Revealing Silver (19 page)

In the next second, the gun was ripped from her hands with so much force it bent her fingers back at a painful angle. Olivia yelped, clutching her hand to her chest and looking around wildly for whatever might be attacking her. There was nothing there and Marisol was out of sight. Olivia dove behind the nearest crate, bullets ricocheting around her head. She covered her head with both arms and ducked down, making herself as small as possible as the torrent of bullets continued around her.

It only took a handful of seconds before the clip was empty, but it felt like an eternity of thunder, roaring in her head and making her teeth vibrate in the enclosed space. By the time silence descended, her ears were ringing, and the pain in her head had increased to something that threatened to split her skull in two. Olivia closed her eyes tightly, trying to concentrate, searching for any hint of Marisol’s approach beneath the ringing in her ears.

“I know you. You’re the Keeper, aren’t you? What are you doing here?”

Olivia duck-walked several feet to the right before answering. “Gabriel sent me to find you.”

“I thought he was safely tucked away in prison.”

“Well, he changed his mind. He knows what you’re up to, Marisol. He knows about Sophe.”

Marisol sucked her breath. “How could he know about her?”

“Because we found her body. Look, Marisol, we can talk about this. Gabriel just wants you back in 2010—”

“I’ll blow your head off before I let you take me back to him.”

“I’d rather we not do this the hard way, Marisol.”

“Tough shit. You might be a Keeper, but you don’t control me.”

What did she control in her role as Keeper? “What are you doing here, Marisol? I thought you’d abandoned this warehouse.”

When Marisol didn’t answer, Olivia dared to peek over the top of the box she was hiding behind. She didn’t see any sign of the other woman, and it seemed like there was a good mile between herself and the door. There had to be another way to escape. A back door somewhere, or a fire exit. She liked her chances better outside of the dark, increasingly claustrophobic building. Not that she had any reason to like her chances at all right then. The crate in front of her moved without warning, sliding away from her and into the wall with enough force to shatter it into splinters. Olivia moved without thinking, rolling behind the next one, only for it to be ripped away with as much sudden force.

Fuck. Was Marisol doing that? She must have been. But how? What had she done to suddenly become telekinetic? And how could Olivia hope to escape her if she could just start throwing giant boxes, or shooting, or picking Olivia up and bashing her against the wall? One good blow would have Olivia broken and bloody. Her hand automatically went to the coin in her pocket. Not because she thought it could do anything to protect her, but because she wanted to do everything she could to protect it. If Marisol could rip the gun from her hand, what would stop her from ripping the coin away too? Adrenaline flooded her at the thought, panic spiking through her brain, and everything narrowed down to the business of stopping Marisol from getting anywhere near the coin.

“Give up, Olivia, and I won’t hurt you. I don’t want to kill you. Your kind is even harder to find than the descendants.”

“My kind? You mean a Keeper?”

“Of course.”

“But you didn’t need me for the ritual, right? So why should I believe you’d keep me alive now?”

“You’re chosen. The other girls are born.”

An echo of what Gabriel had already told her. “What difference does that make?”

“All of the difference. She’s close now, if she’s made a Keeper.”

“I know you killed Sophe, and I’m not going to let you get away with that.”

Olivia caught movement from the corner of her eye, no more than a shadow moving against a shadow. She dropped to one knee, prepared to tuck and roll, her hand extended in a fruitless gesture of defense. It wasn’t as though she could catch the bullet before it reached her head, but she was in that position when the report from the gun crashed around her. She closed her eyes, waiting for the searing hot, tremendous pain of a bullet sliding through her flesh like a knife through hot butter, but the pain never came. The explosion from the weapon was quickly followed by a scream that didn’t come from her own throat. When she opened her eyes, pale blue light emanated from her clutched palm and Marisol was doubled over, clutching her arm.

Marisol lifted her head, looking more like an injured bird than a woman. Her eyes glittered, and her lips were back in a tight grimace. The gun rested at her feet, and dark blood dripped down her arm like oil. Neither of them moved for the space of a heartbeat, Marisol’s gaze locked on the new light. It seemed to be growing brighter, illuminating not only the immediate space around Olivia, but up to the ceiling as well. Olivia shakily pushed herself to her feet, her lungs burning with the need for oxygen, her pulse hammering in her throat, and her arm still outstretched.

“You’re hurt,” Olivia tried. “You should let me help you.”

