Avenger (17 page)

An urge to sneeze overtook him, and he leaned forward. Instead of a sneeze, though, he exhaled vapor that took Celestine’s familiar shape and solidity.

“This is not your fault. You can not anticipate the extremity of evil,” Celestine said.

Luke rubbed his irritated nose and winced at the pain. His nose was touched by Barney. “I should’ve been more careful.”

“Carmen made her own choices that led to her end. We all make decisions at dire times to protect the people we care for.”

Cold but true. A surge of power shot through Luke. He blinked. “I take it Lidwien is back inside?”

“Yes.” Celestine’s outline wavered and shifted, something he did whenever he was distressed or planning to be evasive. “When you proceed to save Pru, remember that there are only the three of them.”

Luke frowned. “That can’t be. Sully is always surrounded by at least four of his men.”

“Pru’s skill is a very precious secret of his,” Celestine said gloomily. “He fears other drug lords might pilfer her from him and since you were chained and weak, they all thought it better to keep this secret between them. Barney and Sully themselves kidnapped Pru today.”

“What’s Jason’s part in all this?”

“I am not aware of Jason’s involvement. They did not mention him while they discussed you and Pru amongst themselves.”

There was so much sadness in Celestine’s voice, it felt like hooks raking Luke’s skin. His guide wasn’t the emotional type, and from his experience so far with him, the only thing that might sadden Celestine was if Luke wasn’t doing his job or wouldn’t be able to do it. “I’m back to normal, right?” he asked.

“Yes you are. I have been summoned to the Laymour and must depart now.”

Luke frowned. “When will you be back?”

“I will not. Someone else will give you guidance.”

The clock was ticking, Luke had to find Pru, yet he couldn’t just let go of Celestine. A bad feeling had been burrowing in him, Celestine’s words were laden with resignation. “Stay with me until we’re out of here and we can talk this through.”

“Time is ticking, indeed. You should go and save your Destined One with the aid of your guide and spirit within.” Celestine said. “I have had the opportunity of advising several spirit hunters over the centuries, and now I finally took a practical approach and helped one. Guiding you was not easy, nevertheless, it was an honor.”

Luke raised a hand. “Wait a minute. Wait a goddam minute. You’re not leaving. If this is goodbye, I demand a proper one. Not like this.”

At the sound of a distant scuffle followed by a scream, Luke snapped his attention to the door.

It was Pru’s scream.

Luke hobbled in the direction of the shriek, his heart pounding in his chest from physical and mental anguish. The corridor ended at a door left ajar, he peeked through the gab. It was dark outside but he made out silhouettes in the yard.

There is only one possessed human
outside
, a female voice said.

Luke pulled back in and held his breath.
Who’s this?
he asked.

I apologize for not introducing myself appropriately
, the woman said.
I am Leema, your Spirit Guide.

I already have one,
Luke said.

I returned with Lidwien to infuse my life force with his to heal you. Celestine has healed some of your injuries already, and so my life force is not needed anymore. Instead, Lidwien has assigned me to assume Celestine’s responsibilities.

Luke frowned. His new spirit guide was a woman? He must sort out all his Laymour connections after saving Pru, for her life was in danger.

He peeked outside again and allowed his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Barney, Sully, and Eloise were standing in the middle of a sandy yard with a high wall fencing it in. To one side, there were cages housing animals—mostly dogs and cats, but there were other animals as well.

Pru’s arm was pinched in Barney’s big hands, it looked painful. Rage spiked in Luke.

“Order it,” Eloise said and pointed at a monkey with her cigarette.

“I won’t participate in your cheap schemes to use animals as drug mules,” Pru said.

Sully flicked a knife open and scraped under his nails, Luke was glad the bite on his cheek looked raw. “It’s either that or we cut them open and stuff them as we usually do. Problem is, our contacts in customs have become pesky about the number of sick animals entering the country no matter how much we bribe them. To add insult to injury, some of those critters die during the journey from one place to another. Your skills will make it easier for all parties involved.”

Pru shook her head. “Not doing it.”

“You think we want to go through this with you? We’ve tried on our own, believe me,” Eloise said. “While you were in a coma, we had one of our friends reside in you, except Mrs. Lancaster’s Chihuahua snarled and went mad when I brought it in to test your powers. It seems animals answer to your soul and not your body. Pity, really. Then there was the matter of awakening you.”

