by LJ Swallow
Heath texts a couple of times to check up on me. Joss does too, which isn't a surprise. I smile to myself when the second message from Joss arrives while I’m by the water cooler, and I glance over at Charlotte and Victoria. They can lust over Heath, but not only do I have him, but also his equally hot friend. My fingers itch to type back a request for Joss to meet me after work and flaunt in the girls' faces that both guys are in my life and care for me.
One day I should allow myself to be seen with both of them, in the Clone Club's vicinity, of course. Or maybe all four of my new harem. My smile grows, amused by the thought and the word, and I return to my desk.
For today, I’ll have to make do with Heath as a lunch date. Make do. Ha ha.
At lunch, I head to the cafeteria where Heath stands outside, facing away from me, hands in suit pockets. He draws looks from girls passing, as ever, but remains oblivious. Yep, ass still awesome in a suit. I have mixed emotions as I look at him. First, the instant arousal from remembering how his hands felt on my skin and how intoxicating he tasted, but trepidation joins because I'm walking away from my fading human life and into my new one with each moment I spend with him.
I poke Heath as I approach, and he blinks around at me. "Hey," I say.
"Vee." He kisses my cheek, and I freeze in surprise.
Friendly. Caring. Not a sign he wants to pin me to the wall and continue our activities from last night.
"You okay?" he asks. "You look flushed."
I touch my cheek with the back of a hand. "Warm in here."
"Uh huh." His knowing smile confirms what I suspected—Heath is aware of the effect he has on girls.
We head into the cafeteria, and I fight giving a little wave to Charlotte who turns from the cashier holding a tray with her solitary salad wrap and bottle of water. She blinks, barely disguising her disbelief, before walking over to a table to sit with her friends. No Victoria? Perhaps she’s working on her hair.
Shiny wooden round tables and chairs dot around the place, some occupied by fellow employees on phones, or others chatting, and my stomach rumbles at the smell of fried food. Bacon for breakfast? I suppose I should pick a healthier lunch.
We choose a quiet corner, and I sit on the hard chair, avoiding the fake Yucca plant attacking my head. Heath heads off to order and returns with a plate piled with burger and chips for him, and a salad for me. I watch with curiosity as he digs in. Do Horsemen genes stop massive weight gain? Is chasing demons a good workout?
"What do we have planned for this evening?" I ask as I pick up my cutlery. "Demons need killing? Trip to the pub? Maybe you could introduce me to some werewolves?"
"Vee," he growls in warning. "Keep your voice down."
"You guys really need to lighten up."
Heath gives a despairing shake of his head. "Sure, Vee."
"Can we talk?" I ask
"What did you want to talk about?" Heath’s discomfort level ramps up as worry crosses his face. "I can’t really explain anymore about your... origins."
"Not last night, don't worry. Or the other issue between us. We already had that awkward conversation."
We sure did. As with last time, Heath's "act as if nothing happened" show started, and on the way here, I called him out on the behaviour. The short exchange didn't touch on how intense the situation was for the pair of us, and it ended with an agreement not to touch each other again.
Not to touch in the same way, at least.
Or soon, anyway.
Well, maybe in the future.
Ah, crap.
"You guys talk about something called the Order. What’s the Order? Is this all connected to the demons holding power?"
"The Order?" Heath lowers his voice and I look around the cafeteria. Everybody’s too engrossed in their own world to worry about ours. "The Order is the name for the demon-led organisation in the world. Their activity criss-crosses and tangles every area of human society in a web." He draws on the table with his fingers as he talks. "It’s an umbrella term because the Order’s split into many cells present in most countries. They influence governments or control business and financial institutions, but they’re also found in lower level roles. Law enforcement, medical, even schools. You name any part of society, and there’ll be a demon influence in there somewhere."
"How the hell are four of you supposed to deal with that?"
Heath bites down on a chip. "We can’t deal with everything. That’s why we’re allied with the other races who exist here. Nobody wants a world taken over by demons; the humans won’t be the only ones wiped out or enslaved. After what happened with Portia, seems our alliances have become shaky."
