"Too late, I got here first," the Beast said with a smile."Still not afraid to die, old man?"
"No," Father Patrick said, taking a warrior's stance. "And you must be getting desperate if you're going after old priests one by one."
"Never desperate.That is a human condition. But curiosity is one of my weaknesses. . . . Tell me about these Neterus you guard."
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death-"
"I fear no evil-blah, blah, blah!" the entity shouted over Father Patrick's low, intense murmur. "That is complete bullshit! All mortals fear me!"
Ignoring the angry retort, Father Patrick continued his prayer, undaunted, as pews began to break away from the stone floor. The moment the carved stone font crashed to the floor, the holy water within it spilled in a river of fire down the center aisle.
"Where do they live?" The once ebullient voice had become gravelly and bottomed out with a snarl.
Father Patrick kept his eyes forward on the altar, ignoring burning pews and a wake of destruction as stained-glass windows exploded one after another as though a freight train were passing each one.
"I have given my life in the service of the Most High, and my service remains with you till the end of eternity, Lord Christ. I ask not that you save my body, just take my soul."
"Where do theylive! "
Beams and bricks began to rain down from the spectacular nave. Father Patrick turned and looked at the outraged entity and then smiled.
"You cannot touch me, can you? You can only intimidate in this space or frighten. But a man who is willing to die for the love of his family and for the Almighty is a man you cannot sway. Go to hell!"
A black bolt pierced the center of the priest's chest, knocking him down and sending him in a hard slide across the stone floor.
"You may be ready to die, old man, but I bet there's someone who loves you enough to try to save your crotchety stubborn ass."
Carlos jerked away from Damali, instantly battle bulking. The blade of Ausar was in his right grip, the shield of Heru in his left.
"What's wrong?" She stepped back and called theIsis into her hand.
He never answered her, just folded into nothingness with tears in his eyes.
"Battle stations!"Damali yelled out, racing through the house,Isisraised .
"Lock this joint down!" Shabazz called over the scramble as Guardians took known posts.
"Where's Rivera? Is this a daywalker breach, heavy incoming?" Marlene yelled, grabbing a 9mm out of the kitchen drawer.
"He folded-away too fast," Damali said. "I'm going behind his energy trail-don't know what he's hunting, but the look on his face said it was insane."
He slid to his knees and felt Father Pat's neck for a pulse. Wedging his shield and sword in the stone floor, he gently placed both palms against the elderly man's chest, one hand over the other, prepared to try to restart the erratic heartbeat. But the moment he'd laid hands on the man who had been like a father to him, an eerie black tinge wended its way across the old man's chest and began to cover Carlos's hands. Father Patrick was barely breathing, the hem of his robe was scorched, and the cathedral looked like it had been under an air-raid attack-but there were no police sirens on the way.
"Oh, God, what happened?" Carlos asked quietly, sending his silvery gaze against the darkness creeping up his wrists. "Father . . . come on, you're a tough old dude, man . . ."
"Well, at last we meet."
Carlos jumped up to his feet, but a black bolt of energy separated him from his sword and shield. Immediately he sent a silver warning shot out blindly in the direction of the voice that had spoken.
"Trust me, you don't own that much silver in your veins to counteract what I've got."
The entity laughed and stepped from behind a leaning stone pillar. Instant recognition from his old throne-level experience as a councilman made Carlosknow who he was addressing.
"You must have known that at some point we'd meet . . . especially after breaching my wife's lair-not done, under any circumstances." The entity glanced down at the dying priest. "If you want him back, we can make a deal."
Carlos quickly glanced at Father Patrick, amazed that the old man was still clinging to life. "What do you want?"
"Say it inDananu , like you remember it." The entity smiled.