by Garr, Amber
Theron stood and gestured to the empty seat across the small round table he’d procured in the corner. Several women nearby stopped talking when they noticed him; several men did, too.
Ignoring their reaction, Theron focused on me. He waited until I sat, then slowly slid into his chair. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth and after several moments of awkward silence, he finally spoke.
“I liked you better in the leather boots.”
Forcing my voice to remain calm, I mumbled, “Too bad.”
Laughing, he handed me the extra drink. “I ordered you a daiquiri.” He winked. “Virgin, of course.”
Even though it didn’t bother most Wardens, my stomach never tolerated alcohol from the living world. Smiling sarcastically, I took the drink and made a show out of sipping it slowly. The taste of fresh strawberries and tangerines burst in my mouth, helping me forget, for just a moment, why I was here. After finishing half of my delightful drink, I set the glass down.
“What do you want?” I asked; all business.
“Can’t we just sit here and enjoy our time together for a little bit?” Although speaking to me, Theron’s eyes drifted to the side and I caught a flash of darkness behind them.
I shivered, and then I got angry. “Are you hunting?” I whispered through gritted teeth. He didn’t respond, so I reached out and grabbed his wrist. His cold skin pulsated with something underneath, ice blue veins rising to the surface in anticipation. I wanted to let go, but he needed to get control of himself. “Theron!”
He visibly shook as he pulled himself back from the brink. Feeling like a thousand knives plunged into my chest, my heart ached for the monster he’d become. The Theron full of love, life, and a zest for everything we strived to do, was gone. Before me sat nothing but a killer. A hunter of souls that survived only by taking the life of others. I pushed the tears away as I promised for the millionth time not to shed any more over his decision.
After several minutes, Theron’s eyes cleared from black to their piercing gray-blue. He shook his head, took a drink, and then leaned forward across the table. “Thank you,” he whispered. “That helped.” His hand brushed against mine, but I jerked back in reaction. Theron sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“Are you hunting?” I asked again, crossing my arms and trying to look indifferent. He stared at me with a look that said I’d asked a stupid question. Annoyed and disgusted, I pushed back in my chair and stood. “I’m not going to watch you do this.”
“Nora, wait!” He reached out to me but stopped at the last minute. “Please, don’t go. I’m…” his eyes flitted to someone’s soul again. “They don’t know I’m speaking to you.” With pain etched across his face, he pleaded with me. “Please, I don’t have much time and I have to warn you.”
“Warn me about what?”
He sat, but I remained standing. Several humans nearby watched the exchange. “I don’t know exactly.”
Exasperated, I threw down my arms. “Theron, I don’t have time to play these games.”
“Nora, please listen!” The tension in his voice stopped me cold. Although a man of few emotions, I knew him well enough to understand when something serious plagued his mind. “They’ve been organizing.”
“Who?”
He gestured to my empty chair and I reluctantly sat back down. “You know who. I haven’t been privy to it all, but there are rumors.” I raised my eyebrows, waiting for him to continue. He smirked and then grew serious again. “I think they’ve discovered a way to do it.”
“Theron,” I sighed. “You know as well as I do that it’s not possible. They’ve been trying to figure out how to eradicate Wardens since the beginning. Soul Hunters can’t kill Death Wardens. It’s why you battle us for our souls. It’s the only way you can hurt us.” I noted my use of ‘us’ and ‘them’ and how I’d placed Theron and me into different groups. Something inside of me withered away…perhaps it was the last shred of hope that Theron would one day change back into the man I loved.
“Listen to me! I think…I think they found a way around it.”
The natural balance of good and evil, light and dark, life and death had prevented our two races from dominating the other. Unless the Soul Hunters found a way to skew that balance in their direction, everything would remain status quo.
“It’s not possible, Theron.”
“Your soldier,” he said suddenly. “How well do you know him?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, surprised and frightened by the question. “He’s my ward. I know enough.”
