by Casey Wyatt
“I know why you’re here,” he said flatly.
“Good, then help us.” My hand relaxed off the trigger button. Even though I couldn’t see him, I sensed Luca was nearby.
“I was too late.” He pointed to the case.
My heart sank. In the display case stood an empty spot where an object had been. The placard read ‘19th century jade vase.’
“Why don’t you start from the beginning?” I sat down sideways on the bench so I could see him.
He put his faces in hands and cried. “I never meant for Tien to get hurt. He was my friend.” Grief poured out of him. His shoulders racked with sobs. “This is my fault. I let my thirst for petty revenge rule me.”
“Allen, please. I need you to focus.” I tentatively touched his forearm. The air in the room grew markedly cooler. “We can end this together. Do you have any idea where the jar is now?”
Low throaty laughter interrupted his response. “I’d like to know the answer to that as well, Allen Chen.”
The glass display cases exploded, spraying glass shards. Luca appeared and absorbed the brunt of the blast. I tackled Allen and knocked us onto the ground.
“Where is it?” A lithe woman appeared before us.
“Lillian?” I blinked. How the hell had she gotten so close, so fast?
Reg’s girlfriend smiled at me with her signature feline grin. “Tell your handsome man to move away from me, Radiance.” She pressed the muzzle of a gun against my forehead. “I don’t think you want to find out how long it will take to heal from a bullet to the brain.”
Luca roared behind us, “Do not think it, foul spirit!”
Then it clicked. She was the second Jiang Shi. Cripes, I was dense.
Allen whimpered under me and chanted prayers in a rapid-fire burst.
She laughed. “There is nothing that will appease me except the return of the jar and my beloved brother.” The gun’s muzzled pressed harder into my forehead. This was a lose/lose situation because I was pretty sure that Allen didn’t know where the other jar was.
Lillian gripped my hair and dragged me onto my feet, gun in my face. “Find out where my jar is. Or I will take more drastic action, against you personally. You have twenty-four—”
Luca’s fist emerged from between her breasts, his arm speared through her torso. Lillian’s unholy scream was like a spike driving through my skull. I dropped to the floor. The gun went off. Allen scrambled to his feet and ran from the room. Half a dozen alarms rang at the same time. Metal security doors slammed down, trapping us in the room.
“You will pay for that, Alkhari.” Her human form dissolved. A big-ass, half-rotted demon tigress with a curved barb tipped tail stood in her place. She reversed Luca’s hold, then flipped him onto the ground. Massive claws extended from her blackened paws, each talon tearing into Luca’s abdomen and shoulder.
“Get off him, you bitch!” I unleashed the full charge of the stun gun into her back. She thrashed and convulsed but didn’t let go of Luca.
She laughed instead. “She doesn’t know about your little secret. Does she, Luca? Let’s enlighten her, shall we?”
Pain exploded in my stomach. All the air in my lungs whooshed out. I looked down to see the barb-tipped tail impaling my abdomen. Numbness radiated from my torso. The tip must have had paralyzing poison because I could barely move.
Luca howled, part anger, part pain. His skin turned gray, then silver. The pupils of his eyes burned deep black until no white was left. A loud animal roar ripped from his chest.
He transformed into the winged guardian that had saved me from the other Jiang Shi. I backed away, narrowly avoiding his extended wings. He tore Lillian off his chest, leaving chunks of flesh behind in her mouth.
She swallowed them down. “Yummy. I want more of you.” In a blur, she lunged toward him.
Luca and Lillian traded body blows, ripping flesh, and cracking bones. Ever so slowly, my body’s healing ability kicked in. First the gaping stomach wound knitted back together, then the feeling in my legs and arms returned. I half-crawled, half-dragged myself behind the Fu Dog statues, otherwise I risked being crushed by debris.
Bile and anger burned my throat. There had to be something I could do to help Luca. At the very least I could figure out an escape plan. It wouldn’t be long before the human authorities opened the doors. Once they did, they’d receive the shock of a lifetime.
