Chosen at Nightfall (Shadow Falls #5)(118)

Unable to give in to her mom's panic, Kylie didn't hesitate and bolted for the door, dodging the two men. Unfortunately, her mom was yanked from Kylie's hands. Swinging around, Kylie couldn't see her, but she heard her mom gasping for air and she knew Mario had gone invisible and now had her.

"Let her go!" Kylie seethed, and willed herself visible.

Mario appeared seconds later with her mom. His hand gripped her mother's throat so tight her face looked blue.

Kylie brought up the sword.

Call him a coward! The spirit's voice rang in Kylie's ears at the same time the cold shot down her spine.

Insist he fight you like a man.

"Don't be a coward. Stand up and fight me like a man!" Kylie bit out and prayed it worked.

Mario, his hand still around her mom's throat, stared at Kylie, his eyes growing tight. "Fine." He threw her mom at John.

Her mom fell at John's feet gasping for air. He picked her up, none too gently. Everything in Kylie wanted to attack. To forget the sword and use her bare hands to rip these two men apart. The only thing that stopped her was the spirit standing there repeating the same words over and over again.

The power you have is in the sword. The power is in the sword.

The moment her mom got air into her lungs, she yanked free of John and charged at Mario. Her mom might not be supernatural, but a mother's love was pretty damn powerful.

Just not as powerful as the magic of these two. John snagged her back by her hair. "Stop fighting, you fool!"

Her mom's eyes went wide and she cut them toward John. In her expression, Kylie knew she saw John for who he really was for the first time: someone evil, someone who had used her.

Kylie's heart ached for her mom and she prayed that this wouldn't be her last moments of life. For no one should die thinking only of their mistakes. Consumed with regrets.

Mario waved a hand through the air and a sword appeared. "I will kill you slowly, and your mother will get to watch. How much fun will that be?"

"No!" Kylie's mom screamed.

John pulled her mom's arms behind her back and held them there, making her struggles useless.

"Not here," John said. "I paid over fifty thousand for this rug."

Her mom screamed again and John yanked her against him. "Shut up or she will die sooner."Mario looked at his son. "The blood would add to its worth!"

Her mom looked at Kylie, tears spilling from her eyes. The spirit stared at John. You will rot in hell for all you've done.

Kylie could only pray the spirit was right and his trip to hell would come soon.

"But then again, a little more room to play would be appreciated." Mario moved to stand in front of John and put the tip of his sword to her mom's chest, looking at Kylie. "We will walk out of here. If you choose to not follow, or try anything foolish, I'll kill her. And with pleasure."

Kylie's mom let out a horrible sound, a cry of pure terror. When she glanced up, Kylie read the plea for forgiveness in her mother's eyes. She thought they were doomed, and Kylie wasn't so sure she was wrong.

"I'll follow you," she said.

And she did. She followed him down the hall and into the living room.

Mario waved a hand and the furniture moved back, giving them the entire room to fight. Kylie had no idea where Mario got his powers, but she could guess it was from evil.

"Give me a second, I want to enjoy the show." John, dragging her mother with him, opened a drawer and pulled out a roll of duct tape and wrapped it around her wrists. Then he did the same with her ankles.

Roughly, he pushed her down against the wall as she fought him and begged him to stop. His laugh rang out cruelly. He ripped off another piece of tape and put it over her mouth.

Kylie watched in horror and fury, barely able to stop herself from leaping on the sorry excuse of a man and ripping out his black heart.

Not now. Not yet. Patience, patience, the spirit whispered in Kylie's ear. There is a plan and you must follow it if you are to cheat death.

Kylie didn't understand what the spirit meant, but she had no time to contemplate. The scream of the spirit warned her just in time of Mario's charge. She brought her sword down against his. The clatter sounded in her ears, but she barely heard it over the sound of the blood humming through her body.

He came at her again, and Kylie responded blow for blow. Their swords clanked, clattered. Lucas would have been proud. But as good as she was at blocking his blows, she never got the chance to go on the offensive, she was too busy defending herself.

While she never stopped to look, she could imagine her mother watching in horror. And while she tried not to listen, she heard the desperate screams, muffled by the tape.

Help us. Kylie cried out the words in her heart, cried out to the death angels, to God, to anyone who might listen. In the distance, the howl of the half wolf/half dog broke through the air, as if he prayed for her as well.

Don't lose sight of his sword. Watch him, he will move low this time. The spirit's orders came quick and fast. Kylie tried to listen, tried to forget that this was life or death. She took orders and listened to the sound of metal against metal.

For one brief second, Kylie caught sight of Mario's face. He grinned as if he were simply toying with her. How long could she do this? How could she win?

Don't stop believing in your gifts! the spirit called out.