The Ferryman (The Guardians Series 1 Book 2)

by Wendy Saunders

  Olivia and Veronica pulled up to the cemetery and the first thing they noticed were the two police cruisers parked just inside the entrance, alongside the Coroner’s van.

  ‘Oh for God’s sake’ Olivia muttered, ‘what now?’

  They both climbed out of the truck and waded through the deep snow to a plot that was cordoned off with police tape. The gravestone seemed to have been knocked off kilter and set at a strange angle and the pristine white snow was streaked with mud and wooden splinters. They watched in morbid curiosity as the coffin was winched up out of the earth and set alongside the exhumed grave. Veronica’s breath caught in her throat as they saw the top of the coffin, the wood split and caved in. Rather than something trying to break out it looked as if something had tried to break in. Olivia shivered, not knowing which reality was worse as both scenario belonged in a horror movie.

  Dr Achari stepped forward as the men prized the remains of the lid off, and peered into the coffin. He reached in with gloved hands, briefly examining whatever corpse was in there. After a brief scrutiny he turned to Jake and the two began a hushed conversation. Jake nodded after a moment and Dr Achari beckoned his two assistants forward. Noticing Olivia and Veronica, Jake broke away and stalked through the snow towards them.

  ‘Hey Jake,’ Olivia greeted him.

  ‘You two seem to make a habit of showing up at the wrong place and time,’ he frowned. ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘I came to speak with Jed about Renata’s funeral tomorrow,’ Veronica told him.

  ‘What’s going on Jake?’ Olivia asked.

  He sighed and readjusted his hat. ‘It looks as if we’ve got some nut job on the loose, who’s been disturbing graves.’

  ‘And when you say disturbing graves, you mean?’

  ‘Digging them up and cracking the coffins open.’

  Veronica grimaced. ‘Why would anyone want to do that?’

  Jake hesitated, his gaze tracking over to where they were loading up the corpse and damaged coffin to be taken in for examination.

  ‘You might as well tell us the truth Jake,’ Olivia interrupted his thoughts.

  ‘There is some evidence to suggest something has been…’

  ‘Oh for heaven’s sake Jake will you just spit it out.’

  ‘Feeding on the corpses,’ he finished in distaste.

  ‘Are you joking?’ Veronica’s mouth fell open.

  ‘I wish I was,’ he shook his head.

  ‘Do you think it’s some sort of animal then?’ she asked hopefully.

  ‘Could be,’ he replied.

  ‘But not likely, given the look on your face Jake,’ Olivia frowned. ‘You might as well tell us all of it, I expect we’ll find out about it sooner or later.’

  ‘Dr Achari seems to think the bite marks resemble human teeth marks.’

  ‘Eeew,’ Veronica swallowed convulsively, ‘I think I may be sick.’

  ‘Just breathe through it Roni,’ Olivia shook her head and turned back to Jake. ‘You said corpses as in plural, are there more?’

  ‘We’ve discovered two this morning, it’s hard to tell though as it keeps snowing. Any evidence or disturbed graves are getting covered up quicker than we can discover them, but the two we have found are very recent. This one was buried just three days ago and the other one about a week and a half ago.’

  ‘Fresh meat?’ Olivia stated.

  ‘Please Olivia,’ Veronica paled.

  ‘That,’ Jake replied, ‘and loosely packed soil, easier to dig up.’

  ‘God damn it,’ Olivia muttered under her breath.

  ‘This is getting out of hand now Olive,’ he frowned, ‘a few ghosts are one thing, but the thing Veronica saw in the snow the other night, all the sick people in the hospital and now this? We’ve got a very serious problem.’

  ‘I know,’ Olivia let out a frustrated breath.

  She looked out across the Cemetery and noticed Chief Macallister breaking away from the other cops and heading in their direction.

  ‘Olivia,’ he nodded as he joined them.

  ‘Mac,’ she answered, ‘this is Veronica Mason, she’s taking over from Renata at the Museum.’

  ‘Temporarily,’ Veronica replied holding out her hand, ‘it’s nice to meet you Chief Macallister.’

