Hearts in Darkness (Nikki & Michael 2)

It was diving for her head. She screamed and battered it away kinetically. It splattered against the wall; rock hissed and bubbled as clear liquid spurted from it. It peeled itself away, then dove toward her again. She ducked under the water. The spawn hovered above her, yellow smoke body pulsating, as if in frustration. Again, she lashed at it kinetically. Pain burned through her head. She rose, coughing and spluttering, gasping for breath and looking around frantically. The flame imp whisked heat past her face again, then dove under the water. It rose, spinning frantically, then shot upwards, out of sight again. She frowned, wondering what ... the burning sensation of evil filled her senses again. She twisted, saw the spawn coming in from behind. Grabbed it kinetically and thrust it under the water.

Steam rose, hissing through the darkness. The spawn became frenzied, twisting and surging against her hold. Pain shot through her brain, sharper than before. She wouldn't be able to hold it much longer. The flame imp shot past her and hovered above a pile of rubble, its color washing between red and green. She reached kinetically, picking up the pile of rubble and dumping it on the twisting, screaming spawn. It didn't cover the creature completely. She bit her lip and reached again. Hot lances of fire burned through her brain. She blinked back tears and thrust a second load of rubble over the creature. This time it was covered. But just to be sure, she grabbed the remaining stones and dumped those over the creature as well.

She released her hold and scrambled backwards down the stream. The spawn's scream was a sound of combined fury and pain. But unlike the last time she'd buried the thing, there was no telltale leakage of smoke, nothing to indicate the creature was escaping. If water repelled it, maybe it could also contain it. Maybe that was what the flame imp had been trying to tell her.

She glanced up. The flame imp hovered several feet above her head, its color a muted green. It had saved her life. “Thank you."

As if in response, gold flicked through the green. She smiled and dragged herself from the water. Heat burned across her right calf, and her stomach churned. Biting her lip, she looked down. When the spawn had grabbed her leg, it had burned a hole through her jeans and seared her skin. In the muted green light provided by the flame imp, her calf looked scarlet with heat and was already beginning to blister. But there was nothing she could do about it right now, except put up with the pain. She'd promised Michael she'd get Rodeman out of here, and that had to be her first priority. After that, she fully intended to go find Michael and provide whatever help she could. Maybe somewhere in between the two she could grab some pain killers and something to numb the burn.

How in hell was she going to get Rodeman out? She thrust a hand through her wet hair. She still wasn't sure, but there had to be some way. Maybe she'd just have to keep trying to wake him. He wouldn't stay under forever. Consciousness would eventually surface. Hopefully sooner rather than later. She glanced up at the flame imp. “You want to lend me some light and maybe lead the way back to that cell?” Somewhere along the line, she'd dropped her flashlight.

The flame imp zipped past her, flashing gold across the walls. The color changed abruptly to red. Fear surged through her, but before she could react, hands grabbed her, covering her mouth and dragging her back into the water.

Chapter Twenty-One

Michael walked down the slight incline, his gaze not wavering from Elizabeth. She waited in the middle of the cavern, a smile touching her ruby lips. Stalagmites ringed the rock floor, forming a natural arena. An arena from which only one of them would walk free.

He stopped on the outer edges, watching the shadows cast across her face by the flickering flame. It made her look old—gaunt. “You don't have to do this, Elizabeth." A bitter smile twisted her lips. “You're wrong. I do."

"Cordell?"

She nodded. “While he does not control me, he controls the flame imp who shares my body. I have no choice in this matter now."

"Cordell is near?” He couldn't sense him, but that didn't mean anything. The man might be using magic to cover his tracks.

"No.” Her smile was brittle. “The fool thinks you raid his office files. He has gone up to check." There had to be a third entrance to the caverns, because they certainly hadn't seen him on the way down. “But he left you here as guard."

"A guard he did not think would be necessary.” She shrugged. “You should have left the resort while you still had the chance."

"You knew I wouldn't."

Her smile was almost sad. “Yes. And the pity of it is, you will not even provide a good fight. The fledglings have weakened you considerably."

As Cordell had no doubt planned. “Don't write me off just yet, dear Elizabeth."

"Determined to the end, as ever.” She smiled, revealing gleaming canines. “I shall ensure the safety of your thrall in honor of your death."

"And I will kill Cordell in revenge for yours."

She inclined her head, an almost regal movement. The terms had been set and agreed. He flexed his shoulders, rolled his neck. Waited for her first move.

It came too quickly. One second she was twenty feet in front of him, the next beside him. Her first blow hit his chin but did little more than snap his head back. He blocked her second jab with his left forearm. She laughed and quickly backpedaled. He didn't bother following her. She was only teasing, and he wanted to save his strength for the main battle.

But it was already obvious he didn't have a hope of matching her speed or her strength. Not in his current condition. Which meant he'd have to lean heavily on psi abilities—abilities that were, in some respects, nowhere near as strong as Nikki's.

Elizabeth blurred, rushing in from the left. He faded to the right then twisted, sweeping with his injured leg. He caught her in the back and sent her flying.

Again her laughter rolled through the night. She reappeared on the far side of the arena. Amusement touched her eyes, making them gleam with golden fire. Just for an instant, he again saw the woman he'd given up life for.

I don't want to kill her, he thought. But he knew he had no other choice. He flexed his fingers and waited for her next move.

The shadows wrapped around her. He tracked her movements through the heat of her body, dodging to one side when she dove toward him. He saw the flash of silver in the gleam of the candlelight and reached kinetically, tearing the knife from her grasp. Then he smashed his fist into her mouth, felt her flesh give and her canines and jawbone shatter. When he saw the surprise in her eyes, he realized she hadn't thought he would really hurt her. She'd expected an easy kill, and he had to wonder why. She twisted and stopped several feet away. Blood oozed from her broken mouth, smothering her chin. She wiped it with a finger then lightly sucked it. Hunger and need flared in her eyes. “You have improved since we last fought."

"And you have learned to cheat.” He held up the silver knife. The hilt was wrapped in leather, but heat pulsed against the fingers nearest the blade. It had to be made of the purest silver to give such a reaction. If Elizabeth had managed to nick him, the wound would never have healed. “I can remember you scorning fledglings who dared fight with anything more than their fists or their wits." She shrugged. “The knife was not my idea. I prefer an even fight. You know that." He nodded. She'd been raised in the times of the Roman gladiators, and he had no doubt she still turned fledglings simply to watch them combat in her death arenas. “You could fight him, Elizabeth. You were never one to follow the desires of others."

Her bloody smile was resigned, almost sad. “No, I wasn't, and perhaps that is why I must now pay my dues. What goes around comes around. You once told me that." He'd once told her many things. None of it had seemed to ever matter to her. “Fight him, Elizabeth. Don't let him do this to you. Never in my life have I ever met anyone as strong as you.” Except, perhaps, Nikki.

She shrugged. “It matters not any more. Kill me if you can, my fledgling, for I have grown tired of this life."