Tension thickened the air around them as the rogue's eyes brightened to a lime green color and red blood spurted from his brow. A low growl snaked out of the man's lips as he glared at Derek.

Kylie felt the strength start to build in her muscles, but it was nothing like what she should feel to draw upon her true power.

"Come get me, you coward!" Derek taunted.

Mario wiped the blood from his forehead and the fury in his eyes faded. "You do not interest me."

"What about me, you bastard vamp?" Lucas, appearing out of nowhere, shot out from behind the trees and took the old man down.

Kylie had no time to consider her emotional havoc. Derek, obviously seeing the opportunity, barreled forward. Kylie moved in, her strength now full force. But her strength and speed were nothing compared to Mario's. She hadn't reached the pile of swinging fists when the rogue tossed first Lucas and then Derek off him. Their bodies were flung into the air like rag dolls. Breath caught at the sight, she bolted up into the air and snagged both of them. After only a fraction of a second, she dropped both of them to the ground and then lunged at the rogue.

Proving his abilities again, before she got to him he'd bounced to his feet and shot out of her path. She came to a startling jolt and looked around. He stood several feet away watching her as if she was nothing more than a form of entertainment.

He was toying with her. And she didn't know how to turn the tables on him.

Gripping her fist so tight her hand hurt, she forced herself to accept he was out of her league. He may be old, but his power obviously kept him agile and quick.

He stared at her and smirked, then with eyes thirsty to see more, he held out his hand toward Lucas.

"How far will you go to save them?" Kylie saw a fireball extend from his fingertips. She darted between the fireball and Lucas. She snatched the circle of flames and threw it back at Mario. He managed to dodge it, but then he tossed two more. She caught one of them and the other shot past her. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the other fireball knock Lucas down. The taste of fury, bitter and salty, spilled onto Kylie's tongue. In spite of her emotional befuddlement over Lucas, her heart begged her to go to him, to assure herself his injuries were not bad. But the need to stop Mario had her facing him again.

"Will you die to save him?" A grin filled his aged gray eyes. "Which one will you save first?" Mario studied her as if amused, definitely not afraid, and apparently so occupied with tormenting her that he didn't see Derek coming at him again. And neither did Kylie, or she would have stopped him. Stopped him before someone died.

The moment Derek crashed into Mario, the man reached for Derek and tightened his gnarled fingers around his neck. Kylie surged forward, her fury, her need for revenge strong. Wrapping one hand around Mario's throat, she used her other hand to peel the old man's hands from Derek's neck. The second she felt Derek slip free, she used both her hands on the rogue's throat.

"Let go!" the voice echoed in her ear at the same time the ghostly cold shimmied down her spine.

"Stop!"

Kylie ignored the spirit. This was so not the time.

She heard Derek gasp for air. Now it was Mario who could not breathe. She felt his tendons rollbeneath her tight grasp. Her goal was simple. Stop him. Stop him now and forever. All she had to do was squeeze a bit tighter.

She would crush his windpipe with just a little more force.

She would send him to hell where he belonged.

Her mind went to Ellie, who Mario had taken too young from this world. She thought of this man's grandson, who had died knowing his own blood had brought him to his death.

Mario deserved this death.

A thought raked through her mind. Killing wasn't easy. Not even when it was the right thing.

"Let him go!" the spirit yelled. "You are blind. Nothing is as you see it!"

She could see just fine, thank you! She tightened her hold on the old man's neck, trying to convince herself to finish what needed to be done. The raspy sound of Derek bringing air into his lungs echoed behind her. Mario's arm swung at his sides, trying to find something to hang on to. Trying to find life.

She heard Derek blurt out her name, his voice hoarse, but she ignored him. Ignored everything but the fact that she was about to take a life.

Suddenly, a sick feeling filled her stomach-as if something was terribly wrong. And that's when she saw Mario. Standing several feet back and smiling. Her breath caught and her gaze cut to the face of the person she was in the process of killing.

Lucas.

Mario's laugh echoed around her.

Panic shot through Kylie like raw pain. She released her hold around Lucas's neck. He fell into a heap on the ground, but Kylie didn't remove her gaze from Mario.

Lucas shifted at her feet. Tears filled her eyes at the realization of how close she'd come to taking the life of someone she loved.

"I should kill you now," Mario said, "but it's so much fun to see you suffer."

Kylie's next intake of air shuddered in her lungs.

"Oh, he lives, but for how long?" Mario asked, his tone expressing the excitement he felt at the pain he'd caused her.

The wickedness in the man seemed to flavor the air. She had no idea how Mario had traded places with Lucas, but what mattered was stopping him from doing more. And if she couldn't think of something quick, he would take her down. And she wouldn't go down alone.

Her blood raged faster, the air she breathed tasted carbonated with emotions raging though her like viruses. Then fear, like a liquid trying to drown her, rose in her chest.