“I think that’s it. I told my contact to get back to me before noon.”
She nodded and sipped on her mocha. “These drinks are so sugary.”
“Now we wait again.” His mind went into thought. Along the streets, he noticed the parked cars and a few residents walking near the coffee shop. A group of bicycles strolled down the sidewalk, and a group of college students stood on the street corner, waiting for the light to turn green. “This isn’t a bad city. I could live here.”
“With the Deamhan?” Veronica questioned.
“They’re everywhere and in every city. No one can avoid that.”
She cupped her coffee. “What if your contact doesn’t get back to you before tonight?”
“I don’t know.” He leaned back in his chair, positioning his hands on the back of his head. He knew Kenneth would send another email soon. But of what, he didn’t know. He moaned and returned to his upright position. The Tylenol wasn’t working, and his head throbbed just thinking about The Brotherhood’s return.
“I think I want some more coffee.”
“Don’t get the white chocolate mocha unless you want a heart attack.”
A group of businessmen nestled in a corner table, chatting raucously over their empty plates.
“Every time I look around, I can’t believe Minneapolis of all places has one of the highest Deamhan populations in the country,” said Veronica. “It’s cold here half of the year and humid the other half. This city is small compared to Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Orlando.”
“There are a lot of open spaces far from anyone here,” Sean said. “Farms dot the landscape; your neighbors are miles from you. This is a perfect state if you want privacy.” He looked up at the ceiling, and his mind suddenly switched to Murphy. “Is your friend okay?”
“Murphy?”
“Yeah. He must have been scared out of his mind last night.”
She shrugged. “He took it pretty well.” She paused. “Actually, really well. I was surprised.”
Sean leaned upright in his chair. “I still don’t trust him. There’s something about him that irks me. I don’t know what it is. I just feel like he’s hiding something.”
“You should thank him.” She sipped her coffee. “He saved you from the two Deamhan.”
“I was doing all right.” Sean smirked.
“Yeah, well, you were running out of weapons. Trash cans are useless against them, Sean.”
“But it worked, didn’t it?” He teased.
Veronica observed a special alert bulletin on the television behind Sean. The volume was low, and the picture of another home ravaged by fire loomed on the screen.
“What is it?” He turned to look. “Another house fire last night.”
No, not now! He watched the image of a charred home on the screen.
“I think I know where that is.” Veronica’s eyes danced. “South Minneapolis, just off the 35W freeway. Can you look up the directions?”
“We should wait and make sure it’s a sanctuary and not some normal house fire.”
“Wait? We all know the Deamhan are burning each other out of their own sanctuaries. Why would we wait?”
“It’s not safe.”
She gaped at him and he quickly stopped talking. “When is it ever safe?” She stood up and yanked him from his seat.
His mind raced quickly to think of another excuse but he came up empty.
“You could just wait in my apartment until I get back.” She gulped down the last of her mocha, which had turned warm.
“Yeah, right. You’re not leaving my sight.” He watched her eyes beam and her lips pull back into a smile.
She placed a ten dollar bill on the table and walked out of the coffee shop. He gathered his things, still trying to decide what to do. He wasn’t good at spying and he didn’t know how long he could hold out until Veronica finally discovered his true agenda.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The taxi pulled over on the corner of Cedar Avenue and Broadway. Veronica handed the driver a twenty-dollar bill, and she exited the vehicle with Sean just in time to watch the taxi drive off.
South Minneapolis was vastly different than the warehouse district. Two story houses lined the vacant streets. They walked past an older couple moving debris and dried leaves from their front yard and a preschool and its empty playground with swings drifting back and forth from the frequent gusts of wind. The sun had set and the air became colder.
Veronica shivered and placed her hands into the pockets of her jacket. Sean unfolded a small piece of paper written with the address of the location and rechecked it.
“It should be somewhere up there, around the corner,” he said to her. His lower lip shivered from the cold.
She grabbed his arm and positioned it around her shoulders. In response he smiled.
Any notion of his betrayal and the fact that Kenneth was on his way to Minneapolis, left his thoughts. He didn’t want to think about it; not now. At that very moment, walking down the street with her, there was no other place he wanted to be.
They continued down Cedar; a one way street, near the main avenue of south Minneapolis. Two story family homes secluded behind high wooden fences lined the streets. When they reached the corner, he stopped glanced and to their left and right.
“This way.” He pointed down a dark and secluded street.
Veronica followed, and he picked up speed in his stride. Newly constructed homes adjoined the cul-de-sac. Halfway down the block, “For Sale” signs pitched in the front yards of finished homes moved in the wind. The charred remains of a home sectioned off by police tape, sat on the edge between two empty lots.
“This is a perfect area for a sanctuary.” He looked around. “It’s quiet and less populated.” Spools of grass stacked the front yards, ready to be rolled out at will. A distinct smell of burnt wood lingered in the air. Crumbled remains toppled upon one another. They stopped only feet from the ruins, staring at the implausible environment.
Sean awed. “Incredible.”
“Do you think anything survived?” she asked.
