Xander's Chance

He followed his instincts and appeared in a dark alley not far away, knowing who he'd find.

The Black God, Jonny, was one of the three Gods dwelling in the mortal realm. Xander didn't want any of them in his territory. The nineteen-year-old spun at Xander's appearance. With dark hair and eyes and the caramel skin marking his Cuban heritage, Jonny was tall and lanky. He hadn't yet completely filled out.

"What're you doing here, Xander?" Jonny demanded, at once guarded and tense. His power made the air around him sizzle.

"I could ask you the same," Xander said. His gaze went to the body at the Black God's feet. "You didn't come all this way to hunt."

"I don't owe you an explanation."

"I can pull one out of your head."

"It's not like I knew you were here. I don't need your permission anyway, Xander." Jonny searched his gaze. "I'll be gone in an hour."

Xander considered him. The girl at Jonny's feet was still alive. Xander saw brown hair and a young face. She was in her mid-teens with a silver A charm on her necklace that reflected the yellow street light. A deeper probe into her mind revealed that she was a Natural, a human with special, supernatural skills that made her of value to the White and Black Gods. It explained why Jonny didn't kill her, but it didn't explain why he hadn't turned her.

The Black God was up to something. Unable to enter his mind without tipping him off, Xander shifted forward.

"One hour," he said. "The local Guardians will be here any minute. You haven't yet learned how to cloak yourself."

"If you spent less time manipulating me and more time teaching me, I might!" Jonny snapped, referring to the time Xander spent training the Black God to do his job. Jonny had been in the position for under a year. He only made it through the first few months because Xander stepped between the fledgling god and the vamps that wanted to kill their new master.

"You survived, didn't you?" Xander replied. "Take your dinner and go."

Jonny said nothing and knelt. He lifted the teen carefully, his gaze going to her face more than once. Xander almost smiled. He didn't need to read Jonny's mind to know the young Black God was reliving something. Jonny's first kill, the girl that condemned him, was a teenage brunette. In the time Xander spent with the kid, Jonny never killed a girl under eighteen, and never a brunette.

"Fifty eight minutes," Xander said.

Jonny mumbled a curse and straightened. Within seconds, he had disappeared. Xander tilted his head to the side, following the teenaged God with his senses. Jonny didn't go far. He wasn't hunting for dinner; he was moving with too much purpose.