  ‘Miss Mason,’ he nodded again as he shook her hand politely, before fixing his attention on Olivia. ‘We seem to have a bit of a problem here.’

  ‘That’s an understatement.’

  ‘Jake’s filled me in on everything that’s been going on, including Miss Mason’s involvement,’ Mac told Olivia, ‘so what are you doing about finding the Ferryman and how can we help?’

  ‘I just don’t know Mac,’ she shrugged helplessly. ‘I think he’s been abducted but I can’t be a hundred percent certain. I don’t know who’d have the power to take him or why.’

  ‘Do you think your mother has anything to do with it?’ he asked carefully, ‘after all she does have a pet demon. I’m willing to bet a demon has enough juice to capture the Ferryman.’

  ‘Possibly,’ Olivia frowned, ‘I certainly wouldn’t put it past her to cause this much chaos but what I can’t figure out is why she would want him, what could she possibly have to gain?’

  ‘Why don’t we get together at your place when we’re not freezing our asses off in a cemetery and go over everything you have so far. If it is an abduction, we’ll work it like any other case and hopefully between us we can generate some useful leads or at least a working theory.’

  ‘Sounds good,’ Olivia replied in relief. ‘Let’s deal with Renata’s funeral first but why don’t you and Jake come by the day after tomorrow.’

  ‘Sounds like a plan,’ he answered. ‘I have to get back to work now, Jake you coming?’

  ‘I’ll be right there,’ he nodded as Mac disappeared back towards the crime scene, ‘You two need to be careful.’

  ‘We’re fine,’ Veronica retorted, ‘we can take care of ourselves thank you.’

  ‘Veronica,’ Jake scowled, ‘you can’t even keep yourself upright half the time.’

  ‘Just because I trip up every now and then doesn’t mean I’m going to go trawling through a graveyard in the middle of the night looking for some creature so it can chew on me. I’m not stupid.’

  ‘I didn’t say you were,’ his eyes flashed angrily, ‘I just asked you to be careful.’

  ‘Well fortunately for you I’m not your responsibility,’ she turned and stormed off.

  ‘Veronica,’ he growled and moved to follow her until Olivia stopped him.

  ‘Just let her go Jake,’ she smiled sympathetically. ‘In this argument I don’t think there are any winners.’

  ‘Look I’m just worried about you both. With the rate creatures are pouring into Mercy it’s only a matter of time before one of us comes up against something we won’t be able to handle.’

  ‘I know,’ she soothed him, ‘we’ll be careful I promise. Are you coming to Renata’s funeral tomorrow?’

  Jake shook his head. ‘I’m working.’

  ‘Then I’ll see you at my place the day after,’ she reached up on tiptoes and pressed an affectionate kiss to his cold lips. ‘Stop pouting, I’ll watch Veronica.’

  ‘Yeah but who’s going to watch you?’ he grumbled.

  She smiled and walked away leaving him shaking his head in exasperation.

  Olivia headed for Veronica who was standing talking to Jed as he watched the exhumation in disgust.

  ‘What is the world coming to,’ he shook his head, ‘folks aren’t even safe in their own graves. Vandals!’

  Assuming Jake hadn’t shared the part about the bite marks Olivia wisely chose not to respond. ‘So are we having a funeral tomorrow or not?’ she asked carefully.

  ‘We are,’ Veronica breathed in relief, ‘Jed says everything’s ready to go.’

  ‘Had a bit of trouble breaking ground for the plot as it’s so damn cold, dirt was
frozen solid,’ he replied scratching his chin thoughtfully, ‘had to get a digger in. I wonder how the vandals were able to dig up Mrs Peabody so easily.’

  Olivia didn’t want to try and explain that supernatural creatures probably wouldn’t let something as mundane as frozen dirt stop them from digging up a fresh corpse if that was what they wanted, so she steered the conversation to safer ground.

  ‘Did you know Renata then Jed?’

  ‘Might’ve nodded in passing a few times over the years, was a fine looking woman that one.’

  ‘Jed,’ she smiled, ‘did you have a bit of a thing for Renata?’

  ‘Now, I didn’t say no such thing,’ but his cheeks pinked up, which Olivia suspected had nothing to do with the cold.