“Let’s find out.” He ducked under the police tape and stepped into the ruins. He slipped on the burnt piece of wood and held out his hands for balance.
“Be careful.”
“I will.” He watched her walk along the perimeter of the yellow tape, carefully observing the surroundings. He turned back to the remains and he started to remove the burnt pieces. He didn’t know if anything remained from the fire. If any Deamhan died, their bodies would’ve turned to ash and scattered to the winds. But if any Deamhan survived, they sure wouldn’t remain underneath the rubble.
“There’s an empty hole over here,” Veronica called out. “I think it’s a basement or what’s left of a basement.”
Sean continued to dig through the rubble. His feelings about his assignment resurfaced and he tried to ignore them. He found it harder to block his own thoughts from himself than blocking his own thoughts from a Deamhan.
His hands moved over a smooth and burnt piece of wood. “I think I found something.”
Veronica hurried back over to him. He tossed burnt pieces of wood to the side.
“What is it?” She waited for him to stop digging.
He cleared the remaining debris to the side, lifting up a piece of the blackened wood that stood taller than him. “A lid to a coffin,” he said, turning the piece to the side, examining it.
“A coffin?”
“Yeah.” His eyes fixed on the piece of wood. “It looks like it.” He lifted it and placed it on his shoulder as he walked toward her. He dropped it on the ground in front of her and breathed in heavily, trying to catch his breath.
“It has to be.” He couldn’t believe his eyes. Beneath the layer of burnt residue, he clearly saw that the board had the shape of a lid. A small metal piece on the side of the wood further proved his theory. He continued to wipe away the smaller pieces of burnt chips.
She placed her hands on
the burnt wood that was hardened and cracked from the fire. “I don’t know. It’s too burnt to tell what it is.”
“It could be.” He bent down over the piece to examine it. His mind wandered to the various possibilities. “We might have found an actual sanctuary.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “The coffin could still be down there.”
“If it is, then maybe the body is, too.”
“I haven’t heard that many stories of Deamhan using coffins.”
“I read one report about a researcher finding a sanctuary full of coffins,” he replied to her. Like vampires who used coffins to protect them from the sun during the day, Deamhan were also avid coffin users. But as time passed and their sanctuaries became more modern, they began to settle for beds and cubby holes, and basements.
“We should try to find the remains.” He turned his attention back to the ruins. “They could be down there.”
“And what if we find it? Then what?”
“This is your idea, Veronica.” He lifted himself up from the ground. “You wanted to come here to investigate.”
The thought of discovering an actual Deamhan sanctuary rattled his brain. It was exciting yet at the same time terrifying. He wasn’t cut out of field research and he worried about running into more Deamhan like the ones at the bar a few days ago. He also didn’t want to admit the possibility that what he admired was nothing more than burned wood coincidentally shaped like the lid of a coffin. He rolled his eyes at his delusive theory and looked off into the distance.
“I know, Sean.”
His demeanor suddenly changed as his eyes slowly protruded. “I thought you liked exploring the unknown and flirting with danger?”
“Don’t throw that back in my face,” she barked back at him.
His eyes caught a glimpse of the house behind her. “What’s that?” He pointed behind her.
She followed his stare to the wall of a vacant home. The writing covered the back wall of the home. Together they read the spray painted construed bubbly word “LUGAT.”
“Is that what I think it is?” He squinted. “They tag their territories like this now?”
“Yeah. I saw something just like this a few days ago.”
“Crap,” Sean painfully whispered. He looked down at the ruins he stood in.
Veronica placed her hands on the graffiti. “So that sanctuary was a Lugat sanctuary.”
Sean felt his cell phone buzz in the pocket of his jeans and the sound threw him back to reality. “Not good.” He looked up at her. “I have to answer this.” He walked away and he stared at his phone, knowing that Kenneth was on the other end.
“Hello,” he answered.
Kenneth’s voice echoed from the earpiece. “What the status?”
Sean’s high spirits vanished. He sighed, paused and then licked his already moist lips. “So far, so good.”
“Good.” Kenneth’s robotic voice replied back. “How goes the mission?”
“We’re at a sanctuary right now.”
“Does she suspect anything?”
“Not yet, but she will.”
“Well, as long as she doesn’t now, we should be good. Your email sounded rather disheartening.”
“Really?” Sean cupped his hand over his mouth to hide the conversation from Veronica. “I don’t see how. She’s taking the bait. She hasn’t been back to Dark Sepulcher. She believes the fires are directly connected to her research.”
“Mr. Austin made his intentions clear, Sean. You were not to provide his daughter with any documented material.”
“And I haven’t.” Sean felt a lump in his throat. He knew eventually they’d find out about the documents he’d taken before he left for Minneapolis, but he didn’t think it’d be so fast.
“Are you sure about that?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? Look, from what I’m experiencing here in Minneapolis, I don’t see a need to restart the Chapter. Yes, Deamhan are somewhat out of control, but bringing The Brotherhood back into this mess may do more harm than good.”
“If Mr. Austin wanted your opinion, he would’ve asked for it,” Kenneth interrupted him. “You are not there to help her. Mr. Austin made that clear as crystal.”
