Текст книги "Total Eclipse"

Автор книги: Rachel Caine

Соавторы: Rachel Caine
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The Djinn behind the wheel said, in Whitneys voice, Oh, hell, I should have known this wouldnt go so easy. She sounded deeply annoyed. Everybody out of the car, right now. Get whatever you want to keep.

I bailed out, and David followed me; we each grabbed a bag full of supplies, and I unzipped one bag and found the shotgun and pistol that Id liberated from the motel where wed lost Kevin. I loaded the shotgun with shells and tossed it to David without looking; he caught it the same way. What are we shooting? he asked, quite reasonably.

I loaded up my pockets with ammunition for the shotgun and the pistol, checked the clip, and shook my head. No idea, I said. But I hate to be underdressed in the event of an attack

I didnt have time to finish, because a silent missile dropped down out of the dark sky and sliced razor-sharp claws at my face. Id been extending my Oversight out, not up, and the only warning I had of the huge birds approach was the sudden cool breeze on my face as it backwinged to slow itself. It shrieked as I fell backward, and I rolled, trying to avoid its next dive.

David turned on a lantern, and I saw the biggest damn bird Id ever seen gliding low over our heads, angling for another strike. It was a freaking bald eagle, and it was utterly magnificent. Id have been transported with its beauty if it hadnt just taken a swipe at my eyes. The wingspan was enormous, probably at least six feet, and it was an expert hunter.

Cassiel suddenly stepped into the circle of light, lifted her arm, and made a sharp, whistling sound.

The eagle glided in, and for a second it looked as if it was going to land tamely on her leather-clad armnot that the leather would be any kind of defense against those incredible claws. Theyd punch through even the toughest hide like it was rice paper. Cassiels pale green eyes were watchful, totally focused on the bird as it made its approach.

She barely had time to dodge out of the way as it spilled air from its wings at the last second, altering its trajectory, and let out an ear-piercing shriek as it thrust its claws forward. It raked her leather jacket from neck to waist, shredding it, and with mighty flaps of its wings, it gained altitude again and disappeared into the sky.

I cant hold it, Cassiel said. And there are others coming. Many others.

Birds?

Large birds, she confirmed. Owls, eagles, hawks. And on land, other things. Bears, wolves, mountain lions. They will catch us. We have to run.

I lifted the gun. She smiled a little.

Do you think you have enough bullets for the world? she asked. Dont be a fool. You cant make a stand here.

Cassiel was right, but we were still far out from the relative safety of the lights of Vegas. Out here, there wasnt muchbut down the hill about two miles there was some kind of hotel, clearly shut down, all lights off. Down there! I said, and grabbed up the bag Id dropped. Come on, lets move!

Wait, said Whitneys voice from the car radio. I cant start this thing, but I can push it. Get in. Might as well ride.

Cassiel shook her head. I will take my motorcycle. I can coast it down the hill after you.

Not a great plan, Cass; that bird isnt going to give you a pass just because you used to be a Djinn.

I know, she said, not bothered at all. But Im not leaving the motorcycle. I like the motorcycle.

Well, Imtaking the car. Have fun, Rocha said, and got in with me and David. Cassiel shrugged and straddled the bike, kicking up the stand, and pushed off. She must have had damn good balance, because the heavy machine hardly wavered at all.

Whitneys push– method for the car worked just as well; it started slow, but picked up speed on the downhill grade, and we ate up the distance fast enough.

As we got closer I saw whythe hotel was closed. Some kind of fire; the six-story pink stucco exterior was blackened around the windows and doors, and its plastic exterior wall-mounted sign was half melted. There were one or two cars, but they looked like derelicts and had signs of fire damage. The giant parking lot was deserted except for tumbleweeds and trash.

The road grade was evening out, and the car was slowing down. I made a command decision and said, Whitney, how far can you push us?

All the way to where you want to go, she said. If you insist.

Get us to the Vegas strip. This doesnt look like a very safe

Our tires blew outat least two, from the separate bangs I heard, and the lurch of the frame first right, then left. Oh perfect.Somebody really didnt want us getting to the other Wardens.

