Codex

by Megan Fatheree

  Her father didn’t utter a word the entire ride. Even when they rolled through Eadric’s front gates, he didn’t question it. As if he expected it all.

  Eadric flew up the drive and came to a screeching halt outside the front doors.

  Men in black suits and earpieces scurried out from the front door. One of them tore open Amorette’s door and took her hand to help her down to the gravel. With a single hand on her shoulder, the guard ushered Amorette inside and up the stairs.

  “What’s going on?” Amorette looked over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of Eadric or her dad. “We’re safe here, right?”

  The guard ushered her up the second flight of stairs and toward her room. Not a word left his mouth until he had her safely inside the door.

  Then, and only then, did the guard press a finger to his earpiece. “She’s secured.” To Amorette, he offered a tight smile. “Please stay here.” He shut the door.

  Amorette wasn’t sure if it was to keep her in or to give her privacy.

  So much happened. Flashes of memory played on repeat through her mind.

  Bullets.

  Shattered glass.

  You’re not safe if I’m near you.

  Amorette’s legs gave out, sending her down to the edge of the bed. She pressed her palms against her eyes.

  Somehow, everything connected. How did everything fit together? Was someone after her, or were the bullets aimed at a different target? Two other options made sense, but then why did Eadric drag her out of the house so quickly?

  Her door burst open, the bells jangling. Amorette looked up.

  Eadric crossed her floor in two strides. His palms cupped her face to tilt her head up, his thumbs brushed once against her cheekbones. “Are you alright? You aren’t hurt are you?”

  Amorette shook her head. She reached her fingers up to Eadric's cheek again, where blood still oozed from his wounds. “You’re hurt though. You should get someone to treat that.”

  “It will heal soon enough.” Eadric knelt beside Amorette. His fingers ran over her arms and legs, as if he didn’t believe she was really okay. “Nothing happened? They didn’t hit you?”

  “Who are they? What am I missing?”

  Eadric looked up.

  Amorette held his gaze. Speaking without words wasn’t possible with Eadric. Yet, somehow, she knew there was a whole host of things he hadn’t divulged to her.

  Eadric brushed Amorette's hair away from her face one last time. His fingers lingered to brush down the back of her head. “We will talk once I have the answers I seek. For now, stay here. Collins and Bryant will stay outside your door.”

  “Why?” Amorette pouted. “This is home. Why do I have to stay here?”

  A soft smile spread across Eadric’s lips. He shook his head once. “Until we’re sure they didn’t follow us. The boys will tell you when you can roam around again. I’ll send Doon to keep you company in the meantime.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “To get answers.” Eadric backed away and stormed out the door.

  The guard from before, either Collins or Bryant according to Eadric, reached for the doorknob and gave Amorette an encouraging nod.

  Amorette sighed and flopped backward onto her bed.

  Why couldn’t she go get answers too? Why did she have to stay in her room with guards outside the door? That didn’t seem fair. Not one iota. Did she do something wrong? Or, as EAdric said, was it to ensure her safety? Eadric didn’t treat her like a criminal, so he probably told the truth on that one.

  She pressed a hand over her cheek where Eadric held her. What did she do with the soft way he touched her? How did she process that?

  The bells jingled as the door swung open again.

  “Mi Amor!”

  Amorette propped up on one elbow and knit her brow. “Hunter?”

  “Are you alright? I finally got information out of one of the penguins.” Hunter dropped to the bed beside her and pulled her to a sitting position. “You’re not shot or anything, right? You’re okay?”

  “Do you really think I’d be here if I were injured?” Amorette giggled. “Eadric would have me in some top secret VIP wing in the hospital. Trust me. I’m okay.”

  “You’re laughing about this?” Hunter frowned. “You were almost killed! How are you okay with that?”

  “I’m not okay with it.” Amorette tucked her hair behind her ears. “If I don’t laugh, I’ll cry. Do you get how hyped on adrenaline I am right now?” She held out a quivering hand. “I don’t know what on God’s green earth is going on and I sure don’t know when I’ll get answers. I’m currently locked in my room with guards outside because someone might have followed us. Who? I don’t know. All I know is they want to kill someone in that vehicle we drove. That narrows the target down to three.”

