Tortured Spirits (49 page)

The third zonbie, a woman with dark skin and braided hair, advanced on Jake, coming so close to him that he pressed the Glock against her forehead and blew it open, spilling brain juice. She hit the floor hard, and her soul rose and faded.

Jorge had picked up an ATAC. As the man decimated the head of one of his attackers, Jake advanced on the summoning circle. He knew of only one way to turn the tide. When Katrina's zonbies had taken over the drug trade in New York, Laurel had told him the one sure way to stop them was to kill her. Standing at the edge of the circle, he aimed his Glock past Kalfu—who stood with an amused expression—at Catoute, who ducked her head behind Maria's.

Damn it.

Jake moved around the circle's outer perimeter, keeping his Glock trained on Catoute, who moved in direct relation to him, keeping Maria in his line of fire.

Maria's lower lip quivered, tears filling her eyes.

Two zonbies ran for Jake, whose hand trembled. Maria looked straight into Jake's eyes, then closed hers. Jake prayed she was giving him permission to take the shot. He heard the zonbies shuffling in his direction. Sweat stung his eye. He squeezed the trigger, erupting Catoute's skull into fragments as she flew back.

“Jesus!” Clapping her hands over her ears, Maria fell to her knees on the floor.

A gray, cancerous-looking soul rose from the old woman's motionless body. It reminded Jake of Old Nick's
soul: rotten to the core after a lifetime of evil deeds.

All around the chamber, zonbies staggered and collapsed, like marionettes with their strings cut at the same time. A dozen souls rose at once, and Jake knew that across Pavot Island, some two thousand more were doing the same thing.

“Maria, get out of there!”

Maria looked at him with questioning eyes, and Jake realized the gunshot had deafened her. But she leapt out of the circle anyway. Kalfu snatched her by the hair in midair and swung her back into the perimeter. Crying out, she landed on her knees, facing Jake, her face a mask of pain.

Jorge rose and faced Malvado, blood flowing from a machete wound in his neck. Malvado picked up Jorge's ATAC from the floor, aimed it at him, and squeezed the trigger. The gun clicked.

“Hel-man,”
Kalfu hissed.

Jorge picked up a new weapon: a .38 revolver.

Malvado aimed another ATAC at him and it clicked.

“Let her go,” Jake said to the demon. “You can't interfere with a positive soul on this plane anyway.”

Jorge aimed the handgun at Malvado, who aimed a third ATAC at him. The empty machine gun clicked.

Kalfu grinned at Jake. “But I'm not on your plane. This circle is a portal linking our dimensions. None of the rules you know apply. I can do whatever I want.”

Shit,
Jake thought.

Jorge stepped forward. “You killed Humphrey and my brother.”

Malvado sputtered. “They were enemies of the state.”

“If I killed you now I'd be hailed as a hero. But I have a better idea: it's your turn to serve as El Miedo's only prisoner.”

“What do you want?” Jake said to Kalfu.

“I want
you.”

Jake's spirits sank. “I made a deal with Cain. The slate is wiped clean between me and the Dark Realm.”

“Cain serves his functions in the Realm; I serve mine. You caused the demise of one of my brides.”

Katrina,
Jake thought.

“Don't do it, Jake,” Maria said in a quivering voice. “Let him take me.”

“I don't have a choice and he knows it. I'll take responsibility for my actions. You take care of Edgar.” He glared at Kalfu. “I won't pledge my soul to you, but I will take Maria's place in that circle.”

Kalfu guffawed. “I don't care what you pledge. Stand before me and I'll
take
what I want.”

Maria shook her head.

“Let her go first,” Jake said.

“I'm not the trusting type,” Kalfu said. “Come to me and I'll let her go.”

Jake toed the circle. “If I do as you ask, there's nothing to prevent you from taking us both. Under that scenario, she's already doomed.”

“Remain stubborn and I'll enjoy her flesh for eternity. Perhaps I should anyway. You'll agonize over her fate for the rest of your life and into the afterlife.”