So, they did try to possess Pru.
Bastards!

There were no weapons in anyone’s hand except for Sully’s knife, which didn’t necessarily mean the others weren’t carrying. He searched the vicinity for something he could use as a weapon and found none.

Mack turned to Pru. “It’s either you order the monkey to swallow the pack or we go back to Luke, and I promise, you won’t like what Barney has in mind for him. Of course, I can convince you in my own way.”

“You won’t kill me,” Pru said.

Smart girl.

“Whatever gave you the impression I’d kill you?” Mack asked. “But I can definitely take you.”

Barney held both her arms behind her while Mack reached for her waist.

The scouting for weapons was over. Luke stepped into the clearing and said, “Take your hands off her before I cut them.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Luke was here, and he was standing on his feet, unsupported. Pru was overjoyed. The swelling in his eyes was gone, his cheek was back to normal, and he moved with a slight limp.

Eloise dropped the cigarette and cursed, while Sully narrowed his eyes. Barney, on the other hand, turned around and wrapped his thick forearm around Pru’s neck. The pressure was weighty enough to suffocate her. The chimpanzee screeched and darted around, it had a maniacal expression on its face.

“Hiding behind a skirt, Barney? I knew you were a coward,” Luke said calmly, that hoarse undertone even more reassuring that he was almost back to his full strength. God, she loved his voice.

When Barney growled, Sully patted him on the shoulder. “He’s baiting you.”

They are also baiting you. Pru is too precious to kill. They will not harm her
, a female voice said to Luke.

This had to be someone like Celestine. Pru couldn’t make out a vapor like being but she was glad help was here.

Mack, Sully, and Eloise know that. I doubt Barney would consider it?
Luke said, and he did have a point. Barney seemed on edge despite his uninvolved appearance. She could almost smell fear mixed with his sweat. But Mack was dead, right? She glanced around. He must be in someone then. Barney and Eloise had no aura color, she assumed it meant they weren’t possessed, but Sully had a grayish pallor.

Barney only follows his brothers and mother’s instructions. Trust me, Luke, they will think twice before hurting Pru.

Pru sighed. The spirit speaking to Luke had tranquility in her voice, a dead tranquility at that. Celestine had more warmth in him. Either way, the invisible woman had a good head on her shoulders.

Just then, Eloise withdrew a gun from her handbag, ditched the bag and cigarettes, and pulled the trigger. Luke dodged the bullet and with the chain coiled on his wrist, he lashed out at Barney’s legs propelling him to the ground. Barney’s hold on Pru relaxed and she pulled away. Without wasting a second, she thrust her hand forward in a jab at Sully’s throat, but he was dodging the chain, so the blow landed on his face, ramming-in his nose. Sully stumbled, cradling his bleeding nose, but didn’t collapse.

“Sonofabitch!” Eloise exclaimed and leveled her hands to fire again. Pru leapt and kicked her in the knee. Eloise staggered to the ground, landing with a thud, stirring dirt. She coughed and waved her hands to clear the air. Pru kicked the gun out of her hand, it landed out of their reach.

Eloise narrowed her cold blue eyes, her anger intensifying. Pru—unwilling to give her a chance to rise to her feet—used one of Tía Adoria’s Hapkido moves and sprang at her, aiming a hard kick at her chin. Eloise skirted the hit and leaned backward.

Another shot sounded. In her head, Pru heard Luke exclaim,
Celestine!

Pru swiveled around. Luke was on the ground, a red stain spreading on his chest.

“No!” She dashed to him and plopped onto the ground by his side, cradling his head on her lap. Not Luke! “Darling, answer me.” Would he survive a bullet to the chest? How powerful were these beings helping him? Tears threatened to well out. She prayed.

Luke opened his mouth, closed it, then tried again. He lost the battle and blanked out.

Help me,
Pru called to Celestine, or the woman, or anyone who could save him.

The Spirit Within is healing him, however, it is a critical injury. Luke is weak and the wound is close to the heart,
the female voice said.