I amend my earlier statement, Whitney said.

Can you fix the tires?

Sure, Whitney said, if I was there, sugar. Im not.

I can, David said quietly. But its going to take some power. Are you up to it?

I nodded, not sure I was, but willing to give it a shot. David closed his eyes and concentrated, and I felt the car lurch again as the tires melded themselves back together and reinflated.

They immediately blew out again. David flinched in surprise. Theres something working against me, he said. Feel it? I did. It was big, and inimical, and I didnt like it at all. Whitney stopped the car. Whitney, keep moving. We can run on rims. No response. Whitney?

The radio stayed dead. The avatar just sat, staring blankly ahead, like a doll whose batteries had run down.

Suddenly, David looked sharply to his right, into the dark, and said, We have to get out of here. Now.

We were doing that, I said.

Luis Rocha didnt waste time arguing; he popped open the door. Ill push, he said. Better than hanging around with a big target around our necks.

The avatar wasnt steering, though; he was just sitting, inactive, and David finally dragged him out from the wheel and shoved him into the backseat, then installed me as the driver. Ah, that felt strangely good, even with busted wheels. Rocha and David got behind the car and pushed. I thought it was odd that David didnt do it himself, and odder still that they were working so hard at it. . . .

And then David stumbled and went to one knee. Rocha let loose of the car bumper and stopped to help him, and I instinctively hit the brakes in alarm.

That was our undoing.

The wheels sank into asphalt that suddenly felt like mudthick, clinging mud. The front tipped down, and I realized that someone, something was softening the road underneath me. Miring the car in a modern-day tar pit.

Out! It was a white shadow at the windowCassieland she didnt wait for my agreement, just reached through the open window and dragged me unceremoniously through. She was sinking into the road, too, and slung me through the air to the side. She was stuck, but she pulled herself free with a wrenching effort and jumped for the safety of the gravel at the freeways shoulder. Luis Rocha, already there, caught her as she landed.

David was off the road, but down, and I scrambled to get to him. He was panting, eyes wide and blind, pupils very large.

What is it? I asked, and ran frantic hands over him looking for injuries. David, whats wrong? Whats happening? Because I couldnt see it in Oversight. I couldnt see anything. . . .

Anything at all.

It was as if the aetheric had gone completely dark.

The breath went out of me, and I felt utterly, completely alone in a way that I hadnt since Id been stripped of my powers. I still had themI could feel them inside mebut I was blind, in a magical sense. I heard a surprised sound from Cassiel, and a curse from Luis. It wasnt just me, then. We were all stricken with this supernatural blindness.

And something was very, very wrong with David.

He managed to focus on my face, and said, very faintly, Kill him.

I looked over at Luis Rocha, who held up his hands in defense. Not me, man. Im not doing it!

But who did that leave? Not Cassiel, not me . . .

The avatar.

I looked over my shoulder at the car, which was still sinkingit was up to the door level now, embedded in the roads soft surface. It was as if the road was eatingit. Digesting its metal and rubber, plastic and glass. There was a constant crackling sound, and a fizzing, that was faintly sickening, especially considering how much I lovedthat car.

But the avatar wasnt inside it anymore.

Its the Djinn, I said to Luis and Cassiel. Watch out. Hes not channeling Whitney anymore.

Who ishe channeling? Satan? Rocha asked. Cause this doesnt feel so great, and I cant see a thing on the aetheric. Cass?

No, she said tersely. I hear the bird. It may be coming in for us again.

If she could hear the whisper of feathers in the wind, I couldnt. But she was right, because a second later I saw the blur of feathers, and the bald eagle dive– bombed Luis. He wasnt fast enough, and the claws ripped bloody furrows in his upraised right arm. I felt the force of the wind from the eagles furious wing beats as it hovered, snapping its hooked beak at his face.

Cassiel was faster. She reached out and grabbed the eagles body below the widespread wings, and as the bird shrieked in alarm and battered at her, she summoned up power, and I felt myself sway with weariness.