Marisol responded in a rapid flood of Spanish, most of which involved various curses on Olivia and her whole family. Olivia refused to move, holding her ground even when she sensed Marisol’s voice rising. She felt something pushing against her, like the centrifugal force generated on a carnival ride that spun too fast. It was a motionless wind, pushing against every square inch of her, pressing into her skin and bones. Just as she was sure her ribs might crack from the pressure, it disappeared completely.

She didn’t realize how much she’d been resisting the wall of force until it was gone and there was nothing to support her straining muscles. She toppled forward, tripping over her own feet as she tried to right herself. Marisol took advantage of her distraction, moving with surprising speed toward the back of the building.

Olivia gave chase, determined not to let the opportunity slip from her fingers. All she needed to do was get close enough to touch Marisol and recite the words Gabriel had forced her to memorize. But Marisol knew the layout of the floor plan better than Olivia did, and she moved with surprising speed, clutching her arm the whole time, leaving a trail of blood behind her. When she saw the crack of light that indicated a door opening, she turned up the speed, pushing herself as hard as she could for those final yards. Maybe if Marisol had driven herself to the warehouse, Olivia would have made it. But all she could do was watch as Marisol jumped into the moving car. As soon as the door closed behind her, the driver pushed his foot on the accelerator, and the car roared into the morning light.

Compared to what waited for Olivia inside Marisol’s mansion, the first stone wall barely presented an obstacle. Olivia scaled it easily, thankful she still took the time to go climbing once or twice a month even though it wasn’t an activity she particularly enjoyed. There weren’t motion detectors or light sensors at the top, or any nasty surprises in the shape of broken beer bottles or razor wire. She vaulted herself over and landed in a crouch, watching the house through the shrubs and row of trees to see if anybody had been alerted to her presence. When no lights flashed or people shouted, she advanced forward, still on the lookout for sensors as well as more troublesome obstacles, like dogs or armed guards. She didn’t know how many men Marisol had working for her, and she didn’t know how far the other woman was willing to go in the name of security. She’d honestly anticipated more than this, though.

Her confidence grew with each careful step she took around the edge of the yard. She’d expected to lose time scouting for a safe entrance, but now she was beginning to wonder if she’d get away with walking through the front door. Easier and safer than breaking in through a window, but not as much fun. Three-quarters of the way there, a low growl ground her to a halt. She wasn’t alone.

She surveyed the yard for glowing green or red eyes. The growl came again, closer this time. Close enough to send chills down anyone’s spine. Olivia turned toward the sound and slowly put her hand out, palm side up, then stood perfectly still. The dog seemed to melt from the darkness, his black coat and dark brown markings blending in almost seamlessly with the night. He growled another warning, but Olivia didn’t waver, her nerves and stomach calm.

The dog approached cautiously, the glint of his teeth just visible. He pushed his nose against the palm of her hand, and moving in the same deliberate way as before, she turned her hand to pet his muzzle and the top of his head. The dog leaned in to her touch, and she sighed with relief. This wasn’t a vicious guard dog waiting to attack.

“Sit down.” She pointed at the ground. “Sit.”

The dog sat.

“Now stay.”

The dog wagged his tail but remained where it was. Olivia managed to make it all of three steps before the beast barked.

“Shh. Shut up.”

Another step. Another bark. The porch light flooded the front yard, stealing away any hiding spots. The dog still sat where she told it, but now wore a very pleased expression. With nowhere to go except forward or over the wall, she tried to compromise by ducking behind the shrubbery. She narrowly missed the wall and hunkered down behind it. Several seconds passed without a sound, and then the dog barked again. This time, the damned thing was standing right in front of her, sniffing the ground and nosing the hedge. Olivia tried to shoo him away, but her efforts only made the situation worse, causing the shrubbery to move and shake with each frantic gesture.

“Who’s there?”

She held her breath and waited. As the man moved closer, she undid the strap on her holster, ready to fire her weapon if absolutely necessary. Remy had offered to arm her with a few knives for self-defense, but Olivia had no intention of letting anybody get within knifing distance. Not that she would feel comfortable handling the sort of knives Remy seemed to favor. She could use a knife to chop onions, but she had no desire to try out one of those vicious-looking blades. Which left either hand-to-hand or her gun, and every instinct she possessed resisted firing on a civilian in a quiet neighborhood.

As it turned out, she didn’t even have the chance to reach for her gun. One large hand fell on her shoulder and the other curled around the back of her neck. In the next second, she was vertical, at least two feet off the ground. Her captor was the size of a mountain and held her like she weighed nothing at all.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” He set her on the ground and shone a small flashlight in her face. “Oh, it’s you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. Marisol said she was expecting you. She just didn’t think you’d be stupid enough to go through the front yard.”