I spotted Lillian’s handgun an arm’s length away. I rolled over, snagged it, then checked the clip. Fully loaded. Time to find out how she liked bullets. Before I fired, for maximum effectiveness, I needed to upgrade the ammo – supernatural style. Placing my brand over the barrel I spoke the sincerest blessing I could think of. The metal glowed white. I then thought of some nasty curses. The barrel turned black. I knew I wasn’t officially ordained but it was good enough for me.
I moved as close to her as I could and aimed carefully. Luca nodded once and stepped sideways. I squeezed the trigger. Blue muzzle flash popped. There was a meaty thwack. Lillian’s head whipped around to face me.
I fired again and again, until the clip was spent. Lillian dropped like a stone to the ground. Luca rushed forward, vortex opening in his chest.
Lillian laughed, her mouth bloody. “This isn’t over.” The Fu Dog statue behind me tipped forward. Luca swept me out of the way. When we turned around, she was gone.
“We need to leave,” he said as the security doors raised.
Lord knows what the police and security guards saw. Luca transported us away before I could find out. Joanna could deal with the cleanup and cover story. I turned my attention to Luca.
We exited the portal, flying high in the sky. The lights of the city glistened underneath like a bed of sparkly jewels. If I wanted to let go of Luca long enough, I’d slap myself in the head. All the pieces had been there staring me in the face. The shadowy wings, my sudden savior, and the Jiang Shi playing on my fears.
All this time, Luca had another side. One he had chosen not to reveal to me.
I studied his newly revealed visage. Pointed ears peeked from his windswept hair. For the most part, the face was familiar, the body more immense, and the wings magnificent. Dark black pupils peered down at me. Worry lines wrinkled his brow.
I buried my face into his neck and whispered, “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”
We dipped suddenly, in a free dive. I clung to him until my hands cramped. We landed on the grassy lawn of Ashworth Mansion yards away from my practice rink. Luca’s knees buckled, but he didn’t drop me. Strain etched hard lines on his face. The deep gouges in his chest and neck looked raw and painful.
“Radiance,” he said, his voice deeper and fuller. “I never meant to deceive you.” He shuddered and buckled over. Then I saw them. The jagged edges of two claws buried at the base of his neck. A third one had penetrated under his shoulder blade where his wing connected with his back.
“Oh my God! Don’t move.” How could he stand the pain?
“Leave them,” he growled, spine rigid. Beads of sweat trickled down his temple.
“I don’t think so, buddy.” I put my hands on my hips. “Let’s overlook the fact that you failed to mention this rather significant detail. I’m not leaving you in pain. These things are coming out whether you like it or not.”
He flinched at my sharp tone, but remained silent. Good.
“Can you get yourself over to the rink? ‘Cause I’m pretty sure I can’t lift you without a forklift.”
A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. With a wheeze, he got to his feet and made his way to the rink where he barely fit through the doors. I made him sit in the center, while I rummaged around my toolbox sifting through the assorted tools I used to repair my skates.
Armed with a pair of pliers, I found a crate and climbed on top. “This
is going to hurt.” I gripped the claw’s edge, tightened the pliers, and tugged. The freed claw clinked into the toolbox below.
The muscles on his back quivered, yet Luca remained stoic. Not a grunt or a whimper. I repeated the same swift extraction process with the other claw in his neck. His skin felt cold and clammy to the touch. His breathing turned ragged.
I rubbed his broad back and kissed between his shoulder blades. “I’m sorry, it’s almost over.” I leaned across and touched the remaining embedded claw and his wing shuddered. “You know it’s okay if you need to cry.”
He shook his head. “Smartass.” He heaved a deep breath. “Do it.”
With a single motion, I positioned the pliers over the claw. His back muscles clenched. I kissed his skin, tracing my tongue along his salty flesh. When his muscles unbunched, I yanked.