The bird went quiet. Not dead, just stunned and sleeping. Hush, child of the sky, I wont hurt you, she told it, and I saw a kind of tenderness in her that was . . . unexpected. Shed always struck me as pretty damn pragmatic, but maybe that was only when dealing with humans. She took off her jacket and wrapped the bird securely, with its head sticking out. It made an effective straitjacket. We need shelter. There were more on the way.

Shed also said something about bears, and wolves, and mountain lions. I didnt want to deal with that out in the open, either, especially since the normal Earth Warden defenses werent working.

Cassiels motorcycle, which had been parked on the side of the road, suddenly tipped over and began sinking into the black tar. She let out a curse that I was pretty sure shed learned from Rocha and ran to muscle it away from the asphalt and onto the sandnot that that was going to help, I wanted to tell her. There was no safe ground, not really.

But Id feel better with a roof over our heads and something like walls giving us some defensive shelter.

Right, the hotel, I said. David, can you get up?

He nodded, but his face had gone pale under its metallic luster, and I didnt know how much he could do on his own. Rocha and I each took a side and helped David stumble across the long parking lot, heading for the doors. They were blocked off with DO NOT ENTER yellow tape and plywood across what had once been a glass entry. I burned the padlock into slag and unlocked the hasp, left David leaning on Rocha, and stepped inside the ruined casino and hotel with the battery-powered lantern upraised.

The light couldnt reach far, but it looked like a typical Vegas sort of lobbyornate carpet (stained by black smoke and loads of footprints), marble counters that still looked intact, some kind of fancy ceiling overhead but probably not as nice as one of the name-brand casinos, like the Bellagio or the Venetian. This was where your grandmothers bingo club, not the high rollers, stayed when they went to Vegas. Whatever guest rooms still remained were probably no better than an anonymous chain hotel on the cheap.

The fire had consumed most of the casino, it looked like; the damage got worse, and the smell of burnt wood and plastic was chokingly strong, still, even though there was no hint of embers around. This place was a total loss. I imagined they were waiting on insurance before demolition, but in the current dire circumstances every insurance company in the world was probably out of business already, no matter how well funded. This place had just seen the Reaper early, that was all.

But it was still standing, and it would do.

Right, I said. Looks like this part of the building is the least damaged. Follow me.

It was horror-movie spooky as we moved in our own little island of light through the silent, dark, cavernous lobby. Carpeting squished in places under my feetstill not completely dried from the hundreds of gallons of water that had been dumped in here to finish off the fire, I presumed. The smell of mold overtook the stench of smoke as we went farther in, and I saw black swathes of the stuff on baseboards and in corners. Yeah, this place was finished, even in less apocalyptic circumstances. In Las Vegas it was always considered easier to demo and rebuild than renovate.

At the far end of the lobby was a long marble concierges desk, and behind it was an almost undamaged door that said STAFF ONLY. I felt like breaking rules. I opened it a couple of inches and peered inside, and saw a big lounge area with nice chairs and sofas, a big– screen TV (dead, of course), and coffeemakers with glass carafes full of molding brew. Snack machines, phones, even an internet portal in the corner. And beyond that . . . showers and lockers.

It looked perfect, and I led them all inside.

Oh, I sighed. I couldnt help it; the sight of those gleaming bathroom fixtures was just about more than I could take. I forced myself to check for security. It being a casino hotel, there werent any large windows, only slits up near the ceiling too narrow to crawl through. There was an emergency exit at the back, but it was secure. I summoned up more power in the form of fire and used it to hard-seal the metal door to its frame. If I had to undo it, it might slow us by critical seconds, but better to be safe. I didnt like having easy access at our backs.

Clear, I said, and came back with the light. Cassiel and Rocha were easing David down into a chair. I think the coffees past its sell-by date, but theres shelf-stable food, water, and sodas. And showers. I put the lantern on a coffee table and knelt down next to David to take his hand. Talk to me. Whats happening?

Darkness, he said. Cant see anything. Feeldrained. Like theres something trying to pull my power away from me.

That wasnt good news, not at all. And the fact that Whitney had so precipitously deserted us wasnt good, either.