Theron narrowed his eyes. Lying had never been one of my strong suits. “He’s a part of this. I don’t know how exactly, but it’s all connected.”
A middle-aged woman bumped into our table, falling dramatically onto Theron’s shoulder. She laughed as she squeezed his arm and pretended that the whole disruption was nothing more than an accident. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Here, let me wipe that up.”
Swooning over his eyes and the dark leather in the middle of a Miami summer, she used her napkin to blot the table in front of him. His eyes never left my own, so I knew the moment his Hunter side took over.
Standing quick enough to knock over his chair, he gently pushed the woman to the side and started to walk past me. But he stopped, turned, and squeezed his eyes together long enough to focus. “You have to be careful, Nora.” Blinking several times, he wiped his head with his hands. Dark orbs and pale skin covered in blue veins became slightly visible as Theron struggled to hold his true nature at bay. “It’s all connected somehow…”
The moment his voice trailed off, I knew I’d lost him. Snapping his head to the side, he honed in on the poor soul that had distracted him earlier. The young foreign man laughed with all his friends as they passed shots around the crowd. Toasting in his native tongue, I tried to warn him. But my voice fell silent as Theron picked up a glass, threw back the drink, and slapped his hand across the man’s shoulders.
In an instant, he’d captured his prey.
Soul Hunters not only stole souls from us, they needed them to survive. They fed on the naive and scavenged the rest. I’d never understood why Theron chose that existence, and while I watched him drain energy from the oblivious victim, I felt more alone than ever before.
Theron glanced my way seconds after taking a sip of the man’s innocent life force. With his tan skin and shiny black hair, he looked more alive than ever. Yet pain etched the crease in his brow and an apology swam in his eyes. A simple touch was all he needed to satiate his hunger. One touch, one pulse of energy, would be enough. Should be enough.
So when I watched Theron escort the man to the restrooms, I knew that small taste hadn’t been sufficient.
Rules dictated that I turn the other way. Anger made me want to chase them. But fear of what I might see cemented my feet to the wooden deck. I couldn’t bear to watch Theron kill and feed and…thrive on a soul that shouldn’t have been lost.
Tears blurred the scene as I pushed my way through the crowd. The hat flew off my head, and although someone called out to me, I kept running until I reached a dark alley where I could safely cross into my world and away from my past.
I ran for miles. Memories ripped through my head while I tried to remember that my life was better without Theron in it. But if that were true, then why did I hurt so much?
Slipping in and out of realms, eventually I found myself standing alone on top of a cliff. I’d always felt a special connection to the Magic Crest in the South Coyote Buttes of Arizona. The impressive rock formation jetted into the sky, like a hand fearlessly reaching for the unknown. I imagined a time when humans worshiped the geological masterpiece, picturing myself performing spiritual rituals beside them. The place brought me a sense of comfort I hadn’t felt in several years.
I sat down on top of the rocky cliff, not bothering to hide from sight. The dark night sparkled with millions of stars, and with no other human around for miles, they danced only for me. Leaning back against the still wa
rm sandstone, I closed my eyes to hold in the tears.
Two years ago he left me, yet I remembered the day as clearly as my own death. Content with my Warden life, I’d just finished a collection when Charles had caught me by surprise as I was taking the long way home.
“Where are you going?” he asked, using his signature move and jumping out from behind a tree.
I reached forward and attempted to land a punch, but I hit a mist of air instead. “That’s none of your business,” I said.
Reappearing behind me, Charles asked again, “No, really, where are you going?” He shuffled up beside me, eyes scanning the area around us. Several Wardens wandered ahead in pairs or small groups, but Charles kept looking into the forest. At the slightest hint of a shadow, he’d flinch and dodge behind me.
I watched him for several seconds, amused suddenly at his odd behavior. “Charles, are you hiding from someone?”
Without making eye contact, he shook his head.
I laughed. “Still not interested, huh?” Charles had captured the attention of a fellow Warden several months ago. Despite his subtle hints, she’d refused to see his insistence that he was content with being alone.