I stare back, unable to find words as I attempt to process all this.
"Our main role is to keep the portals closed and prevent more demons arriving. A side role involves interrupting communication and planning between the demons who exist here already, or stepping in for damage control."
"Damage control?"
"Preventing attacks on humans, small scale or large scale."
Wow. "How widespread is the demon influence?"
"Wide. Getting wider. We can’t keep on top of this without the help of those on our side. That's why this fuck-up with the fae doesn't help."
I recognise the self-blame on Heath’s face and place a hand over his. "Heath. Your killing the fae attacking me was orchestrated and so was the attack on Portia."
"Doesn't change the ripples it causes." He sinks back and runs his hands through his hair, elbows at right angles
His words exhaust me; the juggling the guys do hurts my head. "Let me get this straight. You're here to keep portals closed. And keep the peace between supernatural races. And investigate and stop demon corruption."
He raises both brows. "Fun, huh?"
"Whoa. No wonder you need a Fifth. Surprised you don't need another fifteen."
"The portals are safe currently; we haven’t seen major activity around any in months. Plus, the keeping the peace part isn’t too hard. Usually. Like I said, we have help, but we never totally trust people. The biggest problem? We may need to ally with those we don't want to, if this gets any worse."
Does he mean demons? I don't voice the question, but Portia mentioned that too. But there’s one question, bigger than all my others. "Heath, what happens if the Horsemen fail?"
Heath clenches his jaw and looks behind me. "I have no fucking clue."
I bite inside my cheek. Why did I ask that? He’s already told me they only vaguely understand their own situation. Heath pulls out his phone, brow tugged, and switches his attention from me. Ordinarily, this rude behaviour would irritate me, but I’ve pushed him too far out of what he can cope with.
3
VEE
I’m relieved when I return from work and back into my new life. All day I studied faces around me, worried another demon, or fae, or goodness-knows-what lurked, waiting for an opportunity to attack me. I know I have a power, but no clue how to use it yet. My self-defence skills failed against a demon once, and even with Death close by to back me up, I doubt my chances.
I don’t want to be alone with my thoughts and head downstairs as soon as I change from my work uniform. Black leggings and a baggy blue jumper suit the cool farmhouse, and I pull on thick socks too. What am I supposed to spend evenings doing? I guess laptop and TV is my usual entertainment, but that was the old Verity.
Old Verity. The desire to examine my face in the mirror, to cement in my mind who I am, drops as the hours pass and the old Vee fades. How? How can somebody or something create false memories and put me here? And why the hell are those memories fading this quickly?
Worse than that, how am I readily accepting the situation?
I walk into the kitchen where the guys examine a large map spread across the pine table, files of paper and an open book either side of Xander, who's central to the group. Heath stands behind him, arms crossed over his broad chest; Ewan beside Xander, laptop open glancing between the map and screen
. Joss sits on the table with his feet on a chair, the other side of Xander, reading the map upside down.
Hell, these men are hot. Individually, I can almost cope, but seeing them together like this addles my brain. I don’t think that’s only the "power of the Five," or whatever this is, but a normal, female physical reaction to them. They don't notice me at first as I flick my gaze from guy to guy.
Heath’s long legs in his perfect-fitting jeans are as distracting as the sensuous mouth that kissed me. I switch to looking at Ewan’s deep-browed concentration and the broad-chested, tattooed body I’d love to explore. Then there’s Joss’s lithe figure hinting at toned muscle beneath and the way his eyes shine when he looks at me. And Xander... Why does he have to rank as high on the heat metre? Forget his killer body and the pursed lips I half fantasise about kissing to shut him up, but his presence exudes a sexuality as raw as the anger I’ve seen in him.
Were they created too? Heath said he chose to take this role, which means in the past, he was somebody else. Are they from a magical gene pool that creates heart-stoppingly gorgeous men?
I inhale and convince myself the dizziness is from forgetting to breathe and not my intoxication by the guys.
