The Seventh Immortal (Hearts of Amaranth #1)

by J. M. Parry

  “Well, I was just going home.”

  “Go,” Kait insisted. The last person who tried to help her ended up dead. She didn't want the same thing to happen to Paul. “I can handle myself.”

  “Not until I know everything is okay,” Paul said. “C'mon, I know a place. Somewhere the cops don't like to go. I don't really understand why, but I never see 'em there. It's really close, but we're going to have to walk in the rain.”

  Kait smiled. “That's not a problem. I'm already wet.” She immediately regretted her choice of words as Paul's eyes went wide. “I mean, I've been out here for a while already.”

  “Let's go.”

  Paul motioned for her to follow him. He stepped out under the awning of the emergency room entrance and felt the rain drizzling onto his head. A wince passed across his face, but he shrugged it off. He headed down the street—Grand Avenue—a few blocks. She followed close behind, eying every corner. The police were looking for her, after all.

  They reached their destination, a small Korean restaurant called The Seoul Bowl, without incident. Stepping inside, they dried their feet on the mat and found a table near the back of the building.

  A pretty young Korean woman with straight, jet-black hair approached to take their drink order. She didn't look to be much older than 18, but she was the only other person in the entire restaurant. Apparently it had an early crowd.

  Paul asked for a Coke. The young woman smiled, then gave Kait a knowing wink. Kait looked down at her blouse and realized that it was clinging tightly to her chest. Everything that she'd wanted to hide before was now on full display under the wet cloth.

  Her face went red. The waitress just giggled at her and took her order. Once she was gone, Kait crossed her arms over her body once again. To his credit, Paul never seemed to be staring.

  “I need a ride downtown,” Kait said. “I have a hotel room at the Renaissance. There, I've got money, a credit card, a passport... Everything I need to leave town. Maybe even leave the country.”

  “Leave the country?” Paul replied. “What happened between when I last saw you and now?”

  Kait glanced around the room. They were alone. The waitress was the only other person in the restaurant and she'd gone back to give the cook their orders. “I killed the mayor,” Kait said.

  “You're kidding.”

  “No, I'm not.”

  Paul stared at her. She half-expected him to stand up and walk out. After all, she'd laid a whole lot of drama at his feet for someone she knew for less than a day. Finally, he spoke:

  “They're never going to let you get on a plane,” he said. “Your picture will be everywhere by morning. The whole city is going to be looking for you. I'd say that you were a dead woman but...”

  “...but we both know I can't die.”

  “You really killed Mayor Levin?”

  “I shot him in the head.”

  “Fuck.”

  Kait began to explain everything that had happened since they parted ways at the hospital. She left out the more lurid details, and used the mysterious message written in her passport to explain her presence at the church. Paul was enraptured by her story, barely touching his food even as it arrived. Kait, of course, couldn't dig in because she was too busy talking. By the time she got to the part where she actually shot Mayor Levin, the sweet smell of her stir-fried pork was almost overwhelming.

  “So he killed this Spencer, and you killed him. Was it revenge?”

  “Something like that,” Kait replied. She raised an eyebrow at him. “You're taking this awfully well.”

  Paul forced a smile. “I never liked the mayor,” he said. “And it seemed like he was going to be elected again and again until the end of time. You probably did us all a favor.”

  “You're not freaked out at all?”

  “I'm totally freaked out,” Paul replied. “But I'm trying to find the silver lining in what might be the weirdest day of my life.”

  Kait couldn't resist her food any more. She picked up her fork to take a bite and she noticed that there was something written on the underside of her napkin. Carefully flipping it over, she read the secret message:

  Come to the bathroom. I can help you escape.

  Before Paul could see the words, she spread the napkin out on her lap. She turned her attention to her food, trying to push the strange invitation out of her head. While she was immortal, she sill felt hunger. She needed to eat, and the stir-fried pork was delicious.

  The secret message nagged at her as she ate. Someone was trying to communicate with her. Did this person know who or what she was? Could they explain even a little bit about what had happened to her?

