Marin lurked by the crypt entrance, watching. She didn’t seem distressed, so Jack could only hope that meant the ward was still intact.
Yes, Jack. The ward is still here. They used more than one death to fuel it.
Disturbing-comforting. Not feelings that usually commingled for him.
Watching the terror that Nate demonstrated as the ghosts wrestled him ever closer to the crypt, Jack had to wonder why he hadn’t tried to manipulate one of the key players, Iris or Abi. Kaisermann was likely protected by Sally, and he and Marin were immune.
“Marin, do you think there’s any chance Nate could manipulate anyone at this stage of the game?”
Abi had hold of Jack’s arm to steady him, and she squeezed a little tighter. “Don’t worry. It’s all me in here. If he was messing with me, I’d have finished you off when you were helpless on the ground before.”
“Good point,” Jack said.
Requires too much concentration. He can’t physically attack you, defend against my nifty new steam bath, or wrestle with ghosts while simultaneously trying to screw with someone’s head.
“We really need to write up a report on aswangs after this mess is over. We’ve got to be the foremost experts in the world by now. Speaking of expertise, now that we know human liver is a tasty aswang treat, how about you explain why he thought a dragon would share his preferences. I thought you guys didn’t eat people?”
Marin didn’t respond. Jack had been distracted from the spectacle above primarily because his brain was working at about a third of capacity. But in those few seconds, the spectacle had dropped and Nate was being dragged into the tomb.
Jack was in no fit state to follow them inside. If something went wrong, he’d be an easy target. So he strained his ears, waiting for the scraping noise of stone on stone as the tomb was moved to cover the hole.
Marin changed forms and then slid, naked and human, into the crypt. Seconds later, Jack heard it, the sound of Nate’s prison door closing.
Marin came out immediately. She looked…sad. Kaisermann met her with a blanket he’d pulled from Abi’s SUV. She wrapped it around herself and tucked it so it would stay in place. She and Kaisermann joined Jack and Abi.
Marin reached out her hands, one to Kaisermann and one to Jack. “I’d like to say a sort of prayer.” She looked so incredibly sad. Her eyes were dry, but it was like she was crying with her whole body. Jack had never seen her like this.
Abi clasped Jack and Kaisermann’s hands, and the chain was completed.
Jack wasn’t sure what he expected. A few words spoken in remembrance of the ones who’d been lost to Nate’s murderous hunger? None of the four of them knew the victims, so that seemed hollow. A traditional prayer?
Then Jack felt it, felt them. Seven souls. Seven souls had committed what was left of their lives to keeping Nate imprisoned.
And Jack could feel each of them. He could feel the anger of having their mortal lives stolen. He could feel the sorrow of leaving loved ones behind. He could feel the joy of giving the ultimate gift in order to protect others. He could feel the faith of some that a better life with their God awaited.
He had no concept of their sex, their names, their appearance. He knew that each of them chose with open heart to give themselves.
And then they were gone.
For a split second, Jack would have sworn he could see the ward surrounding and encompassing the crypt. Impossible. Wards were only visible to magic-users. Or to normal people who used magically enhanced items.
But the web of lights looked very like wards he’d seen before with his special glasses—except for the color, a white so bright he’d almost been blinded.
But then he’d blinked, and it was as if it had never been. He rubbed his eyes, already doubting what he’d seen. But not what he’d felt. That had been real. He didn’t know how to describe it, but it had been profound.
“Your soul has been kissed,” Marin said. “That’s what my dad used to say it felt like to speak telepathically with a ghost. I’ve never done it before, and didn’t even know if I could.” She smiled. “But we could.”
Kaisermann let out a heavy sigh. “I’m tired. Let’s go home.”
Abi wiped the tears from her face. “Yes, that’s a good idea. Oh, God, where’s Iris?”
“I’m here,” Iris called out. She was only a few feet away, leaning against the door to the crypt. She smiled at Jack. “I had to stay inside, as close to the entrance as possible, so I could keep the spirits anchored here on this plane and to this place.”
Jack looked at her with new respect. She’d been inside that relatively small space while Nate had been drug down the hole to his cage. Not exactly a safe place to be, just feet away from a rabid killer in the throes of an epic tantrum.
“I’m fine, Jack. I knew the ghosts would protect me.” She stood up straighter and her chin firmed. “But Kaisermann is exactly right: it’s time to go home now.”
Jack closed his eyes, thinking back to the seven souls he’d “kissed” and none of them had seemed to be a Grandma Abi type. “Did Grandma Abi join the group of seven?”
“No,” Iris said. “She knew that seven would be needed, and all seven were the aswang’s victims. Everyone involved agreed that was best. It made for the strongest connection and therefore the greatest power for the ward.”
Everyone piled into the SUV. Marin, Jack, and Kaisermann sat in the back, and Jack did his best to protect his back from bumps and jostles.
Since Marin woke him up when they arrived at Sanctuary and he hardly thought he’d fall asleep from pain, Jack figured he must have passed out. “Don’t suppose there’s any chance your boy Harry could make it here quicker than three days?”
Marin yanked Jack none too gently out of the SUV. “Right, because your injuries would get him here faster than the crisis of dealing with an aswang. Jack.”
“Give me a break. I’m not in my right mind.” Jack scowled.
Thankfully Elliot appeared. The last thing Jack needed when he was injured, tired, and not at his best was to get in a fight with Marin that she would undoubtedly win.
“Oh, Jack.” Elliot gave him a worried look. “You know you’re covered in blood?”
“Yes. I am aware. And, due to certain circumstances, I might have to rely on your local healthcare services for a short time.”
“He’s not nearly so bad off as he’d like you to think,” Marin said. “We’ll get him cleaned up, and find a nice place where he can rest until my friend can come and take a look at him.”
“Your hotel room is still booked.” Elliot grinned at Marin. “With the gorgeous tub and lovely view.”
“Wait a second.” Jack swayed and Elliot moved to prop him up. Jack cocked his head up at the bigger man. “You know we’ve resolved the case?”
Elliot nodded.
Jack narrowed his eyes. “How do you know we’ve resolved the case?”
Elliot tipped his head at Marin. “She phoned on the drive home. Maybe we should load you right back into the…the SUV with no door and get you settled at the hotel.”
Abi and Iris had been quietly conferring in the front seat, but stopped at mention of the doorless SUV. “Yes,” Abi said. “We can certainly take him. Better us, since he’s already bled all over the car. No need to bloody up anyone else’s. Hi, I’m Abi.” She waved to Elliot. “This is Iris.”
Iris smiled in greeting.
And very much like the ward he’d seen but hadn’t seen earlier that morning, Jack would almost swear he saw a literal spark dance between Elliot and Iris.
Maybe the timing wasn’t quite right, and the circumstances could hardly be worse, but Jack could see the potential. They’d make an amazing couple.
The world began to spin, and Jack saw spots. As Elliot shored him up, relief washed through Jack. He wasn’t losing his mind or turning into his sister, aka the matchmaking queen. No, he was just light-headed and about to pass out from pain and blood loss.