  Hunter's brow furrowed even deeper.

  Amorette licked her lips, then rolled them together. “So if it’s not me, why the others? Did dad do something wrong while he was away? Or did Eadric tick someone off? He runs a very successful business so it could be an angry rival, but I wasn’t getting that kind of vibe.”

  “Mi Amor.” Hunter clasped his hands around Amorette's. “Look at me. Calm down.”

  “Oh, like I have a choice in that matter.” Amorette yanked her hands away and pushed them back through her hair. “I can’t calm down. Someone tried to kill one of us, don’t you understand that?”

  “I do. I get that. But being hysterical isn’t going to help anyone, least of all you.”

  “Good grief, that’s a lot of goons.” Doon’s voice echoed from the hall. He pushed past all three of the guards outside Amorette’s door, but stopped when he saw Hunter. “Oh. That explains the uneven number of Collins’ guys.”

  Hunter glared.

  Amorette stood and paced to her desk. “Hi.”

  “Hey.” Doon waved a hand. “You doing okay, kiddo?”

  “Oh, please, don’t call me that.” Amorette winced. The word kiddo sounded weird coming from Doon’s lips. Sure, he was older than her, but not by that much. “And of course I’m not okay.”

  “She refuses to calm down,” Hunter supplied.

  Doon rolled his eyes. “And when in the history of ever has a woman calmed down by being told to calm down?”

  “Thank you!” Amorette pointed a finger toward Doon. “See? At least he knows not to tell me useless things.” She paced toward the bookshelves on the other side of the room. “Where’d Eadric go? Is he okay?”

  “He had some... things to do.” Doon kicked the door shut. “I’m supposed to keep you company. Probably because he knew Hunter would be here.”

  Amorette looked between the two guys. She didn’t mind their company, but she would rather have answers right now. Maybe one of them knew something, but she didn’t wager on it.

  Besides, Eadric was hurt and shouldn’t be doing anything until he got his wounds treated. She had half a mind to drive him to the hospital, herself. Not that he would go.

  “I would be okay by myself.” Amorette began to rearrange the books on her shelf.

  Her fingers itched to do something. Anything except sit still. Her whole body still shook, though Amorette was pretty sure the adrenaline should have run out by now.

  “We’re going to stay anyway,” Doon insisted.

  Hunter snorted. “For once, I agree with the idiot.”

  “Hey!” Doon glared at Hunter. “I have the authority to kick you out of this room, so watch it.”

  Amorette giggled. That one giggle turned into a laugh, and that laugh didn’t stop. Her legs gave out again. Amorette dropped to the floor, unable to calm her hysterical laughter.

  Both boys were by her side in seconds.

  EADRIC DIDN’T LIKE the idea of locking Amorette’s father in the basement, but he didn’t know how much of a threat the man posed. He refused to turn a blind eye to the issues around him. Amorette’s father knew more than he would like them to think.

  Two of Collins’ security pers
onnel tailed Eadric to the basement door. Both knew better than to follow him below.

  Eadric slammed the door behind himself and jogged down the hard wooden steps. The first room in the finished lowest floor stored seasonal things and old artifacts. Eadric bypassed that room and opened the door to the studio room.

  One of Collins’ men had duct-taped Amorette’s father to a chair. Not that the man seemed eager to get away. His calm demeanor unnerved Eadric. The slope of the man’s shoulders and the set of his jaw denoted a man at his wit’s end. A man ready to be done with it all.

  “What is your name?” Eadric asked flatly.

  Amorette’s father looked up. “Is she safe here? Is she okay?”

  “Your name.”

  “Is my daughter okay?” The man bit out each syllable.

  Eadric folded his arms over his chest. “No thanks to you.”

  The man’s shoulders relaxed. In fact, his whole body went slack in the restraints. “Joseph. My name is Joseph.”

  Such a simple, normal name for a man who, Eadric suspected, had not a single simple thing about his life.

