Page 71 of Joshua's Mistake
“What is she doing here?” Jess asked. “We don’t need a healer.”
Joshua ignored the snide remark and asked, “What is it you can do we don’t know about, Rain?”
“I can block.”
Only the sound of machinery continued. Everyone stared at the pretty face who’d just dropped the first good news they’d had.
Jess was the first to recover. “What do you mean? Are you saying you can keep him from stealing our power?”
She nodded. “If I can get close enough to him I can block him.”
Joshua smiled. “Any other talents you’d like to share with us?”
“I’m precognitive, oh and of course a decent healer. I can also influence animals, but I doubt that will come in handy today.” She gave Jess a scathing look.
“Okay, well try to get close to him without getting yourself killed. Adianca will have my ass if I don’t bring you back in one piece. Will can help you. He has no psychic abilities to be stolen, making him the least vulnerable of our group.”
Tessa said, “Be careful, Rain. What he can do is an atrocity.”
Joshua’s stomach did a flip just at the thought of putting Tessa back in the presence of Banta.
Before he could voice his concern, Tessa said, “Forget it. I’m going.”
He sighed. “Right. That’s what I figured.”
Will and Piper had their heads together in what looked as if it was an intimate conversation. If Joshua had to guess he’d say they had a history.
“Is there a problem?” Joshua asked.
They quickly separated. Piper straightened, her expression unreadable. “No problem.”
Will’s normally jovial expression had grown serious for a moment. He took the lead as they made their way out of the hotel. They kept to the backs of the hotels and still they stood out in full combat gear.
They crossed the parking lot toward one of the side doors into the Venetian.
Blake’s voice came over the radio clipped to Jess’s shoulder. “They’re on the move. Headed toward the piazza and Grand Canal.”
Jess responded, “We’re on premises, will block south exits and engage if necessary.”
“Copy. We have lost sight.”
“Shit,” Joshua said.
They ran down the corridor, through a door and into a hallway. Crowd noise filtered toward them from the area simulating a piazza in Venice, complete with Grand Canal. There were people everywhere. A long line waited to take gondola rides, while others sipped coffee or cocktails at tables lining the canal. Shoppers and tourists milled around from designer shops to restaurants while enjoying the jugglers, clowns and living statues. The area bustled with humanity and all those civilians would be a problem.
“He knows we’re coming. He’s waiting for us.” Joshua could feel Banta’s perverted aura searching the hotel. He shut down his mind. Sadly, it cut him off from Tessa.
Her fingers curled into his. “We’ll have to find a way around that.”
He loved the fact she felt the loss as keenly as he did. He was as nervous leading Tessa back into a battle with Banta as he had been on his first mission.
Releasing her hand, he stepped forward and she moved to the right with Jess, Wanda and Kane. Rain, Trip and Will fanned out to the left. Joshua saw a flicker of black on a balcony above. He didn’t know if it was friend or foe, but there was no time to figure it out.
Banta stepped into view across the piazza. His nose was swollen and his eyes were bruised black. Though the insane intensity of those eyes had not wavered one bit.
A living statue of a Venetian goddess stood only feet away from him on a pedestal. The woman, with her powdered face and gray costume, had no idea the danger of her position.
The shot rang out, surprising them all. Even Banta looked surprised. The gunfire had come from an alcove to Banta’s right. Kane went down.