“I understand.”
“Good, because Mr. Austin isn’t sympathetic to failure and he doesn’t take second chances.”
“I understand.” Sean heard Kenneth sigh on the other end of the line.
“You were sent with a simple task and you failed by stealing more classified documents from the Archives. You’ve given Mr. Austin no other choice.”
Sean remained silent, waiting for the phrase “you’re fired.” Instead Kenneth’s reply turned into the last thing he wanted to hear.
“You are to immediately cease communications and all activities in regards to Miss Austin. You are ordered to check in at the Gathewait Hotel on Hennepin Avenue, Room 301, and stay there until I and several researchers arrive tomorrow evening.”
“What?”
“You’ve been pulled from the assignment, Sean,” Kenneth continued. “And do yourself a favor this time. Don’t disobey Mr. Austin’s orders again. I’ll be in touch.” Kenneth hung up the phone.
Sean stuffed his phone back in his pocket and he turned to Veronica. She had to know. No more secrets.
“Who was it?”
“We have to go now.” He took her by her hand and began to lead her down the street.
“Sean, what is it?” She struggled to keep up with his hurried pace.
“I’ll tell you when we get back to your apartment. I promise.” He increased his speed to a hasty walk.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Was that your contact on the phone?”
“No,” he blurted. “It’s not that. It’s—I’ll tell you when we get back to your apartment.” They reached the corner, and he cautiously looked down the street before proceeding.
“Who was it?” she asked him again. He didn’t answer.
She yanked her hand, breaking free from his grasp. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s wrong!”
“Trust me, we need to get off the streets.”
She heard the panic in his voice, and she saw his agitation. “Why?”
“I’ll tell you when we get to your apartment.” His breathing became erratic.
“Sean!”
“Veronica, trust me. Please.”
She stepped away from him. “I trust you but I’m not moving until you tell me what is going on.”
Her comment blinded him. She never doubted him. This was a first.
She tilted her head to the side and crossed her arms in front of her chest. He released a tired sigh and deeply regretted coming back to Minneapolis. He wanted to relive the day when Mr. Austin gave him the stupid task. Saying “no” and refusing to spy on her seemed easy enough. She had the right to know what was going on and he had no right to lie to her, as her best friend.
“Screw it.” He took a deep breath. “Veronica I—” He scratched his head, taking another deep breath. He looked over her shoulder in frenzy then he turned around, staring down the street. Again he looked over her shoulder before looking into her eyes.
“What, Sean?”
“Okay, fine.” He conceded. “There’s so much I need to tell you about why I came here but I can’t tell you now, right here. I’m telling you, Veronica, it’s not safe on the streets. I don’t know if they’re already here or not.”
“Who? Who’s already here?”
“The Brotherhood,” he answered.
Her eyes widened. “Since when?”
“Since I arrived.” He grabbed her hand, and they resumed their fast pace. “Kenneth might already be here, I don’t know.”
“Kenneth? Do you mean Kenneth Dearhorn?”
“He’s the new Midwest Region Leader.” He didn’t look at her as she stared off into the distance, still taking in the information.
“Since when did
he become the Midwest Region Leader?”
His shoulders drew back and his eyebrows arched higher on his face. “Before I left.” They stepped off the curb and Sean waved his hands to signal a taxi. Veronica folded her arms, watching his frantic behavior. Cars drove past, including one taxi that totally ignored them. He looked down the street at a woman standing alone, underneath an orange street light, eyeing their every movement.
Were they already here?
Sean looked back at the woman again and Veronica followed his gaze. “Sean, I’ve seen her before. At the other fire. Is she from The Brotherhood?”
“I don’t think so.” Sean spoke.
“Maybe a minion?” Her eyes bulged from her sockets. “Lambert did tell me I was protected. Maybe this is what he meant?”
“We have to get out of here.” His panicked movements increased. He frantically waved his hands again at a taxi. Finally a white cab stopped.
He opened the door and hopped in the front seat. “Get in.” He closed the door. She slowly opened the rear door and climbed into the vehicle.
“Where to?” The taxi driver pressed his foot on the gas pedal.
“Palm Oaks,” he answered.
Veronica leaned over to the other window. She watched the woman until the taxi turned the corner.
Sean remained silent on the way to Palm Oaks. His eyes fixated on the scenery from the car windows while the taxi sped down the highway. Several times Veronica tried to make conversation but he didn’t reply. Instead he nervously tapped his fingers on his knees.
His behavior was noticeable, and the taxi driver asked him if he was alright. He nodded, mumbled and continued with his erratic behavior.
It was only when they were inside Veronica’s apartment that he released his frustration. He paced back and forth in her living room, undecided on how he could tell her the truth without sacrificing their friendship.
He let out a weak laugh and ran his fingers through his hair.
She took off her jacket. “Are you sure you’re okay? You seem a little spooked.”
Deamhan Chronicles, Books 1-5: Deamhan, Kei. Family Matters, Dark Curse, Maris. The Brotherhood Files, Ayden. Deamhan Minion Page 12