CHAPTER TWELVE

G abrielle jerked her attention toward the door of her bedroom as black smoke slowly crept beneath it. She froze where she sat as her crystal ball shattered on the table, destroying her attempts at a divination that could help the Guardian team. Too late to summon support to save herself, she sent a quick telepathic message to her two initiates to flee and find the master vampire, Yonnie, and his wife, Tara. It was the only way.

"My, my, my," Lilith said, materializing to lean against the post of Gabrielle's bed. "You have been a very ungrateful little witch." She smiled at Gabrielle and studied her French manicure.

"Never, my lady," Gabrielle said, quickly standing to bow, and then dropped to one knee with her head down. "I stay in touch with the Guardians to always know their whereabouts, so that I can inform you."

"Ah . . ." Lilith said, her tone amused and disbelieving. "So, I am not only blind, but I am foolish."

"No, my lady," Gabrielle said as her throat began to constrict from Lilith's power. "I had a plan."

With a wave of her hand, Lilith knocked Gabrielle to the floor. "Enlighten me."

Gabrielle looked up from where she'd been sprawled, gasping as plumes of sulfur began to make her eyes water. Small Harpies slithered under the door and from beneath Lilith's long, black gown, and then began to edge toward Gabrielle with a menacing gleam in their beady little eyes.

"I'm the only one from our side now who has an earth plane, direct link to the Neteru team on many levels," Gabrielle said quickly, backing away from the angry creatures at her feet. "Jack Rider, the team's heart--Yonnie, a male master, and Tara who owes me. Even Damali trusts me, as does my family, which is now with them."

When Lilith's expression remained impassive, panic drove Gabrielle's speech to frenzied explanation. Her terrified gaze darted between Lilith and the Harpies. "I gave my nephew one of my initiates, a virgin, and I'm sending another to decimate the one who knows the Old Testament and is the team's peacekeeper, Daniel... I, I have a plan, Lilith. I haven't forgotten my debt, and thought it best that you know where the team is at all times, because their prayer light can oft times blind us from eavesdropping... but the men always come to me and my girls to tell all." Gabrielle's voice hitched as Lilith's gaze narrowed. "Sense for them-- they've been here in carnal situations. I cannot lie to you, Empress of Pure Darkness."

Gabrielle watched Lilith crook her index finger toward the Harpies, and she released a breath of relief as they begrudgingly returned to the demon to hide beneath the hem of her gown.

Lilith sighed with a wry smile. "How devious. How basically treacherous. I like it. The oldest weapon in the book felling Guardians, how perfect." Lilith threw her head back and cackled with laughter. "I guess I can let you live, for now." But her gaze soon narrowed again as her fangs grew within her evil smile. "But remember this, shrewd Gabrielle. If you betray me, I will come for your sister, Marjorie, your nephew, and pretty niece. I will make Tara twist in the Sea of Perpetual Agony, once I install a new Chairman on Dante's throne. I will crush Rider's spirit and a part of yours, I presume... but Yonnie won't care less, once his ability to make another mate has been restored and he and I come to a wise barter. Power versus pussy... power always wins, darling. Pussy is so easily attainable, but can sometimes be powerful. Although, if you do well, I might have Yonnie make you what you've always wanted to be, a true female vampire."

Feigning awe, Gabrielle gasped. "You would do that, my lady?"

Lilith smiled. "Of course. Now, where are they?"

"Scientists took the Neteru Guardians to a holding cell, but it is surrounded by white light and holy water, as well as hallowed earth."

"Find them!" Lilith screeched. "I know the scientists took them. We lost the trail earlier this afternoon. Where are they now?"

"I've just dispatched two initiates that had not taken the dark oath yet. I saved those two for just such an occasion, so they can see past prayer barriers and report back to me." Gabrielle bowed her head in humble submission as her heart slammed against her ribs. She wiped at the sheen of perspiration on her upper lip. "This is why I kept them chaste and tethered to me, my lady. They will not fail us."

"Good. They'd better not," Lilith hissed and then folded her arms over her chest. "Do you think there's a male vampire that exists who could resist a council position? Do not be deluded into believing that Yonnie can save you if you cross me. Even the male Neteru couldn't resist the power of a throne, and Yonnie is nowhere near as strong as Rivera. So, think about it," Lilith added, and then turned to walk away. "Betray me and you'll have Hell to pay."

Gabrielle stared behind Lilith as her demonic form melted into the door and disappeared. She could only hope that her girls remembered all that she'd told them, and had sealed it in a white-hot, urgent prayer.

"Did you see the way that sonofabitch had my baby all in his arms?" Carlos walked back and forth in the woods kicking bramble out of his path as Yonnie calmly leaned against a tree.

"Yeah, man, I did," Yonnie said quietly. "Want me to smoke him?"

"No!" Carlos shouted, pointing at his own chest. "7 want to smoke him!"

"Not a good move, but suit yourself, man," Yonnie said flatly, pushing away from the tree. "But if you know like I know, and if you go there--"

"I know," Carlos snapped, raking his hair so hard his scalp began to bleed. "D will freak."

"I think the more pressing issue is, my brother, not trying to be funny, is the fact that, uh, she seems to have already made her mind up. And, you know, you can't do nothin' with that until she comes to her right mind."

Carlos and Yonnie's eyes met. Carlos looked away.

"But why would she go there like that on me, man?" Carlos's voice was so quiet and distant that it almost echoed.

"I'm your boy. I'ma always be that. So, for me to tell you some bullshit, just because you wanna hear it, ain't what friends is supposed to do."

Carlos nodded and stared at Yonnie. "Aw'ight. Straight, no chaser."

"If I say what I gotta say, you gonna need to find a bar that's still pouring drinks with a little color. Feel me?"

"Just spit it out, man." Carlos stopped pacing and folded his arms over his chest, quietly hanging on Yonnie's every word.

Yonnie sighed and materialized a toothpick into his mouth and chewed it, thinking. "You saw that motherfucker, right? Need I say more?"

