“Just call me Archie, and yeah, I’m in,” he answered in his Scottish twang. He then puffed his chest as though the fate of the world had just come to his doorstep, and he’d gladly answered its call.
Brodie reacted with a smile as he gave Archie a leg up into the helicopter beside the still groaning Jakob.
“Good,” he told him and then hesitated for a second before closing him in, “now be a good lad, Archie, and snap his neck will you.”
Fourteen
The chopper was low as Brodie piloted it out and over the Irish Sea. He headed south, and Archie stared ahead, watching as they headed out into the unknown. He still had no idea where they were even headed or really why, and was beginning to wonder whether he’d made the right choice saying yes to the billionaire boss he’d heard of and spoken with over the phone, but never seen before. The infamous recluse had finally shown himself after all this time and he had certainly appeared with a bang. He had given him a mission. A purpose. And Archie had accepted, but now that the dust was settling and they were actually in the air and heading farther from home, he began panicking.
At just twenty-three years old, Archie had finished university a couple years before and wanted to become a pilot himself, but he’d lacked the funds to get himself there and so had taken a job at the airfield as a flight controller in the hopes of someday being given the chance to learn to fly without the two-hundred-grand price tag. So far though, he’d never once been in a chopper other than when in the back seat. So much for living the dream.
Mr Cruikshank having turned up unannounced had been a surprise, but then he’d offered him some kind of a job just as long as he upped and left then and there. Cryptic and vague. It was definitely some kind of spy stuff, and Archie wondered if his boss might be some kind of MI6 agent or something. That would explain the secrecy. In a moment of daring he had accepted, but still needed to know more.
He just hoped this was indeed the chance of a lifetime it’d been painted to be. The opportunity to finally get the recognition he deserved and, of course, the offered wages in recompense. Millions, or so Mr Cruikshank had said. That would be life changing.
Pointedly ignoring the unconscious man strapped into the back seat behind them, he turned to his boss and frowned. Was it the time or the place to start asking questions? He didn’t know, so just opted for filling the silence at least.
“Mr Cruikshank, where are we heading?” he said into the microphone built into his headset, and almost gave up when he initially didn’t answer.
“An island just north of Anglesey,” he eventually replied shortly, “and please call me Brodie.”
He wasn’t sure about that, but figured it'd be best if they were on a first name basis.
“Sure. And what’s there?”
“The next few years of your life, Archie. Now please, call your mother and tell her how an amazing opportunity has come your way, but do not tell her where you're going or who with. And then keep quiet,” Brodie answered before throwing him a satellite phone, and while he was disappointed at being shot down, Archie did as he’d demanded.
So, Brodie wasn’t the talkative type? That was fine. As long as this worked out then it’d be well worth it, which was exactly what he told his mum when he eventually got through to her. She wasn’t at all pleased with him for having run off without a word, but agreed to let it slide and keep things ticking over for him back at home. He was still living with her and his dad, so there wasn’t much in the way of admin to sort out, plus the only pain was that his car would need collecting from the airfield, but his dad would easily sort that out.
It was quite simple really. So easy to walk away from his life. Almost too easy.
Archie was single and had no debts or ties to anywhere or anything. He was the perfect accolade for Brodie to have plucked from that airfield and he had to wonder if the powerful man had somehow known? No, that was impossible. People like him didn’t do that kind of research into their employees. He’d simply been in the right place at the right time. That was all.
Archie ended the call and handed the phone back to him as directed, and Brodie stashed it in his pocket and just continued to stare ahead stoically. He forced himself to do the same, and watched as the ocean slowly turned lighter beneath them. He could even see land to his left.
The helicopter descended a little and Archie didn’t need to ask why. They were approaching their destination, which appeared to be a small cluster of islands cut off from the mainland and presumably private. There was a lighthouse on the biggest one, but they carried on past it and came to land in a small field on the next island over. It was only once they were there that he saw the small shelter built onto the side of the nearby cliff edge. The perfect hiding spot.
When Brodie had finished his final checks, the pair of them disembarked the chopper and Archie unbuckled their passenger. He was about to ask what to do with him, when Brodie slung him over his shoulder as if he weighed nothing at all, and then started off in the direction of the craggy cliff edge facing the ocean.
It was a challenging climb down the weatherworn path, but Archie didn’t complain. After all, Brodie was still carrying almost a hundred kilos worth of unconscious weight on his back without moaning, and so he didn’t want to come across as some kind of pussy just because he was wearing the wrong sort of shoes for a hike. And no coat. Plus he had no water or food.
Damn, this wasn’t looking good.
When they finally came to a stop by a small flat area of overgrown stone, Archie figured it must be for a rest at long last, but then Brodie turned and brushed away some moss overhanging an opening in the rocks. The move revealed a dark fissure, and a cold shudder suddenly swept down his back.
“Where the hell are we going?” Archie finally called as his guide disappeared behind and into what was presumably a cave beyond. This was getting silly now.
“Just get in here, dammit,” Brodie barked in answer, and Archie knew he had no choice other than to follow him. He just hoped he wasn’t about to fall to his death down some old abandoned mineshaft or pothole. He’d seen more than his share of horror movies and knew it wasn’t the best idea to go clambering around in dark caves.
