Surly glances passed between the men and they answered in unison, "Lilith." Silence strangled the room and raised blue arcs of static to crackle up from the rug. For once, the female squad members were at a temporary loss for words. Carlos's eyes met Damali's in a hard glare and then he glanced at his watch as though he were about to bounce any second.
Open a channel, Carlos, Damali mentally said, her voice more mellow. Baby, what happened?
I'll go into it later, D, but trust me when I say that after twelve days of being with their wives, every man in here is ready to die tonight. No telling whose wife is pregnant - and to get a strong Lilith-topside vamp vibe, they were all hitting my brain with SOS
messages like you wouldn't believe. Every brother had the same question - "Yo, Rivera, you feel that?"
Then we all need to be involved, Damali's mind shouted back. You need to get with that!
No, D, what you all need to get with is the fact that ain't nobody on the team ready for their woman to be battling or even linked to them in a way she could possibly get hurt -
not even psychically. Berkfield is going because Krissy could be carrying his grandkid, just like Shabazz ain't never trying to lose Marlene again in this lifetime. Same deal with Rider about Tara. Every brother done prayed on it, had his own one-on-one with his Maker, and came to his own conclusion. I'm not forcing anybody to do shit, D. Case closed.
"That's unrealistic!" Damali said out loud accidentally, the information was freaking her out so badly.
"Is it?" Shabazz said, his gaze sweeping the group. "You heard the man, D. We're all ready to go out shooting."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Marlene said, quickly stepping into the center of the all-male circle and slowly walking around Shabazz. "You're a tactical. How did you hear what two telepaths were saying?"
Shabazz stared at Marlene for a moment and slowly low ered his weapon. "I don't know. I heard it as clear as day, though."
"That's my department," Marlene said, pressing her hand to her chest, "but I was never strong enough to pick up from those two if they had a blocked, direct transmission going."
"Mar," Damali said quietly. "Your locks are lifting off your shoulders." Marlene quickly touched her hair and watched the strong blue-white static current run over her hands. "Oh, shit! I'm not a tactical."
"I've got it, too," Heather said, staring at her hands and then at Dan. Krissy nodded, staring at the bluish, nickering wash that crept over her fingertips, and then
glanced at J.L.
"I'm scared," Jasmine said. "I admit it! All right. I don't want you to get killed so, Bobby, put down that damned gun and talk to me!" His weapon left his hand in a hard midair yank and hung suspended as Jasmine turned away and began to cry.
"Oh ... shit... that's a wizard move if ever I saw one," Bobby murmured. Juanita covered her nose and dry heaved. "The static discharge is messing with my sinuses. I need air."
Jose just stared at her for a moment. "Baby, just as a sensory test, tell me what's in the fridge down the hall in Marlene's room," he asked, stepping in close to Juanita.
"I don't know, and who cares?" Juanita said in a tone close to a wail. "Champagne, some mango, watermelon, avocado sushi - without fish, some - "
"Oh, my Father..." Marlene whispered. "The girl got a nose."
"Look, the club section is starting to fill up, people," Berkfield said, his eyelids fluttering.
"We need to move."
"Sho' he right. About fifty big blood suckas at the bar. I got 'em," Mike rumbled and pounded Jose's fist.
"Yeah, I got them punk bitches by the gaming tables," Jose said.
"You saw something in your head, Richard?" Marjorie asked in awe.
"Wait!" Inez hollered, putting her hands up. "You can see, Mike?"
"Yeah, baby - "
"Since when?" Inez shrieked, now walking around in a tizzy.
"My point exactly," Juanita said, going up to Jose and stroking his cheek. "Baby, you couldn't ever see; don't you think something is way wrong up in this joint?"
"Okay, fellas, just hold up for a second, okay - you all can go, we couldn't stop you if we wanted to, but check it out ... don't you find any of this a little strange?" Damali's voice was strident as her hands went to her hips.