That at least made sense. Finally. “What of my mother’s kidnapping?”

“I know nothing of her being taken. I swear. She was in the kitchen, getting ready for work, when I came in here to sleep. That’s all I know of her whereabouts. Had I heard anything, I would have protected her with my life.”

Nick inclined his head to him. “All right. Get dressed. We’ll be in the kitchen, waiting.”

Xev was dressed before he finished speaking. “Show me where they grabbed your mother. I’ll see if I can detect anything about her assailants.”

Nick arched a brow at Kody. “Dang, I need to remember I can do that when I’m running late to school. Those ninja dressing skills are handy.”

She snorted at his misplaced humor.

Nick took them to the rear of the condo, but didn’t open the back door since the police were still there. He jerked his chin toward them. “Who or whatever it was attacked her and Mark as they were getting into his Jeep. Busted him up enough that he was sent to the hospital.”

A strange look descended over Xev’s face.

Nick turned toward Kody. “Is he having a vision or does he need to go potty?”

Kody shoved at him. “Nick,” she chided.

“What? It’s the same look the toddlers used to get on their faces in the crying room I had to help monitor as part of my charity work when I was going through Confirmation.”

She groaned out loud. “You’re awful.”

“I’m the Malachai, baby.” Nick winked at her to let her know his cocky attitude was a joke. “Goes with the territory.”

Xev’s eyes glowed the same way Caleb’s and Nick’s did whenever they accessed their powers. That was not a joke.

Nor was the dark, shrieking cloud that was headed straight for them.

At first, Nick thought it was another swarm of mosquitos. Yet as it drew closer, the sound was unmistakable.

It was a murder of crows. And not just a standard murder. More like a Quentin Tarantino–style slaughter fest of them. With friends, family, and every feathered acquaintance they’d ever made.

In a mad, gory frenzy, the crows attacked like something out of the old Hitchcock film. They descended on the police and people, who, screaming and cursing, ran for cover while the birds pecked and slashed at them. Thunder and lightning crackled, threatening to dump more rain. Some of the police shot at the birds. But nothing deterred them.

Total pandemonium broke out.

As people flooded into his building for protection, Nick ran through a mental list of his powers. He could talk to the dead and sort of control zombies.

Okay, it didn’t work quite the way it should, but it was useless on fowl creatures.

He had partial telekinesis, which was also iffy at best. His grimoire, that was even lippier and more sarcastic than he was. Of course, if sarcasm were lethal, he’d be a legendary killer. Sadly, that skill only served to get him grounded, or added days to his detention. Slammed into lockers by Stone and crew …