by Sarah Fine
Cursing, Eli focused everything on getting to Galena.
CHAPTER FORTY
Cacy opened her eyes slowly, shedding the thick blanket of sleep that had enclosed her. The last thing she remembered was the most intense orgasm of her life, one that had sent her spinning and falling, so deeply in love she knew she’d never resurface. She’d fallen asleep in Eli’s arms, thinking that was the way she wanted to slumber from now on.
She stretched leisurely, relishing the pleasant soreness. It meant Eli was real. That they’d made it through, that they could be together. She ran her hand down her body, the scent of him stamped on her skin, the feel of him echoing in her memory. She reached for him, wanting it to be more than a memory.
Eli wasn’t in bed.
She sat up quickly. Their uniforms lay in a heap on the floor. The sheet was tangled around her leg and hanging over the edge of the bed.
A distant pounding shot her heart rate through the roof.
“Who is it?” Galena’s voice called from the living room. She sounded nervous.
Cacy bolted from bed and grabbed her uniform. She wrenched it onto her body with desperate tugs, struggling with the torn sleeve, not wanting to be found naked in Eli’s room. For half a second, she considered stepping through her Scope, but she paused before she got it open. Something wasn’t right. She peeked out of Eli’s room and saw Galena in the living room, her bag on the counter and her keys in her hand, like she’d just gotten home. Before Cacy could say a word, Galena dropped her keys in her bag and tapped the screen of the video door monitor. “Who is it?” she asked again.
“It’s Cacy’s brother. Please let me in, Dr. Margolis. I’m here to make sure you’re safe.”
And with that, Galena opened the door and let the Charon in. Cacy tried to push down her rising alarm as she walked into the living room to see Rylan shaking Galena’s hand. If he had come here in person, something serious had happened.
Eli’s sister looked startled when she caught sight of Cacy, and Rylan’s friendly smile disappeared. “I thought I told you to stay away from him,” he said to his sister. “Why didn’t you listen?”
Galena frowned. “Um, it’s nice to see you again, Mr. Ferry, but if you and Cacy want to talk, maybe you should—”
Rylan waved his hand. “No. It’s all right.” He tilted his head and gave her a sheepish look. “You know how protective brothers can be, right?”
“No idea what you’re talking about.” Galena chuckled, but there was an air of uneasiness to it. She glanced at Cacy like she was hoping for an explanation.
Cacy held her torn uniform closed and ventured farther into the room. “What’s going on, Ry?”
He sighed. “I’ve been trying to track down the rogue element in Moros’s ranks, and I think I found it. Galena’s not safe here.”
Galena gave Cacy a frightened look. “Where’s Eli?”
No idea. But he’d probably gotten called into the Veil to Mark someone. “I think he just stepped out for a bit,” Cacy said. “He’ll be back soon.”
Rylan ran his hand through his dark hair. “Galena, we need to get you to our corporate headquarters. I’ve got a car outside.” His gaze darted about the room, like he was afraid of an ambush.
“But if she stays here, she’s guarded, Ry. Eli said it was safe.”
Rylan’s eyes locked with Cacy’s. “You have no idea how deep this goes.” He shook his head. “You don’t even know who’s in control.”
Galena looked back and forth between Cacy and Rylan. “You guys are scaring me.” She pulled out her phone and hit a button. “I’m calling Eli.”
Rylan opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again when the ring of Eli’s phone came from his bedroom. Galena ended the call, her brow furrowed. “He always carries his phone,” she said in a shaky voice.
Cacy stepped forward and stroked Galena’s arm. “Maybe you should go with Ry, and I’ll wait for Eli,” she said. “We’ll meet up with you there.” As soon as Galena left with Rylan, Cacy planned to step into the Veil and find Eli. She had no idea how long he’d been gone, but Marking didn’t take more than a few minutes. He should be back by now.
Rylan was still looking around nervously. He held out his hand to Galena. “Dr. Margolis, please come with me. Your safety is crucial. I—”
Mandy the Ker appeared right in the middle of the living room, a few steps from Cacy. Galena whirled to face the woman and let out a horrified scream.