"Old school?" I ask.
"What do you mean?" Xander looks up at me, finger resting on a map location. The exhausted look from yesterday has lifted, his eyes brighter and the stress doesn't emanate from him the way it did. I compare him to his brother. Same eyes, same symmetrical faces, but Xander’s lighter brown hair and shorter style set them apart.
I point. "Paper maps."
"This is an old map we're comparing to Google maps," retorts Xander.
Okay, I was wrong; he's as "friendly" as ever.
"Evening, Vee." Joss waves at me. He’s dressed in green cargo pants, a black T-shirt beneath a plaid shirt and feet bare. His smile brings down my anxiety a notch as usual, and I move to stand next to him. "Nice day at work?"
I pull a face. "I think I should give up work. I don't think they appreciate my new role saving the world," I say tongue in cheek.
"Told you," replies Xander as he squints at the map.
Ewan's focus remains on his laptop, and my forgiveness for his big mouth switches to irritation that he’s refusing to acknowledge me.
I spot the half-empty bottles lined up on the table. "Is that how you fuel your powers? Do I need to become a beer drinker too?"
Joss grins and I swear Xander fights a smile too. "Yup. You’d better get started."
"I'm not a hundred percent sure you're joking." I take a bottle from the table and swig before pulling a face. "Nope. I prefer cider."
"Ugh!" protests Heath. "Really?"
Ewan's continued silence, and refusal to look at me, continues to niggle.
"So, what are you looking for?" I ask them and hand the beer to Joss.
"Ley lines are marked on old maps. Demons often base themselves where the lines intersect because they can draw on the power. We're checking what's built over the lines nowadays by comparing with Google street view," explains Heath.
"Ley lines?" I ask.
"Lines between places in the world that carry positive or negative energy from the earth. A matrix of them across the world was mapped out in the past. So where two or more lines converge, you have a place of great power and energy. That’s what we’re looking for," replies Heath
"Okay." Red and blue lines cross a creased map of the UK, spots where they cross annotated in black ink. Wanting a clearer view, I stand behind Xander and Ewan, besides Heath.
Close to the four, something unexpected happens. Images crash into my mind, different to the strange darkness and blood ones. This place is brighter, blinding the faces and surroundings out of focus. Pain stabs behind my eyes, joined by the same fear as the shadowy nightmares.
I jerk as Heath touches my arm. "Are you okay, Vee?"
"I think memories are trickling back. Real ones, I mean."
I glance at Ewan and a muscle in his cheek twitches, but he doesn't look up.
Subject change needed. "Is this where the portals are that you need to protect?" I ask and point at the map.
"No. There’re seven in different parts of the world and tightly sealed. There’s one in the UK but not around here," says Xander. "The portals aren’t our worry right now, but they could be if there’s a combined attack on them. The demons’ ultimate aim is to open them, which is why we deal with the bastards at ground level before they amass enough power."
"Such as adding in some fae power by recruitment," puts in Joss. "That’s partly what this situation is about. Persuade enough fae to switch alliances and they’ve more power at their disposal."
"Okay." Their words panic and confuse me; there’s so much I only half-understand.
Xander turns in his seat and studies me. "By the way, sorry about last night. When I'm worked up, and in combat mode, I find it hard to calm down afterwards. My mouth runs away sometimes too, ask the guys."
"Often," says Joss with a laugh. "We ignore him. You should too."
"Don't let my brother give you any crap though," says Heath.
"I doubt she's about to take any, especially after last night," says Joss.
"How's that going?" asks Xander.
"The 'I'm not real' thing?"
"That and discovering you have powers." I’m unsure whether to be annoyed or pleased by his nonchalance compared to the other guys’ concern.
"I'm okay. I don't know why, but I feel as if I'm me now. I'm losing track of the old Verity." Ewan’s eyes finally meet mine; troubled, wary
"Interesting," says Xander. "If you're cool with the situation, that's good."
Ewan rubs fingertips along his lips but doesn't speak. "I'm cool with it," I say in his direction.