Hes right, said a new voice from behind me. I whirled around, ready to blast something with a fireball, but then I held up as the speaker walked into the light. Rahel, back to her old golden– eyed self, but subdued. She seemed as uncertain as David. I was following on the aetheric. I hitsomething. A block. I had to take physical form to get this far. I dont think I can reach much of my power. Its like

Like a black corner, David said. But only at half strength. It feels artificial. Imposed.

Rahel walked over to a candy machine, smashed a hand through the glass, pulled the whole thing out in a spray of fragments, and contemplated the selection. She chose a Three Musketeers bar, which I found weirdly amusing, and I watched as she peeled it and bit. I didnt think Id ever seen Rahel eat before.

She chewed for a few seconds before swallowing and saying, Its coming from the avatar. You know this?

David told me, I said. But I dont know how to find him. Do you?

No need to find him. Hell come to you, soon enough. She nibbled her chocolate bar and selected other things from the machineM&M candies, a Twix bar, some kind of cookies. She tossed those to each of us. Weirdly, Id been craving M&Ms, and the smack of that yellow packet in my hand felt like manna from heaven. I ripped it open, popped two peanut candies in my mouth, and chewed. The rush of sweet/salty grounded me a little more, made me feel just a touch better.

So we wait?

Yes, Rahel said. Ill keep watch. Perhaps you should shower. She emphasized that with a sniff and a pained expression. If Im trapped here with you, sistah, you can at least not reek of blood and sweat.

I almost, almost smiled, but I didnt think I had that particular expression in me at the moment. Rahel didnt wait for a response. She walked past us to lean against the doorway to the lobby, peering out with infinite patience as she nibbled down the candy bar.

I looked at David. You going to be all right for a few minutes?

He nodded. Be careful.

Trust me, nothing is going to stand between me and that shower right now. Id shoot Gandhi and Mother Teresa both to get to it. Thats literal. Because I have a gun.

I kissed him and felt him respond, just a little. He wasnt thatbad off. Be careful, he said again.

I stood up. Luis and Cassiel were huddled together, talking in low voices, but they looked up when I cleared my throat. Shower, I said. See ya.

Selfish, I know, but at least Rahel had reinforced my obsession with getting clean. I ducked into the staff shower area. Lockers were mostly empty, although a few employees had left behind bath products andin some casesmagazines of questionable taste. I grabbed a selection of shampoos and conditioners, and a still-clean towel, and I dumped my filthy clothes into the sink to soak with some liquid soap on board. Even the rough wash Id given my shirt back at the nuclear plant hadnt held up well.

The water was on, butno surprisecold. I yelped in surprise when the icy drops hit me, but the sensation of water around me was so breathtakingly good that I ignored the temporary discomfort. I used a little candle flame of power to heat the water locally, and that was even better. It took three shampoos of my hair to get all the dried blood and grit out of it, but by the time Id finished I felt, once again, clean and whole. I shut off the water, dried myself, and went back to where Id left my clothes in the sink.

They werent there. The sink was empty and dry.

I wasnt alone in here.

You should burn those, said a voice from the shadows, outside of the reach of the thin light trickling in the door from the other room. They really dont suit you.

Ashan. I pulled in a breath to yell, but my vocal cords seemed to be paralyzed. I couldnt even get out a squeak. I saw him now, materializing out of the shadows, perfectly manicured, with that faintly contemptuous expression that never seemed to leave his face. He looked like every terrible boss Id ever had, and every bad boyfriend, too.

Except for the white eyes. Those werent like anybody Id ever known at all.

Its over, he said. And you owe me pain, Joanne Baldwin.

I needed to scream. I needed to move, but my whole body seemed to be frozen now, and all I could do was watch as he paced forward, confident and steady as a panther.

He was in no hurry, and it seemed to take forever before he was standing in front of me. I realized that there was someone else in the shadowsthe avatar, left abandoned like a defective toy. His eyes, too, had gone white.