Carlos stalked away and punched a tree. The blow took out a section of the huge oak, making it groan and lean precariously. "He got into her head, man. An outright seduction!"

"That's because you left a section of it unguarded, brother. He's a man. That's what he's supposed to do--amass territory. If your boundary was weak, hey."

Carlos cocked his head to the side. "What?"

"You can get pissed off if you want, man. I ain't the one to be arguing with, though."

Carlos spit and rolled his shoulders. "Fine. What you think I didn't guard, since you out here signifying on my skills. We supposed to be tight, so tell me something."

He'd tried to stop the question, but it slammed into his mind and jumped out of his mouth so fast that he was about to slip into a hot flurry of Espanol. His worst fears were coming to life right in front of his eyes. His boy was standing there about to drop some heavy, hard-to-swallow science. All he had to do was think about Rider's situation or Shabazz's. He wasn't going out like that; never wanted to be standing in those old dawgs' shoes. "You know that little thing that happened when you sat on Dante's throne for a minute?" Yonnie asked casually.

"Oh, so it's back to that--I told you I was sorry, and--"

"I'm cool," Yonnie said, his voice as smooth as silk. "Brothers can fall out, fight like dogs in the street, but once it's over, the bullshit is squashed."

Carlos let his breath out hard, but was listening to Yonnie's every word.

"Tara, although she understands what happened and forgives you, is still a little skittish around you. Hangs near me, holds onto me, just in case you flip again. She don't understand, 'cause she's female--and they never forget."

Yonnie leisurely strode around Carlos in a wide circle with his hands behind his back. "Mr. Councilman, open up your third eye and take a deep look inside. You ain't gotta answer to me, you gotta answer to yourself. Your woman's a seer. She see some shit with Juanita? She see some shit with, maybe, a were demon, or some other vamp? She see some new dragon tail... I heard the bitch's voice clear as moonlight, so--"

"Oh shit." Carlos wiped his palms down his face.

"Uh-huh... just like that. You left the door wide open for a new motherfucker to step into your yard, take your world, jack your throne as your woman's king, and from all accounts from where I'm standing, this bastard ain't to be trifled with. I'd fight your ass, Neteru blade swinging and all, before I went up against that Old World, gold armor and protect-th-kingdom type shit. You know who his daddy is by seed--not just by blood, man? You know who you fuckin' wit?"

"I know, man. You ain't making me feel better."

"That ain't my job to make you feel better. Shit. My job is to protect my boy's ass. To watch his back. Get his head right so he can make wise choices. Put him in a position of power, at all times. That's my job as your friend."

Yonnie looked at Carlos hard. "You go blow for blow with him, your ass will lose. You have to be strategic on this one... and I can't believe I'm the one having to tell you that shit. But I guess, under the circumstances, with it being Damali and all, your head is about ready to bust."

It was the stone-cold truth. Yonnie hadn't lied. He couldn't detach from the situation, or get distanced and rational. As much as Damali got on his nerves, this was his boo, his baby girl.... Carlos finally nodded and walked away toward the leaning tree, hoping it would just snap and fall on him. He was already crushed. "How'd you deal with that shit with Tara, man?"

"Waited. Bided my time."

Carlos stared at him.

"You heard me," Yonnie said, lifting his chin. "Rider had a heart lock on her, fuck a mind lock. She still loves him. I can see it in her eyes every time she's near him. Same with him. That ain't never gonna change. But something happened when... hey, I have to thank you, man, truth be told. You whipped my ass, almost killed me, it did something to her, don't ask me why. After that, she and I don't struggle about much anymore. And, when she goes to him, it's as an old, platonic friend who cares, but in a mellowed-out sorta way."

Yonnie sighed and smiled with satisfaction, manipulating the toothpick in his mouth with his tongue, making it do a slow somersault off his fangs and the roof of his mouth while studying his manicure. "Bot-tom line is," he finally said, pulling the toothpick from his lips and temporarily using it as a pointer to address Carlos. "She ain't jonesmg for him no more. Not like that. When she wants that, she comes to me. So you might have to just let her go do this Titan and--"

"I can't even... man, if he takes her up in his lair again . . ."

Carlos walked in an agitated circle. "You wasn't over there, Yonnie. You should have seen his spot, man. That wasn't even his palace, just his cliff-side joint. It was worse than that shit she saw over in Sydney, which was massive, but just a retrofit of an old, abandoned forte. This brother conjured from nothing, okay? Pure freakin' energy, with a sound system like you wouldn't believe. Rock solid illusion. White marble and gold everywhere. Damned sphinxes and shit... brother, this ain't even negotiable. The bed is solid gold conductive metal, built-in sense-around-sound--total studio, you hear me? Plus, the brother's got this Olympic-sized pool right in his fucking bedroom, can you get to that? And it ain't even water! It's this mind-blowing sensory holding tank, I mean, the brother has crazy energy up in there, and sustaining it all without even breaking a sweat or feeding." Carlos shook his head. "Naw. I don't care what you say, I can't get with having D even go near--"

"Well, you gonna hafta get with that, because, by rights, if she does, hey." Yonnie shrugged, becoming philosophically cool and grating Carlos's nerves. "The only reason you buggin' is 'cause you were her first, that's your boo, I can dig it. Yeah, it's a little different pulling one from a situation, than having it pulled from you, and then having to get her back, but--"

"Yonnie, that's' my baby... you don't know, man. I can't... brother, for real ..."

"Listen to yourself, man. Damn!" Yonnie began walking in an agitated circle. He stopped and looked at Carlos, pointing at him. "You'd better get your head together with the quickness. What I saw out there, the brother got a mind lock that can melt steel. His ass is stronger than any master vamp I've ever seen. And you've got some unforgivable recent history with your woman. Bad combination."

