“Perhaps first, I kill the meddling old woman.” He raised his arm towards the healer leader, a crazed smile on his lips.
Before Jack could stop her, Zoe's arm shot out and she blasted a small fireball at Uragan. The bullet-like vortex pierced through his shielding, and he screeched, cradling his arm.
“You little bitch,” Gregor screamed in outrage.
Jack cursed and held her arms down. “Hold off, Zoe.”
Gregor’s face twisted in a hideous scowl. “You see why I can't allow you to keep her, my friend?”
“You have to let me go with them,” Zoe whispered, her expression frantic. “I won’t have all these people die for me. I won’t haveyoudie for me.”
Gregor stepped closer. “Listen to the little lady. You just gave an oath to keep these sheep safe. One little explosive tornado would kill them all. Even you, Fialko, could not have perfected the combination of powers yet.”
Fear lanced through Jack’s system. The swine was right. He’d been too busy trying to keep Zoe safe to put time into practicing with his new power.
“Let me go with him, Jack.” Zoe squirmed in his grasp.
“No.” He gripped her midsection tighter to emphasize his point.
“I won’t sit here all day, children, while you argue. I will start killing, starting with the translator.” Gregor cackled and conjured a ball of energy.
Before he could stop her, Zoe fired a tornado that sent Gregor sprawling to the back wall.
“Zoe.” He tried to keep his arms wrapped around her, but her energy pushed him away.
One by one, she blasted each of the Russian warriors, dead center, with surprising accuracy.
Jack maintained their shield, using all his power to block the Russians' retaliation.
Zoe’s shots were amazingly precise. Unlike him, she could tell from their auras, which were warring. The few Russian clan members still standing, grabbed the fallen, and left the auditorium cursing.
Jack dropped the vortex. Zoe’s legs gave out and she collapsed against him.
The ancient leader rushed over to Zoe, laid hands on where her child grew within, and nodded with a half-smile. “No too sick. Understand? We go.”
Cradling Zoe in his arms, Jack carried her to a waiting van. It wasn't until the buildings faded to deep pines that Jack spoke again. “Something's wrong with her.”
The old woman reached over the front seat, frowned, and spoke to the driver in Romanian. He sped up, and the younger woman who was introduced as Lana, interpreted. “She asks why you let your woman fight your battles?”
“She doesn't listen. I was going to negotiate.” Jack gritted his teeth to hold back the curse on the tip of his tongue.
“The Russians don’t negotiate, Lord Fialko.” Lana shook her head in disgust.
“They will or they’ll die. Honestly, after tonight, I’m not sure if I really care.”
Lana translated and the old woman grinned in approval.
The driver spoke excitedly in Romanian and pointed to the rear window.
“They haven’t given up,” Lana said, nodding behind them.
Jack swore.What the hell was wrong with these guys? Didn’t they know how to say uncle?
Lana seemed to read his mind. “They need us. They have injured men and we are their only healers.”
Jack twisted so he could keep one eye on the car following and one on his sleeping mate. He smoothed the hair from her forehead. What an amazing woman. Blending talents was a huge challenge, even for the most skilled. How had she managed to get so good, so fast?
They drove up a long driveway. The facade of a small cottage hid a much larger building behind that spread long and wide under enormous pines. When the car stopped, the ancient healer motioned that Zoe should be taken from the car.
