Touch of Evil (36 page)

Her voice was amused and musical in my mind. The minute she "spoke" my eyes found her in the crowd. She stepped forward so that our gazes locked unobstructed.

Fuck you. I screamed into her mind and then tried to shut down the link. But again, I couldn't seem to manage it. At least it was daylight, so her powers weren't complete. This close in full dark, she'd have me for lunch. That she was here at all said how little time she had remaining.

The illusion she'd projected vanished as we mentally struggled. For the first time I got to see her as she really was. She looked like hell. The years of being Host and Queen had ravaged her body. Her hair fell in lank hunks around a sunken sallow face. The skin stretched like withered parchment across a death's head. A red satin dress hung loosely on her skeletal frame. I wondered how the others saw her.

Her mind, however, hadn't diminished a

bit—nor had her malice. I felt it beating against my consciousness in hot waves of pure hatred. She was the Queen and her power was joined and

strengthened by that of her offspring. The psychic force pounding at my brain was double that of when I fought Larry. Maybe even more. She tried to overwhelm me with the sheer power of her will, and I felt sweat break out on my forehead as I fought against her. I had no music, I had nothing to occupy my mind, so I began to hum heavy metal and imagine I could hear the thrumming beat in my ears.

I felt rather than saw movement to either side of me. Mary in my gym clothes to my left, and

Detective Brooks, a solid rock to my right. It helped. I had no idea how, but just having them near me pushed back some of that awesome

power, giving me the breathing space I needed. You have allies. How . . . cute.

" I am not prey!" I said it with both mind and voice.

Nor are they. But the rest . . .

She must be broadcasting our conversation to the others. I felt Brooks flinch at the realization of what she was implying. There were literally dozens of innocent humans milling around. It would be a blood bath.

The Channel 4 reporter had good instincts. She tapped the cameraman on the shoulder and turned in the direction of our confrontation. Monica hissed at the glare of the lights.

Ignore us. This is none of your concern. The reporter's pretty face went blank. With slow reluctance she turned away, her attention drawn again in the direction of the motel.

Now, where were we?

You're bluffing! I smiled tightly. Kill this many people and the humans will wipe out nests all over the world.

I felt the surge of power that hit her, bringing her up short like an attack dog at the end of its chain. I heard a bevy of voices in my head. They

whispered and called to me, barely reaching over the thrum of power that was Monica. She must breed, Mary Kathleen, and now. This is

affecting her mind. We cannot control her should it continue.

Fine, I will challenge her to a duel, one on one.

Monica shook her head, I watched as she freed herself from the constraints of the other queens. Unacceptable. Should you challenge me, I will instruct my children to begin the slaughter. The first one will be the wolf you took to your bed. I have him hidden. He is safe—for now. I felt my heart still, and heard Mary growl beside me. "Hurt one of my wolves, vampire, and it will be war."

Monica hissed then. Her lips pulled back to reveal her fangs. I had a flash of awareness. She had left it almost too long. She hadn't expected my trip out of town. Will alone kept her Host body going as system after system shut down. She must breed now. She would do anything to avoid a challenge she could not win. In a one-on-one match-up against me she would lose. There was simply not enough strength left in her failing body. Tom would die if I didn't agree. All of the people here would die. Monica had nothing left to lose.

"What do you want?" Brooks words made it seem like he had heard Monica's mental comments. I think you know what I want. And she'll give it to me. Unless, of course, you want me to begin the slaughter. There are more of my children than the small group here. Many others are spread over the city awaiting my command.

"The police are armed." Brook's voice lowered to a growling bass. "We can kill you here and now. Your people will die."

Without an heir they'll die anyway. And how many humans are you willing to kill, Katie?

How many, when you know we only want you?

I grated at her using a familiar name for me. But she was right. There is no one more dangerous than someone with nothing to lose.