"So, what I'ma do, man?" Carlos said, opening his arms and willing his voice not to falter. He folded his arms and set his jaw hard to keep Yonnie from seeing just how upset he was. "After healing Marlene, he's got the family totally compromised. He stole my family, man! The Guardians are all ready to be cool and not smoke him. I bet if he called Father Pat, he'd get all up in his head and they'd be kicking biblical convo and he'd probably be able to answer Genesis questions from firsthand experience to restore any shaky faith, and whatnot, so they'd be telling me he's cool. His mom is on Damali's Council of Queens, so you know his mom is pulling for him--I ain't got no back in the house, man. So, like I said. What? I'm supposed to just stand there, let him be all in my woman's face, do whatever, and--"

"Act like you know," Yonnie said flatly. "Right now he's holding aces, yeah. Put up a fight, and a woman like Damali will run headlong into his arms." Yonnie slapped his chest, becoming indignant. "You saw that shit yourself, brother. Right in the house. You called him out, and she drew on you. What about this don't you get?"

"That shit hurt me to my soul, man. Total disrespect!"

"So, where's my cool-to-the-bone smooth operator at, huh?"

Yonnie neared him and brushed invisible lint off Carlos's shoulder. He donned him in a black Armani suit and ran his palms down Carlos's lapels. "Just because you went into the Light don't mean my main man don't know how to work," Yonnie whispered. "So give her the Light, because that's what Cain is doing. Seduction by honor. Admit what you did wrong," Yonnie said quietly, circling Carlos as though he were about to levy an attack strike. "No excuses. Just fall on your sword. Let her fever for that motherfucker burn out, by letting it run its course. Be smooth. Be gentle, lova... Let that other bastard lose his cool, feel me?"

"His game is airtight, hombre" Carlos said quietly. "But I hear you."

"No. You don't hear me and your eyes are blind. Peep his game," Yonnie said, standing close to Carlos with his hand on his shoulder. He leaned into Carlos's throat and whispered into his ear. "The night and this plane's density fucks with him." Yonnie pulled back and chuckled as Carlos's eyes widened.

"That's right," Yonnie said, his head bobbing as he strode away from Carlos. "Over wherever he's from, he's king. All kings are arrogant. This brother is Leo to the bone--all ego. His silver burns hot, because he's got fire at his root; then put his fucking fire out, 'cause you a Scorp, bro. all water. Work with that shit. Fire burns, but can't nothing on the planet stop water from seeping into where it wants to go. Right? Seep back into, up, down, and around that stone wall she's put up, find the cracks and trickle in. Start with her dreams, man, and work your way out to the body, like he did."

"The brother's a king, aw'ight. What you talking about is theoretically sound, but in practice--"

"He used to have many wives, comprende? You know Damali don't play that polygamy vibe." Yonnie looked at Carlos, vindicated.

Carlos offered him a half-smile. "No lie. That ain't girlfriend by a long shot."

"Yeah. Now we're talking. But he's smart, will lock her down as wife number one, let the dust settle, then will probably try to get her to go with a King Solomon--type situation later, once she's too deep into it."

"Wife!" Carlos balled his hands into fists. "Never happen."

"Hear me out," Yonnie pressed. "That's how he's coming at her, and you. 'Cause if I remember my Old World theology, the kings back in the day didn't share and did battle over wives--over queens, plural isn't that what he called her in your face... it was a sly call out, just like we do it, over female territory... without the unsuspecting ever knowing the strike is about to go down. He called her a goddess and a queen--even an angel, man, and if he's already a king, and what the Greeks used to consider a god, then he told you to your face--on the sly tip, mind you-- that he was about to bust a move to make her his wife. He did that call out so blatantly, just stomped your pride in public so hard that you lost focus, man. I was stunned, standing there willing you in my mind to get up off the canvas and count my fingers, brother."

Yonnie just shook his head. "You know how this goes, holding two or three conversations at once--the one they hear, the one we mean, and the sly shit that is understood just between men. C'mon, man. Did the Light burn the basic rules of military engagement, war over a woman, out of our mind, or what?"

"Oh, shit . . ." Carlos tilted his head to the side and closed his eyes. "He played me. Right in front of the team. It got by me, man, because I was so pissed off. Nobody caught it but you."

"If the old Guardian boys wasn't all messed up and diverted to the Marlene crisis, they would have caught it, too, just like I did. But since you was all messed up, you took the bait, and lost your cool. Dug your own grave deeper every time he called her 'my love... my devastation,' what the fuck ever. You saw red. Lost your fucking mind. And a master without his mind right ain't worth a damn. Then he had you so tricked around that you couldn't even focus to help Marlene for a minute. I was like, oh, no, my boy ain't going out like that." Yonnie made a zipper motion over his mouth. "But it wasn't the time to speak on it. Later. When it was just me and you."

"All right, man. Talk to me," Carlos said, no more bravado in his tone. "I know this is basic, but you're right, man, when it comes to her, I can't just chill, and--"

"She's your marked territory, now own it!" Yonnie yanked his lapels to straighten them and then folded his arms. "Don't cock block, make him share. Let her go get some. Sample it. Get the whole curiosity thing out of her system. You be there when it's all over... hurt... confused... but loving her so much you can understand why she had to, but not blaming her because you know what you've done to hurt her... blah, blah, blah. If the king has to share, while she goes back and forth in a tizzy, that arrogant brother will definitely start demanding, will start trying to tell her what she can and cannot do... then, when he really messes up, her old first love is gonna seem so much better."

Yonnie chuckled and peered at Carlos from a sidelong glance. "Uhmph, uhmph, humph... if you play your cards right, the female mind filters away all but the sentimental, over time... moonlight walks on the beach, laughs until dawn up in the lair," Yonnie drew in a hissing breath. "How you used to put down your program, hard. Let her mentally mess up and call your name instead of his while he's wurking-- since both y'all's names start with the same consonant, it'll be game over. That'll make even a normal human male wig and show his dark side. You know that."