“She must be eager to see me.”

“She said I should get rid of you.”

“Then she’ll never know where the other coin is. Doesn’t she care about that at all?”

The mountain narrowed his eyes at her, clearly weighing Marisol’s previous order against this new information. He wasn’t eager to displease her. She imagined nobody was eager to displease Marisol these days. Were they aware of how powerful she was becoming? Or was it that crazy look in her eye that kept her men in line? Without uttering a word, he dragged her toward the house. Olivia had to move quickly to keep up, her heart beating faster as he shoved through the front door.

No wonder Gabriel had so many interests and his fingers in so many pies. The rented house was more of a palace. It must have cost a fortune to keep a woman with expensive taste like this happy. Olivia almost said as much, but her enormous companion didn’t look like the sort who would appreciate the humor. At least it had to be more comfortable for the girls than some warehouse.

He dragged her up the first flight of stairs, down a hall, and then up another flight. Olivia kept careful track of the path he took as well as the floor plan of what she could see. It might be necessary to use the house as an obstacle path later, and there was always ready weaponry in the kitchen. She might not like the thought of using a knife, but that wouldn’t stop her from cutting somebody like a ripe tomato if it came down to it.

At first, there was only the sound of his ragged breathing and their footsteps across the polished tile, but after they reached the second floor, the unmistakable rhythm of a Spanish chant drifted to them. It wasn’t familiar. Not the same chant she’d heard when they’d raided Gabriel’s house, but Olivia had no question of what it was. Which meant they weren’t too late yet. But a couple more minutes of delay and they would be. A perfectly round patch of heat burned through her pocket, and something in her chest stirred in response. Endorphins raced through her system, giving her a new charge of energy and a strange sense of invulnerability.

Olivia ignored that. The last thing she needed to do was get in a battle with a behemoth, and it had nothing to do with whether she’d win or lose. But as they neared their destination, anticipation surged through her. She was finally going to see the priestesses in the flesh. They wouldn’t be black-and-white images any longer. She was relieved to be so close to rescuing them, but that wasn’t quite what it felt like. It was heavier, somehow. And more exciting. Like she was about to shake the hand of somebody she’d admired her entire life.

He knocked on the door once before pushing it open. The chanting stopped and six pairs of eyes turned at once to regard the intruders. Clear relief shone in five of those sets, but Marisol looked furious enough to chew through a wall.

“You were supposed to get rid of her,” she snapped. “Is it that hard to follow an order?”

The mountain man fidgeted from foot to foot. “She said you’d want to know where the other coin was. I thought the Silver Maiden was more important.”

“She’s playing you.”

“You know I’m not, Marisol. So what exactly are you up to here? Something Gabriel wouldn’t approve of?”

Her eyes glittered. “It doesn’t matter. Gabriel isn’t here.”

“God knows I don’t like the guy, but he and I agree on one thing. You’re not going to hurt these girls anymore.”

“Because you’re going to stop me? You haven’t been effective at anything yet. Couldn’t keep Gabriel in prison, couldn’t stop me from coming back, couldn’t even get in the house without getting caught.” She clicked her tongue as she shook her head. “Such a waste. I’ll bet you couldn’t even keep that cute detective of yours satisfied.”

“I don’t know if I’m as worthless as that. I did find you, after all.” Well, Remy had done most of the work to make that possible, but Olivia wasn’t going to let on. “How’s that arm? It looked like an ugly wound.”

Though Marisol didn’t flinch, four of the five girls looked at the long, loose sleeve covering her arm. Good. Point out the fact that Marisol wasn’t as invincible as they thought, and give them confidence to help if the need arose.

“Tie her up and put a gag on her, Cruz. It might be fun to have her watch when she’s helpless to do anything about it.”

“Can you just tell me one thing first, Marisol? I’ve been dying to know. What, exactly, is a Keeper?”

For the first time, Marisol smiled. “My own personal watchdog. Now muzzle her, Cruz. Unless I need to get Ernesto to do your job for you.”

Cruz’s jaw locked, and his head bowed in compliance. The hand he’d clamped around her wrist tightened even more as he dragged her to the edge of the room and shoved her against the wall. He blocked Olivia’s view of Marisol and the girls, catching her jaw and forcing her head back when she twisted to look past him.

“She wanted you dead. She meant it.”

“What can I say, big guy? Sometimes you gamble and lose. But I think you should get out of here while you’re still ahead.”

“You’re the one who fails to serve the Silver Maiden.” He reached for a length of thin rope resting on a nearby table. It was the same rope she’d seen around the kidnapped girls’ wrists and ankles. “You’re the one who isn’t safe.”