"I'll do it." Brooks squared his shoulders. He was pale, and a nervous tic had appeared beneath his left eye but he stood firm. He knew as well as I did that Monica was desperate enough to try anything. She shook her head slowly. The greasy hair

barely moved. A noble gesture, but futile. A queen needs an abundance of psychic talent. You are very nearly a null. It's why you can't speak to me with your mind. No, it must be Kathleen. By choice or by force. It really doesn't matter which.

"I am Not Prey." I spoke the words aloud for Brooks's benefit. "You can negotiate with me. You can challenge me. But you can not force me." I will give you their lives. You will give me yours.

I schooled my features to neutrality and began bargaining in earnest. Not acceptable. I will not consent to anything that gives me a less than fifty percent chance of survival.

If we do not agree?

I will challenge you to a duel. One on one. Your fellow queens will not let you refuse. You can't fight both them and me. You will lose and your children will die.

Not without taking as many humans with us as we can.

As a single force the Thrall took a menacing step forward. There were more than I had originally counted—twenty, maybe thirty, which meant that she had blinded me. It also meant that she could make good on her threat without a strain. One of the uniforms spooked and started to reach for his weapon. In a blur of speed the nearest vampire grabbed his arm, snapping it with the ease of a dry twig. He screamed and dropped to the ground. His partner moved to his side and was immediately kicked in the face hard enough to knock him out. Cops everywhere reached for their weapons.

NOBODY MOVE." Brooks authoritative

bellow got the desired result. People froze in midmotion but the entire situation was balanced on a hairsbreadth of disaster as police officers' hands hovered over the butts of their guns.

I stared at Monica, my back straight, trying with every ounce of my will to prove to her that I was not willing to play the martyr.

ENOUGH! Monica's voice was a sibilant hiss in my mind. State your terms.

The dickering began in earnest.

21

It must have looked odd. Two women standing in a spreading well of tense silence, not speaking a word. The only sound was the whirr of cameras recording the event and the whimpering of the cop with the broken arm. He had not been allowed to move, nor was anyone allowed to assist. I don't know how long it went on. It seemed like forever. Never negotiate with a psychic. Every time an idea would occur to me as to how I could increase my odds of survival, she sensed it and would try to negotiate countermeasures. Back and forth we went. Finally, it was decided. I stood shaking and terrified knowing that in less than five minutes I would be letting that thing lay its eggs in a vein of my left arm.

"Brooks, you took notes. Could you please read back the agreement?" My voice was steady, almost calm. It didn't show the slightest sign of panic. I was proud of that.

The news cameras turned to record what he

said, but I don't think he noticed. His eyes were glued to the notebook in his hand. His dark skin had paled, and his hand trembled. But while his voice was taut he read the terms loud and clear.

"Monica and all of the Thrall Hosts and Herd she commands will allow every other non-Herd, nonHost presently here to leave unmolested. No Thrall will interfere with them in any way for the next forty-eight hours. They will not ever extract any vengeance or punishment from any of them for any actions they may take in the next forty-eight hours with regard to helping you in your attempt to not become queen. She will not take control of any of your limbs to use against you or cause you mental pain for any reason."

"In exchange—you, Mary Kathleen Reilly, will allow Monica to lay eggs in the vein of your left forearm for thirty seconds. You will not make any attempt to manually remove the eggs from your arm for at least two hours from the end of the thirty seconds during which Monica lays the eggs in your arm. You will not go to any medical professional for assistance in dealing with the eggs. You will not attempt suicide during the next seventy-two hours. And you will allow one of the nestlings to

accompany you to make sure that your allies do not go against the negotiated terms." His voice ground to a halt.

"Monica, do you agree to those terms on behalf of yourself and your people?" I asked. I do, but of course I can only speak for those I control. You will need to negotiate with the other Thrall queens separately. And you, Kathleen? She continued to speak into all of our minds. I think it was to prove that she still could. I took a deep breath. I could do this. I could do this. God help me, I was going to do this. "I do." Monica stepped forward. A space cleared

between us like magic. As I stepped forward she gave a triumphant, anticipatory smile that bared blackened gums. I can taste your fear. Fuck you. Just do it. With the cameras rolling I didn't say it out loud. My mother had raised me to be a lady—and ladies don't use that kind of language in public. Instead, I stripped off my Rockies jacket and handed it to Mary. Next the knife and sheath. Finally I shoved up the left sleeve of my sweater, baring a length of pale white forearm.