  “Well, then, Joseph,” Eadric shrugged his coat off his shoulders and tossed it aside, “you’re going to answer my questions. For your daughter’s sake.”

  “You wouldn’t hurt her.” Joseph’s eyes went wide, as if he didn’t believe his own words.

  “No. I wouldn’t. Apparently, that’s your area of expertise.” Eadric unbuttoned one cuff and rolled the sleeve up his arm. “You work for Codex?”

  “Codex doesn’t have employees.”

  Eadric paused, his fingers stilling as he thought that over. It went against what he deduced about the organization, but in another way, it enlightened him. “What kind of organization doesn’t have employees?”

  “The kind that has followers.” Joseph looked away, toward one of the mirrored walls. “Blind followers. Ones who don’t know what they’re in for until it’s too late.”

  “Blind followers... That would make it a movement, rather than an organization, wouldn’t it?” Eadric grabbed a chair from the stack in the corner and spun it so he could lean his arms on the back as he sat.

  Joseph shook his head again. “The Benefactor. He funds everything for the organization. His most trusted followers recruit other followers. They tell them of the injustices of the world, make them believe they need to find a way to stop the insanity.”

  “And have they? Found a way to stop the insanity.”

  Joseph scoffed and remained silent. His eyes darted to the other side of the room.

  Interesting, but Eadric didn’t have time to psychoanalyze the man right now. Joseph didn’t want to answer that question, fine.

  Eadric moved on. “Your daughter. Why do you think she’s in danger? Why beg me to save her?”

  “She has the birthmark.”

  “The one on her shoulder?”

  Joseph nodded. “She’s always had it.”

  “How do you know what that mark means?”

  “Codex doesn’t sit back and do nothing. They found common denominators.” Joseph finally looked back at Eadric. “How do you know about it?”

  Eadric sighed and tapped a finger against his arm, thinking. “An information exchange. I’ll tell you how I know, and you tell me why she’s in danger.”

  Joseph ran his tongue over his lips as if it was the most difficult decision he made all day. He nodded once.

  Eadric nodded back. “I had a friend. He found his true love in 1915. She bore that mark on her shoulder. I made a hypothesis when I first saw it on Amorette. It must denote someone destined to end an immortal’s curse. Someone’s true love.”

  Joseph sighed. “She’s yours. You wouldn’t be acting like this if she weren’t.”

  “I’m keeping her safe because our paths crossed coincidentally.” Eadric didn’t believe the statement any more than Joseph.

  Joseph shook his head. “No. There’s no such thing when it comes to you people. You refuse to die until you find your true love. Don’t you think destiny uses coincidence to throw you together?”

  “Codex wants to end immortals, not the innocent true loves. Is that correct?”

  Joseph huffed. “By the very definition, they can’t end immortals. Not without using the innocent ones. A few sacrificed for many. You put a target on her back the second you met her.”

  Eadric blew out a breath. He didn’t mean to put her in danger, and he felt there was a lot more to the story than that. “Look. Joseph. I’m being nice to you for your daughter’s sake, but don’t mistake me for a nice man. I’ve seen atrocities in my years of this existence. I will use force to stop another atrocity from beginning.”

  “It’s too late for that. There are things in motion you don’t even realize.” Joseph sneered. “I lost my wife to this. I gave up on years with my daughter to keep her safe. I gave her a surrogate family who hates her, hoping it would cause others to overlook her. There is nothing I won’t do to keep her out of their clutches, so don’t test my patience, old man.”

  Eadric stood and kicked his chair to the side. “For a man who wants to protect her, you haven’t done a very good job so far. We’ll see who can keep her safer.”

  For Amorette’s sake, Eadric retreated. If he stayed, he would hurt the man, and Amorette may never forgive him. Still, someone had to look out for the safety of a woman who never had someone to do it before.

  Angry, Eadric stormed out of the back room and toward the exit.

  “Mr. Hawkmore!” Doon stopped his descent at the top of the basement stairs. “You’re gonna want to come take care of this.”