Carlos shook his head. "Intellectually, I hear you, man. I can do all that other shit, but the sampling part--"

"I'ma tell you what your problem is," Yonnie said, cutting him off and laughing hard. "You ain't used to having to battle for no woman's affection, and that's your blind spot. It's a weak muscle."

Carlos became very still.

"Yeah, that's it," Yonnie said, chuckling. "That's why when you had a little possession up in you, you had to pull Juanita one last time, just to let yourself know that you still had her marked, if you ever wanted to go back that way again. Be real."

"Naw, man . . ."

"You can lie to me, but don't lie to yourself. Be. Real," Yonnie said, singing the words, making Carlos chuckle against his will. "When you was livin' you ain't have to fight for da chicas, hombre. Word was on the street that if you pulled one, her ass was lost forever. Motherfuckers shuddered and prayed you didn't breach their households. Beee reeaaal. If you marked the brunani, it was yours for life--whether you left it for twenty years and came back to it, or not. Be real."

Despite his worry, Yonnie had made him laugh. All Carlos could do was rub his jaw and shake his head, chuckling as his friend railed on, immensely lifting his mood.

"Before you was a vampire, your Scorpio ass was already a vampire, tell me I'm lying? That's why when the clerics had you on lockdown you was ready to go nuts, off da meter... the old boys might as well have cut off your dick and left you in the sun. Sheeit. Your sly ass had been up in so many secret locations, had tapped so much ass like a pro, and being the secretive Scorp you are, not even your own boys knew who you did--even they was looking at you out the side of their eye, with just cause."

Carlos was laughing so hard he was wiping his eyes. The release felt good, even though Yonnie was talking trash. "I ain't never breach my boys' houses, yo. I wasn't that foul."

"Uh-huh," Yonnie said, laughing with a skeptical smirk. "You had women in bed with their men, trying to remember not to call your name--biting their lips. How many divorces you cause? Then word hit the newspapers that your ass died, and you had women practically ready to slit their wrists to meet you on the other side... be real. You see the shrines of flowers and shit they left at your momma's doorstep? They almost needed an eighteen wheeler to haul flowers and candles to the gravesite... your brother Alejandro was the same way, man. The women, they was devastated." He stood up tall and opened his arms. "They ain't do me like that when I died. Talk about no respect." He walked around in a jaunty little circle giving Carlos a wide grin. "Brother, you made the Neteru shut down her third eye, and you hadn't even gotten with her yet. Puhlease. Why you trippin'?"

Yonnie pounded Carlos's fist, as they both doubled over laughing. "Then as a dead, damned vampire, you pull the virgin Neteru and have the Vampire Council ready to bust a nut at the table just watching you work. Be real. This is why I'm mad at your ass for wigging." Yonnie shook his head in disgust with a smile. "So how you gonna let some brother that has been ether all these years snatch your cool like dat, maaaan?"

"All that, regardless, he cannot sleep with my--"

"Stop," Yonnie said, sounding like an elderly professor and wagging his finger. "Take a deep breath."

Carlos's expression went stone serious. "Man, I ain't--"

"Stop. Think," Yonnie cautioned, still smiling, but his voice was firm and losing mirth. "If you let her get this out of her system, she'll come back. If you tell her she'd better not, trust me, a strong-minded woman like Damali will... and won't ever forgive you for being unfair as she throws mess up in your face that you did until the end of time. If you're patient, and lay... like a true scorpion, to sting Cain's ass to death by his own actions... she'll be back in your arms, and all will be well." Yonnie rolled his shoulders. "That's all I'ma say. They always come back to a good mark, if you don't fuck it up by losing your cool and gettin' all jealous."

Carlos raked his fingers through his hair again and stared at the house in the distance, giving Yonnie his back. "What would he ever do to seriously fuck up, man?"

"I don't know. Time will tell," Yonnie said in an amused tone. "Damn, man, you got it bad. You can't even lay for the opportunity, can you?" He shook his head in disbelief. "But, on this one, you're gonna have to. Can't rush it. Gotta bide your time."

"I know I did a lotta shit, man... but with this one, with Damali, I wasn't playing."

"That's why it cuts to the bone, and ain't no way to regen from a Neteru nick. Your ass is twisting, I can dig it. But that's also why you have to play this out like the best poker hand you've ever played in your life. You love her?" "Man, what kinda question is that?" Carlos stared up at the stars and then closed his eyes. "She acted like me blowing in there with a double sweep wasn't shit. I was carrying dead weight, too--you know how hard that shit is? Required accuracy, pinpoint timing... like he was the only one that ever did anything for her. I even saved his ass, and got Marlene out of the lab with him." Carlos swallowed hard as Yonnie's hand rested on his shoulder.

"She loves you, too, man. But you hurt her bad, and gotta let her heart knit back together. That's delicate surgery, after the changes you've

taken her through, and you know that. So be cool. Let this other brother be the place holder so she can step back, contemplate, start to see how honorable you are all over again... you hearing me? That's how he's seducing her--through honor."

"The thing that's fucking me up is he told me that shit. Straight up. Said he'd come at me with all of that."

"Like I said. He called you out. Was so confident that he could snag her, he told you to your face how he was gonna do it, and you're so messed up that you can't even step to his challenge." Yonnie shook his head and raked his fingers through his Afro. "Pitiful."

"How you step to some honor thing, man? Be serious. I don't even know where to begin. He fucking slapped my face and threw down the gauntlet, man."

"Ain't that how you got her? Think back."

They stood together, shoulder to shoulder for what seemed like a long time. Yonnie was more than a friend or a lieutenant, he was a brother. His insights were simplistic, yet profound. The quiet of the night helped to still his mind and allow memories to run through it unblocked by rage. Carlos shook his head.

"That's exactly what it was. I kept my hands off of her--even when I wanted her more than my next breath... and I did for her, just because... knew she deserved better than me. I told her without any lies what I was and what I wasn't, and she came to me with open arms." Carlos chuckled sadly and stared at his shoes. "I just loved her, man. I never seduced her. I don't even know how to."