“The same principle applies to you. Perhaps you will torture her spirit forever. But if I ascend to the Realm of
Light, you'll know for eternity that you had a chance to claim my soul and failed. You'll have her soul, and I
will
agonize over that. But in the end, I'll beat you. If there's one thing I've learned about you demons, you're sore losers.”

“I'm not a demon,” Kalfu said.

“You
are
a demon. That's why your energy resides in the Dark Realm. You're just too vain to admit it.”

“I know all the best Loa!”

“You would say that. You always do. The legends say so. Your reputation is well known in vodou circles.”

Kalfu's features twisted with anger. “What do
you
know of
me?”

“Your other name is Carrefour, and you control the crossroads.” He gestured at the circle. “Catoute believed she summoned you, but all she really did was ask you to open the crossroads to her. You could have said no if you wanted to.”

Kalfu's fiery red eyes glowed brighter. “Because I wanted you. It will please my master if I present your head to him on a platter after you struck that deal with Cain.”

“Your master? In many legends, you're confused with Satan.”

“I am not Satan! I am not a demon! I am a renowned and respected Loa in all dimensions!”

“I don't respect you. I don't even fear you. I don't care what Loa you
claim
to know. In my book, you're just a thug who abuses women. Let her go and face me man to man. If you don't, everyone in this chamber will know you're nothing but a coward, and we'll spread the word. On
this
plane, your reputation will suffer.”

Kalfu turned to Malvado. “Push him into the circle, and I'll teach you everything I taught Catoute. You won't need a bokor to work black magic for you anymore. I'll make certain Pavot remains your kingdom.”

Malvado raised his eyebrows.

“Never trust a demon,” Jake said. “They'll betray you every time.”

The color of Kalfu's skin turned bright red.
“I'm not a demon!”

Malvado took a tentative step toward Jake.

But Jorge, still holding the .38, shook his head. “Don't make me kill you after I just decided to spare your life.”

Malvado stopped in his tracks.

“I will make you the most powerful man on earth!” Kalfu said.

Malvado spread his arms in a helpless gesture.

Clenching his free hand into a fist, Kalfu jerked Maria to her feet, and his tongue slithered into her ear.

Maria grimaced.

“I'll teach you pleasures undreamed of, all the while practicing unimaginable torture on your soul. We'll be linked for eternity, and you'll give birth to my spawn.”

Maria squeezed her eyes shut.

Enough,
Jake thought. “I'll give you one last chance, Kalfu: let her go. You have my word I'll stand in her place.”

Kalfu smiled. “If you make a deal with a higher being and renege on your promise, your soul will wind up in the Dark Realm when you die no matter what. Cross me, and you'll only guarantee that
you'll
become my bride.”

Lowering his hand, Jake dropped his Glock on the floor. “Let her go.”

With an inhuman snarl, Kalfu shoved Maria forward, and she staggered out of the circle into Jake's arms.

“Don't do this,” she said.

He caressed her face. “It's already done.”

Tears streaked her cheeks. “Then stay here with me. At least we'll have some time together.”

“This way is better. Trust me.”

Maria threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, and he tasted her one more time. When he broke the embrace, she clung to him.

Jake eased her away with his hand. “Never give up hope.”

Maria inched back from the circle, avoiding Malvado.

Jake faced the red-skinned demon before him.

“Come to me,”
Kalfu said.

Jake took a deep breath, exhaled, and swallowed.

“Don't do it,” Jorge said.

Jake stepped into the circle.

Kalfu charged at him, his eyes blazing.

Jake stood still and rigid, awaiting his fate.
Please let this work.

Kalfu flung his arms around Jake and opened his mouth wide, bearing sharklike teeth that had grown too long for the inside of his mouth. But his arms never closed around Jake. Instead, the impact of the collision threw him backwards and knocked Jake out of the circle. Kalfu landed on his ass, his penis slapping his right thigh. He shook his head with a dumbfounded expression.

Jake glanced at Maria, who wore a similar look of bewilderment. Then he stepped back into the circle.

Kalfu ran at Jake again, but this time Jake shoved him aside.

