by Jas T. Ward
“That’s my dad’s blood. We got attacked at our house. He fought them really hard. But there was too many. He gave me that folder and told me to run. Run as fast as I could and find someone on the Grid.” She lifted her head to point to at Reno. “He saved me. I was trying to get to the Bridge. That’s what my dad told me. That the Grid was at the Bridge, but to watch out for Eaters. So that’s what I was doing. I’m guessing now I didn’t watch out very good for Eaters.”
Reno looked up at Bounce and saw sympathy, without suspicion, now on the god’s face for a split second before that cool façade fell back into place when the god turned away.
He looked at Bella as Bounce was speaking to a Relay guarding in the hall. “I don’t know about saving you. You were doing pretty well on your own.”
Bella gave him a very small smile and said in a whisper. “What are they going to do with me?”
Reno glanced at Bounce as the god handed off the file to a Relay before leaning forward to whisper to her in response. “I don’t know. But I won’t let it be anything bad, okay?”
Bella reached out and took his hand in her small one. “Okay. Because I really don’t want to have to knee that guy in the balls.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Black Nightmare
Emma could probably count on two hands the amount of nightmares she had in the years since her parents had died, and all of them had been about that night.
But the one she was having now was completely different. She wasn’t a strong empath. That gift was given to her sister Rose who worked on the Grid using that gift. Emma’s had been healing whereas Lily’s had been analyzing facts in a split second, no matter how complicated.
At first Emma wasn’t even sure it was a twisted dream, because it seemed so surreal and yet also so real. She was standing in her living room and the strangest music was piping in from the speakers. It was like laughter made into music and incredibly manic sounding. Sophia was nowhere to be seen and she felt completely alone.
As she walked to the kitchen, she went to stand at the sink and noticed it was raining against the window over it. It was storming so bad that the back yard behind the brownstone was lit up with lightning, and the house was rattled with each clap of thunder. Emma’s eyes went to the bay outside and saw white caps from the wind kicking up the water in its fury.
“Reno?”
Suddenly the rain on the glass window seemed to change. It was as if the sky had opened up and ink, as dark as the India kind, drizzled across the glass and coated it.
She stumbled back as that same black rain had thickened to start oozing into the house around the edges of the windows, seeping under the door, rushing up from under the floorboards like a sudden flood of darkness.
Emma let out a panicked sound as she continued to scramble away from the tide, when she backed into something.
She looked up behind her to see Reno. But it wasn’t like her Reno.
This one had eyes as black as the rising black fluid, with it seeming to run in his veins under pale skin as if he was the cause of the flood.
Or it was the cause of him.
He wrapped his arms around her and he was ice cold, with his chest silent as death.
He opened his mouth to show her longer, deadlier fangs than he had now, right before they struck and sank deep in her neck. Reno started laughing dark with a voice that seemed to be layered with that of others woven in. She screamed out of pure horror as he drank her blood, the pain of the bite seeming to shrivel her soul. This was not her Reno!
“Witch?”
His voice had Emma shooting out of the bed to hit, and then cower, against a wall, sliding down to sit with her arms wrapped around her drawn up knees. “Just a dream. Just a bad dream.” She repeated to herself over and over.
Reno had never seen Emma so scared, having been woken up by her loud blood chilling scream.
Blinking at her as she sat there whispering to herself, he swung his legs off the bed to slowly walk over to her and crouched in front of her. “Witch? You okay?”
Reno reached out to touch her arm and she actually flinched from it.
Emma knew it was a nightmare. She knew it wasn’t real. But something about it still hung around in her brain, as if whispering in foreboding of a nightmare that was destined to be reality.
She lifted her head and looked confused into Reno’s face. The face of the man she loved more than any one before. A face with laugh lines, brilliant blue eyes and lips she had kissed until they were both dizzy.
But she just could not get the image out of her hazed mental vision of how he had been in that nightmare. Her Reno would never be like that. Her Reno was light and happy, fun and joyful. She let out a ragged breath as she reached out to cup his face, which was so shadowed with concern and worry for her.
“I’m okay. Sorry. It was just a bad nightmare.”
Reno frowned and brought his hand up to press over hers on his cheek as he said softly, “Want to talk about it? I don’t think I remember you having a nightmare before. It kinda scares me that you had one. Is it something I did?”
She gave him a soft smile and before he knew it, she was wrapped around him in a tight hug. He blinked even more as he folded his arms around her and felt her bury her face against his neck.
Emma just wanted to feel him warm and alive with his heartbeat beating so strong and true against her racing one. She turned her lips to kiss the pulse in his neck and always loved how she could feel it quicken with just the slightest touch from her. She closed her eyes, letting out a long breath, and nodded. “I’m sorry I scared you, Reno. Can we go back to sleep?”
She knew she was avoiding discussing the nightmare just like she knew she could never tell him. Reno was strong, heroic and never took anything for granted, not even the smallest thing.
But Emma also knew that his ego was fragile and his self-esteem was like that of a child, always seeking the tiniest sliver of approval, like he had never received it before her. For him to hear how her mind had kicked up a nightmare where he was some evil monster, it would have bruised the gentle soul that Reno had.