Hanging from Mandy’s clenched fist was a head, its wavy dark hair tangled in Mandy’s red fingernails. Rylan rushed forward and put his arms around Eli’s sister, shushing her. He glared at Mandy. “You disposed of the traitor?” he asked.
As Cacy looked at the head, she recognized the distorted features of the dark-haired Ker who’d been at the fund-raiser. “Yeah,” Mandy said. “The rest of him’s still wandering the Veil, wondering where the hell his brain is.” She chuckled, but then sobered as Rylan gave her a murderous look. She tossed the head behind a chair in the corner, and Galena screamed again.
“Oh my God. I’m being so rude.” Mandy wiped her bloody palms on her skirt and approached Galena, offering her hand. “So nice to meet you. I’m Mandy.”
Galena shrank against Rylan, looking first at the blood smears all over Mandy’s skirt and hands, and then to the blood on her lips.
Realization hit Cacy like a speeding AV. She bolted forward and stepped between the Ker and Eli’s sister. “Don’t even try to touch her!”
“Cacy,” chided Rylan. “Mandy was just trying to be—”
“You try to keep me away from Eli, but you’re fine being friends with this Ker?” Cacy yelled at Rylan. “What the hell is going on?” She turned to stare daggers at Mandy. “You were trying to Mark her, weren’t you?”
The blonde Ker took a few lazy steps back, running her tongue along her bottom lip. “Ask your big brother, Ferry.”
Galena gasped, but before Cacy could turn around, she felt something hard nudging the back of her skull. “Get out of the way, Cace,” Rylan said softly. “I don’t want to shoot you.”
“He really has a gun,” whispered Galena. “Cacy, do as he says. Please.”
Cacy turned around slowly, her hands rising in surrender, her mind reeling with disbelief. “What are you doing, Rylan?”
“Making the hard choices,” he said through clenched teeth. He kept the gun pointed at Cacy’s face as she backed up slowly, then he wrapped his other arm around Galena’s neck. He pulled her tight against his body.
“Ry? Let her go. Father didn’t want this. You know that.”
“He’s not the Charon anymore.”
A horrible thought nearly made Cacy retch. “Please tell me you didn’t have anything to do with his death.”
“You don’t understand, Cacy. Father had grown weak since your mother died. He was so focused on making it to Heaven that he’d forgotten about his responsibilities to the Ferrys. To us.”
“But they were the same,” she argued. “He wanted us all to do the right thing. He cared about people more than money.”
Cacy grimaced when Rylan’s grip on Galena drew a strangled whimper from the struggling woman’s throat. “Come on, Ry. Let’s do as you said. We can go back to Psychopomps. We can talk with the others about what to do.” Anything to buy time. Where the hell was Eli? Had Mandy done something to him? “Please,” she said, her voice shaking. “Let’s talk this through. Just like we always have. You and me, Ry.”
Rylan shook his head, and his smile was sad and brutal at the same time. “Home invasions are tragic but so common these days.” He brought the gun around and pressed it to the side of Galena’s head. Cacy’s blood turned cold. “I could have made this better for you if you’d let me, Cacy. But you didn’t listen to me. You weren’t loyal to me. You’ve left me with no choice.”
His gaze fou
nd Mandy’s. “Let’s get this done.”
“About time,” Mandy said, starting for Galena.
Cacy leaped forward and barreled into the Ker, knocking her to the floor. Cacy yanked her head up and slammed her fist into Mandy’s face. Mandy clawed and flailed. Then a blast of cold stole Cacy’s breath, and she looked down to see Mandy smiling up at her, fangs glistening. She’d brought them to the Veil.
“I’ve always thought you were an entitled little bitch,” she snarled. Then she lunged at Cacy.
As her back hit the spongy ground, Cacy caught Mandy’s wrists, and she kicked out, nailing her in the stomach. She twisted behind Mandy, who screeched and struggled, digging her claws into Cacy’s arms, shredding skin and muscle. Cacy’s arms began to go loose and weak. With fumbling fingers, she wrenched her Scope from her neck and flicked it open wide, then threw the ring around both herself and Mandy, dragging them back into the real world, where Mandy’s claws and fangs were nonexistent.
“Mandy!” called Rylan as he struggled to keep Galena under control, his gun still pressed to her head.