I hadn’t believed him either.
“She’s one of the most persistent, incessant, aggressive…” his voice trailed off when he focused on something, or rather someone, who’d just appeared in front of us.
“Hello, Charles.” A woman close to Charles’ age, Rayne’s silvery hair sparkled down her back in a series of endless, glistening dreadlocks. Her ethereal voice carried through the air, making me smile for no reason at all. She looked at Charles and then at me, nodding her head slightly. “Nora.”
Charles inched further behind my back so I stepped forward to give Rayne a hug. “I haven’t seen you in a while,” I said, turning my head enough to grin at Charles. His glare pierced through me. “How are you?”
Rayne kissed my cheek and squeezed my hands. “Fine, thank you.” She glanced over my shoulder. “Are you two in the middle of something?” Eyes full with admiration, the wistful tone in her voice melted my heart.
Rayne and Charles were perfectly suited for each other, and he deserved some happiness.
“Not at all,” I said at the same time Charles replied, “Yes.” Laughing with mischief, I moved to the side and started to excuse myself. “I was just leaving. Theron’s waiting for me.” Not missing the pained look Charles shot in my direction, I blew him a kiss. “You two have fun.”
I knew my friend was too kind to ignore Rayne, so when I heard him start a conversation with her, I didn’t feel so bad about abandoning him.
Plus, I was anxious to get home. I’d had a busy day working with several other Wardens; we were dealing with a group of mass casualties to make sure our charges knew why they had to accept the fate predestined for them that morning when they’d stepped on the train. Days like this made me grateful for the ability I’d been granted. Life after my death had been good. And Theron had been a big part of that.
I suddenly wondered where he’d been today, now that my thoughts traveled in that direction. He was one of the best Wardens we ever had—attentive, caring and capable of dealing with difficult charges. Rumor had it that he was being considered for Eldership. I knew that prospect made him nervous, but I also knew he’d be perfect for it. No new blood had been appointed in quite some time, so just the idea that he was being considered was an honor.
As I rounded the corner to our cottage, excitement danced in my chest. I waved to a few Wardens barely visible in the distance, a smile plastered on my face like the one doll I’d owned as a child. Content with life, I stepped through the door and called out to Theron.
Only he wasn’t there and something grim clawed in my stomach.
“Theron?” Unable to hide in our tiny home, I walked around the back of the house. A man in black sat hunched underneath a large oak tree. “Theron?” I stepped a little closer, but he didn’t move. “Theron, what are you wearing?” Voice shaking with dread, I couldn’t explain the fear now skittering through my bones.
Theron sighed and I watched his shoulders rise and fall. Black leather. He was wearing a long black leather jacket and pants. Not his Warden attire. He never dressed like this. In fact, no one in our world did…
Have to save her…can’t leave Nora…must choose . . . they’ll kill her.
Because of our bond, I was able to overhear bits and pieces of the frantic thoughts running through his mind. None of it made sense, and that’s what frightened me. “Theron?” I whispered. “What’s going on?” I choked on the words as they left my clenched throat.
After a long moment of silence, he finally looked up. Blue eyes sliced through my core, but the sadness inside them frightened me. “I can’t do this anymore.”
Confused and unable to speak, I sat on the ground beside him. His long legs curled effortlessly against his chest, but the tension in his muscles reminded me of a snake ready to strike. He turned away.
“I’m tired of the lies. I’m tired of doing their bidding. I’m tired of being a slave to fate.” He rolled his shoulders and let out another breath. “I’m tired of being a Warden,” he whispered.
“That’s crazy,” I said.
“No, it’s not, Nora. I’m done.”
I chuckled and he glared at me. “What?” I asked with a huff. “So you’re just going to quit being a Warden? That’s not even possible.” I waved my hand up and down at his attire. “You’re just having a midlife crisis or something. Why don’t you wear the leather for a few days and then you’ll be done with it.”