"Well, then, you've gotta step up your game, but do it smooth, without demanding anything in return, because you love her. Seduce her with pure intent from that strong place inside you, man, so she can do a side-by-side comparison and think it's her choice. It is, but it's not--you follow? He's pulling her with the groundwork you laid. He just picked up the cards you left on the, table and is playing your hand right back atcha. Now, if that ain't some wicked-smooth shit, I don't know what it is."

Yonnie stepped in front of Carlos to make Carlos look at him. "It was your hand first. You know her better than he does. Have you asked her what she wants from you, lately? Have you tried to give her those things? Have you updated your knowledge of who she is now?"

When Carlos didn't answer, Yonnie pressed on. "The sister I saw out there calling down the elements of the universe, who made her motherseer get up and walk, ain't the D you knew from the old neighborhood, or that virgin Neteru who was half-scared of Hell. Shit, brother, you better step it up and respect that woman. That's why she ain't feelin' nothin' you gotta say--because did you hear what else Cain said to her" Right there in your face!"

"Naw, man, what?" Carlos rubbed the nape of his neck. He wasn't sure about anything anymore.

Yonnie sucked his teeth and spit out his toothpick. "C'mon, maaaan. He told her she was an equal warrior. You see her face just go... oh, wow? Every time I see you talking to her, not that it's my business, you're tellin' her what she can't do, what's too dangerous, all that type of shit. But this brother is giving her props. Letting her experiment with her power. Egging her on. Whispering to her mind, 'Baby, yeah, like that... bring it. You can do it, sweetness. Just let it flow.'" Carlos cringed but Yonnie wouldn't relent.

"Uh-huh. He's teaching her new shit to go with her new strengths, and you seem like, to her, like you're holding her back--which is insecure. Weak. A strong woman ain't gonna stay with a weak bastard, she can't. And you can't make her step down until you're ready to step up, just for the sake of ego--then, she'll hate you, in time. No, man, don't go out like that. Go learn some new Neteru shit and teach it to her, or better yet, let her teach you some shit, or at least encourage what she knows. You almost ain't got no wall around your territory no more, if that's what you've been doing to D."

"Oh, man... I didn't even realize I was going there." "If you were, even Jose could pull her like that!" Yonnie said with a hard snap. "If you've been coming from weakness, in your soul, maaan. I could breach your borders. Now get to that." The men stared at each other for a moment.

"Yeah, I said it, because I'm your boy, and your ass needs to get it together. Handle your business. Deal with this new Neteru thing and milk it, work it, figure out what you can do, but stop whining about whatever you lost in council. That shit's unattractive for a strong sister. Damn, man, I love you, but you're pissing me off!"

Yonnie began pacing, growing agitated as Carlos's eyes remained riveted on him.

"I haven't taught her anything in a long time... and, damn... like. I didn't know she could pull the elements like she did," Carlos murmured. "You see how she worked with that rod? I ain't even know what the Caduceus was, and--"

"Don't let that bastard get to know her better than you do." Yonnie pointed hard into Carlos's chest. "If you do something that stupid, allow something that easy to correct to happen, I will be done with you, man."

"But while all that's going down, what if she... like what if . . ."

"He temporarily blows her mind?"

Carlos just stared at Yonnie for a moment and then finally nodded.

"Too late, man. Her body is just a formality at this point. Blow her mind?" Yonnie spit and began walking toward the house. "He already did."

Carlos reentered the house with his gaze sweeping and every sense keened. He didn't need Yonnie's suit, his black T-shirt and leather pants worked fine. The half-hour away from the intense drama, plus a straight bitch slap of reality from his boy, was all that he needed. He didn't even bristle as he gazed around the room, saw Damali at the dining room table, conferring with Cain. He greeted the other Guardians with a nod, and stopped to appraise Marlene's condition. "How's she doing, 'Bazz?"

Shabazz let out a slow exhale. "Way better than she was," he said quietly, stroking Marlene's hair as she reclined on the sofa and peacefully slept.

"Good," Carlos murmured, meaning it as he stooped down to gently squeeze Marlene's hand. Nonsense had almost allowed him to mess up and not be on-point for someone he really loved.

Carlos stood, receiving a quiet fist pound of thanks and acknowledgement from a weary Shabazz. He quickly scanned the room, seeing it now as a huge, living chess board. Yeah. King Cain was talking to his queen, Damali. First order of business was to draw the queen away from the king, so a checkmate could go down. Two huge rooks were on either side of the room, Big Mike and Rider. They had to be moved into position. Berkfield, a bishop. The other bishop, Marlene, had been Cain's score, which also felled a knight, Shabazz, with her.

All right. Jose could be a knight on his side. Maybe. Krissy and J.L... Bobby, Dan... frontline pawns, like Inez, Juanita, and Marjorie. He didn't care if it wasn't politically correct to think this way about the team; it was about extracting his woman from the dining room table where she'd been sitting in intimate, private discussion with an arrogant king. The bastard had made a tent with his fingers before his mouth in kingly fashion, leaning on his elbows in his old chair at the table in what used to be the family compound house! No. Not tonight.

Plus, he still had Yonnie, Tara, and Gabby... definitely Zehiradangra, maybe even Kamal. Hmmm... Later. They'd come into the game later. Right now he had to wipe out this particular board before he and Cain reset it again to battle over the best two out of three rounds.

Carlos glimpsed Cain in the dining room, new awareness filling him and making him ball his fists at his sides. If Damali was over there battling, as was Cain, and they both took heads off with blades to protect Marlene, then obviously the hybrid creatures from Cain's world could die. Maybe not in the same way as on the earth plane, but exterminating one of those bastards was possible.

Suddenly it all became so clear to Carlos. Yonnie was right. Cain had played him in such a smooth move that it almost made Carlos spit. How better to come out looking like the more honorable man than to deliver a starved and dehydrated corpse to Damali's feet, but one that was intact and had no signs of mortal combat? No doubt Damali would run a scan to get to the truth, and there'd be no lie to be found; Cain wouldn't have slaughtered her man in a battle.

