Isak moved back into the lead and entered the dark house first. They walked silently through the kitchen that was empty of anything that might represent residents of this house. No pictures or notepads. No residual smells of cooking. Just the musty smell of age that permeated the peeling wood cabinets and faded paint on the plaster walls. A rectangular pine table surrounded by four ladderback chairs sat against the wall.
Evalle scanned the entire room, sensing nothing until she felt the buzz of energy that drew her gaze to the ceiling.
Five orbs appeared up in a corner, moving erratically. That had to be some of the spirits still living in this house. Evalle had met ghosts from the Civil War in the Maze of Death under Atlanta. Some of those had been sad and lonely, but her empathic senses registered fear emanating from these orbs. These spirits were bothering no one. Seeing them huddled together, hiding from Nadina, soured her stomach.
You might as well boot a puppy as pick on a benign spirit.
Adrianna's eyes tracked up to the orbs then she nodded at Evalle, silently confirming that this fit what Kai had described.
Now came the dangerous part.
Evalle touched Isak's arm to signal that it was time to allow her to go first.
He didn't move.
His wide body blocked her from moving forward and his face had that stubborn expression from minutes before when they'd argued over this point. She'd already explained to Isak that if they spooked Nadina, she'd disappear and they might not find her again. Not in time for Brina or Storm. Plus, Evalle had argued that Nadina wouldn't harm her as long as Evalle didn't threaten the bitch.
Of course, Evalle had lied, because based on what Storm had told her, Nadina was a threat to Evalle.
But Storm wasn't here to call her on the lie.
The real reason Evalle wanted to go first was to protect Isak and Adrianna in case Nadina came flying out ready to attack.
Adrianna might be a pain in Evalle's side, but she'd been instrumental in locating Storm and now Nadina. She didn't deserve to face off with the witch doctor.
And Isak had come through again, even knowing this was about bringing Storm home.
If Nadina overpowered Evalle, Isak would blast the witch before she harmed Adrianna or him. The only flaw in that plan, besides dying of course, was that if Evalle didn't survive this, Storm's only hope for freedom would vanish too, because no one else would go for him except her.
She tapped Isak's arm again because he never stopped scanning his surroundings.
When he faced her, she mouthed the word, Please.
He gave up and moved aside.
She continued into the dining room, opening up her empathic senses for any hint of life. More orbs cluttered along the high ceiling framed with wide crown molding.
When she reached the living room, the first thing she noticed beyond the worn couch and side chairs was the lack of orbs.
The second thing was the smell of roasted licorice.
The third confirmation of Nadina was anger churning through the still air. She gave the signal to Isak and Adrianna to wait just outside the entrance.
There. Coming quickly down the stairs from the second floor.
Evalle spun, hands up, prepared to send out a blast of kinetics at the blur of movement.
"If you harm me, you will never see Storm again," a female voice warned with a Spanish accent.
Nadina.
Evalle lowered her hands. "I was only acting in self-defense. If you don't attack me. I won't attack you."
But would Nadina believe that?
Light formed in a spot between Evalle and the stairs and brightened until a woman appeared, with tanned skin so smooth it could be polished, black hair falling past her shoulders and almond eyes upturned at the corners, laughing at the world.
Arrogant eyes now glowing yellow.
Does she think her headlights will frighten me?
She was almost too beautiful, as if Evalle stared at a vision instead of a human face. What was it with witches of the dark persuasion? Did they get an automatic stamp from the cosmetic fairies?
Evalle met her smile with a feral one. "Nice touch with the cape. But if you were going for intimidating, you should have picked black over gray."
"I should take fashion tips from a VIPER thug who wears clothes scavenged from dumpsters?"
That's what I get for trying to have a verbal sparring match with a fashionista. Evalle took in Nadina's boot tips, two red points sticking from beneath the cloak. Bet hers didn't have hidden blades. "Thug, huh? I may need therapy to survive such brutal attacks to my psyche."
"What do you want, Evalle?"
"Storm."
