Damian, lay me on the ground. Please, it's easier for what you must do.”
When he did so, she bit back a sob. Wis.h.i.+ng she could touch him, feel his skin against hers one last time. ”Kiss me,” she whispered hoa.r.s.ely.
His mouth was soft, warm against her icy lips. She savored him, closing her eyes. One last time.
When he drew away, a frown creased his forehead. ”Tell me what I must do to free you. What did the spell say?”
”There is no cure.” Jamie gasped for breath. ”Only in the b-beginning stages. It's too late. There's nothing you can do except let me go so I can die.”