Moving to the side, I took in the parking lot and opposite street, noting Nathan and Makoto searching the shadows.
Damn it, where was he?
I stayed where I was, knowing my position offered me the advantage of an unobstructed view.
There.
Atop the two-story row house across from mine.
"Up!" I pointed.
Nathan's head lifted like a hunting dog. He ran up the side of the building, landing on the roof and crouching.
Don doffed an invisible hat to him as he danced along the building's edge.
I squinted, but like Callie, his magic was cloaked in impenetrable darkness. It was a struggle to catch anything. I strained, trying to force my way through that darkness with brute force.
He disappeared before I could catch much of anything.
Nathan landed in the empty space where he'd stood a split second ago.
"Fuck!" Nathan shouted. "Where'd he go?"
There was no answer.
"Aileen, you see anything?" Nathan finally called, an edge to his voice.
I knew he didn't mean physically. Even knowing it likely wouldn't help. I sank into my magic sight, sifting through the auras and colors, looking for anything that didn't belong.
I found nothing.
Still, I kept at it.
This wasn't over. It was simply the calm before the storm.
Darkness stirred at the end of the street.
"There." I pointed.
Nathan and Makoto flashed in that direction. I started to follow, but Connor caught my arm.
"Wait. It's safer here."
Nathan paused. "He's right. Stay there. We've got this."
He raced after Makoto as Don stepped into view with a quirky smile on his face.
This time he didn't try to evade, his gaze lifting to mine instead. His smile grew wider.
See you soon, he mouthed.
"Stop!" I screamed.
Too late. The trap was sprung. Darkness speared up, wrapping all three of them in a ball.
It vanished, taking them with it.
SIXTEEN
