to defend either yourself or Quinn.”
He was right. It was better to be without a weapon than wounded. Caleb must be around somewhere. She’d have to rely on him. She dropped the gun.
He scooped it up. “And now let’s go see Quinn. I have to make sure you’re secured before I go looking for Caleb. I’m sure he’s with you. I’m surprised he let you come in by yourself.”
“You shouldn’t be surprised.” Caleb stood in the anteroom doorway. “It was always going to be between the two of us, Jelak. That’s why you’ve always been afraid.”
Jelak stiffened, back arched, as if struck by a whip. “I’m not afraid of you, Caleb. I’m beyond it. It’s true I was counting on the resurrection, but I don’t need it. I’m strong now.”
But he was afraid, Eve could tell. He was staring at Caleb in defiance, but she could see the faint tremor in the hand that was holding the gun.
She didn’t blame him. In this moment, Caleb was truly intimidating. She had become accustomed to him in the past days and was no longer constantly aware of the power she had noticed on that first meeting. But it was as if he’d suddenly shrugged off a casual cloak to reveal authority, menace, and a deadliness that shocked her. He exuded, radiated, shimmered with it.
He started to walk toward Jelak.
“Stay away.” Jelak lifted his gun in panic.
“Why? You’re so strong. You used all their blood to make you that way. All their strength and intelligence and will.”
“You’re still angry about Maria Givano.” His lip curled. “She was nothing. I thought I’d get a jump start to the resurrection with her. It was too good an opportunity to miss. I had to experiment when I found out that she might have the power.”
“You made a mistake.”
“Yes, she had no power.”
“No, your mistake was killing her. It’s going to bring you down.” He took another step forward. “You’re still so much weaker than I am. You’re shaking. Your blood is pounding. You’re feeling it, aren’t you?”
“No.” Jelak’s voice was hoarse. “I’m strong. And I’ll be stronger when I kill you.” His finger started to squeeze the trigger.
“No!” Eve jumped forward, jerking Jelak’s gun aside.
“Bitch!” His hand swung around and knocked her to the floor.
“Keep down, Eve,” Caleb called as he moved forward. “It’s okay.”
Okay? Jelak was going to kill him.
“Stay away from me, Caleb.” Jelak was firing as he dove behind a pew.
Caleb had a gun, Eve knew. Why wasn’t he shooting back?
Another shot.
The wood on the pew next to Caleb splintered as a bullet plowed into it.
“I told you that your hand was shaking,” Caleb said.
A bullet suddenly grazed Eve’s cheek.
“Stay away, or I’ll kill her,” Jelak said. “I’ll do it, Caleb.”
“The hell you will.” Joe was suddenly beside Eve, shoving her to one side and putting his body between her and Jelak. “Stop wasting time. Get the son of a bitch, Caleb.”
Joe. Safe. Alive. Her arms closed around him.
“Keep her out of the way.” Caleb’s gaze was fastened on Jelak. “Put the gun down, Jelak.”
Two shots plowed erratically into the altar to the left of Caleb.
“Missed again. Give up, Jelak.”
“I won’t give up. I’ll be as strong as you. Stronger.”
“Well, it wouldn’t matter if you gave up anyway. I’d actually prefer that you didn’t. But you know what’s coming, don’t you? Your teacher Donari told you what to expect if I caught up with you. That’s why you’ve been on the run.”
“It won’t happen.” He fired again at Caleb. “That was a lie. Even if it wasn’t, I’m too close to resurrection for you to be able to—stay back!” It was a scream.
Caleb kept coming. “It wasn’t a lie. Donari told you many lies, but that wasn’t one of them. I knew the night that you killed Maria Givano that was the way you were going to die.”
“I won’t die. I’ll be a god.”
“No, you played the Blood Game all these years, and now you’ve lost. It’s time to give the blood back.” He was within a few feet of Jelak now. “No resurrection. Never.”
“No!” Jelak jumped to his feet and started running toward the anteroom. “I’ll get away from you. Just a few more kills. I’ll start again and—” He stopped, his hands going to his throat.
He screamed.
Eve wanted to scream, too, as she saw his face. It was contorted, flushed, and, as she watched, blood began