“If you want me to Mark her, take care of your fucking sister! You’re the only one who can end her life,” Mandy yelled. She and Cacy hit the hard floor of the apartment, sending Cacy’s blood splattering across the tile. Mandy started to crawl toward Galena, hand outstretched. Arms trembling and spasming, Cacy struggled to her feet and threw herself on top of the Ker. Even if Mandy dragged her back into the Veil and tore her apart, there was no way Cacy was going to allow her to touch Galena.
“Dammit, Mandy,” shouted Rylan. “If you want me to take care of her, get up and hold her still!”
Mandy’s fingers burrowed into the deep gashes she’d opened in Cacy’s arms, and Cacy’s hands went numb. As soon as Cacy let go, the Ker was up and behind her, entangling her arms with Cacy’s so that Cacy was facing Rylan. “Whatever you say, baby,” Mandy huffed.
Still holding Galena tightly, Rylan aimed the gun at Cacy’s chest. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I love you.”
Cacy closed her eyes.
A deafening crack and an inhuman roar shook the room.
Cacy blinked. She’d expected her world to end, but she was still being held tightly in Mandy’s grip.
Eli stood in front of her, facing Rylan, shielding her with his body. His neck was torn open. Blood ran down the back of his shirt in thick crimson stripes. His broad shoulders sagged, and he stumbled back a step, rocked with the impact of the bullet that had been meant for her.
“Cacy?” he said.
“I’m okay,” she whispered.
Eli drew himself up and leaped at Rylan.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Before Eli could make it across the room, Rylan fired two more shots. Eli staggered back, slipping in his own blood, which was now dripping down his legs and pooling around his bare feet. He steadied himself and took a few more heavy steps toward Rylan, who was having trouble holding Galena still. She was struggling fiercely, her eyes wild, clawing at Rylan’s face and arms, dropping her legs out from under her so he had to fight to hold her up, making it impossible for him to aim his weapon steadily.
Rylan put his gun to Galena’s head. “Stop. Both of you.”
“You can’t kill her unless she’s Marked,” Eli rasped. “You can’t kill me, either.”
Rylan gave him a hard smile. “I’m a merciful man, Eli. I wanted to make death instantaneous and quick for her. But if you force me to, I can just ravage her brain. Is that what you want?”
“You won’t do it.” Eli braced his hands on his thighs, determined to stay upright. Behind him, he could hear the sharp bursts of Cacy’s breath as she struggled with Mandy. He forced himself to stay focused on Rylan.
“You’re up against a wall, Rylan,” Eli said. “I know you don’t want a war with Moros. You understand the politics better than I do, but I know he’s committed to keeping my sister safe, and he doesn’t mess around. If you let Galena go, we can end it right here.” Eli put everything he had into making those words sound convincing. He prayed Rylan would listen—and do as he asked—before Eli collapsed. His body was at war with itself, getting torn apart as quickly as it could knit itself back together. He wouldn’t die like this, but he might lose his ability to fight.
Rylan’s lips were pressed into a tight line. “I have every intention of ending it right here.” He shoved the muzzle of the gun harder against Galena’s temple.
Then a glossy portal opened behind him. A hand shot out of it, knocking the gun away from Galena and punching Rylan in the side of the head. Eli staggered forward to catch his sister as Dec climbed from the portal, trying to wrench the weapon from his brother’s hand.
Nearly blacking out from the rending pain in his chest, Eli dragged his sister away from the fight, down the hall toward her room. As they staggered together, Eli noticed Galena’s wide, glazed eyes. He knew that look. She wasn’t really seeing him. She was reliving the worst night of her life. “No no no no no,” she whispered, sounding a million miles away.
As he opened the door of Galena’s room, Eli heard an agonized scream.
Cacy.
He lowered Galena gently to the floor. “Stay here, G. Don’t move.” Eli stumbled back down the hall, his heart erratically pounding, valiantly circulating what was left of his blood. He had to get to Cacy. He couldn’t lose her now—
The first thing he saw was her wound, traversing from shoulder to belly, revealing muscle and bone beneath. And then he saw Cacy’s mouth, open in a silent cry of pain, blood trickling from the corners of her lips. Mandy held her by the throat, smiling evilly as blood gushed from her nose. She ripped Cacy’s Scope from her hands and hurled it across the room. Eli lunged for Cacy and Mandy, but they disappeared.