  Once she approached the end of her meal, Kait excused herself from the table. She peeked around the corner near the restaurant's front counter and found the restrooms. Stepping into the ladies' room, she tried to prepare herself for anything.

  “Took you long enough,” a soft voice said. The restroom stall furthest from the door swung open. Kait was surprised to see the pretty young waitress standing there, hands clasped behind her back. “I don't like it when people make me wait.”

  The waitress stepped out of the stall, a thin smile on her face. She walked to the sink and washed her hands. At least she was clean.

  “Who are you?” Kait asked. “You wrote that message... What do you want?”

  “I want to help you escape,” the girl said. “Isn't that enough?”

  “Escape from here? I seem pretty safe at the moment. And I don't want to leave Paul without saying anything.”

  “Yes you do,” the girl replied. “It's better for him. It's safer for him if he never sees you again. But you already know that, don't you?”

  Kait thought back to Spencer. The only thing he got for helping her was a bullet in the chest. “Who are you?” Kait repeated.

  “Silvi Park,” the girl told her. “And I can help you. The restaurant is safe for now, but do you really think you're getting back downtown without anyone noticing?”

  “You were listening to my conversation?”

  “Of course I was,” Silvi replied.

  “That's comforting.”

  Silvi motioned towards the door. The sound of sirens howled in the distance. “Do you really want to get him involved? I'll take you somewhere safe.”

  “Why do you want to help me?” Kait asked.

  “My boss wants to talk to you,” she answered. “That's it. Just talk. Nothing scary. Nothing bad.”

  “Who is your boss?”

  Silvi rolled her eyes, like she didn't feel like explaining herself. Nevertheless, she tried. “Her name is Christa Xander. She's the CEO of Fractal Capital Management.”

  “That doesn't mean anything to me.”

  “You're new in town?”

  “I'm new in life.”

  Silvi grinned mischievously. “That sounds fun.”

  The sirens were getting louder. Kait heard the screeching of tires outside of the Seoul Bowl. The police had found her, or at least they were closing it.

  “What happens to Paul?” Kait asked.

  “He's safe as long as he's not connected to you,” Silvi replied.

  That was enough to convince Kait. She let Silvi lead her out of the bathroom, back behind the counter of the restaurant, and into the kitchen. A single chef stood near the range, and nodded at Silvi as they past. Despite her young age, Silvi seemed to be in charge of the restaurant.

  Silvi grabbed Kait's hand as they approached the back of the building. She guided her through the rear exit and through a dark alley. There was a sleek, hot pink motorcycle parked next to the dumpster outside the restaurant. Silvi pulled it away from the wall, unlocked it, and mounted the bike.

  “C'mon,” she said, motioning to Kait. “Hop on.”

  Wary, Kait approached the motorcycle. It didn't seem safe, though she was hardly worried about herself. She could survive anything. But what about Silvi?

  “Shouldn't you be wearing a helmet?” Kait asked.


  Silvi laughed. “You're funny.”

  Kait cautiously lifted her leg and straddled the back of the bike. The seat was small and she had to press herself against Silvi's back to fit comfortably.

  “You can get closer,” Silvi said. “I won't bite, unless you ask for it.”

  Wrapping her arms around Silvi's abdomen, she pulled herself even tighter against the young woman. As if on cue, Silvi started the motorcycle. It shook as it revved up. The seat vibrated, sending a twinge of pleasure between Kait's legs.

  Kait felt her knees buckle and she tried to pull away from Silvi. The girl grabbed her hands, keeping them firmly on her stomach.

  “Feels good, doesn't it?” Silvi asked.

  “I... I don't know,” Kait lied. She could feel herself getting wet. Unconsciously, she pressed her hips down into the motorcycle seat.

  Silvi felt the motion and giggled. “Yes you do.”

  Kait leaned in against Silvi's body. She pressed her nose against the girl's hair. She couldn't stop herself. Her experience with Spencer earlier that evening had left her unsatisfied. As soon as she thought of him, she tried to pull away.

  “I'm sorry,” Kait said.