"He is gone forever."
"No he isn't. We both know where he is and you're going to help me bring him back."
Nadina had been stoic until then. She burst into laughter. "What do you plan to hold over me? He is mine, and I control him. I also have the power to call you to me."
Evalle froze. "What? You're lying."
"You think so? You recall wearing the Volonte bone bracelet Imogenia gave you?"
How could Evalle forget a bracelet that enhanced her moods and had caused her to act like a sex maniac until Storm spun a calming spell around her? "Yes, I remember the Volonte, but I gave it to a willing recipient and I no longer have it."
"I cast a spell on it that would bring you to me any time I desired."
She had to be lying. "If that's the case, why haven't you used it?"
"I was not ready."
"Right. Whatever. Back to getting me into Mitnal."
Surprise flashed into Nadina's eyes, but only for a second. Just long enough for Evalle to know she'd thrown the witch off balance.
Now to manipulate Nadina into position.
Moving toward the window that looked out over the front yard, Evalle said, "Here's how this works. You're going to take me into Mitnal and help me get Storm out. If you do that willingly, I'll make sure Storm doesn't kill you as long as you return his soul and his father's."
Nadina shifted around to watch Evalle, but she didn't step into the opening between the living room and dining room the way Evalle had hoped.
Nadina answered and her words sounded carefully chosen. "Storm has already made a blood vow along those lines. I can not override a blood vow with another one."
Was that true?
Adrianna had to be hearing all this, so Evalle would ask her later. Right now she was going to keep pushing Nadina for as much as she could. "But you broke that vow when you tricked him into Mitnal."
"Technically, no."
Then technically, Nadina wouldn't be dead if Evalle smashed every bone in her body and put the witch into a cement body cast to heal, would she? "In that case, we'll have to discuss this with Storm, which brings me back to you and making a trip to Demon Central."
"You mean to give me permission to take you with me to Mitnal, yes?" Nadina smiled. Anything that made the witch doctor happy had to be dangerous to Evalle.
"It's not going to be that simple," Evalle said, shaking her head and taking another step. Come on, Nadina, keep moving so that I'm always in front of you. Evalle continued talking to shield her movements as nothing more than keeping a reasonable space between them.
"I'm going to need a more binding agreement than us chatting," she told Nadina.
"As you wish, but I still require your permission to override Storm's vow. I agreed to not go anywhere near you."
Nadina finally took a step forward, then another tiny shift.
Evalle pretended not to notice the way she was advancing and kept talking to hide any noise from Isak and Adrianna. "A minute ago, you said you hadn't called me to you because you weren't ready. Ready for what? To kill me? Others have tried and I've left a bloody trail of their attempts."
Nadina laughed, a wicked sound. "I will not have to touch you."
"Oh, you're going to use some of your South American voodoo majik?"
"You know nothing of my kind o
r my powers. If you do not agree to go to Mitnal under my terms, then I will wait until Storm is prepared to return here and kill you upon my command. But if you believe you can change the mind of a demon, I will take you to him."
"He is not a demon!"
Nadina came right back at her. "He has always been one. It's in his blood. He has finally accepted his destiny."
"No!" Evalle shouted, fighting the urge to shift into her beast and show Nadina just what death looked like with wings and talons. She forced herself to stand her ground and not jump this crazy woman. "Storm's Navajo blood has always fought against your tainted blood. He would never give in to be evil and empty like you." Come on, Nadina. One more step forward and don't look at the dining room.
"Like me? Oh, no. He will be far more powerful once his Ashaninka blood takes over completely and by now he should be almost there." Nadina tapped her chin with a long red fingernail. "In fact, he may have already reached that point."
Don't kill the witch.
Evalle caught a flicker of movement behind Nadina just as Isak came into view.
Nadina must have sensed his presence at the same moment. She spun in a blur and pointed a finger at Isak, but she would never be as fast on the draw.
Isak unloaded a burst of blue light in a stream that hit Nadina and raced across her body from head to toe. She lifted off the floor, shaking hard as a leaf in a thunderstorm and screaming.