  Veronica glanced at Olivia and smiled at the sweet old guy.

  ‘Go on,’ he blushed again, ‘get on with you, some of us have work to do.’

  He shooed them away and headed towards his cabin down the hill.

  Veronica laughed as Olivia wrapped her arm through hers and they walked companionably back up the hill together.

  ‘So what was all that business with Jake earlier?’

  ‘Nothing.’

  ‘Roni?’

  Veronica shrugged. ‘I just don’t appreciate it when he gets all male and bossy, it’s condescending.’

  ‘No it’s not,’ Olivia replied, ‘he’s genuinely worried.’

  ‘Well I’m not his to worry about.’

  ‘I thought you two were friends?’

  Veronica sighed, it wasn’t because she didn’t like Jake. The problem was she liked him a little too much, something she couldn’t admit to Olivia who’d been one of his best friends since they were kids. The guy was insanely good looking with all that blonde hair and blue eyes and his face sure was nice to look at. She had been genuinely touched when he had first starting stopping by her place to check on her. She’d looked forward to seeing him, in fact it had fast become the best part of her day. She’d half convinced herself he was interested in her but that was just a stupid fantasy; she was sick of people treating her like a clumsy child who couldn’t look after herself. She’d had enough of that from her family, just for once she’d wanted someone to see her as a woman. What she wouldn’t give to be as confident and carelessly sexy as Olivia was. It was one of the things she both admired and envied about her friend. But that wasn’t who she was and now every time she was around Jake she would end up being snippy and defensive because she felt like a stupid nerdy kid with a pathetic crush on the high school Quarterback.

  ‘Roni?’ Olivia nudged her gently.

  ‘I’m okay, we are friends, sort of,’ she conceded, ‘he’s just annoying.’

  ‘Okay,’ Olivia replied carefully.

  ‘Why don’t we head into town,’ Veronica changed the subject. ‘You can do your shopping and, did you hear Liddy Mayberry has just opened up her own bakery and tea room?’

  ‘No,’ she replied in surprise.

  ‘I’ve heard she makes a wicked cup of cocoa, my treat.’

  ‘You had me at Liddy Mayberry,’ Olivia laughed. ‘Anything that woman has had a hand in always ends up tasting phenomenal.’

  It’s a date then,’ she smiled as they wandered back along the path.

  Suddenly Olivia stopped, her smile disappearing as she looked around the cemetery. Snowflakes were once again drifting down from the sky, pale and ghostlike on the silent air.

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Olivia frowned, ‘it just felt like we were being watched.’

  ‘Come on,’ Veronica tugged on Olivia’s sleeve, ‘this place is starting to give me the creeps.’

  Turning back to her friend and nodding in agreement they hurried back to the truck.

  Nathaniel pulled back into the shadow of the Mausoleum, the fresh blanket of snow concealing him even further as he watched the West girl and the other human who accompanied her. That one was of no importance, it was the West girl who held his interest. He had seen her that night at the hollow. She’d wielded Hell fire; he was certain of it. He’d watched her pull a bow and arrow of sapphire and black flame and although she held back she’d conjured the ancient and powerful fire, something no human had ever been able to do. What made her so special?

  Isabel West had gone to a great deal of trouble to make sure he couldn’t harm the girl. He looked down at his hands, turning them over and studying them in the pale light. As long as he was trapped in this filthy rotting prison of human flesh, he couldn’t do anything. Although the fact she had trapped him made his fists clench tightly in silent fury, he knew patience was the key. She could not keep him trapped forever, the witch was so arrogant she thought she had the upper hand, but he was simply biding his time. Her single-minded obsession to find Infernum blinded her to all else. He was not so narrow minded. He had spent thousands of years searching for Infernum; he knew its allure, just as he knew it was supposed to be his. So he would use the witch for now and once he broke free from the pig flesh body she had trapped him into he would take Infernum and with it he would raise up his brother Seth from the darkest and deepest level of Hell. The Hell gate would burst open and all their brethren would be freed. They would rule as kings, and all the mortals would know true suffering.

