The Dark-Hunters (752 page)

Crap. Crap. Crap. Jess flinched at the very thought.

Abigail drew her brows together in confusion. “I don’t understand. If the First Guardian is there, can’t he stop the Grizzly Spirit from escaping again?”

“It’s not that easy, Abigail. No one has heard from him in countless centuries. For all we know, the Grizzly might have killed him when he went behind the Gate or he could have possessed him. You have no idea what the Grizzly is capable of. Trust me. We have to stop them from opening that jar. If the Grizzly gets out again—”

“It’ll be a fun time in Disneyland,” Jess mumbled. “Y’all think we could arm Mickey? He might be badass with a gun.”

Abigail slapped him lightly on the arm. “What do we have to do, Ren?”

“Get his jars before they do.”

It amazed Jess that Ren could make the impossible sound easy. Too bad reality didn’t go that way. “Does Coyote know where it is?”

“I don’t think so. But then, neither do we. Choo Co La Tah should be able to track it … if we can get
him
to wake up. However, the one who spilled Guardian blood has to make an offering on the sacred ground to appease the ancient elements before sunrise. Otherwise, all of the jars will open … at once … which would then also blow open the Gate and all that concentrated evil would pour out of it.”

Oh yeah, that would seriously suck. “Did they launch that last space shuttle yet?”

“I don’t follow,” Ren said.

“I’m just thinking maybe we should evacuate the whole planet. I’ve heard the moon is kind of nice this time of year.”

Both Abigail and Ren let out mutual sounds of aggravation.

“Focus your ADD, Jess.”

He rolled his eyes at Ren’s quip. “I gotcha, brother. What you’re forecasting is six more plagues coming out of the northwest at maximum velocity with a mild chance of survival. Followed by the world getting swallowed whole into a vat of evil.”

“Well, yeah. That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

“Nice to know I didn’t misunderstand and all.” He purposefully exaggerated his drawl on that. “Ah, hell, y’all lucky I can follow anything, especially given how many times I got kicked in the head when I’s a kid.” Sobering, Jess let out an irritated breath. Instead of Renegade, his name should be Mary Sunshine. “I’ll get Abigail to you as soon as I can.”

“I’ll keep working on Choo Co La Tah. You be careful.”

“Same to you. Let me know if anything changes. I could really use some good news right about now.” Jess hung up and turned to face Abigail. Unfortunately, she had her clothes buttoned up all the way to her neck.

Damn.

She let out an exaggerated breath. “I don’t want to know about Choo Co La Tah, do I?”

“Not really. Kind of wish I didn’t know.” Jess toyed with the keys that dangled from the ignition while he watched the wasps continue to swarm outside. He didn’t like the idea of being trapped, and he wasn’t keen on the idea of being beholden to Sasha for anything.

“Ah, screw this. I’m not going to wait for rescue like a puppy on a float. Buckle up. We’re going for it.”

Abigail wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. But what choice did she have? Jess was in the driver’s seat.

Besides, she was with him on this. No need in waiting around when they could at least be trying to get home.

She snapped the belt over her lap and braced herself. “All right, cowboy. Let’s do it.”

Jess put the car in gear, then opened the garage door with his powers. The wasps immediately swarmed inside. Something that didn’t faze Jess at all. She admired that.

He gripped the wheel, then tore out of the garage as fast as he could. The lights were dimmed by the number of wasps gathering around them.

But that wasn’t the worst part.

She cringed at what awaited them on the street. Everything had gotten worse. There was no movement from anyone, anywhere. Businesses and homes had their windows drawn shut, and most were dark—as if afraid that the light might attract more wasps.

It terrified her.

But at least there was no sign of the mountain lion. He appeared to have moved on.

Needing to understand what was going on in the world around them, she turned the car radio on and scanned the channels until she found the local news.

