The Blood and Light Series (Six Books Boxed Set)

by Rue Volley

  Caine tilted his head and grinned at her.

  “Am I speaking to the Noble who set the war in motion?” he asked her.

  Sia smiled and nodded her head.

  “Wars have been waged over hearts broken before, my Lord,” Sia said to him.

  Caine flashed up to her face and stared at her.

  “I wanted his family dead as he made me feel, my Lord. When he cast me aside, I felt it impossible to ignore,” she said to him.

  “It never ceases to amaze me… you Nobles are special creatures,” Caine said to her.

  Sia smiled and looked up at the sky.

  “I know that you sent a nymph to do your bidding; I will also dispense of her. I expect to be rewarded when I return,” Sia said.

  “That you will… whatever you desire.”

  Sia nodded and walked from him towards the tower.

  Caine looked at his hands and then to the sky.

  “The blessings of the creator are upon us,” Caine muttered.

  ***

  Josh stopped flashing across the countryside and stood there looking at his hands, as he felt them tingle with a vibration. He did not know exactly why, but did not welcome it. Normally when he felt this, someone or something was on the march with bad intention in mind. It made him weary, as he had been right before Mia had shown up and tried to kill him. He looked up at the sun just starting to break the horizon and realized that he was going to have to retrieve Rue and her brother and the carnival may have to move again. Convincing Rue that becoming homeless was best… well that was a completely different task, on top of the fact that he owed an apology to her. One he did not want to give.

  He started to move again and shook off the feeling of dread. He approached the edge of Calvary and looked out across the charred landscape. He could feel humans still there… amazed that the town had not simply given up after the fire. He slowed his pace, as he reached the main street and looked down it. Not all the buildings had been laid to ruin, but those still standing had blackened walls and a smell that permeated the air.

  He started to walk, and a door opened to a white house on the right. It looked to have less damage than most houses, and a small boy ran out and grabbed the newspaper in the yard. Josh glanced at him, and the boy stood there staring at him for a moment… until his mother appeared in the doorway and called him back in.

  Josh continued to walk, knowing that this town had bared the blunt of Sophia Graph’s wrath… a wrath that was directed at him and his family and probably Rue also. He wanted to feel pity for those who had perished because of it, but he kept his emotions in check. His only true mission here was to convince Rue and Kai that they did need to return with him, although he himself felt as if he beckoned destruction. He always felt as if it haunted him, like a ghost.

  He stopped in front of what remained of “Coffee” and had a moment of memory, one of all of them sitting at the corner table… laughing. It quickly faded, and he shook his head and headed in the direction of the home they had all claimed as their own. He stepped onto Hideaway Drive and felt nothing, no vibration… no heartbeats. It put him into a panic, and he started to run. As he rounded the corner he came to a stop when he looked at the house, standing there like it had never even seen fire. He grinned and tilted his head, as he looked up and saw Rue pacing in her window, moving her hands around like she was in a conversation… maybe with Kai, or maybe she was talking to herself. That would be odd, but not unlike her.

  He smiled and started to walk towards the front door, when it opened and Kai stepped out and leaned on the doorway with his arms crossed on his chest. Josh stopped and looked at him, hoping that this was not fight one… preparing him for fight two with Rue. Kai looked a little irritated, but not so completely that Josh felt it necessary to beg to come in… as if he would beg anyway, but it did cross his mind. The after effects of Theo’s romp into the unknown with Jonah had temporarily made him more sensitive then he would prefer to be, mainly just pissing him off more than anything. Josh feeling all emotional was not cool, not at all.

  Kai unfolded his arms and stared at him.

  “What’s up?” Kai asked him.

  Josh tilted his head, stepped up onto the porch, and looked at him, trying to not say anything would come off like a girl. He swallowed and looked at the door behind him.

  “I came to convince Rue that you guys can’t squat here,” Josh said, trying to sound like himself.

  Kai laughed and walked to the porch swing. He sat down and let it swing a little from his dropping down on it. He looked over to Josh and shook his head.