Without a word, Reno scooped her up in his strong arms to cradle her against his chest, a hand coming up to brush through her hair. Giving her a slow gentle kiss, he carried her back to their bed. Once there, as he curled around her letting her do the same, their limbs tangled to touch, he whispered softly. “I’m here, Witch. I’ll keep the bad things away.”
Emma only prayed she could do the same for him.
Chapter Twenty-Five
A Lie
Jess Bailey stared at his email as if it was going to jump off the screen and take a hunk out of his brain. That’s about how he felt reading the simple words from the Relay assigned to dig into the man who had taken his place with the woman he loved and the daughter they shared.
It didn’t make any sense. None at all. How a Breaker could have a perfect kill record with no losses of life in such a short time? It took years to become a good fighter, and even longer to become the top of the food chain on the Grid in that aspect. Reno was there in a little more than three years.
No other Breaker, Hell not even Jess, had as high of an Eater kill count. And, admit it or not, Jess had lost a few humans doing his job.
But not Reno. Zero casualties. And all without having a Relay to back him up, which was odd too. Why was such a perfect fighter like Reno, who became so in just three years of being turned, have no Relay? It’s not like Bounce gave you an option. You did well, you got a Relay. They were the Grid’s version of Albert from Batman: there to meet your needs, take care of your wounds, and shadow your finances with the mundane world.
So why didn’t this Reno have a Relay?
Surely Bounce would want to make sure such a valuable asset to the Grid had all he needed to do the job. His inside informant was not able to find out the man’s last name, nor was he able to find out anything about Reno’s human past.
That was the part that was gn
awing on Jess’ stressed grey matter.
There was absolutely nothing about Reno before a single date- three years ago and a few months. No notes. No comments. The man simply did not exist prior to that date. But how was that possible? All Breakers had a history whether they chose to disclose it or not. Like him.
Jess himself had been a gunslinger and bank robber at an early age, which led to being a wanted man before he was fifteen, a huge bounty on his head, at least by Old West standards. Wasn’t exactly a past he was proud of, but he did pride himself on being a better man now.
Especially considering how mentally splintered and flawed he used to be with his split personality, a dark secret he was glad he got rid of just...
Jess stilled as if frozen and actually felt his mind lurch to do the same.
Three years ago...
A few months ago...and it all clicked as clear as a perfect fact in his deadly mind.
“God damn it.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
And It All Just Goes Bad
Reno rolled his eyes playfully as Witch piled on yet another tray of cookies to the load he already had balanced on his outstretched arms. “More cookies? I mean gosh Witch, good thing us Breakers can’t get fat asses.”
Emma laughed and punched him jokingly in the arm. “I know. But I love to bake.”
Truth was she had been having that freaky nightmare over and over. It was causing her to lose some sleep and was stressing over why it wouldn’t go away. So, whenever that happened, she baked.
The meeting with the San Fran Breakers and Relays could not have occurred at a better time to cover her nervous habit to deal with stress. She wasn’t sure if Reno knew she had continued to have the nightmare, as she always found herself waking with her palm pressed to her mouth, holding in the scream that always ended it, to prevent from waking him. She knew it scared him, and that was the last thing she wanted. One of them being scared was one too many as it were now.
Watching him try to sneak a cookie from under the plastic wrap on the tray, Emma smacked his hand. “Those are for the party. You know I always make plenty for you here.”
Reno grinned and chewed the half of cookie he had managed to snag, because he knew she was right. She knew he needed sugar but never knew exactly why. And she never asked, and for that he was grateful. His Witch was a saint because he knew between his sugar obsessions, never-ending sex drive, along with his conversations she believed to be with himself, and his fear of the dark, she put up with him.
God, he was one lucky freak.
As Emma rounded up Sophia and her gear, Reno headed to the Hummer to put the cookies in the lift back. The skies were starting to darken with clouds and as soon as he shut the back hatch, fat drops of rain fell to splatter on the black metal of the SUV.
“Looks like it’s going to storm.”
Emma was just standing at the door as if something was wrong, causing Reno to frown as he wiped drops from his hair when it started to pour. Walking over to pick up Sophia, he held out his hand for her to take. “Witch? We’re going to be late.”
Emma was so paralyzed, expecting the rain to turn black and thicken that she became transfixed by the drops dripping down Reno’s face. Sophia said softly, “Mommie?” and Emma snapped herself out of it.
Just a dream. Just a bad dream.
Taking Reno’s hand, they ran for the SUV and headed to Club Bounce.
Jess had blurred all night to arrive in San Francisco. First he had tried to reach Emma by phone to warn her, but all it did was go to her voicemail. He assumed she had blocked him after that mess of a family night.
Fair enough he thought, but he would be telling her in person anyway. He just wanted that man, that freak, away from his family and was hoping to escalate that with a call before he arrived.
Her house was locked and quiet as he paced on the porch with his phone at his ear to call his Relay. “Where are they?”
His Relay got busy, Jess judged, by the clicking sounds of a computer keyboard being tapped on and replied back. “There’s a SF meeting of the Grid at Club Bounce. Maybe there?”