That way how could Damali blame Cain for not knowing how to get through the rip to bring her dead man home, especially if she never composed again to bring him through the veil? The scientists' involvement was a fluke and probably wouldn't happen again for a while, long enough for him to starve to death. It would be fate, an accident. One of those fucked-up things that happens when two men fight over a woman.

The more Carlos thought about it, the angrier he got. Cain's plan was simple: Heal his competitor, make a fellow warrior think it was impossible to fight in Nod. Then let him die of starvation in the realm that had no human sustenance. After that, when Damali began composing heartbreak and loss songs from worrying herself sick, Cain could bring a limp body home to Damali and comfort her as she blamed herself for the death of her lover. He would let her see the vision of how the two men who wanted her had lived under a strained but peaceful truce while her man unfortunately withered away.

He knew how this would go, yeah. Damali would blame herself; Cain would tell her, "Baby, it wasn't your fault. No one wanted this. It was on Carlos, who followed me there, angel. I tried to do all I could, but I couldn't get him back to you fast enough. But I tried." Then one thing would lead to another, in the course of compassion and comfort. Her guilt would eat her alive, and so would that Song-of-Solomon, Old-Testament-touting, King-David-plotting, ruthless motherfucker. Only problem with Cain's little game was he didn't expect his adversary to get home alive and in one piece. Cain didn't know who he was dealing with--a man with nine lives who had already seen shit like this before. Okay. Now it was war, for real. Carlos smiled.

Carlos forced his attention to Krissy and J.L., refusing to give in to the pull of Cain and Damali's focus, which was now on him. "Guys, the pressure is on, but it's not fair to rest all that on your shoulders. I know you're scared to death of picking a safe house and then having something go wrong, right?"

Krissy nodded as she looked up at Carlos with wide, trusting eyes. "We don't want anybody to get hurt because we made a mistake."

J.L. pounded Carlos's fist. "Man, I don't envy you guys being the generals."

"Hey, just do your best, that's all anybody can ask. We all make mistakes." Carlos held the junior Guardians' eyes with an empathetic gaze, knowing everybody in the room, especially Damali, heard the implied admission. "Ask me how I know." He moved away from them and let out his breath hard. "You don't even have the right tools that you need."

Carlos hesitated, knowing technology was Cain's weak spot, so he focused on that, almost smiling as he felt Cain's focus hone in on him. "You're not going to be able to come up with a location until you can get some technology back up in the house." Carlos rubbed the nape of his neck and spoke to the junior Guardians in a quiet, nonjudgmental tone. "We have to figure something out so you guys can do your thing."

He could hear Damali stand, could feel the indignant bristle in her temperament as she strode toward him. He knew she was prepared for him to challenge her command or to argue over strategy. That was the last thing he was about to do.

"What do you propose?" she said, one hand on hip.

Carlos almost smiled. She was away from the table, had left Cain sitting alone. The king was exposed and vulnerable. The queen was out in the open. Cain was watching her every move like a cat watches a crack in the wall waiting for a mouse to reappear. Time to slaughter this bastard.

Rather than come back with a smart-assed quip of "Oh, now you're asking me what I think," Carlos gentled his tone. "You know how ashamed I am of my old life, baby," he said quietly, but loud enough for everyone to hear, especially Cain. He gazed into Damali's eyes and gently stroked her upper arms as though he didn't have the right to touch her any longer. "But I was thinking... for the safety of the team... to give us time to regroup, and time for your energies to restore so we can help Cain get back to the other side."

Carlos looked down at the floor. "D... I'm sorry. You were right. The only thing that was important in that moment was making sure Marlene was okay." He slowly dragged his attention away from the spot on the floor he'd been staring at and glanced at Shabazz and Marlene. "I've gotta give this brother his props." He let Damali go and advanced toward Cain.

Cain immediately stood, his eyes wary and angry as though ready to take a battle stance. Tension filled the room, but Damali hadn't moved from her spot on the other side of the sofa near Marlene and Shabazz.

"Peace, man," Carlos said, extending his hand.

Cain looked at it, slightly tilted his head in silent recognition of the best move, and gave Carlos a half-smile that said, "later." He gripped Carlos's forearm in an Old World warrior-to-warrior handshake, quietly crushing Carlos's arm. Carlos smiled. The SOB was getting pissed off. Cool.

"That was some serious energy realignment you did back there," Carlos said in false awe. But it really wasn't too hard to manufacture the respectful tone, adversary or not, Cain had shown him some new shit. "You know, male Neteru to male Neteru... maybe before you have to go back, you could school me on some things that would be valuable for the team? We've got healers, but nothing like what you did, man. And, if we're living on the run, and get in a jam... it could come in handy."

"Gladly," Cain said, his tone just shy of chilly. "To be of service to my Neteru's team is an honor."

Carlos refused to take the bait. He could feel the team almost bristle. Jose and Rider had nearly stood up to get ready for a free- for-all inside the house. So, instead, Carlos nodded with a wide smile and released

Cain's arm. "Thanks, man. I appreciate it." He looked back at Damali, who'd gone slack-jawed. "Baby, you, however, blew my mind."

He left Cain standing at the table and asserted his dominance in the house position as Damali's current lover. Uh-huh. Terms of endearment. Watch a brother from the barrios work.

Carlos stood before Damali and sought her embarrassed gaze, loving that she'd blushed when he told her she'd blown his mind. That wasn't a lie. She had.

"D, every day you change, learn something new... that's what I love about you. This last thing you did . . ." Carlos shook his head and looked at the floor as though pulling back from a moment that was too private to share with the team. That was some of the sexiest shit I have ever seen, he murmured to her in his mind--but left the channel open for Cain to also hear it. / had to take a walk after it was over. Was in... a condition, so when the new brother said anything to you, I wasn't rational. Baby, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted like that.