  “What’s wrong?” Eadric narrowed his eyes.

  Doon waved a hand to beckon Eadric to move faster. “We called a nurse, but she’s not here yet. I think you’re the most solid bet right now.”

  “Why?”

  “Your girl is hysterical and she’s freaking me out. Would you get a move on?”

  Eadric dashed up the stairs. Leave the boys alone with Amorette for ten minutes, and what happened? They couldn’t even calm her down.

  “Who’s with her right now?”

  “Hunter, Collins, Bryant, and that guy you have following Hunter around.” Doon fell into step beside Eadric.

  Eadric took the stairs two at a time. Why couldn’t one of these perfectly competent men find a way to calm down a small woman? She didn’t pack that much of a punch.

  Bryant and the third man, Miller, stood outside of the room. They stepped aside as Eadric neared. A single push opened the door the rest of the way.

  Amorette sat curled in a corner, her arms over her head and her knees pulled to her chest. Her shoulders shook with violent sobs.

  Hunter crouched nearby, his hand poised mid-air as if he wanted to comfort her but didn’t know how. Collins stood behind Hunter, a bewildered expression on his face.

  Eadric rolled his eyes and swooped past both of them. He tucked one arm under Amorette’s knees and the other behind her back. She didn’t weigh much, so it was a simple feat to carry her the few steps to the bed.

  “Doon, the blankets.”

  Doon sprang into action, racing from the door and pulling the blanket and sheets down so Eadric could lay Amorette under them.

  Eadric situated her in the middle of the bed and pulled the blankets over her. Never mind the clothes she still wore or the tears still streaking down her cheeks. She needed to feel safe right now.

  Eadric reached out to run a hand over her hair. “It’s alright now. You’re home, safe. They can’t get at you here.”

  Amorette slowly lowered her arms from her face. “I almost died!”

  “But you didn’t. I wouldn’t let that happen.” Eadric sat on top of the blankets beside her. “You’re going to be fine. They don’t know where you are now. They can’t get to you.”

  Amorette hiccuped another sob. “Are you sure?”

  “Sir.” Eadric turned in time to see Collins remove his finger from the comm in his ear. “The nurse
is here.”

  “Check her and send her up.”

  Collins exited.

  Eadric turned back to Amorette. “We’re going to have a nurse look you over, alright? She might give you something to calm you down.”

  “I’m not that hysterical.” Another hiccupy sob interrupted her words.

  Eadric arched a brow. “Oh, aren’t you?”

  “Of course not. How else am I supposed to get answers unless you’re here to answer them?” Amorette lifted her chin defiantly, but Eadric heard the quiver in her voice. She didn’t deal well with being shot at. Nor should she.

  “Rest now and we’ll talk later.” Eadric stood from the bed and motioned Doon and Hunter toward the door.

  “Eadric?”

  Eadric paused to look back over his shoulder. “Yes?”

  “Thank you.” Amorette attempted a small smile. Dark circles and pale lips made it seem less than cheery.

  Eadric inclined his head in a silent acceptance of her gratitude.

  “Hey, what about me?” Doon raised a hand as if this were a classroom and he needed the teacher to call on him.

  Eadric rolled his eyes and shoved the man toward the door. “You have phone calls to make. Move it.” He shot a glare at Hunter next.

  Thankfully, Hunter seemed shell-shocked enough to listen.

  The security force outside Amorette’s room split in half as the three men made their way down the hall. Two remained at Amorette’s door.

  “I don’t feel so well.” Hunter pressed a palm to his own forehead. “I’m going to go lie down.”

  He didn’t wait to be excused, nor did he ask permission. Hunter turned and wobbled his way toward his bedroom.

  Eadric watched him for a long moment, wondering what went on in that boy’s head. He seemed dead set on garnering Amorette’s favor, but this level of distress made no sense. Hunter should look for a way to help her, not crumble in on himself.

  “Um, excuse me, but I know nothing about these calls which you referred to.” Doon slung an arm around Eadric’s shoulders.

  Eadric flicked Doon’s hand away and waited for his arm to follow.