  “It’s your funeral,” Kai said, as he laughed.

  Josh looked at him and sighed.

  “You have to know that this is insane.”

  Kai grinned and leaned back, placing his hands behind his head and resting on them.

  “I never said that she was sane; I just said don’t mess around with her.”

  Josh walked over to him and sat down on the railing. He turned sideways and leaned on the pole. Kai laughed again and kicked his foot, making the swing move a little more.

  “What?” Josh asked him.

  “Rue did the same thing, same spot… same look on her face, when we got here,” Kai said.

  “Huh,” Josh said, as he looked down at his hands and held his smile in.

  “You know…” Kai said, as he leaned forward. “There isn’t anyone else in the world that she cares about more than you.”

  Josh looked at him and grinned.

  “You think so?” he asked.

  Kai leaned back and grinned.

  “You are so gay, dude,” Kai said, as he laughed.

  “Oh, shut up, you dick,” Josh said, as he stood up and walked to the door.

  Kai leaned forward on the swing and looked over at him.

  “Josh,” he said.

  Josh glanced at him.

  “What now?”

  “You are gonna have to say ‘sorry’ first.”

  Josh smiled and pulled the door open.

  “No way,” he said, as he stepped into the living room and looked around.

  Here it was. The room he met her in… the spot where he sucked her memory out… like a dick. He smiled, as he thought about her hitting him… so mad about the fact that he had done it. She was cute to him that day. All defiant and beautiful. He looked at the couch and remembered ‘movie night’ and the fact that it killed him to watch her lying on the floor with Johnathan. Oh yea… Johnathan. He thought.

  “Shit,” Josh muttered to himself, as he looked up at the ceiling.

  He suddenly regretted going there… in the state he was in. All tempted to say something unlike him, ‘girlie’ in Rue talk. He sighed and tilted his head, as he heard Rue’s voice upstairs. He decided that he didn’t travel here to worry about whether he came off ‘girlie’ or not; he came here to protect. He stepped onto the first step and heard Rue talking louder, and he started to run. Maybe she wasn’t alone after all. He ran up the steps, stopped at her closed door, and grabbed the handle. He leaned in, placing his ear against the door, and heard Rue say “Johnathan”. He swung the door open to see her standing there, in the middle of the room.

  ***

  I looked at him standing there and dropped my hands at my sides. My mouth dropped, as I looked at Johnathan and Lizzy, and then I turned to Josh, ready for him to go off at the sight of Johnathan.

  “Talking to yourself again?” Josh asked me.

  I took a breath and looked at Lizzy. She shook her head ‘no’, and I shook my head and swallowed. Ah, so Josh couldn’t see them he would be all “WTF?” if he could. I tried to grin, and I know it looked half-assed. Josh stepped in, and I watched Johnathan and Lizzy step to my window and stare at us.

  “Yes… I guess I am,” I said.

  This whole lying thing is becoming habit… a bad one at that. Josh smiled and stood there like he needed to be invited the rest of the way in, but I don’t know if I want that right now.

&nbs
p; “That is weird,” Josh said.

  I tilted my head at him.

  “Oh… weird like my feet?” I asked him.

  Josh laughed and held his hands up to me.

  “I come in peace… I swear,” he said.

  “Sure you did,” I said.

  Johnathan laughed, and Lizzy hit him in the side.

  I glanced back at them, and Josh watched me.

  “I did, Rue,” Josh said, as he stepped towards me.

  I moved back and felt my bed. I sat down… before I awkwardly fell on it, like I knew that it was there. I didn’t though. My only thought was that Josh was there to have a serious ‘us’ conversation, and Johnathan and Lizzy were standing at my window all ‘ghost mode‘, and I didn’t want this conversation to be public.

  “Do you want me to cover my ears?” Lizzy asked me.

  I looked at her and raised my eyebrows.

  “Sorry… just thought I would ask,” Lizzy said, as she crossed her arms on her chest and lingered… awesome.

  I looked up at Josh and fought the urge to tell him about the two of them.