It took all of five seconds and her body dropped hard against the wood floor.
Evalle ran over to look. Nadina's eyes rolled back in her head. "Crap. Is she dead?"
Isak was scratching his chin. "That might have been a bit much. I'm going to have to adjust this for next time. I didn't think it would-"
"Isak! Is. She. Dead?"
"I have no idea." He shrugged and looked around.
Adrianna walked up, took one glance at Nadina's prone form and said, "I don't think she's dead, but I'm not sure she has any mind left after that shock. Let's get busy because there's no telling when she'll come out of that or what will happen when she does."
Ten minutes later, Isak had Nadina sitting in a chair, arms hanging straight down with her hands in special gloves Isak had produced that looked like aluminum mittens to prevent her from lifting a deadly finger. He'd also brought a cable woven of three different metals. He refused to share the origin of the metals, since it was proprietary Nyght equipment. Evalle didn't care as long as all that heavy-duty hardware Isak used to incapacitate Nadina's arms and legs would actually hold her.
By the time Nadina regained consciousness, Adrianna had set up everything she needed for a binding spell.
Thirteen black candles adorned the room.
She produced herbs and incense, laying them out on a mat she'd spread on the dining room table much like a surgeon's tools in an operating room. The mat had glyphs woven into the material. She'd cut off six inches of Nadina's hair and wrapped a leather tie around one end. A headless ponytail.
Evalle felt a wave of menace fly through the room.
O-kay. Nadina was still in the building.
The witch doctor raised insane eyes to her that glowed caution-light yellow. "I will not help you, Evalle Kincaid, and when I bring Storm back he will kill you just to please me, the master who controls him."
Isak stood off to the side, holding his blaster ready. He didn't show any reaction to the comment, but he had to have heard Evalle mention that Storm didn't have his soul, and Nadina's claim that Storm's body cycled demon blood.
Before Evalle left, she'd have to gain Isak's promise not to harm Storm, because if Evalle was successful in bringing Storm home, those two would eventually cross paths.
Even if Isak hadn't heard everything tonight, it wouldn't take long for him to learn the truth once he got a gander at Storm's demon-red eyes.
Please tell me Storm's eyes will return to brown once he comes home.
Evalle needed a minion to organize all the things she had to worry about. Might as well start with the obvious priority. First she'd come up with a plan for Storm to escape, then she'd help him fight off his demon blood and after that she'd take him to Treoir.
Did that sound realistic? No.
Did she care? No.
Project management completed, Evalle took in Adrianna who stood a step behind Nadina with her arms crossed. Evalle said, "You have the floor."
Nadina twisted to look over her shoulder. First her wild gaze landed on Adrianna with hatred burning so hot that the room should ignite.
That couldn't happen, could it?
Then Nadina noticed the table, the herbs, candles already glowing and ... her hair. She shook her head back and forth, trying to see each side of her hair as she moved. The hair now brushed her shoulders.
Nadina screeched, "No!"
Adrianna smiled at Evalle, a silent indication of I told you so.
The Sterling witch had said the only thing Evalle could hold over Nadina's head was the power to control Nadina, even from the grave. But Adrianna had also quickly clarified that she would not perform necromancy, no matter what.
Thankfully, the Sterling witch had placed a protection spell around the house that contained Nadina's screaming within these walls. Adrianna said the spirits had boosted everything she did once they realized that Adrianna was not Nadina's friend.
As per Adrianna's earlier instructions, Evalle backed into the living room, close enough to watch, but far enough to stay out of the witch's way.
"Listen up, Nadina," Adrianna said, walking around her and into view. "This is very simple. If you give Evalle what she wants, you will be free to go as soon as Storm and Evalle return here safely."
Nadina started spewing words that were old and evil sounding. Blue-black smoke boiled from her lips and headed for Adrianna.
This had been a mistake. That witch doctor was going to kill everyone.