He begrudgingly left the sunlight behind and moved into the damp cave, but then was surprised to find it quite light inside. The opening to the cave was small, but just a few feet in he found it opened out into a huge cavern and the many holes in the rock face were streaming with sunlight.
“Sorry,” he muttered as he reached his scowling boss, and then didn’t delay in following him deeper into the cave.
Up ahead, he could see something reflecting the sun’s rays, and as they neared it Archie realised it was glass. Thick and presumably reinforced sheets of it were built into the cave, and as he took it all in he also spied wrought iron beams and bars securing the structure from the inside. Was it some kind of underground bunker? Brodie had said back at the airfield how this was a matter of national security, and Archie envisioned a team of spies working on official secrets ahead or perhaps a safe house for bureaucrats and those under the protection of the government, or something like that.
It turned out it was nothing more than a kind of house. The building was still impressive, but as Brodie showed Archie inside, it soon became clear how they were actually the only people on the island. It was like some kind of secluded, forgotten habitat that had been separated from the rest of the world. There had to be a reason, and Archie was beginning to wonder if he actually wanted to discover it or not.
Behind the initial glass walls were proper dividers that created a strange layout inside. Rooms were built around the stone and glass, and while it was the strangest place he’d ever seen, it was still a homely structure all the same.
Inside, he found there was a state of the art kitchen and a decked out living room with a huge TV built into one of the walls, which was surrounded by speakers and high-grade electronics. Movies and books lined every wall and as Archie browsed the titles h
e was surprised to find a ton of current choices. It was as if this collection was regularly updated, and yet the place didn’t seem lived in at all. The house was spotless, though. Not a speck of dust in sight or a thing out of place. Someone had to have been taking care of it. Someone who was a fan of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings marathons.
“The bedrooms and bathrooms are through there,” Brodie then told him, breaking the silence at last, “choose whichever one you want. I’ll be back later.”
“Which is yours?” he replied, not wanting to inadvertently go for the wrong one and step on his boss’s toes.
“I don’t sleep,” Brodie replied with a shrug, before turning and hauling the still unconscious man back over his shoulder out the way they’d came.
What did he mean, he doesn’t sleep? Everyone had to rest sometime. Archie wanted to call after him again and ask for more details, but he already knew the man of few words wouldn’t give him any. He would just have to bide his time and wait for the chance to get some proper answers out of him when the moment was right. But first, he guessed it was time to pick a room and then raid the kitchen for something to eat.
***
Jakob was consciously aware of his surroundings for a short while before fully coming to, but couldn't move until his body had fully healed from yet another snap of his neck to render him immobile. He was about ready to throttle that fucking jinni, but of course had other things on his mind first. Wynter. He remembered someone telling him she was safe, but he didn’t trust them, whoever they were. He needed to see her for himself. To hear her voice.
As the last of his bones finally fused together, he snapped back to reality and jumped up from where he’d been dumped unceremoniously on the floor. He sprung up onto his feet, like a jack-in-the-box at the end of its hiding song, but could go no further than the few square feet of space he’d awoken in.
He peered around, expecting to have found himself in a cheap hotel or some run down building. Somewhere Brodie had intended to hide them all for the time being, but instead found that it was some kind of cave.
The blackness all around was initially intimidating, but Jakob’s keen senses soon took over and he was able to see through it with ease. See down into the depths that probably ended at the sea one way, and towards a small shard of light the other. But he could go in neither direction thanks to the old iron bars built into the walls of the dark cave that were blocking his way. They were enchanted and had to have been there for hundreds of years and, given by the stench of death all around, used regularly to keep people prisoner. Those who’d then never seen the light of day again.
He could sense them. Smell the desecrated remains of their flesh and bone, and feel the anguish and agony they’d felt before passing. Something told Jakob that if he went exploring he’d find a pile of bones somewhere to confirm his suspicions. Bodies of the dead for old for crimes he might never discover, but the vampire knew to trust his senses. And to use them wisely.
Something was very wrong, clearly, but he wasn’t going to lash out at or try to run from his captor. No, he was going to reason with him. Or bargain. Whatever worked would be worth it. Brodie must want something, and as long as his soul mate’s life was connected to his, Jakob was willing to negotiate.
“She begged me to keep you alive,” a voice echoed through the darkness, and while Jak hadn’t heard the sound of Brodie’s voice much before, he knew exactly who it was.
“And so you did, jinni,” he answered, looking around for the creature he knew was lurking somewhere out of his sights. “Freed us from Marcus and his clutches, as well as the Priestess. But why keep me incapacitated and then lock me in a cage?”
“Because I indulged her for her own good, but also partly for my own reasons. I would have gladly left you for dead at the hands of our previous employer, but like you, Wynter and I are bonded. She is one of my kind now and lives inside of me, and so I am sworn to protect her.”
