Omens (Dark in You 6)

His chest heaving, David spun in a circle, searching for a weakness in their defenses, finding none. The burned flesh on his hand hissed and blistered as the hellfire ate at it. The orb sure got him good.

Planting his feet, Ciaran glanced at Khloé. “Now, sis, why would he run from us?”

“Good question,” she said. “The move screamed ‘guilty conscience’ to me.”

Her chin up, Jolene took a step toward the familiar. “You know who I am. Yes?”

Cradling his burned hand, David gave a short nod, eying her warily. “Jolene Wallis.”

Her smile was all politeness. “Very good. As you may already have guessed, these people you see here are members of my lair. We’re not here to hurt you, David. We hope to speak to a friend of yours. I think you know who I mean.”

He averted his gaze for the briefest moment. “I-I don’t.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Khloé tilted her head. “Why do you think he’s lying, Grams?”

Jolene pursed her lips. “I’m not yet sure. But we’ll find out.”

His eyes wide, he shook his head. “I’m not lying, I swear.”

Jolene flicked her hand. A blast of hot air swept him up and mercilessly flung him at the wall so hard that the plaster cracked. He dropped to the ground like a rock, groaning.

Ouch.

“Maybe you should rethink your answer, Mr. Shore,” suggested Orrin.

Richie nodded. “Yeah, I think that would be for the best.” Coughing, David pushed to his feet. “I can’t tell you what I don’t know.”

A nauseating crack split the air. David cried out as his now-broken leg crumpled beneath him. He stared open-mouthed at the bone protruding out of his calf. “Fuck.”

Khloé winced at the sight, though she had to admit she envied her father’s ability to break bones with his mind. She could cause so much shit with a gift like that. Which was why it was no doubt for the best that she didn’t have it.

Jolene brushed an imaginary piece of lint from her blouse. “Let’s not play games, David. They bore me. Where’s Enoch?”

Panting, David licked his lips. “He left my lair a long time ago.” He coughed again. “We haven’t been in contact since then.”

Khloé twisted her mouth. “Yeah, I’m still not believing him. Pops, break his femur this time—I’ve heard that hurts like a bitch.”

“No!” shouted David. “No, no, don’t!”

“Then answer Jolene’s question truthfully,” said Richie. “Tell us where we’ll find Enoch.”

David weakly shook his head. “I’d tell you if I could, but I honestly don’t know.” The sound of his femur bone breaking echoed throughout the stairwell. He cried out again, his fingers retracting like claws. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.”

His face contorting with anger and pain, he slung a ball of hellfire at Jolene. She popped up her shield, which absorbed the orb, and then gave him a bored look.

“Bad move,” said Orrin.

David’s head whipped to the side, and blood spurted out of his mouth. Khloé knew the sentinel had dealt him a telepathic punch.

Jolene sighed. “I really am tired of your pointless denials, David. Each time you lie to us, we’re going to hurt you. There are lots of ways we can do that. Weird and wonderful and delightfully agonizing ways. Must we really demonstrate? Or shall we skip straight to the part where you tell me what I want to know?”

David spat a blob on the floor. Among the saliva and blood were two teeth. Ew.

He stared up at the Prime, lines of pain carved into his pale face. “You’ll kill me even if I do.”

“Nonsense,” said Jolene. “I’ll only kill you if you continue to refuse to cooperate.”

“If I were you, I wouldn’t worry too much about dying,” Khloé told him. “Enoch will no doubt resurrect you. You’ll probably be his favorite toy.”

David blanched as his expression morphed into one of pure horror. Yeah, she wouldn’t like the thought of her dead body being used as a puppet either.

Jolene folded her arms. “No more lies. When did you last see him?”

David closed his eyes, his shoulders sagging. “A week ago,” he admitted, his voice like gravel. “He said he needed some money and a place to lay low for a while. I gave him what money I had on me. Fifty or sixty dollars—something like that.”

“And just where is he laying low?” Jolene persisted.

“My uncle’s hunting cabin. It’s not far from here.” He rattled off the address.

Jolene smiled. “Thank you, David, you’ve been most helpful.” She turned to her lair members. “Shall we go?”

Ciaran pushed open the exit door, and they all began to file outside.

Khloé looked at David, who seemed shocked that they were actually allowing him to live. “Just in case you get any mad ideas to borrow a cell phone and call Enoch to warn him that we’re coming …” She raised her hand and zapped him with a high charge of electric fire. It coursed through his body, making him shake and convulse. Then he sagged, out cold.