The reporter’s voice was thick with concern, and it made her own throat tighten. “There’s no explanation for this rash of insect uprisings or these unprecedented weather fronts that keep moving in. The authorities are advising everyone to stay calm and in their homes until the experts have figured out what’s causing it. As of now, several roads and highways are being closed, and everyone is being told to watch out for flash flooding. They also want us to remind everyone that wasps can and do sting even after death, so please don’t pick up any of their remains without gloves or some other form of protection. Officials are advising everyone to turn off any lights that might attract more wasps. And if you have pets in your yard, please do not venture out to get them.”

Flash flooding? The dark sky above them was completely clear.

She turned the radio off. That hadn’t been very helpful. “Guess they can’t report that it’s the end of the world, huh?”

“It’s not the end.”

She stared at the wrecked cars and bodies they passed. The people who’d posted handmade signs in the windows of their homes asking for God’s forgiveness and warning others to repent. “It sure looks like it from my seat.”

“Ah, now,” Jess said in that exaggerated drawl she was beginning to recognize as his way of keeping things either light or in perspective. “Buck up, little camper. It ain’t over yet. We’re far from out of this.”

That was the problem. They had a long way to go, and she didn’t see an escape for them.

Jess kept his attention on the road as he navigated hazards every inch of the way. He was trying to be positive for her, but inside, he was worried fierce. Why had Old Bear been holding the key to the West Gate? Why take the chance? It should have been cast out to sea or something.

For that matter, couldn’t the First Guardian have locked up butterflies or something equally harmless in those jars?

No. People had to have their misery, and Old Bear would have to have the pimp daddy of plagues waiting for discovery.

Give me locusts and boils.
Hell, he’d even prefer pimples on his private parts. Anything would be better than Coyote taking over the world.

At this point, they were mired so deep in the mud of Shit City, he might as well have his mail forwarded.

I swear, Coyote. If I live through this
 …

You won’t.

CHAPTER 13

Jess let out a relieved breath as he pulled into his driveway while rain pelted the car so hard, it sounded like a sledgehammer pounding on metal and glass. Man, what a night. He was exhausted already, and it wasn’t even late yet.

Of course, another round with Abigail and he’d definitely perk up.

Don’t go there.

Please, go there.…

’Cause honestly, he’d much rather think about her naked in his arms than think about doing what they were going to have to do and then walking away and never seeing her again.

I thought the good guy was supposed to get the girl.
That was the theory, anyway. Too bad he had enough life experience to know that it definitely wasn’t the case.

Nice guys got shot by their best friend.

He shook his head to clear it of
that
nightmare and turned his attention where it needed to go.

Their friendly neighborhood plague.

At least it was raining heavy enough to drive the wasps back into submission and disperse them. Especially since Talon had added a little god power to it to shock and numb them.

Things were almost back to normal.

Yeah, right. Things were about as normal as a Luddite working for Bill Gates. But then, wishful thinking was about all he had left right now. That and the fierce desire to find Coyote and beat the ever-loving shit out of him.

He parked in the garage and looked over at Abigail. Her features were pinched by dread and determination, and still she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. What he wouldn’t give to be able to crawl into bed with her for a week and not come up for air until they both were near-dead from lack of food.

Yeah, she’d be worth starvation.

And as he met her gaze, regret slammed hard into his gut. How he wished they’d had more time tonight. More time to explore and taste her.

More time to just …

He forced his thoughts away from that train wreck. What good were druthers, anyway? They just made you ache for things you couldn’t have. And the one thing his childhood had taught him was not to dwell on what-ifs.

What was it Nietzsche had said? Hope was the worst of all evils, for it prolonged the torment of man?

Props to the philosopher. The man was definitely right in this case. Hoping for something better wouldn’t make it manifest. It would only remind him of decisions he’d made that he couldn’t undo.

He had a job to do, and it wasn’t just to protect her. He had to save the rest of the world, too.

Steeling his own determination, he inclined his head to Abigail. “You ready for the next part?”

Apprehension lined her brow as she stared at her hands held clenched in her lap. “Like an adrenaline shot straight into my heart via my eyes.” Her voice was faint and pain-filled. “Weirdly, I think I dread meeting Andy more than fighting off Coyote.”

He would laugh if she wasn’t right. He had the same rock in his stomach at the thought of how the kid would react to seeing his car mangled in its current condition. Definitely not something he was looking forward to.

