partner gave me. But you have no right to stop my heart like you just did back there - no right!" Tears of frustration and fear glittered in her eyes as she looked away and hugged herself. "Don't do that to me again," she whispered. "Just don't."
"I was just..." He looked away. "I'm sorry. Okay. You're right. But I don't want my heart stopped, either. You dying up here at Masada is a guarantee that'll happen." He waited until she looked at him. The tone of his voice, the gentle but firm quality of it made her look up. "Comprende?"
She nodded and drew in a shuddering breath. "To the end as one, is all I'm saying, Carlos," she murmured with a thick swallow.
He nodded and looked away. "All right."
The disoriented team slowly got to their feet and one by one helped each other up. Olivegreen metal military cases were stacked along the walls everywhere. Rabbi Zeitloff got to
his feet with Dan's and Rider's aid and peered out at the vista. The old man wiped his eyes beneath his askew glasses, and then lifted his chin.
"Welcome to Masada."
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
This is the part that I'm not gettin'," Shabazz said, look ing around the group. "Why are we here, why are demon legions forming underground - here? Why here, why now, when you thinned out their numbers in Nod? It doesn't make sense."
"Makes sense if we're being set up for a total wipeout," Mike said, packing shells into his weapon.
"But you bring everyone to the holy land to do that? Nah," Rider said, shaking his head.
"Why come to sacred ground where you don't have the spiritual advantage?"
"That's the part that's bothering me," Carlos said, walking back and forth along the wall, studying the ramparts. "They also know that, out of respect, we won't wanna blow up any thing, like those ramps. They've gotta come down. That's what trapped the people up here."
"Sacrilege," Rabbi Zeitloff said quickly. "I forbid it. The destruction of a shrine such as this."
"You see what I mean." Carlos looked at Mike. "You might as well put the heavy ammo down, bro, unless you got dead-aim to knock a demon funnel outta the air. Otherwise, you blow a piece of this monument, and we've got problems."
"My aim's dead-on, C-los, you know me. But if a funnel comes, I'm worrying about the living, not the dead."
"Aw'ight...tacticals. See if you can juice the ramp real good, and you ladies that do stonework... maybe see if you can get a perimeter set using the original walls here. If we use as many natural barriers as we can, then it might reduce breaking out the heavy artillery." Carlos looked down. "I can't see 'em yet, but I can feel 'em crawling under the surface like termites ready to come up. I just wish I knew why." Heather and Jasmine screamed at the same time and yanked their hands away from the wall. The whole group went on alert as Heather grabbed a gun, pushed past Dan, and began running. The team was on her heels as she kicked in a door and held a weapon with both hands.
"Out now, bitch!" Heather shouted. "Hands on your head, blink and you're gone." A very smug, petite woman with black and purple hair slowly moved out of the shadows.
"Who in the hell..." Rider said, gaping, his weapon trained on the woman like the others.
"No vamp tracer. Be cool, Heather. Could be civilian."
"Yes, Heather. Be cool," Lorelei taunted.
"She's no civilian. She's dark coven all the way - second in command to Gabrielle, and probably set Gabby up, if I know her shady ways. Get up, Lorelei."
"Gladly," she said, glancing around the team. "Tie her up - duct tape is with the ammo," Carlos said, looking at Damali. "We're not exactly in a position to deal with POWs. Damn!"
"Throw her ass over the wall," Damali said, drawing very concerned stares from the group. "You're right. We're in a take-no-prisoners frame of mind. A dark coven witch is
up here obviously conjuring behind our backs," she added, white light charging the small pentagram and charms Lorelei had left, using her Isis. Damali then looked at Father Patrick for theatrical effect. "We even have a member here from the Catholic sect. What were the witch tests, Father?"
"Damali, no," he said, ashamed.
"Oh, yes," Damali said, grabbing Lorelei as she began to scream. "You mess with my family, I ain't got no love for you." Quickly she rammed the blade into the ground