  “No you're not,” Silvi replied. She took Kait's hand and guided it further up her chest. “All of your senses are so strong, aren't they? Everything you feel wants to overwhelm you. Don't be afraid of it. Give into it.”

  Kait wanted to. She nuzzled her mouth against Silvi's neck, kissing the skin between her jaw and her collar bone. Silvi arched back, gasping slightly at the sensation.

  “Don't stop,” Silvi said. She began to press Kait's hand against her chest, rubbing her right breast through her shirt. Kait rocked her hips on the thrumming motorcycle, letting the vibrations echo through her body.

  Silvi shifted her body, turning just enough that her lips could meet Kait's. Kait kissed her hard, lapping at her lips with her tongue. She tasted like nothing Kait had ever experienced before. There was something unnatural about her—something Kait couldn't place, especially in her delirious condition.

  Revving the motorcycle, Silvi slipped her tongue into Kait's mouth. Kait gasped, inhaling the intoxicating taste of the young woman. She couldn't help but imagine Silvi kissing her somewhere else. She wanted her skillful mouth between her legs, exploring the dripping wetness that threatened to overwhelm her. The vibration of the motorcycle wasn't enough. No matter how much she grinded into it, it wouldn't take her where she needed to go. She needed Silvi's tongue, though she didn't want to let it slip from between her lips.

  Suddenly, they were interrupted by flashing lights. A police car had parked at the edge of the alley and had spotted them.

  “I'm sorry,” Silvi said, stroking Kait's cheek. “We'll have to continue this later.”

  With a quick motion, Silvi knocked the kickstand out from underneath the motorcycle. Before Kait could even recover and brace herself, Silvi accelerated out of the alley onto Grand Avenue.

  Kait held tight to Silvi as she made a sharp turn towards Downtown St. Louis. She could still feel the tempting vibrations of the bike against her, but they were overwhelmed by the fear of the police cars chasing them. Her heart pounded, but not in the way she wanted.

  The streetlights flew past them at blinding speeds. Kait closed her eyes as Silvi weaved between cars to lose the cop cars. She thought she was going to be sick. Going from such pleasure to such terror was very unsettling.

  After a few minutes, the sirens grew soft. They were losing their pursuers. Kait opened her eyes. They were downtown. She didn't even want to think about how fast they had to drive to get there.

  Silvi pulled the motorcycle over near a large skyscraper. Kait would later learn that it was One Metropolitan Square, the tallest building in St. Louis and the home to the Fractal Capital Management corporation.

  “We're here,” Silvi said.

  Kait perked up her ears. The cops were gone, and she felt like they still had unfinished business. Pushing herself against Silvi's back, she tried to turn the girl around to face her. She wanted to kiss her again. She wanted to taste her again.

  “Oh, you are going to be fun,” Silvi said, slipping her hand between their lips. “But Christa would kill me if I took any more of your time.”

  “Just a few minutes...”

  “Don't be so spoiled,” Silvi teased her. “I can do more for you later... But now, just be happy I got you somewhere the mayor can't reach you.”

  Kait laughed. “I thought you were listening to my conversation. Apparently you weren't listening well enough. The police are a problem, but the mayor's not. I killed him.”

  “I wouldn't be so sure.”

  “Why?”

  Silvi dismounted the bike. Kait hated that she was so far away. “Because it's impossible to kill him.”

  “What?” Kait asked. She knew what was coming, and it already felt like a punch to the stomach. All of her sensual desires disappeared in an instant.

  “Mayor Levin is one of us.”

  Chapter Five

  Christa Xander was a dreadfully imposing woman, with dark brown hair that hung around her pale face in long, perfectly-straight chunks. Her black eyes seemed like long tunnels into another, frightful world. She dressed in a sharp burgundy pantsuit that clung to her sinewy, muscular body. Her age was impossible to discern, both because of the heavy makeup caking her face and the singular fact that united her with Kait on this dreary night: Christa Xander was immortal.