  Lizzy took a step forward.

  “Don’t,” she said.

  “Ummm, why… why did you come here?” I asked him.

  Josh rubbed his neck, walked to the side of my bed, and looked down at me.

  “I love you,” he said.

  “Oh, for craps sake,” Johnathan muttered behind me.

  I shook my head, and Josh went down to one knee and took my hand in his.

  “I do,” Josh said, as he leaned forward and cocked his head to try to see my face.

  “I… I didn’t mean ‘no’ when I shook my head… I just, ahh…” I tried to say.

  “Listen… you can’t stay here. It isn’t safe, you have to know that.”

  I looked at him. He looked genuinely concerned. I knew that I shouldn’t be there. I knew that I shouldn’t have allowed Kai to come, but I was so pissed at him. So mad that I didn’t care… but the anger had started to fade with the pain in my stomach, and now a ‘stupid’ feeling is settling in. I sighed and looked into his eyes.

  “I want to stay here, Josh. I hate the carnival,” I said.

  “I know baby,” Josh whispered.

  Johnathan stepped forward.

  “Baby?” he said.

  I glanced at him, and Josh looked towards my window.

  “What do you keep looking at?” he asked me.

  “Nothing,” I said… way too quick.

  “Uh huh,” Josh said, as he stood up and walked towards the window.

  Lizzy moved, but Johnathan stood there and let Josh walk right up to his face. I stood up and looked at him, and Johnathan looked at me and smiled. He leaned in and acted like he was going to kiss Josh. I held up my hand.

  “Don’t,” I said.

  Josh and Johnathan looked at me.

  “Don’t what?” Josh asked me.

  I walked towards him and smiled, trying to stall.

  “I, uh… I didn’t want you to step on this,” I said, as I reached down and picked up a tennis shoe and waved it in the air.

  “You didn’t want me to crush your shoe,” Josh said, all ‘Josh like’.

  “Yes… I love this shoe.”

  Johnathan laughed and started to hump on him from behind, and I laughed.

  Josh turned to me, and Johnathan stood behind him, waving his arm in the air while he was humping away.

  “What?” Josh asked me.

  “I just… you are right, it’s just a shoe.” I said as I tossed it over my shoulder.

  Josh walked to me and shook his head.

  “Do you need Theo to check you out? You are acting weird,” he said.

  “Me...? No, I’m good,” I said.

  “Well… I am asking you to leave with me,” he said.

  I shook my head and glanced at Johnathan.

  “I wanna stay in my bed tonight,” I said.

  Josh sighed and threw his hands up.

  “Okay… fine. I am sleeping on the couch then,” he said.

  “Fine,” I said.

  Josh walked to my door and stopped. He turned around with a grin on his face.

  “Unless… you would prefer company,” he said.

  I glanced at my two noisy ghosts and shook my head ‘no’.

  “Are you sure...? I can so make it worth it,” Josh said.

  Johnathan snorted and looked at him.

  “That is his line...? Really?” he said.

  I shooshed him, and Josh tilted his head at me.

  “Did you shoosh me?” he asked.

  I smiled.

  “I, uh… no, I do not want company,” I said.

  Josh shook his head at me.

  “Okay then,” he said, as he walked to the door and finally stepped out.

  I leaned back and he popped back in and smiled.

  “We could go for ten,” he said to me.

  I laughed and shook my head ‘no.’ Josh shrugged his shoulders and disappeared into the hallway. I leaned back, still smiling, and Johnathan leaned over the bed and stared me down.

  “What does ‘go for ten’ mean?” he asked me.

  I bit my lip and sat up.

  “Nothing,” I said.

  Lizzy giggled, and I kept my eyes locked on Johnathan.

  “Why did you hump him?” I asked.

  Johnathan smiled and stepped back, as he shrugged his shoulders.

  “I don’t know it was funny.” He said.

  “It was juvenile,” I said.

  “Oh yeah…you laughed,” Johnathan said.

  “I did; I shouldn’t have though,” I said to him.

