enough.'
Jake snorted. 'He's a vampire. Why would ghosts scare him?'
'Why wouldn't they? Just because he became a vampire doesn't mean he lost all his human fears. I think you'll find deep inside that bully exterior is the scared little boy who cowered under the taunts of a dozen women.'
'I sure hope you're right. This could get extremely messy otherwise.'
It probably would anyway. Nothing had gone right for them so far. Why would it start happening now?
A prickle of warning ran across her skin. Evil stirred the night. Farmer was circling the park, perhaps checking they were here alone. She hoped he didn't sense Michael, who was waiting in the limo a block away.
'Heads up,' she said. 'He's coming in from the left.'
Jake nodded once and shoved his hand into his pocket. Nikki stepped slightly in front of him—half to keep Farmer's attention primarily on her, half to protect Jake. She didn't trust Farmer one ounce and wouldn't put it past him to try to kill Jake first.
But when he arrived, killing seemed to be the last thing on his mind. Or so anyone who couldn't taste his evil would have thought. He walked up the incline toward them at a leisurely pace, an amused smile playing across his thin lips. He obviously thought the game was already his. She hoped he wasn't right.
'That's close enough, Farmer.' She flicked one of the knives down into her palm and held the point towards him.
He laughed. 'You think I'm afraid of a little pig-sticker like that?'
'Given it's silver, yeah, I think you would be.'
His eyes narrowed slightly. 'You know a little about vampires, don't you?'
'I've been sleeping with one for months. Why in hell wouldn't I?'
He grunted and shoved his hands into his pockets. His casual stance didn't fool her for a second. His arms and shoulders were tense. He was ready to move, ready to blur into night.
'Where's Michael?' she asked quietly.
His Cheshire-cat smile came back full force. 'Safe. Alive.'
'He'd better be.'
'Or what? You'll stick me with your little knife?' He snorted . 'Sweetie, you won't even see me move.'
'I don't have to. I'm psychic, remember. I can smell evil.'
'Yeah, right.'
She raised an eyebrow. 'You did a circuit of this park before you walked in here, did you not? Starting from the zoo end and working your way around?'
He sneered. 'That's nothing more than a guess.'
'No guess. You don't know as much about me as you think, Farmer. And what you don't know will kill you.'
'Will it now? Shall we test your little bluff?'
He blurred as he spoke, and the stink of his presence ran around to the left then straight at Jake. She grabbed Jake's arm, yanking him back, then slashed the air with the knife. The darkness howled, and the smell of burnt flesh stung the air.
Farmer reappeared, rubbing a hand at the blackened cut along his forearm. His gaze flicked from her to Jake and narrowed slightly. Energy buzzed the air between them. Jake didn't move, didn't twitch.
Confusion touched Farmer's expression. 'Pretty fancy footwork there, missy,' he said, as if he hadn't paused to try to take over Jake's mind. 'Shame it'll cost you your life.'
She shifted the knife slightly, reminding him of its presence. Its danger. 'You were going to take it anyway, so why should I worry?'
'So you would give up your life for your lover? Now that's commitment.'
'I'm not stupid enough to believe you ever had any intention of letting us go.'
'And yet you came here anyway. Why? Surely you do not expect to destroy me with a couple of silver knives and the gun your friend clenches in his pocket.'
'No. I actually came here to reintroduce you to some old friends.'
She imagined that smoky plane and reached out with a psychic hand, calling the ghosts into being.
Gossamer fingers of energy flitted through her mind, then four ghostly figures flowed from the trees and into substance between her and Farmer.
Fear touched the vampire's expression. 'What trick is this?'
'No trick.' Energy flowed in a steady stream from her to the ghosts, and she knew it wouldn't be long before the pounding in her head began. 'I just thought you might be interested in hearing a few final words from your victims.'
The ghosts were gaining form, their skin becoming flesh-colored. Pain flicked through her head, the beginnings of the massive headache to come.
'Ghosts can't hurt me.' Despite the confidence in his tone, his expression was less than certain.
Mary stepped forward. While she'd gained the most form, her feet were still ethereal trails of smoke that stirred the grass behind her.
'If you are so certain we cannot hurt you, let us touch you.'
He stepped back quickly. 'No.'
Jake moved, edging quietly around the clearing. He had the gun out of his pocket, his finger on the trigger.
'What are you afraid of?' Mary asked. 'We're ghosts. Nothing but angry air. As you said, we can't hurt you.'
Farmer retreated another step. 'This is not real. Ghosts don't exist.' His gaze cut to Nikki's. 'It's just some sort of mind game you're playing.'
'If vampires can exist, why not ghosts?' Mary countered. 'What's wrong, Billie? Don't you like the thought of being able to say a final good-bye to your victims?'
Jake edged a little closer then raised the gun. Nikki saw his finger tighten on the trigger, heard the sharp sound of the retort. But in that moment, Farmer wrapped the shadows around himself and spun away.
The bullet exploded into the tree where Farmer had been, showering the immediate area with shards of wood. Farmer ran through the flesh-colored figures, scattering their misty forms, his face furious as he headed straight at her.
She hit him kinetically and flung him back towards the ghosts. Hot lances spun through her brain, a warning she was beginning to push her limits—and still the ghosts continued to siphon her energy.
The shadows unraveled, revealing Farmer's horror-filled expression as he stared into the faces of his victims. He jumped to his feet and leapt away, blurring his form as he ran at Jake.
'Nine o'clock left!' She grabbed the vampire kinetically, thrusting him in that direction.
The sharp sound of a gunshot bit through the night, followed by a grunt of pain. Farmer reappeared, blood pouring from a wound to his shoulder as he slid down the trunk of an old redwood. Her psychic grip faded, and he dropped heavily the remaining few feet to the ground. She bit her lip, eyes watering as the pounding in her head sharpened. It felt like there were a dozen heated knives digging into her brain.
But it wasn't over yet. Far from it.
There was nothing remotely amused or superior about the young vampire's expression now. His face was mottled, twisted, eyes narrow and sparking blue fire. He disappeared into shadows again, and again his evil rushed at Jake. She ran forward, slashing the night with the knife. Farmer dodged then hit her with an unseen fist, sending her sprawling backwards. She hit the ground with a grunt, her breath leaving in a whoosh of air and the knife flying from her hand.
Farmer's weight hit her, pinning her to the ground, the shadows fleeing his features as he bared his teeth.
She thrust an arm between them and smacked the heel of her hand into his nose. Blood flew, but he didn't seem to notice, just shifted slightly so he could tear into her arm. She hissed in pain, her stomach rebelling at the sound of his sucking.
She reached again for kinetic energy. The lances grew sharper, but she ignored them, lifting his body from