When her expression became warm, he reached out to touch her cheek, but didn't, just let his hand fall away to capture hers. "I am so proud of you. The Caduceus? I don't even know what that was, where it came from, how you got it, or how it works. That's awesome." He again caught her gaze. "When things settle down, will you tell me about it? I'm really trying to learn, D. Even when I go off and get all stubborn. But you got mad-skills."

She stepped in a little closer. Carlos could feel Cain's heat-seeking glance score his back. Good. That's right, motherfucker, you don't hold check here.

"Listen," Carlos said on a weary sigh. "You're right about us having to help him." He could feel Damali almost fall over but steady herself. Oh, hell yeah, queen nearly down--king in checkmate position. "Baby, the brother helped us, big time." Carlos lifted his chin and turned toward Cain, giving him a nod of genuine respect as a worthy adversary. The team's eyes widened enough to split. Jose actually stood up slowly.

"With honor, man," Carlos said, sending a double message. Cain nodded, his expression stoic but his eyes nearly went silver, Carlos could feel it. Damali placed her hand in the center of Carlos's chest.

"He was just trying to help us," she said quietly.

"I know," Carlos said, pulling her into his arms for a hug while keeping Cain in his peripheral vision, in case the brother snapped. Slowly and calmly, he pressed Damali's head to his chest, and then kept a steady line of vision on Cain in a deadlocked, quiet standoff. "Damali, you're the superior healer on this team. If this brother's energy is waning, if he's unable to jettison himself back to the other side, what can I do to help? Maybe the rod with your power... I don't know how to help him, and we owe him, a lot."

Damali lifted her head from Carlos's chest. "Cain, what can we do to help you?"

Cain hesitated. Carlos almost laughed. Yeah, that's right, she said 'we.'

"One team," Carlos said, slyly, rubbing it in and not giving Cain a chance to respond. His adversary's throat was exposed, and now was the perfect moment for a sudden beheading.

"In fact, you know the old Neteru code," Carlos murmured, stroking Damali's hair, and bringing her focus, along with the team's, back to him. "If my brother has a realm to defend, I've got his back. I trust him, because you trust him, and your word is good enough for me." He kissed Damali's forehead with a gentle brush of his lips. "Baby, you've been leading this team in the right direction for a long time, are truthfully still the better warrior, better healer. Then raise your Isis, baby, like I told you that first battle we did together in Hell. Stand with the family. Protect them. I'll go over to Nod with Cain and help him restore order there. That's the least I can do."

Carlos looked up, his jaw set hard, determination blazing in his eyes as he made them go silver just to knock Damali's head back and then stared at Cain. "For the cause, man. I got your back. Me and you. We do this on your side, get your house in order, and we make sure, as one team, that nothin' slithers over the wall to the human side. Cool?"

"Much obliged," Cain said through his teeth.

"Good," Carlos said, nodding as he returned his gaze to Damali and let a palpable ripple of desire rock her system. "I know some people that know some people in Mexico. La Paz, which is by the ocean, gives us port access and is off the main congested city route." He allowed the information to torture Cain, knowing his adversary didn't know the new cities, towns, or sections of the world like he did. Yeah... this was his yard.

"La Paz?" Damali said, her hands creating a warm tingle as they rested on his arms.

"Yeah, baby. I have cash stashed, and know how to get lost within some places that even the CIA don't wanna go. These boyz got ammo out the ass, too. They'll be cool. Know I ain't in the distribution life no more, but we go way back. Mike, 'Bazz, Rider, and Berkfield would approve of the gear they can drop." He slid into the easy street patois, making Cain have to struggle to decode what he was telling Damali. "With the right amount of dinero, I can raise an army for you, baby... they'll be under your command, but you have to be comfortable, before I make the call."

"I don't see where we have a whole lotta options at the moment," Berkfield added right on cue, building and helping Carlos's cause without realizing it. "The man is making perfect sense to me, D."

"Works for me," Rider chimed in.

"True dat," Shabazz said with a weary sigh. "Here, we're sitting ducks."

"One thing we know for sure," Big Mike said, nodding, "our boy Carlos knows how to get out of a tight spot."

If it weren't for the rules of the game, Carlos would have walked over to Mike and hugged him. "I trust his judgment to Hell and back, man," Jose said, finally sitting down again. "Rivera definitely got da moves. This way, if something goes down, Krissy and J.L. don't have to feel like they have to take the weight."

"Yeah," Berkfield said, going over to his daughter to stand by her side. "That's a lot of responsibility for a kid. I know where he's talking about, from those old maps and info from back in the day. We never tipped our hand that Rivera bled 'em out; in fact, we did it like he was trying to help them, in case we had to double back and send him in as a double agent."

"I'd feel safer going to some of Carlos's old haunts that Richard already knows and where Carlos has allegiances, than allowing the kids to surf the Net to deal with people we've never dealt with before," Mar-jorie said, gaining a weak nod from Marlene.

"Carlos takes care of family," Juanita said quietly. Her furtive gaze went between Carlos and then Cain, returning to Carlos. "I just wish he didn't have to go by himself... what if something happens to him over there in this place we don't even know about?"

He could have kissed Juanita on the spot. The damsel in distress with worry about this team's king going off to battle to help another sovereign, weaker king was practically making Cain's eyes glow.

"You know me,'Nita. I'll be all right. The main thing is Damali go: this on lock, here." He had to walk the very careful line. Give Damali her props, gently rebuff Juanita, and quietly kick Cain's ass. "The brother's world is falling apart. That has implications for what's going on over here. If he's weak, he won't be able to handle his business. I have to go help him, simple as that. Friends don't leave each other ass out... and, if something happens over there to me, then, hey. It was my time. But you'll still have the baddest Neteru on the planet over here--Damali."

"Baby," Damali said. "I agree with Juanita. I'm worried. I don't want anything to happen to you over there. The things die differently. You'll need a blade. If anything were to go down wrong... if you didn't come back, I don't know what I'd do. You hear?"