  “Oh, come on…he would have done the same exact thing to me…you know it.”

  I smiled and looked at my door.

  “He would have done worse,” I said.

  Johnathan looked at me and lost his smile. I looked back at him, and he started to fade. I stood up and walked to him. I reached out, and my hand went through him.

  “Johnathan,” I whispered.

  He raised his hand and looked at me, as he continued to fade right in front of me. Lizzy stepped to his side, and they both disappeared from sight. I stood there and took a breath, stepping back and dropping down on my bed. My door opened up, and Josh peeked in.

  “Are you sure?” he asked me.

  “Oh my god,” I said, as I threw a pillow at him, and he closed the door and let the door take the hit.

  “Go to bed!” I yelled out, as I laughed.

  I pushed myself up and walked to my window. I looked out in my yard and grinned. I wish that this wasn’t one night… I would love to just be able to call this home again. I really would.

  ***

  Johnathan looked around, as he materialized in the house he recognized. It was Lizzy’s house once again. He looked over, and she stood there shaking her head at him.

  “What?” he asked her.

  “I told you that we needed to find someone… but no, you had to hump on that boy,” she said.

  Johnathan smiled.

  “I owed him,” he said.

  “I doubt that,” Lizzy said, as she started to walk from the room.

  Johnathan followed her and raised his hands up in the air.

  “You have no idea,” he said.

  Lizzy stopped and turned to him.

  “Let me tell you a little secret, Johnathan.”

  Johnathan stopped and looked at her.

  “I am a psychic,” Lizzy said to him.

  Johnathan tilted his head at her.

  “What you like see the future?” he asked her.

  “No… not the future… past and present,” she said to him.

  “Well, that is not technically psychic,” Johnathan said.

  “Yes it is,” Lizzy said.

  “No… it’s like reading a newspaper. You see the stuff that already happened,” Johnathan said.

  Lizzy placed her hands on her hips and cocked her hip to the side.

  Joh
nathan watched her and grinned because it reminded him of Sam.

  Lizzy smiled and looked down at her hip.

  “Reminds you of Sam?” she asked.

  He stopped smiling and stared at her.

  “Yea… it does,” he said, looking confused.

  “Uh huh… I can hear what you say in your head,” Lizzy said.

  “That is just disturbing,” he said, as he crossed his arms on his chest.

  “Well, I have to concentrate, and if there is more than one person it gets all crazy, like a bunch of mumbling,” she said.

  “So you have like a super power,” Johnathan said.

  “What?” Lizzy asked him.

  “Like a super hero,” he said.

  “Oh… well, I never thought of it like that,” Lizzy said.

  Johnathan smiled.

  “Don’t think about me in some ridiculous costume,” Lizzy said.

  Johnathan ginned.

  “Don’t invade my thoughts,” Johnathan said back to her, as he laughed.

  “You know, she loves you,” Lizzy said.

  Johnathan lost his grin and looked at his hands.

  “I don’t… don’t do that okay.”

  Lizzy looked at him and felt his thoughts shift to sadness.

  She decided to leave it alone, knowing that it wasn’t anything he would joke about.

  “Well, we need to feed.”

  Johnathan looked at her and sighed.

  “I so don’t want to do that,” he said.

  Lizzy smiled.

  “I know you don’t… but I promise that it will be someone who deserves it.”

  “Wait,” Johnathan said, as he looked at her and unfortunately she knew the question.

  “I was just kidding,” she said.

  “Oh… so Rue and Josh didn’t do… you know?”

  Lizzy looked at him and decided to spare him of the hurt… so she lied.

  “No, they did not,” she said.

  She could feel his thoughts lighten, and she grinned.

  “We have a taker,” she said, as she closed her eyes.

  “What do you mean?” Johnathan asked her.

  “Hold on,” Lizzy said, as she ran to the living room and started to pull out black candles and place them on the floor.

  He watched her make a circle, and then she stepped into the middle of it and held her hands out with her palms up. She peeked at him and grinned.