It was time. I took a deep breath and stepped silently forward. As I stopped in front of her and extended my left arm I asked, "Who's going to time this?"

"Give me a watch." Rob's voice answered. I pulled my watch from my pocket and handed it to him, then stepped back to where Monica stood waiting.

We were face to face at last. I grimaced with disgust. The failing of her Host's body was nauseating. Her body and breath stank of disease and rot. I tasted bile in the back of my throat as my stomach threatened to repeat but I fought it down. I couldn't stop the automatic flinch as I took a closer look at her and got a whiff of the decaying stench emanating from her. Multiple skin lesions had been artfully covered with the palest foundation available but there was no hiding the fact that the end was near. My nose was trying to convince my stomach to heave. She noticed when I shrank back from her and it made her more angry. I knew that she would not only lay her eggs—she would make it hurt. Monica took my arm in both of her hands,

raising it to her lips. I watched as her lips pulled back to reveal ivory fangs, the only teeth left in the blackened gums. My stomach clenched again and I fought back nausea. I could do this. I had to do this. I turned my head and spotted Rob. He was wearing only a pair of jean cut-offs the exact color of his eyes and my black sports watch. I gave a slight nod. His voice rang out in response.

"Now."

The pain was sharp and immediate. She filled my mind and blood with flowing lava. It wasn't outside the terms. It just really is that painful. I fought the urge to strike out; forced myself to stand rigidly still. I kept my eyes locked on Rob staring at the watch that adorned his wrist.

After what seemed an eternity he ended it.

"Time."

Monica pulled back so quickly that a single tiny egg fell from her mouth onto the ground with a soft wet splat. I felt a shudder of sorrow pass through the collected Thrall at its loss. Still, Monica was satisfied. Twelve eggs were nestled in my vein. She was certain that one, at least, would survive. I blinked. My ears popped and hearing returned in a blast of screaming sirens that faded into the distance. Monica and all but one of the Thrall were gone. I hadn't noticed them depart. Everyone else, human and wolf, stood immobile; mesmerized. The control she still had was impressive as hell and more than terrifying.

You'll be able to do it yourself soon. Her words were a warm hiss, a terrifying hint that she expected to prevail.

Not if I can help it!

I looked for my watch but it was gone. "How long were we out?" I muttered. Rob shook his head—looking around in alarm at the sea of blank faces.

"Shit!" He glanced at his watch. "Fifty minutes!"

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" The bloodsucking bitch had used a loophole. I hadn't negotiated for her not to use mind control to pass the time! Damn it! I should have known that she would try to cheat. Her voice in my mind was annoyed and flat. I am within the terms of our bargain to have enthralled you for the full time, Kate. Do not condemn me for merely protecting my children from the wrath of your allies!

I didn't answer her. Technically it was not a lie. She would have been within the terms. If she was strong enough. But she wasn't. I knew it as well as I knew my own name. I didn't know how I knew, but it didn't matter. The certainty was enough. I felt her hiss of rage inside my head, then blessed silence.

People started coming out of it, shaking

themselves like dogs shedding water. Brooks was among the first to come to himself. He looked as displeased at having been put under as I felt. He kept muttering "Fifty minutes. They could've slaughtered us all."

It wasn't comforting. Neither was the fact that my arm was already starting to swell. The wound had closed—the coagulant in Monica's saliva had seen to that. But the eggs had grown. I could see twelve individual spheres pressing against the surface of my arm. They pulsed and grew with each beat of my heart as they fed on the blood coursing through my arm. My breath was coming fast and shallow as I watched them move like maggots under my skin. I struggled not to rip open the arm with my own fingernails.

"Now what?" It was Mary who spoke. All of the wolves seemed fine but most of the humans were still staring vacantly into space. Pickpocket heaven, if anyone walking by could even see us.