Of course they would be there. Emma loved any reason to bake and she loved those get-togethers. Running off the porch, he ran down the street and the second a car passed to leave the street empty, Jess blurred to the club as soon as he hit the shadow of trees as rain drops hit the pavement in his wake.
The party was in full swing and even though Evan picked on his way of “seizure-dancing”, Reno was having a great time.
Witch was in his arms, laughing and kissing when they slow danced even during the fast songs. Sophia was upstairs with Lily. While Witch’s other sister Rose took over the running of the snack table.
Reno was attempting to learn some weird line dance from Witch when suddenly everyone, along with the music, seemed to stop, causing him to look up. “What happened?”
Emma’s breath caught as Jess dropped the plug from the jukebox and was glaring, his eyes bright with anger and determination. “You have got to be kidding me, Jess!” This was not the place or time for his jealously of what they used to have to rear its Stetson-covered head.
Jess had a rage filled look and pointed at Reno as if Emma wasn’t even there. “Really? Kidding? Nah. I wouldn’t kid.” Jess walked over to look down at Emma before he gave Reno a scathing look. “He’s lying to you.”
Reno felt as if the floor fell away and the room seemed to squeeze in way too tight. Emma put herself between him and Jess, but he knew that look, as it seemed to burn the air between them with its intensity.
Jess knew. Somehow, his once split personality brother knew what he was. That he was, indeed, that same split personality thought destroyed and gone.
“Witch...”
Before Reno could get another word out, Jess had moved Emma aside and was rushing him. They went through the cookie table, knocking people over until they slammed into the wall, hitting it so hard that framed movie posters from the eighties went crashing to the floor. Breakers and Relays yelled out in alarm. Someone even said to go get Bounce, but the god wasn’t at the party, nor was he even in the club.
Jess’ hands had fisted his jacket, and when they hit the wall the breath in Reno’s lungs came out in a whoosh from the force in which they hit. He was dazed for the briefest of moments before he decided to give a little of what he got.
As a enraged rumble came from his lips, he spun and slammed Jess against the same wall, not once but twice. That didn’t stop the big man from bringing a fist up into his gut so hard his feet left the floor. What was left of Reno’s air was forced out with a grunt.
Jess came in close and hissed, “How you doing, Sundown? Been awhile.”
Reno’s eyes went wide and even though he had feared that was what had set Jess off, this completely confirmed it and sent fear like ice into his blood. He let Jess go and stepped back, keeping his voice hushed as he tried to catch his breath. “Don’t. You don’t need to do this, Jess. Just let me explain.”
Jess let out an anger filled blast of laughter. “Explain? Explain what, Reno?” Jess pointed to Emma who was standing in shock to the side. “She doesn’t even know, does she? She has no idea what she has let in her house, does she? Around that precious little girl.”
Jess stepped into the center of the room and threw his hands out with the strangest smile on his face and his eyes filled with enraged pain. “None of them do either, do they? Your friends. Your brothers and sisters on the Grid. Nope. No idea of what they have at their backs.”
Jess sneered as his top lip curled off his fangs to level a death glare at Reno. “They didn’t even know to be glad you’re not at their throats. Ripping them out, right? Because that’s what monsters like you do, right Sundown?”
The club filled with whispers of that name as the observers gasped in trying to understand what others seem to know, talking behind their hands as they watched it all play out.
Emma was so confused when she looked up to see Lily standing
there with Sophia and hated that, once again, her daughter was exposed to the stupidity of the men she let into her life. Lily gave her a look, and despite Sophia’s protests of wanting to stay, quickly ushered the little girl out of the club.
“What are you talking about, Jess? Why are you doing this? Who’s Sundown?” Emma’s voice held pleading with a touch of confusion and a sprinkle of anger. She understood jealously, but this didn’t make any sense. Jess had only met Reno once. How could he be so quick to judge and destroy the happiness she was finally being allowed to have? “Just stop Jess. Please.”
Jess narrowed his eyes at Reno as he stepped over to Emma, to gently wrap his hands on her upper arms and met her eyes. “It’s all a lie, Emma. He’s not even a whole person. He’s so much bad and dark.” He glanced at Reno. “He’s not what he seems to be darlin. I...he...”
“He needs to die.”
Before Reno could even try to hold it back, so many years of rage, resentment and envy bubbled up through the cracks of control and he was grabbing the back of Jess’ shirt to spin the man around.
His vision flooded with red as the first punch flew to land solid against Jess’ jaw, sending him flying back to crash into the bar.
The club exploded in chaos as people scrambled to get out of the way of the mayhem of the two men fighting.
Stalking over to Jess, Reno grabbed his neck and hauled him up to punch again, this time causing blood to spray against his face, warm and red.
Jess recovered fast and brought a hand up to block the next punch and counter with a round-house from the right, sending Reno stumbling to the left from the blow. Jess let out a pissed roar and straight leg kicked Reno into a set of folding chairs, sending them skittering across the floor.
At this point, the spectators had no idea what exactly was going on. They knew Jess was jealous when it came to Emma, but even they, in their ignorance of the facts, felt this was far too extreme for just that to be the reason for this.