Time to face the music.

After turning the engine off, he opened the door and got out while Abigail followed suit. He’d barely shut the car door behind him before he heard the agonized scream coming from the house.

“What have you monsters done?”

Abigail’s face blanched as she froze in place.

He quickly moved past her to intercept Andy on his way to the car. He tried to shield the car with his body, but Andy was having none of that. Andy dodged left. Jess went right. Andy pivoted right.…

Jess held his arms out to stop him before he saw all the damage. Dang, the kid should have played ball. He’d seen less slippery piglets.

He offered his Squire a sympathetic nod. “You might want to order a new one.”

Andy groaned in pain, then raked his hands through his hair in a way that would make James Dean proud. “I can’t believe you tore up my car! My car! My precious baby. Sheez, Jess. What did you do?”

Well, there was one thing he definitely wasn’t going to mention. That would only wig the kid out even more, and he would definitely never hear the end of that.

Not to mention Abigail would probably gut him if he told anyone what they’d done.

Jess dropped his arms and shrugged. “All I can say is, it got hairy for us.”

“Hairy?” Andy covered his eyes with his fists and made the sound of ultimate suffering. Damn, the boy knew how to overreact. It was actually impressive. If the Squire gig failed, he could always get a job playing Oedipus. All he needed was to plunge two brooches into his eyes and stumble offstage. “My car looks like the stunt double for the Charger in
Burn Notice.
How could you? Jeez, Jess. Really?” He gestured toward the car.
“Really?”

Abigail took a brave step forward. “I’m so sorry, Andy. It’s all my fault.”

He glared at her as if he was imagining her in little bloody pieces spread out through the house. He raised one hand as if about to lecture her, but honestly, he was so upset that all he could do was sputter indignantly.

Jess clapped him on the back. “You’ll live. It’s just a car, kid.”

“And hell is just a sauna.” Each word dripped with indignation and outrage.

Wincing, Andy sucked in a deep breath and appeared to get a hold of himself. “Fine,” he said in a falsetto. “You’re right. I’ll live, even though right now it feels as if my guts have been yanked out through my nostrils and laid on the floor for your bitter amusement. You insensitive bastard! Just wait till I pick up your bike from the Ishtar. Let’s see who laughs then.”

“You hurt that bike, and I’ll rip out your spine.”

Andy paused. “Point taken.” He looked at his car and sighed. “It could be worse. No one threw up in it.…” He widened his eyes, as if even more disturbed. “Did they?”

“No,” Jess reassured him. “No one tossed cookies.”

“All right.” He straightened up and seemed to be true to his promise to let it go. “I will be a man about this.”

That lasted until he saw the scratches on the hood from the mountain lion and the front fender, where Abigail had dragged it off the driveway.

Wailing, he went to it and sank to his knees. He sprawled over the hood and laid his head on the damaged fender. “I’m so sorry, Bets. I should have hidden the keys. Booted your tires. Something. I had no idea anyone would abuse you so, baby. I swear I’ll never let anyone hurt you again. Ayyy, how could they do this to you? How? Oh, the humanity!”

Jess let out a deep
heh
as he locked gazes with Abigail. “I really need to get that boy a girlfriend—” He glanced over to where Andy was now stroking the hood. “—or at least laid.”

Abigail laughed.

Pushing himself back, Andy hissed at them. “You mock my pain, sir.”

“Nah,” Jess drawled. “I mock your idiocy.”

Andy curled his lip. “Go on. Get in the house. Leave me to my suffering, you insensitive monster. You’ve done enough damage.”

Jess shook his head. “Too bad the Razzie committee can’t see this performance. We might actually have a winner if they did.”

Hoping the boy would get over it without needing a therapist, he headed toward the house.

Abigail went over to Andy. “I really am sorry about your car. I mean it.”

He looked up with a sincere stare that gave Jess hope Andy wasn’t completely shot in the head. “It’s all right. It’s just … a … car. I’ll get over it eventually.” He pushed his bottom lip out to pout like a two-year-old.