“What have you
done?”
Kalfu said in an enraged voice that echoed around the chamber.

Jake tore open his shirt, revealing the medallion he had taken from Russel. “Surprise.”

Kalfu screamed. Sores appeared all over his body, and six-inch horns emerged from the sores, splitting his flesh apart. The horns protruded from his torso, limbs, and forehead, even between his legs. Blood seeped from the wounds and formed red steam.

“The Anting-Anting,” Jake said. “Russel took it from Tower, and I took it from him. Tower's research files revealed the amulet only has power within a summoning circle. Old Nick's entire penthouse was a summoning circle, which is why he wore an Anting-Anting when he faced Cain. Too bad I don't have a magic sword to go with it.”

Kalfu closed his hands into fists, the thorns that had formed on his inner fingers digging into his palms. His body trembled as he crouched in a fighting stance. “You tricked me!”

Jake smiled. “It happens. Get over yourself.”

Kalfu turned to Malvado once more. “Give me the woman!”

Screaming, Malvado looked down at the white snake that had wrapped itself around his ankles.

Pharah!
Jake thought.

Without hesitation, Maria charged Malvado. To Jake's
amazement, she leapt into the air and kicked his back with both legs. Malvado flew past Jake and crashed into Kalfu, impaling himself on several of the Loa's horns like a man in an iron maiden. Maria landed on one side and scrambled back to her feet. Malvado stared straight into Kalfu's glowing red orbs, his mouth opening but nothing coming out.

The white snake uncurled itself from around the dictator's ankles and slithered toward the circle's edge.

With Malvado's larger body still impaled on his horns, Kalfu ran after the snake and attempted to stomp on it, but the snake vanished and his foot struck the floor. Seeing the glint of the pommel protruding from Malvado's belt, Jake drew the sword free. Kalfu peeled the giant man from his bloodied horns and flung him to the floor. Blood gushed from Malvado's multiple wounds, and he didn't move.

Kalfu faced Jake, who braced his stump against the demon's chest for leverage, and drove the bloodstained blade into his sternum and out his back. Kalfu screamed, then pitched forward, bringing his monstrous features within inches of Jake's face. Malvado's dark soul flickered behind them.

“You lose,” Jake said. “Now go away.”

Kalfu continued to scream, red steam engulfing him. Then he dropped through the floor as if a trapdoor had opened. Malvado's sword clattered on the floor, and the demon's scream and the dissipitating steam lingered.

Jake left the circle and Maria ran into his arms.

“Did you kill him?” Jorge said.

“No,” Jake said. “I only hurt his pride.”

Maria examined the Anting-Anting on his chest: a warrior slaying a demon with a sword. “How did you know that would work?”

“I didn't. But it was the only chance I had.”

She swallowed. “Then he really could have taken your soul?”

“The odds were in his favor.”

Maria kissed him again, but this time it wasn't good-bye.

Emerging from the church, they surveyed the bodies littering the road. Great flames consumed the palace, with no fire trucks in sight. The horse Jake had ridden had disappeared. Maria still wore only her undergarments; she had refused to wear the clothing of any of the people killed below or the zonbies or anything in Catoute's church. Jake held her in his good arm.

“If anyone hears me,” Jorge said into his hand radio, “come in.”

A burst of static. “This is Renaud.”

“What's your status?”

“Pavot is a free island, thanks to all of us. Those … things helped us, then stopped moving. They're all dead now.”

“Andre is dead, too. So is Pharah. And Malvado, Maxime, and Catoute.”

“A lot of good people and a lot of bad people. There's dancing in the streets. Come join us in Pavot City.”

“I'm at the palace.”

“We can see the flames from here.”

“I'm with the
Americanos.”

“Bring them. They're national heroes.”

Jorge looked at Jake and Maria, who shook their heads.

“They need medical treatment, nothing too serious. I'm going to take them to a safe location. I'm sure the celebrating will continue tomorrow.”

“Copy that.”

Jorge hitched the radio to his belt. “Now we need to find a vehicle.”