Total Eclipse

Were going through the aetheric, she said.

Wait, thats not

Trust me.

And then everything was a rush of color, light, a feeling of being destroyed to a cellular level, pain, and then, suddenly, I was facedown on the carpet of a casino floor, gasping for breath.

Slot machines were ringing, just like the world was still normal. Just like everything that Id been through had been a terrible, passing nightmare.

I felt like a sack of overcooked spaghetti, and I wasnt sure I could get to my feet at all, but Ve

I cleared my throat and nodded. Thank you.

There will be a price, she said coolly.

That was positively chilling, but I tried not to let her see how much that got to me as I said the words, she misted away, and I capped the bottle firmly. She was right. The second the cork slotted in place, I felt better, stronger, and almost capable of standing on my own. But, since there was a handy wall to lean on, no sense in pushing it.

I heard the metallic rattle of guns being readied, and peered around to see a line of men and women facing me with serious weaponry, and even more serious expressions. Most of them were wearing the tailored blazers of security for the Luxor hotel.

All of them were Maat, and I could feel the shields being readied against anything I might try to throw at them.

I was too tired for this crap. I held out my fingers in a peace signwhich was one more finger than I was inclined to show themand said, Take me to Lewis.

Ve

Lewis would answer, or Id beat it the hell out of him with my bare hands.

Chapter Eleven

They took me out of the casino areamost of the dedicated players hadnt paid a bit of attention to the sudden show of firepowerand hustled me through a maze of corridors to a salon privé on the second floor. It had the hushed, elegant vibe of a place where only the highest of high rollers was hosted.

The Maat guards opened the doorsome kind of biometricsand pushed me inside before closing it after me. It was a large room, and under normal circumstances it would have been exquisitely appointed, but the Wardens had no time for that nonsense, clearly. Expensive antiques had been shoved like driftwood into corners. A round mahogany table that would have caused those Antiques Roadshow guys to weep had been unceremoniously loaded down with files, computers, and satellite phones. There were folding tables set up with coffee and food, and cotsmostly full of sleeping peoplecrammed in at every angle possible. The clear space that was left was where the Wardens were working.

I saw Luis and Cassiel, and made straight for them. What the hell happened to David? I yelled. That got almost everyones attention in the room, even the sleeping ones. I shoved cots out of my way, creating a logjam effect, and scrambled over people to land in front of Cassiel. He was with you! Where is he?

She said nothing, but she looked sideways at a tall man pushing his way through the crowd. I didnt even have to look at him to know who it wasthe subdued tingle of his powers was unmistakable against mine.

Lewis.

He grabbed me and hugged me fiercely, which would have normally been nice, but right now I wasnt interested in anyone comforting me. I wanted answers.

The words died in my throat when I focused on his face. He looked terrible, worse than Id ever seen him. Ages older than hed been when wed parted back in Miami.

He was tearing himself apart.

From the look on his face, I wasnt in much better shape. I pushed all that aside, grabbed him by the collar of his rumpled, days-old shirt, and said, Where is he?

Lewis closed his long fingers over mine, but he didnt try to take my hands off him. Hes all right, he said. Jo, Im sorry. I couldnt let him leave again. I couldnt take the risk. Ashan is out there

Not anymore, I said. Ashans gone. Ve

That made him pause, but only for a second. HowNever mind. Its good that hes gone. He was poisoning her view of us. Maybe Ve

I cant let her go, I interrupted. Lewis, if I do, shell be as bad as the others. Shes probably more powerful than Ashan, and if she gets thrown at us again . . . I couldnt think of words to describe how bad that would be. Ashan had been bad enough, but having Ve

He gazed down at me for a long while, and then said, Come with me.

I let go of his collar. There was something in the quiet, almost miserable way he said it that made me gulp; I didnt want to see Lewis feel beaten. Hed always been the one who just didnt give up. He cheated, he schemed, he lied, he manipulatedbut he didnt give up.

If he did now, I didnt think I could bear it at all.

He took my hand and led me past the silent Wardens. There were only thirty or so in the room, and half of those were wounded, some badly. I stopped to touch a few hands. Nobody had anything to say. I saw the same beaten weariness in every face. Well, maybe not Cassiels, but she was always the exception. That would require she actually gave a crap.

Lewis led me into a side roomprobably some fancy sitting room where countries were bought and sold, never mind companies. It was empty and still. The air conditioning blew on my face and reminded me of the hot stinging spots that remained on my neck, arm, and leg. Ow.

He shut the door and turned to face me.

You left me to die, I said. Didnt you?

Jo, I couldnt risk it. We need David here, and there were no guarantees that we wouldnt lose you both. Rahel told me how bad it was out there, and I put him back in the bottle.

That raised the hair on the back of my neck, and I knew my posture shifted into something that was a hairbreadth short of attack. You put David back in the bottle. You stopped him from coming to me.

Yes. I got it from Cassiel. Dont blame her. I didnt give her a choice, and she didnt know why I was asking.

Screw that. Cassiel had known. Deep down, I had known, too. Id felt it, I just hadnt wanted to admit it.

Lewis was still talking. I struggled to hear him over the angry buzz in my ears. Jo, I trusted you. I believed youd find a way, and you did.

No, I said. You left me to die, and you didnt see that out there, Lewis. You didnt see what was going to tear me apart!

He didnt answer that. I understood the misery, now. He really had stood there at that table and made the cold-blooded decision to pull my rescue party, and consolidate his resources.

And leave me trapped and alone.

Enough, I said. Enough. If this is what it takes to win, fuck it, I dont want to win anymore. Give me Davids bottle.

What are you going to do with it?

I wont break it, if thats what youre worrying about, I snapped. I felt that I hardly knew this man anymore, even though Id spent half of my life thinking of him, loving him just enough to be able to not let go. I want my husband, and I want to leave.

And go where? Do what? Jo, this is the end! Theres nowhere to run! Shes hunting us down, all the Wardens, everywhere. Most of us are already gone, for Gods sake. Did you see them out there? Were dying! And when were gone, everyone else dies. Maybe itll take a few more days, maybe a week, but in the end, she wont let a single human stay alive. I know that. I feel that! Tears suddenly welled in Lewiss eyes and spilled down his face, and he justfolded up, as if Id gut-punched him. No, as if a Dji