  She wasn't the only one. Daniel Levin was also an immortal, as was Silvi Park. Pastor Eve Weisz was among their number, and there were two more than Kait had yet to meet. Grant L'Enfant was the chief of police for the city. Thomas Kemp was the leader of the Obshina organized crime family, who ruled over north St. Louis like a separate fiefdom.

  Kait didn't feel special any more, though that disappointment was vastly outweighed by relief. She wasn't alone in her strange condition. She was also no longer guilty of murder. That was a nice bonus.

  Christa Xander was the CEO of Fractal Capital Management, a private equity firm that incorporated in St. Louis around the same time as the rest of the immortals arrived in the city—ten years ago.

  “It has been over a hundred and fifty years since another one of us has turned up,” Christa said, staring at Kait with cold eyes. “You can see why you have caused such a stir. I'm sure we all have many questions for you.”

  Kait fidgeted nervously with her hands. Even though it was better than being outside, running from the police, she didn't feel comfortable in Christa's office. She wished that it was Silvi giving her this talk. The young woman was much more...approachable than the intimidating CEO of Fractal Capital. “I don't know how much help I can be,” she replied. “But I'd much rather answer a few questions than be drugged in a hospital room.”

  Christa smiled. Her teeth seemed sharp. “Rest assured, Miss Selias,” she said. “That is not how we operate on this side of the divide. We hold freedom and choice in very high regard.”

  “Good to hear.”

  “So, Miss Selias, tell me... What are we? How did this happen to us?”

  Kait reeled from the question. Her mind raced as she tried to understand Christa's question. It felt backwards. Christa shouldn't have been asking Kait what she was. It should have been the other way around.

  After a few seconds of awkward silence, Kait realized the horrible truth: Christa didn't even know what they were. Silvi had promised—or at least suggested—that the Fractal CEO could explain everything. In truth, she was just as clueless as Kait.

  “I'm... I'm sorry,” Kait said. “But I don't even know who I am, let alone what I am.” Christa recoiled, as if stung, and slumped down in her chair. “To be honest, I thought you would be able to tell me what I am.”

  Christa considered this. She folded her hands in front of her and leaned forward. “We are the last relics from the age of fate,” she replied.

  Kait raised an eyebrow. Christa's response was poetic, but it
didn't really tell her anything. “Is that all you have?”

  “Read the books of old and they will talk of God as if he were a tangible force—something that could be felt and heard.” Christa stood up. She began to pace around her desk. “Think, Kait, do you feel God in this room? Did you feel him out on the street today? NO! You did not, and that is because he is gone. He has passed from this world, but he has given a select few of us a gift. It is the gift of his memory, and his voice. I remember what it was like to know that God was there—to know that he was real.”

  Kait was unsettled by Christa's sudden fanatical turn. If she wasn't immortal, she might have been frightened of the powerful woman. As it was, her strange condition gave her surprising courage. “There's a problem with your theory,” Kait said. “If we were given immortality to remember God, why have I forgotten everything?”

  Christa smiled a sick, twisted smile. “And there is the problem. When I heard about you, Kait Selias, I thought you might be the one we've been waiting for. The one of us who has been hidden since the beginning who could explain what happened two hundred years ago, and what we are meant to do with it.”

  “Sorry I'm a disappointment,” Kait replied.

  “You're worse than that. Not only do you lack answers, but you have no message. You cast doubt on the one thing that the six of us were absolutely certain of: that we we are the last messengers of God. We are his final Gospels to the world, destined to spread his word until the end of time. But what word can you teach, Kait?”

  Kait's heart began to race. She finally understood what the message in her passport meant. These six immortals—Christa, Silvi, Eve, Grant, Thomas, and Levin—were the Gospels she was supposed to seek out. They believed that they were the messengers of God. That was why they installed themselves in positions of power—CEO, pastor, police chief, mayor—where they could spread their personal ideologies.

  While this was all enlightening, it was also frightening. Christa wasn't much different from Mayor Levin. She just had a different ideology. Just like Levin, she saw herself as one of the last of God's messengers left on Earth.