Theron jumped to his feet and I swear I felt the air crackle in anger. “No! You don’t understand!” He paced back and forth, hands squeezing his head; the leather duster snapped each time he turned around.
Make her believe…come with me.
I stood after hearing those jumbled thoughts. “Then explain it to me, Theron. Explain how all of a sudden you want to give up everything you’ve worked so hard for? They’re going to make you an Elder, Theron. An Elder! How could you not want that?”
He turned and grabbed my shoulders so hard I almost fell over. “I don’t want to be one of them!”
Swallowing the strange fear, I tried to reign in my emotions. “Okay, you don’t have to be one of them. Just be regular, old you: Theron the Death Warden. That’s all you need to be.”
“Nora,” he dropped his head but didn’t loosen his grip. “This isn’t the best place for me. For us. I’ve been talking to Atley and—”
“Who’s Atley?” I interrupted.
For a second, I thought he would tell me. His lips parted and his eyes lit up, but then he walked away. “No one.”
“Obviously Atley is someone.” I yanked on his shoulder, forcing him to face me again. “Tell me.” I feared the worst even though I couldn’t even imagine what the worst might be.
“He’s a Hunter,” Theron finally answered.
I stumbled backward in shock, never once thinking this was a possibility. The black leather… “Why are you talking to a Soul Hunter?”
He reached for me, but I pulled away. Pain danced across his face. “Because I’m tired of being lied to.”
“You already said that, yet you haven’t explained anything.” Anger suddenly trumping my concern, I pressed on. “Who’s lying to you?”
“All of them.”
“All of who?”
“The Elders,” he shouted at me. “They scheme, they lie, they cheat fate…I don’t want to be a part of that anymore! I’ve lived almost a hundred years as a Warden. And all that time…” he stumbled over his words. “And all that time, they’ve been feeding me lies.” They took her. They’ll take Nora.
With my head spinning in circles from our bond, I tried to ask the most logical question. “Why?”
Theron stood straighter and cocked his head. “Why what?”
“Why do you think they’ve been deceiving you? Who did they take?”
His jaw clench
ed and nostrils flared. Our bond suddenly snapped shut as he blocked me from his thoughts. “Because Atley told me the truth and opened my eyes. He told me about their secret bargains with the Hunters and how the Elders have been picking and choosing and bartering for souls since the beginning of time. We’re no better than the Hunters.” He never answered my second question.
“We don’t feed on souls, Theron,” I whispered; his haunted eyes focused on me. “We don’t need to kill the innocent in order to survive,” I continued.
“He said that part can be controlled after a while.”
“Who? Your new Hunter best friend, Atley?” I snapped. “Tell me why he wouldn’t lie just to deceive you?”
“He was telling me the truth.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“And how do you know that?”
“Because he showed me! I saw it with my own eyes, Nora! I watched an Elder drag a charge back from the light and into the hands of a Hunter in exchange for another soul!” It happened to her.
“Who?” I asked again, but Theron didn’t respond. I closed my eyes and tried to will this moment away. “No, Theron. No.” Suddenly, a pair of hands pressed tightly against my face.
“I have been through too much to allow them to get the best of me.” Theron’s hot breath scorched my lips. He loosened his grip and rubbed the side of my cheek with his thumb. “I can’t be here anymore.”
“How…how can you say that? You love this life. You taught me how to love this life.” My voice quivered and my chest tightened. “I’m a part of this life.” His eyes softened and my knees weakened. I couldn’t imagine a world without him by my side.
“You have to come with me,” he said, reaching up to wipe the tears away. “Everything would be right then.” You’ll be safe. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead to mine. “We can do this together.”
There was only one way a Warden could become a Soul Hunter—by taking the soul of someone before their time. Killing an innocent.
And I wanted no part of that.
I removed his hands from my face, trembling, with too many thoughts to focus on just one. “Please don’t do this,” I whispered. “I couldn’t bear it…”