Ashan closed his hand around my arm, and my towel disappeared in a flash of heat around me. For a second I thought he wanted me nakedand that was particularly sickeningbut no, he just wanted me clothed. Ill say this for Ashan: the bastard is cold and brutal, but he does understand fashion. The clothes that settled on my skin were tailored, understated, and more or less what I would have picked, if Id been able.

Dont thank me, he said, as if hed read my mind. I just dont want you to imagine I have any use at all for your flesh. Humanity serves no purpose to me except as . . . fertilizer. He smiled, a thin razor-cut of his lips. Therell be a rich growing season for years to come, in the silence that follows this day. And we have youto thank for it. You and my imposter brother.

I wasnt sure which I hated morethe sad, resigned distance of my daughter about the loss of the human race, or the lip-smacking delight of Ashan. No, I was sure; Ashan, for the win.

Im going to kill you, I thought, and I hoped he really could read minds after all. Im going to smash you until there arent two aetheric particles sticking together with your name on them. Im going to stop you.

It was about as effective as a rabbits scream in the jaws of a wolf, but I was going to have attitude to the end. What else did I have?

I had power.

His blackout of the aetheric had distracted me, and so had his special guest appearance in my shower, but I could still pull power. I hadto pull power, even though the whole area seemed resistant to it.

I filled myself with Earth power, and reached out for the metal pole behind him. With one swift pull, I yanked it out of the tiled floor, bent it, and slammed it into his back. There was no pointy end. I wanted it to hurt.

He jerked and looked down at the hollow metal poleabout three inches in diametersticking out of his chest. A human would have bled, but Ashan never bothered with genuine human flesh and blood, so it was really more of a shella particularly convincing plastic doll. It probably hadnt hurt him, but it had really fucked up the line of his expensively tailored suit, which did my heart good.

I pulled the pole out of him before he could get a grip on it, remove it, and beat me dead with it.

It obviously hadnt hurt him much, but that was okay, because the pole was a distraction, and I hit him with my secondattack, which was a vicious piledriver of wind that focused on that hole Id made in Ashan, from front to back. The wind forced itself into him, and I increased the pressure to insane levels. Ashans white eyes widened. I suddenly found myself back in possession of my voice.

Bye now, I said, and with a brutal burst of Weather powers, I blew him to pieces. His scream was short-lived, but very satisfying, and then he was a misty after-image on the air, and I blew thatback to hell where it belonged.

I hadnt killed him, but Id definitely hurt him that time. The fact that he didnt re-form and come after me was proof of that.

David hit the door at a run and skidded to a halt, staring at me.

One second, I said. I have something to do.

I walked out to the other room and began yanking open cabinets until I found a bottle of some kind of coffee flavoring. I dumped its contents out and walked back to the shower area. By then, David had oriented on the remaining threat: the avatar, who was still standing frozen in the shadows.

Sorry, I said to him, but we cant let you run around loose. Youre too much of a wild card. I held out the open bottle. Be thou bound to my service. Be thou bound to my service. Be thou bound to my service.

Nothing happened. I frowned at him, then at the bottle. Yep, it was empty, and open. I shook it, which was a stupid thing to do, but to no effect. I tried again, reciting the words thrice.

The damn thing just stood there.

It wont work, David said. Theres nothing in him to capture. He has no soul. Hes just a vesselhis body is already an empty bottle, in a way. He sounded ragged, but sure of what he was saying.

So what do we dowith him?

Kill him, he said, very softly. The avatar is physical. It can die.

There was something really unpleasant about that idea, and I didnt care to examine it too closely. Cant weI dont know, evict Mommie Dearest from the avatar?

No. We either leave it here, where it can strike at us any time she wants, or we kill it. But theres no other choice, Jo.

It felt vile, somehow, and I couldnt shake it off. But he was right, Id be destroying a shell, not a person.

Not a person whod driven me halfway across the country. Whod saved my life.

I couldnt stand to think about it any longer. I picked up the gun from where Id left it sitting next to the sink, cocked it, and aimed at the avatars head.

David put his hand on my shouldernot to stop me, but to steady me.

And I fired.

It was the worst thing I had ever done.