Part 22 (1/2)

She rushed to Bridget and grabbed her. Her ivory skin glowed pale pink in the red rays cast down from the sparks of electricity igniting the sky. Eva tugged on Bridget's arm, but the pet.i.te blonde remained cemented in place. ”What have you done to her?”

”It is not us. It is the queen. She grows strong. She is coming.”

Bridget turned her head and rested her gaze on Eva. The glimmer in her eyes had vanished, replaced by thin veins of red. ”The queen is here.” Bridget's chin pointed to the sky and her arms spread wide, knocking Eva to the ground.

Thunder roared in the heavens and caused the soil under Eva's feet to vibrate. ”Alek, do something!”

”This is how it must be,” he boomed over the storm.

Eva's hand quivered as she grabbed Alek's and squeezed. ”It's going to be okay. There may be a one-in-a-million chance this will work, but I choose to believe in that chance.” Hope flared within her. ”The good guys will win, and we're the good guys!” Droplets splattered against her shoulders, and Eva cast her glance to the night sky as it bled scarlet rain.

Thirty-One.

A beacon of red lit the sky as James sped away from Veronica's, rus.h.i.+ng to get as far from the stench of regurgitated seafood as possible. The tip of his sock was wet from where he'd rinsed off his shoe, after Veronica thought her heaving was over and came to sit with him on the couch. Chunks had gone flying, a bit of which landed squarely on the toe of his boot. ”First blood and now puke. I have to get rid of these shoes.”

James stopped behind the line of cars waiting at the flas.h.i.+ng red stoplight. The electricity was out, and even though it was late, which usually meant little traffic, the streets were congested with drivers angry at having to stop at every block to pause at a red light. ”Well, s.h.i.+t. At least I made it out of Pierce's office before the power went out.” In his experience, companies seemed to always have security glitches when things like this happened, and he hated to think of what would have occurred if he'd still been in that lab when his fellow officers arrived. ”Bridget and Eva owe me for that one. h.e.l.l, humankind owes me.”

He glanced down at his vibrating phone. ”d.a.m.n.” He'd forgotten to text Bridget the good news. Finally there was something they could relax about. There was no reason to worry about the bodies or any samples getting to the CDC. That problem had taken care of itself. Sure, it was disgusting, but it was also no longer a concern.

He plucked his cell out of the cup holder. Bridget had sent him six texts, called him four times, and left one message. ”What the f.u.c.k?” He pressed the voicemail icon and Bridget's frantic sobs blared through his speakers.

”James, you have to come now. She's dead. Lori's dead. The Nosoi killed her. It's bad. It's so bad. But I'm going to make them pay. They need a vessel, and when their queen comes, I'm going to be that vessel. I'm going to kill them.” The message ended as burgundy lightning crashed overhead.

His tires screeched as he flipped a U-turn, then sped toward Eva's and the churning scarlet sky.

A beam of crimson bathed Bridget as she stood frozen in place under the control of an ancient, infectious evil. Alek replayed the events in his mind and searched for anything he'd missed, anything that could change this scene and destroy the Nosoi without the possible loss of the Oracle's companion. I have done all I can. This is how it must end.

A familiar hum tickled Alek's ears, and he cast his gaze to the sky. An onslaught of buzzing red specks poured from the low-hanging clouds and merged with the swarm thrumming over Bridget. United, they pulsed with a deafening purr. Eva's nails dug into the back of his hand, and the drips of scarlet rain streaming down his skin made it impossible to tell whether or not he was bleeding. He studied the Oracle's profile. Wet hair matted the side of her face, and her lip quivered slightly as she repeated, ”It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't think of any words to soothe her. He squeezed her hand and, powerless, watched the swarm converge on Bridget like a flock of deranged swifts. Anger warmed Alek's chest as he watched them disappear into her open mouth. He was supposed to be a warrior, aggressive and courageous. Instead he stood by, watching and waiting for someone else to make a move to save them. This was what had to happen. He knew that, but it didn't stop shame from pooling in his gut.

Thunder roared overhead, and the rose-colored rain ceased as the crimson sky dimmed, replaced by the muted black of night.

Bridget's arms slapped down at her sides, and her head sagged against her chest, but she remained firmly upright.

”Bridge?” Eva called out timidly.

”Wait here. I'll see to her.” He reveled in the opportunity to take charge and prove his t.i.tle of warrior.

The air around Bridget was sweltering. Ripples of heat radiated off of her, drying the beads of red rain streaming down her skin.

”Bridget, do you hear me?” Alek asked. Bridget's only response was the robotic twitching of her fingers. ”Eva, I need-”

Tires squealed against the pavement, interrupting him. Alek glanced up as James sprang from his car and rushed to Bridget's side. ”Whoa, it's hot over here. What happened? You didn't let her go through with it, did you?”

”We had no choice,” Alek said flatly, annoyed by the sudden appearance of the detective.

”So it's done?” James asked. ”You let her offer herself up to those things?”

”As I said, we had no choice,” Alek repeated.

”Had no choice my a.s.s. Aren't you supposed to be some big shot hero?”

Alek balled his fists and narrowed his eyes at the detective. ”Have you forgotten who stands before you?” he snarled.

”Both of you shut the h.e.l.l up.” Spittle flew from Eva's lips as she punched out the words. ”Bridget didn't do this so we could ruin our only chance by fighting each other.”

James cleared his throat. ”You're right, Eva.”

Alek pulled his menacing gaze away from James.

”Alek, finish what you were saying. You need something? What can we do?” Eva asked.

”We must find something to bind her, so she can't escape when she awakens. Then we must take her to the river and end this evil once and for all.”

James shook his head. ”Wait, you're not submerging Bridget in the river, are you? I knew she had something crazy in mind, but I never thought it'd be this bad.”

”This creature is not Bridget, and if we do not kill it, it will destroy your earth. Either join us or take your leave,” Alek said.

”I'm in. Of course. But let's not pretend this whole thing doesn't suck. I have handcuffs in my car.” James's feet splashed against the shallow puddles dotting the yard as he sprinted to his car.

”Alek, her head is moving. I think she's waking up,” Eva said.

He readied himself and stepped closer to the blonde. ”Bridget?”

Her hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat. ”I answer to 'Queen,'” she seethed, her voice echoed by another.

Pain seared his neck and crept up his face. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed. Her bones were so thin. One strong flick of his hand, and they'd shatter under his grip. But he couldn't do that. Not to Bridget, and definitely not in front of Eva. Boils bubbled on his skin, and marched up his arm.

”Don't touch her. The infection will spread to you,” he gurgled as James cautiously rejoined them, gripping silver shackles.

”Mortal.” She pursed her lips and blew a steady stream of her Nosoi followers into James's face.

Hacking, James tumbled backward.

Bridget's vibrant blue eyes faded, and scarlet orbs took their place. ”How do you end an immortal? Not with plague. I know this all too well. If I crush this pipe you use to breathe, will you emerge healed and renewed?”

Eva stirred in Alek's periphery vision, and he fought to turn his head to face her.

”Injure me, Oracle, and you injure your mortal ally,” the creature within Bridget warned.