Luca fell forward, collapsing facedown. I leapt down and knelt next to him. Once the last claw had been removed, the healing process kicked in ever so slowly.
Too slowly for my liking. I propped Luca on his side and stroked his cheek.
His eyelids fluttered open. “You don’t find me repulsive?”
I licked my bottom lip. “You are damn sexy.” My body warmed all over. But he didn’t get off the hook that easy. “I’m not happy that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me.”
He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. “It wasn’t a matter of trust.” He traced my cheek with the tip of his sharp nail, lightly grazing it. Shudders rippled over me. “I was afraid.”
“Oh, Luca.” I leaned in and kissed his cool silvery lips. They were petal soft, as always. The tips of his fangs didn’t bother me. I kind of liked the way they scraped my lips. “I love you no matter what.”
His arms curled around me. “I’m sorry. I should have had more faith in you.”
I cupped his face in my palms. “No, you’re wrong. You should have had more faith in yourself.” I scanned the injuries on his shoulders. They had barely healed. All my cuts and abrasions were gone already. I pulled my shirt off and unclipped my bra.
Luca hissed through his fangs. “Annwyl . . .”
“Shhh.” I pressed my fingertips to his lips. “Let me help you heal.”
“No.” He held me back. “I love you too much to hurt you again.” Tears glimmered in his eyes. Distress poured off of him.
“You won’t. How about you change forms when you’re ready?” I rubbed the tips of my aching nipples against his bare chest. “I like the big silver version of you.” Before he could change his mind, I kissed him again, careful not to touch his neck injuries.
His resistance melted and his tongue pressed into my mouth. Our tongues in a tangle, I buried my fingers in his hair. The tips of his nails trailed along my spine. I tilted my head, exposing my throat. My nipples ached for his mouth.
“Luca, I need you.”
He rolled me onto my back. The shadow of his wings fell over us. This time, I wasn’t afraid. He was beautiful to me. I touched his cheek. He leaned into my hand and smiled. Light bathed his skin and his wounds knitted together.
The light faded and my Luca, in human form, smiled over me. “I’d better not keep you waiting then.”
The following morning’s newspaper headlines screamed—”Mash-up at the Museum.” Television coverage wasn’t much better. The local news crews salivated over the alleged break-in and subsequent destruction of the Asian Heritage exhibition. It didn’t take long for them to drag the “Misfortune Cookie” murders into the mix.
I clicked off the TV and tossed the remote onto the desk in disgust. If they really knew what was going on, they’d be scarred for life.
With a sigh, I returned my attention to studying Sebastian’s papers. I’d been in the secret chamber since I had woken up that morning, alone in my bed. Luca had left me a note saying he had Ashworth business to attend to. He also promised to join me for lunch, hopefully with news on Allen Chen’s latest whereabouts. Now that I had a better idea of who he had employed as “eyes and ears”, I imagined every stone creature in the city’s old architecture following Allen’s every move. If he’d remained in town.
I was betting he was around. He’d known all along what was causing the murders and he hadn’t fled then. And he seemed pretty torn up about Tien’s death. But with fear driving his behavior, who knew what he would do? I hoped his guilt would motivate him to do the right thing and help us stop Lillian.
And Lillian was hellbent on getting the jar back. I wanted to know why. If anyone might have the answer, I hoped it was Sebastian’s extensive collection of papers.
“How’s the search going?” Julian asked over my shoulder.
I jumped half a mile. “Do. Not. Sneak. Up. On. Me!” I said through gritted teeth.
He held up his hands. “Sorry.” He didn’t look sorry to me, only amused.
“Where have you been?” Come to think of it I hadn’t seen him around in over a week. Not unusual, but given everything that was going on, it was curious.
“Here and there.”
Why did I expect a helpful or informative answer? I deposited the stack of books I’d already searched and replaced them with a fresh pile. Ignoring Julian, I flipped through the dusty tomes for the next half hour and learned nothing.