  He glanced down as something caught at his wrist. At first he thought it was a snowflake, but as he grasped its edge and tugged a sliver of human flesh peeled away. Nathaniel smiled, it would not be long, the fleshy prison could not hold his true form for ever, it was already starting to break down. Once he was free he would make sure that Isabel West suffered for what she had dared to do to him. He would peel the flesh slowly from her body then he would tear her slowly limb from limb before boiling her in oils, after the time he spent during the Crusades and then later in Constantinople he had learned some truly exquisite torture methods, it was almost amusing the inventive ways these humans came up with to cause each other untold amounts of pain. He would be happy to take his time with the witch making sure she got to fully experience every single moment of it, her daughter on the other hand was an entirely different matter as for Olivia West…well he had plans for her.

  Chapter 18

  Olivia glanced around the room, nursing what would turn out to be her only glass of wine. The funeral had been as perfect as Veronica could have made it and Renata had been laid to rest in Mercy cemetery as she’d wanted. Any evidence of the unpleasantness from the day before had been removed. Besides it wasn’t much of a crime scene as it kept snowing and covering everything up. They probably wouldn’t know until Spring how many graves had actually been disturbed. But Jed, bless his heart, had made sure the police tape and anything else was removed so as not to alarm anyone at the funeral. Veronica had been especially worried about burying Renata, knowing there was some sort of horrible creature on the loose digging up fresh graves and feeding on the corpses. Still, Olivia had managed to find a way around that with a simple charm and hex bag. She dropped it into the grave disguised in a handful of soil, right under the nose of the Rabbi, to ensure her grave would be protected.

  Renata had a good turnout, all things considered. The snow had still not let up much with the temperature hovering at a bone-jarring level below freezing, and besides half of the town were sick with various ailments. But everyone who could make it did and for that Olivia was pleased. Renata may not have known it, being the intensely private person that she’d been, but she’d been well liked and respected and frankly she would be sorely missed by so many people, herself included. She was glad Veronica was being given the opportunity to run the museum but it still didn’t feel right, knowing that every time she walked through the door Renata would no longer be there to greet her. Noticing Veronica was beckoning her over, she glanced around the room once more wondering where on earth Theo had got to, before moving through the mourners to join her friend.

  Theo leaned his head back against the wall and tipped his beer up, taking a
deep pull. He was leaning casually against a wall in a quiet corner of the room, one hand tucked in his pocket, his tie loosened and his top button undone. It was the first time he’d had to wear a suit and although he had enjoyed the way Olivia’s eyes had lit up with appreciation at the sight of him, the damn tie felt like a noose, making him very nervous for some reason.

  His gaze automatically sought out Olivia as she crossed the room towards Veronica. He doubted she could see him from where he was standing but that just allowed him to watch her freely. He tilted his beer back again and took another swig. She was so damn beautiful it hurt to look at her sometimes, especially knowing that there was a big part of himself he was hiding from her. The day before he’d sat in his studio staring at the paintings of his former wife. He’d almost expected her to appear in person, but she didn’t. It was like she was tormenting him, letting him know she hadn’t forgotten what had happened to her nor the part he had played in it. She wouldn’t let him forget it either and it seemed she wouldn’t let him move past it.

  He frowned absently as he looked down at the beer bottle in his hand, wanting to be free of the guilt and the pain. Every time he thought of Mary it was like a vice gripping his heart. They’d been friends once, before they married and even for a while after. He hadn’t loved her, Olivia was the only one to ever hold his heart, even back then when he hadn’t known she was real. But he had cared for Mary in his own way. Part of the problem had been Mary had loved him desperately and when he couldn’t love her in return, the way she deserved or wanted, that was when things had started to turn bad. From that point onwards they had gone from bad to worse.

  He had decided to tell Olivia the truth, making his decision while he’d been sitting staring at the portraits of Mary the day before. She deserved to know the truth and to be honest the guilt was beginning to suffocate him; he simply couldn’t keep it from her any longer. He’d intended to tell her when she returned home, but the words just wouldn’t come. So he’d changed the subject and listened to her talk about her afternoon, while eating one of Liddy Mayberry’s strawberry tarts that she’d brought home for him.