When Sully kicked Luke in the ribs laughing, Pru shoved him away. Eloise snickered, and Barney pulled the chain from Luke’s forearm and flung it across the yard. Thick fingers wrapped around Pru’s shoulders and pulled, she resisted and didn’t let go of her man.

“Let her be,” Eloise said and turned to Pru. “This is a lesson for you. We can do to your family what we did to Luke until you give us what we want. Your total obedience.”

Barney followed his mother’s orders and limped to the building with his family, leaving Pru and Luke behind.

Then you do something
, Pru said to the female spirit.
Her eyes stung, she wasn’t going to cry, but her tears proved her wrong, for they had a mind of their own.

I cannot manifest to influence objects or beings. It is forbidden
.

It was up to Pru to avenge her love and she was not going to disappoint him. Luke was going to wake up and he was going to be okay. Control the animals, they’d said. Well, she couldn’t do that, but she could ask for their help. With a flick of her hand, she wiped her tears and lifted her head. The chimpanzee who’d moved further away from the scuffle, was now watching her. She reached with one hand to it and spoke very softly, “Free your friends.”

The chimpanzee tilted its head from one side to the other, and studied her. It then glanced at the cages and back at Pru. She smiled weakly and nodded. The chimpanzee dashed so swiftly, it was hard to keep track of its movement. It darted from one cage to the next, sliding the barrel bolt on each and leaving the doors open. In no time, animals were slithering, flying, running, jumping, and twisting out of their cages.

At the sounds of the deadbolts, Eloise and her boys swung about. In his panic, Sully pulled out the gun and shot the first animal his gaze fell upon, a rabbit—the softest and smallest animal free. Barney pulled out a knife and crouched, a challenge glinting in his eyes. Eloise froze, her eyes shifting from one corner of the yard to the other, her mouth open.

Something hard pushed against Pru’s hand, the one pressing against Luke’s chest wound. She removed her hand only to have the bullet rocket out of his body to the ground. She smiled, he was healing from the inside out. When he lifted his head as though to rise, she pushed him down.

“I’m fine now. I promise.” He sounded breathless.

Shaking her head, Pru gently lowered his head to the ground and rose to her feet. Ignoring her request, he stood up as well and looked around, frowning at the advancing animals. When a snake slithered close by, he drew Pru behind him.
The sweetheart!

“This is Luke!” Pru said loudly, pointing at him.

Sully sniggered, blood sprayed from his busted nose. “We know.” He turned to Eloise. “Ma, I think she lost it.”

Pru shook her head. “I wasn’t talking to you.” She then turned to the animals, dangerous and otherwise, and said, “Please help us, Luke and me.” An Ostrich halted in front her, head tilting in all direction.

Pru added, “For me!”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I’m in a circus, Luke thought. Animals, small and big, dangerous and fluffy, advanced on the trio amidst hisses, roars, and snarls.

Sully tried to shoot but the gun clicked on an empty chamber. He cursed and reloaded it with shaky hands. More than once the bullets slipped to the ground instead. Eloise shivered, her lips trembling, and took a couple of steps backward until she hit the wall behind her. Barney squatted and held his place, waiting, his soulless eyes on animals closing in, like a hunter marking its prey.

“You doing this?” Luke asked Pru.

She nodded smiling.

He smiled at her, proud. It became a grin when she blushed. His love for her increased ten folds, because, damn! She looked gorgeous blushing.

He studied the animals. No wonder Sully was desperate to have her on his team. It didn’t explain why they wanted to kill her though.

“I overheard that if they could not control her then no one else should,” Leema said.

“For the record, I don’t like anyone reading my thoughts,” Luke said tersely.

Their greed could’ve killed Pru. He glanced at her again, proudly. She looked hesitant, frowning. “What’s wrong?”

“The rabbit.” She was chewing her lip again.

Luke followed the direction of her gaze to the rabbit shot by Sully. “I’m sorry, darling.” To change the topic he asked, “Did you know you can do this?”

She shook her head. “This goes beyond my expectations. I guess it’s a matter of trust that I shouldn’t abuse.”

Abuse was the keyword. The menacing way in which the animals approached Sully and his family seemed more personal. Luke had considered lending a hand but had a feeling that anything in those animals’ path would be trampled upon, maybe even killed.