“And you’re the one who’s talking too much,” Marisol complained behind him. “Hurry it up. I’ve waited too long for this already.”

“I’m not going to let you tie me up. I’ve been very cooperative up to now, I think you’ll agree, but that’s where I draw my line in the sand.”

Cruz hesitated. After taking care of the more docile girls, he probably didn’t know what to do with a female who didn’t cower in the face of his size. Olivia lifted her chin and stared him down. She would put up a much bigger fight than this if he tried to actually use the rope.

Behind him, a girl cried out. They both jerked at the sound, and Cruz stepped enough to the side to allow Olivia to see what had happened.

Marisol stood behind the tiniest of the five young women, a long blade at the girl’s throat. “Stop fucking around and just do it. Or so help me, I will make sure this one dies slow and hard.”

Olivia tensed, ready to stop
fucking around
with Cruz and put herself between Marisol and the girls. The coin burned hotter than before, urging her forward like the sharp sting of a whip. The girl Marisol held was crying now, her tears falling silently as she held herself perfectly still. Fear flooded Olivia, but it didn’t belong to her. Marisol pressed the blade forward, and Olivia felt an answering throb at the base of her throat.

“You know what I think a Keeper is?” Olivia asked, her voice steady. “I think a Keeper makes sure maniacs like you can’t abuse the Silver Maiden’s powers. I think it’s my job to stop you, and I’m going to.”

“You can’t. You couldn’t in your time, you couldn’t at the warehouse, and you won’t now. Because she’ll be dead before you get past Cruz, and not even you are stupid enough to take that chance.”

The girl was absolutely going to die if Olivia stood there and did nothing. That was not an acceptable outcome. As far as Olivia could see, she had only one real choice.

With Cruz still looking at Marisol, Olivia took advantage of his distraction to drive her heel into his foot. The hand on her throat clenched and he growled like an injured bear. He tried to catch her other hand, but her fist shot up, catching his chin with a hard uppercut that snapped his head back. Still, his hand didn’t loosen. She punched him in the throat, mouth twisting with satisfaction when he started to choke. A knee to his unprotected groin dropped him an instant later.

“There. Now it’s just us girls.”

With a furious sneer, Marisol jerked the girl harder to her chest, the muscles in her arm tensing to draw the blade across the front of her throat. Something pounded heavily outside the door, drawing the terrified attention of the other girls but not Marisol. And not Olivia. She refused to take her eyes off the bitch.

The door splintered as it flew inward. Screams filled the room, and two of the young women dropped to their knees to curl up into a ball. Blood spurted from the slice into the throat of Marisol’s hostage, but before the knife could draw all the way across, something whistled through the air.

Marisol shrieked, dropping both the girl and her blade. When she stumbled back, Olivia got a good view of the wicked knife buried in her upper arm.

“You started the party without me,” Remy commented from the doorway. “That’s a little rude, don’t you think?”

“I stalled as long as I could.” Olivia rushed to the cut girl. She just reached her when Marisol shouted and slammed her shoulder into Olivia’s side. Olivia lost her footing, crashing to the ground with Marisol on top of her. She tried to roll from beneath the other woman, but Marisol took advantage of her position, digging her knees into Olivia’s ribs as she pulled her uninjured arm back, forming a tight fist.

Remy appeared at Marisol’s shoulder, catching her wrist and twisting it behind Marisol’s back. It knocked her off Olivia, but as Olivia scrambled free, struggling to catch her breath, it was Remy’s turn to be wrestled to the hard floor. She tried to reach for her boot, only to be blocked by Marisol brandishing a bloody knife. Olivia recognized the hilt. It was the one Remy had thrown.

Marisol’s lips curled back. “It’ll be a pleasure to kill you.”

“You have no idea how many people have said that to me.” Remy arched away from the stab of the blade, missing its edge by only inches. When her leg swept up to try and curl around Marisol’s upper body, Olivia saw blood seeping through the back of her jeans.

The heat from the coin burned through her pants, scalding her thigh. She gasped, desperate to get it out of her pocket while she refocused on the girl. Remy would have to take care of Marisol herself. The girl was losing too much blood for Olivia to ignore. Her fingers closed around the coin at the same moment she pressed her hand against the ragged wound on her throat.

“It’ll be…” A series of rapid explosions cut her off, and she looked over her shoulder for Cruz or an accomplice firing an automatic weapon. Marisol and Remy froze in their struggle, and silence descended for a beat. “Remy?”