“Julian, do you know anything about Asian spirits?” I cracked open the last book in the stack and discovered a folded piece of paper pressed flat inside the front cover. The edges were yellowed and stained. Tingles pulsed against my palms, as if my power wanted me to pay attention.
Julian leaned forward in the armchair he’d appropriated. His fingers tapped the leather armrest. Curious. I couldn’t tell if he was nervous or interested.
Ignoring him, I relaxed and let the images flow into my mind.
Sebastian opened the paper. His frail hands shaking, he tore the entire top half off before I could see what it said. It looked like a flow chart of a . . .
A quick unfold confirmed it. The Ashworth family tree. At least the more recent generations. My name and Selene’s were circled in red pen. There were stars next to my name and Grace’s. God, I felt sick.
He’d known or suspected all along that I was the next heir. And worse, there was no line leading from my name and Selene’s to our parents. It led to another box that was part of the top half that Sebastian had torn off.
“No,” I whispered. Not another secret. Another lie. Hunter and Artemis Ashworth weren’t our birth parents.
Julian studied his cuticles. For once, he didn’t vanish like he could have. An avalanche of questions swirled through my mind. I put them on hold and examined the remainder of the family chart. Grace’s line only led back to Selene. Not to her worthless excuse for a father. Jesus. What was going on?
“I imagine you have questions,” Julian said.
“I don’t even know which one to ask first.” I rubbed my forehead and studied Julian’s profile. His jaw clenched and unclenched. Strain lined his face.
“Is Selene really my sister?”
“Yes.”
Relief coursed through me. Not that it mattered if we weren’t related by blood. I loved her and that wasn’t changing. Ever. “Do you know who our real parents are?”
“Yes,” he said more quietly.
“Can you tell me who they are?”
He shook his head violently, then clutched his temples.
I watched him. Really looked at him. I realized, in many ways, he was a total stranger to me. Throughout my childhood, when I was sad or alone, Julian was there to cheer me up. A fun companion that only Sebastian and I could see.
A tear rolled down his cheek. He didn’t bother to wipe it away or look at me. My stomach bottomed out. Oh God. There was something worse coming.
“There’s more, isn’t there?” I circled around the desk and knelt
next to the chair.
He stared into the distance for so long I thought he wouldn’t tell me. After brushing away the tear, he cleared his throat. “The Higher Power spent millennia creating the perfect specimens to capture souls. It took them many generations of breeding and experimentation to create the Alkhari.”
I didn’t like the implied “and” that was coming next.
“Along the way, they also created their workforce using mortal stock.”
My shoulder’s stiffened at the implication that we were no better than prize heifers. “The Redeemers.”
He nodded. “And half a dozen other kinds of immortal beings. Do not judge them too harshly. They learned through trial and error that only mortals had the compassion required to help souls along. The purely divine beings were too uncaring.”
“So Selene and I were experiments?” I gagged at the thought.
“Yes. Part of a long-term project. “
The impact of his statement hit me with the same force as physical blow. My butt hit the carpet and I sat in stunned silence. So much made sense now. My parents’ disinterest in us and their total lack of concern beyond our basic needs.
A sob welled from deep inside of me. It was bad enough that I’d been the family’s sacrificial lamb. But Grace? Why did she have to be a part of this?
I must have spoken as much aloud, because Julian said, “I’m sorry. It’s the only way to replenish the ranks.”
Suddenly, I didn’t want to know anymore. I didn’t want to find out what or who my birth parents had been. One thing, I did know: I would never tell Selene. She would have as normal a life as possible. And Grace, it only furthered my resolve to break the contract.
“What have you done to her?” Luca burst into the room, heaved me off the floor, and cradled me against his chest. He glared at Julian.
“Did you know?” I pointed to the family tree. When he didn’t respond right of way, I shoved him away and stared at his impassive face.