“So you’re asking for the nightwalkers to take a side in this matter,” Jabari said with a slight incline of his head.
In response, I gave a light chuckle. “A choice has already been made. The nightwalkers of Savannah, and any other nightwalkers I can summon, will be fighting alongside Cynnia and her army,” I informed him. “Cynnia seeks a truce between the races so her people can resume the peaceful, isolated life they once led before Rowe went on his crusade to set the naturi free. Cynnia plans to kill Aurora and take the throne. I will be there to help her destroy her older sister.”
“You want to get in the middle of a blood feud between a pair of naturi? Let them fight it out and then just kill the survivor,” Jabari said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
“It’s far worse than that. The Daylight Coalition has become aware of certain lycanthropes and nightwalkers within the immediate area, as well as in other regions around the country. The humans have begun to actively hunt us. From my understanding, we’ve struck out and destroyed their Atlanta headquarters, but we need to make another strike against their group, gather more information on exactly how much they know about us and our identities.”
“It seems as if everything has been decided. What could you possibly need me for?”
“I want you to arrange a meeting with Our Liege. I have something of great importance to discuss with him,” I started with a certain amount of glee. I was reducing this powerful nightwalker and Elder of the coven to nothing more than messenger boy, and I loved it. “He needs to know that the Great Awakening is looming on the horizon along with other greater problems if something is not done. Our people need to know what lies ahead of them so they can prepare any way possible.”
“Times have changed if I am to be running errands for you now.” Jabari folded his arms over his chest.
“Yes, it was not quite so long ago that you were sending me to one distant location after another with little explanation and no hope of success. Well, your odds are slightly better. I’m sure you can also dig up Our Liege if you really wanted.”
“If you survive this disaster that you’re planning, I’m confident you will have his full attention. Of course, that’s assuming you get past me tonight.”
Frowning, I lowered my gaze on the old nightwalker and clenched my muscles as I prepared for the attack. “Don’t fight me tonight. I have plans for you and really would prefer not to kill you now.”
I wasn’t surprised when Jabari disappeared before my eyes. I had expected as much from him. It was a scare tactic, but after facing Nick earlier in the evening, it was going to take a little more than that to get the adrenaline pouring through my veins. Reaching out to grasp hold of the powers that flowed around me, I instantly sensed Jabari hovering close by, waiting to strike. I slid out of the booth while wrapping Jabari’s powers around my fist. I jerked him back into existence before me and slammed both my fists into his chest as he reappeared, sending him flailing across the room until he finally hit the far wall of the nightclub.
“We don’t have to do this now,” I said, brushing my hands off. “We can wait to kill each other until after Aurora is dead.”
“I would much rather kill you now,” Jabari said in a low voice that seemed to creep across the dimly lit expanse separating us.
“I’m sure you would.” I was preparing to summon up more energy to attack Jabari when the nightwalker sent his own powers rushing through my frame. A surprised scream was ripped from my throat as the pain overtook me. He held me locked in standing position with my arms thrown helpless out to my sides, leaving my heart vulnerable for the plucking if he decided to do so.
Do you want my help? Over the pain, I could feel Danaus’s powers brushing against me, waiting to push their way in so he could force Jabari out of me. But Jabari had spent most of my life as my puppet master, and I was going to defeat him on my own terms at last without the aid of the hunter.
Not right now. Thanks for the offer, I replied, forcing the words out as if through clenched teeth. I’ll handle this myself.
Digging deep inside, I grabbed hold of Jabari’s powers as they seeped through every limb and organ of my body and started to push them out again. His powers were no different than those I had learned to wield under Nick’s gentle tutelage. I could feel Jabari pushing back at me, forcing more energy into my frame until I was sure I would soon be torn into a million pieces. Clenching my teeth to stop another scream of pain, I finally succeeded in pushing his presence out of my body and mind for the first time by myself.
“Enough!” I shouted. Exhilarated and furious, I summoned up my powers again and threw Jabari back against the wall. “Enough games from you.” I took one step forward and disappeared, only to reappear again directly in front of him. Reaching back, I pounded my fist into his left jaw.
Lifting his right hand, he raked his long sharp nails across my face in a single, brutal swipe that left behind four long scratches. I stumbled back a step, putting some distance between us as I blinked away the blood dripping into my eyes. Jabari immediately came at me, grabbing the front of my shirt and throwing me across the room. I crashed to the floor in a clatter of tables and chairs.
As I pushed back to my feet, I grabbed one chair and ripped two wooden legs off. They weren’t quite the eskrima sticks Danaus had used earlier in our sparing session, but they would do for now. With weapons in hand, I approached Jabari again, knowing full well that his fighting style was more hand-to-hand combat and swords. I was hoping to have a slight edge over the Ancient, considering all the fighting styles I had studied over the years and honed more recently with Danaus at my side.
Staying in constant motion, I landed several sharp hits to his body and head with one of the sticks while blocking his attempts to strike at me with the other stick. We circled each other, both bleeding lightly from a variety of wounds, but nothing that was strong enough to end this stalemate as we moved like tigers looking for an opening.
“Come on, Mira,” Jabari said in a low, ragged voice. “Just burn me. You know you want to.”
“Not this time.” I laughed as I hit him on the back of the head, then slid out of his reach as he attempted to retaliate. “I want to take you down with my bare hands.” Besides, the old nightwalker knew I would need to pause for a second to conjure up enough power to nail him to the wall with flames. He was looking for that opening to plunge his hand through my chest and take me out first. If I kept moving, it was harder for him to strike at me.
Unfortunately, Jabari had other tricks up his sleeve. Sliding backward out of my immediate reach with the sticks, the nightwalker plunged his power back into my frame. My feet turned to lead and I stumbled so I was kneeling before him. My hands remained tightly wrapped around the sticks but I couldn’t lift my arms.
Jabari’s dark laughter swirled around the room, brushing against me as I struggled to push him out of my body once again. He had his claws sunk deep this time, and it felt as if he was tearing away at my organs and muscles.
“I have you this time, my desert blossom,” he gloated. “It seems our relationship is finally at an end. It has been . . . amusing.” He made a fist and pulled it back to plunge it into my chest. My stomach twisted as my eyes locked on that fist, knowing that any second it was going to be deep within my chest cavity before his fingers wrapped around my motionless heart.
“I’m not through with you yet,” I snarled through clenched teeth. Gathering what powers swirled around me, including Danaus’s seductive strength, I shoved the energy against Jabari. His feet slid across the smooth floor until he was pinned against the wall. Freeing myself of his hold, I plunged my own powers into his body, holding him completely still. At the same time, I lifted to my feet as if pulled up by a pair of invisible wings.