In a room surrounded by the Horsemen, the realisation who I am and the awareness I belong with them grows. I doubted their crazy stories at first, but from day one, I was pulled into the circle rather than left on the edge.
"Right, back to this," says Xander. He reads out coordinates and then cranes his neck to read Ewan's screen. "Any activity up there?"
Whoa. Conversation about Verity over, then?
"Just fields," Ewan replies.
"Hmm. Farm? Property?"
"Managed Access." He looks at me. "Usually means there is or was Ministry of Defence activity there. Firing ranges and such."
"We should check the area out anyway," replies Joss. "Sometimes government facilities aren't on the maps; the demons could be based in an old military building."
"Nah, too far to drive today." Xander follows a line with his finger. "These lines converge on the edge of a small village. Has that area grown to include more houses?"
Ewan taps laptop keys. "Yeah. It's Grangeton outskirts."
Xander straightens. "Interesting. What's there?"
"I can't tell. The street view shows a row of buildings, some office and some shops I guess. Could be any."
Xander pulls on his bottom lip. "Right, we need to check the place out, but we also need to follow up the information we have from Elyssia. Both need doing before too much time passes and the bastards move on."
Elyssia. "Is Portia okay?" I ask.
"She'll be fine. They’ve upped the security around Portia, but I'm worried that won't be enough if enemies are close to her." Xander tips his chair back and drinks his beer. "I went to see her with Joss today, not that we were welcome. Talk about bloody ungrateful."
"We managed to get a lead from Elyssia while we were there," puts in Joss.
Xander drops the chair back onto four legs. "A vague one. Elyssia claims she doesn’t know much about Hunter. She met him at a club with her friends and they struck up an uh... ‘friendship.’"
"What about Hunter’s friends?" asks Heath. "Did she meet any of his?"
Xander shakes his head. "Elyssia sent me a photo of Hunter from her phone and told us which club she met him in. I want to head down to the place and speak to Arlo."
I p
ull out a chair and sit. "Stop right there."
Xander frowns at me. "What?"
"Don’t start discussing everything as if I know who and what you’re talking about. Which club? Who’s Arlo?" I ask.
"A club called The Warehouse. He’s a fae and owns the place, but human lackeys run the joint." Xander’s response is curt and dismissive. "Often the place attracts supes, especially younger ones, and we visit once in a while to check things out, especially if there’ve been local attacks."
"And this is a bloody big attack," puts in Joss.
"And you think this guy, Arlo, might know the demons involved?"
Heath laughs. "Doubt it. He doesn’t like trouble."
"Such as the Horsemen interfering with his clientele," Joss adds. "He keeps an eye on what’s happening in the area for us, so he’s either missed the signs or knows more. We need to find out which."
"So what? Are we headed down there tonight?" asks Heath.
"Not all of us. I want two of us to check out these places the ley lines cross, and two of us can head to the club. I think Joss and you should go check out these buildings." He taps a place on the map where lines cross. "Joss can detect demons quicker, and you can kill a few in one go if needed, Heath. I’ll take Ewan to The Warehouse."
"What about me? I’m not staying here on my own!" I protest.
"Who’d you prefer to go with?" Xander asks.
Talk about trapped between a rock and a hard place. I hate clubs, but also I don’t like the idea of being dragged into the cold looking for demonic creatures.
"Go to the club," says Joss. "Less dangerous because it’s more public. Besides, you can watch Xander’s diplomacy in action." He ends his sentence with a laugh and pats Xander on the head.
Xander rubs his head and scowls at Joss. "At least one of us can stay focused with everything happening."
"And I suppose by ‘everything happening’ you mean me?" I retort.
Xander ignores my question. "Come with me and Ewan tonight." He picks up his phone and checks the time. "Best get yourself ready."
I huff and stare at the ceiling again. There’s no way I’ll understand all this without walking into and experiencing these situations. I could sit here for the rest of the day and their talk of the Order, portals, demons, and the crazy world around me wouldn’t make sense.