Before he could focus and get himself into the Veil, a bullet whizzed past his head. He ducked instinctively and turned to see a completely bizarre sight. Declan Ferry was behind his brother—who appeared not to have a head. Dec had gotten his Scope over Rylan’s head and cinched it tight around Rylan’s neck, so part of the Charon was in the real world and part of him was trapped in the Veil, blinding him. Despite that, Rylan lashed out with strong kicks and punches, and he still held the gun in his hands. Eli’s cry of warning came too late, as Rylan swung the weapon around and fired right at Dec.
The Chief smashed into the counter and hit the floor with a nauseatingly heavy thump, blood already haloing around him as he clutched at his neck. Eli barreled forward and hit Rylan with his shoulder, sending him crashing against the wall. Eli ripped the gun from Rylan’s hands and shot the Charon in the chest.
Rylan sank to the floor, clutching at his wound, his head still invisible and the Scope still clamped around his neck. Eli knelt clumsily next to Dec, ripping his shirt and pressing it hard against the Chief’s neck. Dec tried to hold the cloth with shaking hands. “Galena,” he gasped, desperation in his pain-filled voice.
“She’s okay.” He pressed his hand over the Chief’s cold fingers. “Will you heal?”
Dec’s gaze darted to his brother, who was stirring weakly. “Not if . . . he . . . doesn’t . . . want . . .”
“Rylan has control over that?”
“He’s the Charon,” Dec whispered.
Eli wanted to roar in frustration as he watched Dec’s blood drip from between his fingers. “I have to get to Cacy. That Ker dragged her back into the Veil. She’s ripped open.”
“Go, Eli,” Dec gurgled.
Eli squeezed the Chief’s shoulder and stood up, silently vowing to return as soon as he could to help the Chief—assuming he was still alive.
“Where is Cacy?” a high, taut voice asked. Eli turned his head to see Aislin step through her Scope and into the room, her pale-blue eyes sweeping across the apartment.
“You didn’t see her in the Veil?” Eli asked, his heart sinking. Mandy could have dragged h
er anywhere in the entire world.
Cacy didn’t have her Scope, and she was badly wounded. She wouldn’t be able to get back without help.
Aislin shook her head, already striding across the room to kneel next to Dec. She stroked his hair, her face taking on a soft, tortured look. Her pale-pink lips brushed his cheek, and she whispered something in his ear. He nodded, a weak, barely perceptible movement.
Aislin got to her feet, walked over to Rylan’s writhing—but already healing—body, and unsnapped the heavy Charon’s Scope from the chain around his neck. She stood up straight, staring at Dec as she unsnapped her own, more delicate Scope, tucked it into her pocket, and replaced it with the ornate Charon’s Scope. “You’re not going to die, Declan,” she said.
Dec drew a shuddering, gasping breath, like he was surfacing from too long underwater.
“I’ll be back for you,” she said quietly. Her eyes met Eli’s, cold and calculating. “Where is Galena?”
Eli hesitated. Everyone wanted Galena, and he had no idea who to trust. “I’m not your enemy, Eli,” said Aislin. “I never have been. Your sister needs to be protected until this is over, and I’m going to make that happen.”
Something in Eli’s chest loosened. Cacy might be suspicious of her sister, but given everything he’d just witnessed, she seemed like his best ally at the moment. “She’s in the bedroom.”
“Go after Cacy. You’re the only one who can find her.”
Eli shook his head, his helplessness strangling him. “I don’t know how.”
She pointed to her Scope. “We can only use this. But you can use this.” She touched her heart. “You have instincts now. You have enough power to find her. Please hurry. My sister needs you.”
Eli turned away and closed his eyes. He thought of Cacy, her beautiful face, her full lips, her mischievous smile, that dusting of freckles over her nose. In his mind, he reached for her, stretching across the distance between them to feel her, touch her, run his fingers over her skin. He recalled her scent, that spice, her voice, sweet and tart.