Kevin got out, too, and in the next lightning flash his face looked ghostly and haunted, his eyes gone huge as he stared at Cherise. He looked empty. No, he was empty, I realized; he had gone up into the aetheric, and for a few seconds his body was just a waiting shell. Then he flinched and shook his head. It cant be, he said. Shesshes

Shes got Warden powers, I said flatly. What are the odds that they came from someone else but me?

Cherise smiled, warm and sweet and lovely, and said, And it is awesome, by the way. Just so you know. It feels sobig! Like Im part of everything, everywhere in the worldtheres all this energy, and

Cher! I grabbed her by the shoulders, hard, and shook her until the bliss faded from her eyes. Cherise, listen to me. Youre not trained. You have no idea what youre doing. Dont

Electric shocks zapped through my hands, straight up my arms, and knocked me back with a stunning blow all the way to the Mustang. I found myself on the ground, skin tingling and aching, shaking all over. My muscles were buzzing.

David no longer moved at Djinn speed, but he was just as fast as any man seeing a threat to someone he loved, and as I tried to shake off the shock he did a classic cop roll over the hood of the car and went for her.

Kevin summoned up a fireball and dropped it neatly between David and Cherise, sending my husband stumbling back. Dont try it, man, Kevin said. Its not her fault.

I wasnt the only one in shock. Cherise hadnt moved since shed given me the zap, but now, as the fire flamed unnaturally high between her and David, she let out a sharp, horrified cry and dropped to her knees next to me in the filthy water. Oh my God, Jo, I didnt meanI justI just wanted you to let go of me, I She reached out to touch me, then hesitated, staring at her hands.

I coughed and sat up. My ribs ached. I could feel residual trembles in all of my long muscles, but my heart seemed to be ticking along, if rapidly, and I was in control enough to be able to push dripping hair back out of my eyes. Even if it felt like a lot of effort to do so. I think that proves my point, I said, and then had to pause for a racking round of coughing.

David tried to get to me. Kevin moved the fire in front of him, and I saw David really get angryangry enough to do anything. He was only human now, but that kind of anger was nothing to fool around with. There was still a trace of Djinn in there somewhere; I could just feel iteven if it was only a memory of power. It made him fearless, and a little bit crazy.

He plunged through the fire.

Kevin yelped, surprised, and damped the flames down quicklyincluding the ones that had taken hold of Davids clothes even in that brief instant of contact. David ignored the burns. He grabbed Kevin and slammed him back against the car with a hand around his throat, and I saw his muscles tighten. Kevins eyes widened, and he clawed at Davids hand, wheezing.

David, dont, I managed to gasp, and got my coughing under control. There was something unpleasant in my mouth. I spat it out and tasted blood, but not a lot. That was good, right? Not a lot? Some part of my brain was grasping desperately for good news. We dont have time for this.

Dont, David said, attention still locked on Kevins face, ever do that again. Do you understand me?

Kevin managed to nod. David let go, shoved him away, and knelt down to gather me in his arms. The look he turned on Cherise was black with fury.

Its not her fault, I told him. Kevins right. She got slammed with a ton of power, and she has no idea how to use it. Shes like a baby with a nuclear bomb and a big shiny red button.

Hey! Cherise said, in almost her old tones. Im right here! Have a heart.

No offense, I said, but Wardens get trained. They get trained a lot. And even then, we make massive mistakes, and people die. You dont have that luxury, Cher. Youre too powerful, all at once. Your learning curve means death tolls. Now take down the shield.

What? Cherise seemed blank. I pointed up at the invisible umbrella she was holding over us. Rain was pouring off of it in silver sheets. Im notoh. I guess I am, huh?

Instinct. Itll kill you. Or actually, other people, I said. Drop it. Ill show you how to build it right.

Idont think I know how to drop it. I mean, I didnt know how to put it up in the first place.

Talk later, flee now, Kevin said, rubbing his throat and glaring at David. Seeing as how were going to die if we hang around here in Lightning Central.

I looked up at David, and saw his fierce love and anger and desire to lash out. And protect me. He was taking this being human thing harder than I was, after all. Kevin has a point, I said. Lets work it out in motion.

He didnt like it; I could see that, but he nodded and helped me to my feet. I was shaky but serviceable. Wetter than a sponge on the bottom of the ocean, but maybe I could get Cherise to dry me off as a training exercise. Then again, shed probably desiccate me completely and leave me a dry, dead husk, so maybe not such a great plan after all.

Maybe you shouldnt drive, David said.

Ha! The day I cant drive the Boss is the day that you need to wrap me in plastic and leave me by the side of the road for the buzzards.

Jo, Im serious.

So am I, I said. Nobody drives it but me. Those are the rules. Now get in the car. Please. I dont need to argue, I just need to drive.

He didnt like it, but he nodded and helped me in. Cherise was maintaining the rain shield above the car, which was convenient even though it worried me in a Warden sense. There were all kinds of ways to power that kind of defensive capability, but the best ways, the ones that would ultimately have the least impact on the world around us, were the most difficult to learn. Cherise was, without a doubt, just grabbing raw power and slamming it into a form without regard for how out of balance the equations fell.

The storm had already noticed her. And it was going to get very interested now.

Everybody piled into the car, and I found the keys and started up the Boss. His engine caught with a fierce grumble, and I threw it into reverse as another lightning bolt slammed home, this one torching a tree near the corner of the parking lot. Combined with the still-burning telephone pole, the place was starting to look like it needed to be renamed the Disaster Drive-In.

Sorry, I whispered, and peeled out of the parking lot. Once I hit road speed, I began to really start liking Cherises shield, even if it was an energy suck monster. It was like driving under a mobile bridge, and it kept the rain from hammering the windshield, which was excellent. I opened up the Boss as we gained the access road for the freeway. When we reached the top of the ramp, I glanced over and saw three stabs of white-hot light smash down from the boiling clouds into the roof of the motel.

The trees werent the only thing on fire anymore, and now there were innocent lives at risknot just ours. The roof was burning, and it was possible that even with the rain, it would spread. The tree and telephone pole werent showing any signs of going out.

Kevin, I said. Get that fire out.

The rain will take care of it. I dont need to

Did you hear me ask? Because Im pretty sure I put it as an order, not a request for your opinion. Just do it. Now, Kevin!

Kevin shut up and looked toward the burning roof. Seconds later, it snuffed itself out. He ended the blazes on the telephone pole and tree for good measure. Show-off. Anything else, boss?

Yeah. Be quiet.

He shot me the finger, which did not shock me, and slumped back in his seat with a mutinous, pouty expression. Still not out of his teen angst, I saw. Or maybe hed just grow up to be a pouty, petulant man. Yeah, that was going to be attractive.