Sweet Peril

No!

Kaidan held me close, so close. He touched fingers to my lips in a gesture begging me not to speak. Silent tears rolled down my cheeks—my own salt water lost amid the ocean. I could not save Flynn. I was in no shape to fight, and I would get each of the Neph killed. My power of persuasion would never work on a Duke. All I could do was beg for a miracle.

“Wait.” Astaroth held out a hand to Pharzuph and nudged Mammon with his foot. Flynn’s father grabbed his temple and got to his feet. “Let Mammon do the honors.”

Pharzuph handed over the gun with reluctance. Mammon pointed it at his son with one hand while the other hand held the side of his head.

“Who are you working with?” Mammon demanded.

When Flynn grinned it was a frightening, powerful sight. Mammon moved to step closer and thought better of it. He kept himself out of arm’s reach.

“I gave you everything! I made you who you are! And this is how you repay me? Tell me who you’re working with!”

“I will tell you nothing, old man.”

“Truth!” said the daughter of Jezebet from the boat.

Mammon pointed at her. “Shut up, girl!”

And in a horrifying moment of crazed anger, Mammon let out a primal shout and shot his son in the chest. I pressed my lips together as Flynn grabbed the wound and staggered before collapsing. He crouched on the dock, sucking hard for air. The dark spirits danced and glided above the scene with wicked glee. Kaidan held me tight.

“Last chance.” Mammon stood over his son with the gun pointed to his head.

Flynn raised his blood-drained face and said, “I’ll see you in hell.”

Mammon pulled the trigger again, and Flynn jolted before becoming still. I would never forget the sight of our friend, our ally, a strong and vibrant life, crumpled on the edge of that dock.

Shaking breaths racked my body, as if my system wanted to hyperventilate but couldn’t quite manage it in this frozen state.

The Dukes and whisperers watched Flynn’s body with silent expectancy. I watched, too, in awe, as Flynn’s spirit slowly pulled from its shell. He wasn’t as glorious and bright as Sister Ruth had been, but neither was his spirit dark or weak. He lifted himself to his full height above the abandoned body and faced the Dukes head-on.

“Cheeky one, isn’t he?” Pharzuph said to Mammon, who could only stare at his son’s spirit with something like regret. Pharzuph nodded to the two whisperers hovering above. “Get him, boys.”

In a darting movement the dark spirits seized him. Flynn’s soul was a blur as he fought against them. Through it all I held out hope. I waited for a bright light to break through the night and an angel to save the day, but nothing came to Flynn’s rescue. I choked on a sob as the whisperers dragged his spirit down until he was gone.

“Damn,” Astaroth muttered. “You killed him too soon. We didn’t get any information from him.”

Mammon was breathing hard, a frenzied look still in his eyes. “He ticked me off.”

“At least we know for certain there’s a traitor in our midst,” Astaroth said. “Now we have to find out who.”

Mammon’s arms were limp at his sides as he stared down at his son’s once-strong body.

“Come on,” Pharzuph said. “Let’s get those human toerags back to the mainland. We’ll drag the Neph’s body out to sea by rope and let him loose. He’ll never be found. And you—” He pointed up at the Neph girl. “Get back into hiding.”

She scrambled from the ledge and disappeared.

“I’ll go get the women while you tie up the body,” Melchom said.

The Dukes got busy with their tasks, grumbling about how they should have brought along another Neph to do the dirty work. Pharzuph complained of blood on his shoe.

I thought I’d be ill when they tugged Flynn’s body from the dock and he landed in the water with a splash. They tied him up and pushed him under the dock so he’d be hidden from the women. The body floated a mere ten feet away. I squeezed my eyes shut and fought the urge to gag.

A few minutes later the women boarded and water swooshed around us as the boat began to move, dragging the body behind it. Kai helped lift me higher just in time to avoid water in my mouth.

Again we waited, encompassed in the icy sea, giving the Dukes ample time to be out of hearing range. It seemed like forever. And then Blake moved to the edge of the overhanging walkway inside the boathouse, grabbing it and pulling himself up. He grimaced, but managed to climb with stiff motions. Next he stuck out an arm to help Kopano, who gave a mild wince. Together the two of them pulled up Zania. Kai swam us over and lifted me by the waist. The guys were there to grab my arms and pull me from the water. It hurt to lift my arms, but it wasn’t a normal surface pain. It was deep within the muscles.

I couldn’t feel my body and it was a struggle not to collapse. Zania cried out in pain as she reached for me and we lay side by side in the night air. Kaidan splashed his way onto the platform with a curse as Blake tugged his arm.

“We g-gotta g-get the boat,” Blake said through his teeth.

“I will go w-with you.” Kope’s voice was a hoarse whisper.

With jerky movements, Kaidan sat on the dock next me and pulled me to his lap, then helped Zania settle against me. Together she and I battled violent tremors. I couldn’t keep my eyes open or make out what Kaidan was saying. Something about hypothermia. My heart and body were broken.

At some point Zania left my lap and I was lifted in the air. Kaidan’s breath warmed my temple as he whispered over and over, “You’ll b-be all right now.” I wanted to tell him he was shaking, too, but I couldn’t talk.