Chapter 20
Evalle shouted, "Move," at Adrianna so she could blast the witch doctor with a kinetic hit to stop that black majik boiling out of Nadina from taking over Adrianna.
Adrianna calmly ordered, "Do not interfere."
Had Nadina taken control of Adrianna with the spell?
Isak lifted his weapon to point at Nadina's head.
The blaster flipped back up against his chest and shoved him against the wall, pinning him in place. Shock whipped across his face. He shouted enough curses to turn the air black all by himself.
Ignoring everyone, Adrianna opened her arms until she held them straight out.
If Evalle shoved her aside with kinetics, she might do more harm with distracting Adrianna, leaving her more vulnerable. "Get out of the way so I can blast that smoke."
Words flowed from the Sterling witch, soft at first then gaining power until her chanting overrode Nadina's yelling. Lowering her head as she continued speaking, Adrianna faced the blue-black smoke that took the shape of a dragon.
Not the cute looking ones Disney created that drew millions of moviegoers to theaters.
Evalle doubted this one could be trained.
The dragon shape reared up high, ready to strike.
Adrianna slashed her hand toward the dragon and her chant boomed through the room with the power of a rocket launched.
The dragon lunged forward, fangs out to attack, but the smoke beast slammed to a stop an inch from Adrianna's face, snarling and struggling to get to her.
Adrianna never flinched, holding the filmy monster at bay with her majik.
Then she closed her fingers into a tight fist.
Nadina started choking and gagging. She fought against the restraints, trying to free her hands. Her face turned red as a thermometer about to burst.
The smoke dragon backed away then slowly turned to face Nadina.
Adrianna relaxed her hand.
Nadina's eyes flared wide open. White-hot terror circled her irises as the dragon coiled its body once more, prepared to strike a new target.
The witch doctor spat out a phrase tha
t sounded Spanish, but had the word draco in the sequence. Nadina must have ordered it to cease, because the smoke disappeared.
Isak dropped from the wall and his weapon fell loose. He caught it in his arms and flipped it around in one single move, leveled at the back of Nadina's head.
Evalle yelled, "Don't!"
His arms shook with the tension of wanting to act and holding himself back. He glared at her, debating on what to do.
"Please don't." Evalle stopped short of saying his name. Not a wise idea to ever give a name to someone like Nadina.
He finally growled and jerked it away.
Nadina stared at Adrianna, spitting out short, blunt words in Spanish that had to be some kind of creative cursing. She sucked in a breath after that verbal unloading. "Who the hell are you?"
Adrianna maintained her usual unperturbed manner, tilting her head as one would at a mischievous child. "We don't have time to bond and share witch stories. Are you ready to do what Evalle needs, or should I use your hair to gain your agreement?"
All the pretty satin-brown skin on Nadina's face turned ash white. "No."
Adrianna angled her head toward Evalle. "State exactly what you want for her agreement."
Evalle's heart was trying to fight its way out of her chest. She pushed damp hair back and took a moment to calm her breathing before stating her terms. "Nadina will agree to take me to Storm no matter where he is. Nadina will not try to harm me either through her abilities or by directing any other creatures, regardless of what they are. Nadina will aid me in helping Storm to escape, plus help me escape. She will never try to control Storm from here on out, regardless of the realm Storm is in. Then she will make good on the blood vow that she gave Storm and explain to me what it takes to return the souls she stole from him and his father. If she does not complete every step of this agreement, she will ... become my slave to direct as I wish forever."
Even Adrianna raised both eyebrows at that, but she'd been angled to face Evalle. By the time she swung back around to Nadina, her china doll face had returned to its neutral expression.
Nadina's voice held the same anger and terror as an animal caught in the jaws of a trap. "The only way I can return those two souls is by escaping alive with Storm at the same time. That is part of the oath I gave Storm. Hanhau possesses the souls, but that ownership reverts to me if we escape Mitnal at the same moment."
"Hanhau has Storm's soul?" Muscles bulged along Evalle's arms. Her beast wanted out to stomp this miserable excuse for a mother.