Carlos smiled. Check. Fucking. Mate. "Yeah, baby, I hear you," he said, dropping his voice to a low, sensual rumble. "But we've gotta do what we've gotta do, right?" He looked down into her eyes that held worry and then kissed her slowly... long... gentle... and deep. The hair on the back of his neck rose as he felt Cain's incisors threaten to break through his gums. Carlos pulled out of the kiss and sent a hot message into Damali's mind. After what I just saw you do in the yard, now this... my focus is getting messed up. I definitely don't want to leave you tonight. But I will. We have to help our boy... even though battling demons is the last thing on my mind, right through here.

Damali nodded and put a little distance between them. He was glad that she did, because what he'd told her was the naked truth.

"All right, you two lovebirds. Break it up. Let's figure out how to get old Cain some juice to send him packing with Carlos, and figure out how to get this team to La Paz." Rider sighed and stretched his back.

"Well, let her think it over, Rider," Carlos said calmly. "It's ultimately her decision. There's been nothing but chaos, everybody's nerves are on edge, wire tight, arid Damali, man, after that fantastic healing, I know she needs a moment to just be still and not have to be pressured into a decision."

Carlos almost hollered and did a Superbowl touchdown jig when she closed her eyes, nodded, and quietly whispered, "Thank you."

He casually returned his attention to Damali and then looked down at the floor. "Either way, just like that time I messed up by taking us to Gabrielle's... which was never my first choice, and it was wrong, I can at least get us out of the country on some old favors... can stretch a little por favor, if that's okay by you? But it's up to you. No pressure."

"I'm not still angry about that," she admitted quietly. "Hooking up with Gabrielle, and keeping the other half of our team safe... was probably one of the best strategic moves I've seen you make, Carlos. I'll go with La Paz as your first hunch."

Now she really had turned him on. She'd openly complimented him before the group. Had sat Cain's ass down into a chair in slow, temporary defeat. So, it was time to make a bold move and address Cain eyeball to eyeball.

Carlos nodded. "All right, but you sense the next move, okay? Your instincts are razor sharp." He meant that, but also needed to slice Cain a few more times for the affront of even trying to encroach on his household. "Just like back in Philly" he murmured, making Damali remember all the challenges they'd faced and conquered together. "You saw the flags on the parkway; you can do the location divinations with the stones we got in Africa. Go with your gut, keep a mind lock with me as I go to the other side with him, and I'll meet up with the team when I get back. I'll be all right."

He glanced at Cain. That's right; she'll be locked with me the whole time I'm with you!

A searing message came back at him, although Cain's peaceful, resigned expression never changed. I will batter her mind until your weak lock gives way and crumbles to dust!

Really? You think you can break a lover's hold --I kept a lock with her through the fires of Hell, motherfucker, while on your damned father's torture chamber wall! Harpies couldn't break it. Your punk ass can't, rest assured.

"You all right, baby?" Damali whispered.

"Yeah. I'm all right," Carlos said, catching himself and breaking the connection to Cain. "I'm just figuring out how to get him juiced enough to break the barrier again." Carlos rubbed his chin to hide the smile cresting on his face, and ran his tongue over his incisors. The bastard had almost made him drop fang.

"You know what?" Carlos said after a moment, factoring everything Yonnie had said into consideration. This had to go down smooth and it was time to take a wild risk. "You two are linked."

Damali's eyes widened. Cain offered him a half-smile. Carlos could feel the anticipation brewing within Cain. The brother thought he was going to get sloppy again, the connection having spiked blind rage. Never happen.

"You need to go to him, sit outside under the moonlight with the rod, if you're not too tired, maybe pull down some nature energy from the universe and give it to him. Just see if the healing staff can give him enough juice so he can make the journey. Over here, he can't replenish himself. I don't know if he needs to bust a grub, drink some water, or needs a blood hit, comprende? If he needs a blood hit... aw'ight. You can give it to him for the mission. You're right. He has to go back strong, has to be able to--"

"I do not need a blood hit," Cain practically shouted, making all eyes turn toward him.

"It's cool, man. Been there. No shame in the game. And Damali's got pure silver running through her, conductive element. Oblivion, brother. Will melt you down to the atomic level and put a velocity topspin on--"

"I said," Cain replied, slowly standing, losing all facade, "I do not need a blood hit."

"Aw'ight," Carlos said calmly. "You hungry? Inez can cook, right Mike?"

"To consume earthly food when about to journey will make me sick!"

Carlos had to chuckle as Damali swallowed a smile and Inez's hands went to her hips.

"I can cook, now, brother. What you trying to say?"

Big Mike got up and stepped between Carlos and Cain. "Baby girl can cook. So--"

"Stand down, brother," Carlos said, laughing, trying to keep the false peace. It couldn't get any better than this. Cain had offended the Guardian team? Man... "He's just edgy. Jonesin' in this atmosphere. You can't hold it against him." He quickly turned to Damali. "Walk your boy outside, okay, baby? Sit on the ground with him. Put the rod in the earth and summon energy for him before he loses it. I've been where he is. I can see it in his eyes. He needs to go back home after a battle lust and chill. Drain a few bottles... ya know."

"All right," Damali said slowly, picking up the staff. Total confusion and disbelief engulfed her face as Cain stormed out of the house with all Guardian eyes behind him. "You sure you're okay with this? The process of exchanging energy like that is really intimate."

Carlos cupped her cheek. "I trust you, baby. It's a necessary thing. I'll stay in here with the team while you work, I'll eat, regroup to be sure I have enough energy to roll with Cain, I'll make the calls, and I'll get everything ready with Yonnie for the transport to La Paz. Don't worry. I'll make sure they put y'all in a real fly hacienda. I'm cool."

She put her hand on her hip and looked at him hard. "You sure you won't come out there and start no mess?"

Carlos opened his arms, seeming shocked. "Would I do something like that?"