Shit. He hadn’t wanted to hear that. She had become one of them. A jinni. His darling Wynter was no longer human, but a monster in the making. It didn’t stop him loving her, and Jakob vowed to himself that he would always lead her away from the darkness Brodie would lure her towards. Even Jinn were capable of good. All creatures were, if given the right guidance.
“You protect her, and that includes me too, I bet,” Jakob finished for him, and the jinni grumbled in affirmation.
“But that doesn’t mean you'll have it easy in my care. Especially after what you took from me,” Brodie cried out into the darkness between them, and Jakob knew exactly what he was getting at. The assassin remembered every kill. Every life he’d taken. Each light snuffed out by his hand.
“I've killed only one jinni in all my years,” he said into the pitch black emptiness ahead, “a female. One who murdered women for sport and men for fun.”
“Lies!” Brodie cried, appearing from the shadows, just as Jakob had hoped. He’d wanted to entice him out of the darkness and it wasn’t hard to know what would set him off.
Jak looked him up and down. He was a man now, or at least in male form. This meant he had garnered enough strength from his previous host to become whole, and there was only one way that could have happened. He hadn’t been lying before. Wynter had indeed become one of them. She had died as a human only to be reborn as a jinni, but she wasn’t truly alive. She needed to recover from her death and the transformation. She was merely present, not necessarily living.
And yet, he felt her there with them. Sensed her as though she were standing just inches away, and Jak was drawn to the spirit he so adored. But it wasn’t her, it was her host, and it appeared he was determined to make Jakob pay for a life he had taken a century earlier.
“I don’t lie, Brodie. I saw her do it. Watched her seduce the innocent and tempt those who had already sinned into doing so again,” he demanded, and then grabbed at the bars separating him from the jinni so that they were almost nose-to-nose. “You were blind to her actions, but that doesn’t mean she did not do them. Your wife was corrupt. She was evil. And she had to be stopped.”
Brodie turned to that black mist Jakob had seen him embody before. He did it just long enough so that he could move through the iron bars and then rematerialize inside the cell with him and Jakob knew for sure then what the jinni wanted. He also knew he had no hope of stopping him should he decide that it was time for the vampire to finally die, but he just had to hope Brodie taking his vengeance would suffice, rather than him taking his life.
He could take any torture. Withstand being starved or beaten. He had been there, done that, and gotten the t-shirt—so to speak.
“Regardless of what she became, Ada was still my wife. My soul mate. And you took her from me,” Brodie countered, and Jakob simply nodded. There was no use in denying it. “So you shall pay.”
“And Wynter?” Jakob asked, and he peered down at Brodie’s chest where, if the stories were real, his true love now lived.
“I’m forcing her to watch,” he replied with a sneer, confirming Jakob’s suspicions, “I control our lives for now. I call the shots while she gathers her strength, and I say you spend my cycle alone and suffering for your crimes. I will starve you, beat you, and drive you to the brink of madness. And only when I am convinced you’ve repented, will I release you from this prison and do the same with your soul mate.”
“Then what are you waiting for?” Jakob chided, “I’m not going to beg or plead. Let’s just get this over with. None of us are getting any younger…”
***
Wynter tried not to watch him exact his revenge. Not to scream and shout from her own prison as she saw the gory scene unfold through the only pair of eyes she could access. And the body she could neither influence nor command. Front row seats to the most violent and sadistic show she could ever imagine.
Brodie had been inside her heart for weeks and had showed her such kindness, but now the rose tinted glasses were gone and she could see he truly was a cruel and hardened
soul. He showed no empathy towards Jakob, and no remorse for all the times he pummelled him senseless. He beat her darling black and blue, and then watched as his vampire body began to heal itself before starting all over again.
And again.
And then again.
It was torture for her too, like some sort of never ending loop.
No matter what bargains she screamed up into Brodie’s mind, he refused her pleas, and she had nothing to negotiate with. No leverage. No case to plead in his honour.
Jakob had wronged Brodie and against all her once human instincts, Wynter knew she had to let him have his revenge. She retreated as far back into her confined space as she could and focused on getting better. On healing and growing stronger. This way she would be free faster, and in doing so could free her soul mate. She tried to drain as much of Brodie’s life force as she could, being selfish and driven, but only because he’d forced her to.
And then, after two months of nothing but violence, something shifted in her soul. At first, Wynter thought it might be a sign of her renewed strength, but soon knew she was wrong when an ache began radiating from inside of her, and she was suddenly terrified.
She called out to her host for the first time in weeks, but Brodie didn’t stop his beatings. He didn’t release his grip on Jakob’s bloody carcass. He still kept on hitting him, crushing his bones with every punch, his rage still as prevalent as it was weeks before. He seemed lost to his vindictive need to punish him, and everything was suddenly clear.
Something sprung to life within her at seeing the horrifying scene unfold. It was primitive and raw. Something older and stronger than both the vampire lying beaten on the cold hard ground and the jinni delivering the punishment.
“Stop!” she cried with force, and all of a sudden she was watching the events from a wholly different angle. Not from behind Brodie’s eyes, but from beside him. She had somehow left the confines of her home within him and was outside in the world for the first time since falling to her death and away from Marcus’s hold.
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