by Jaime Rush
Cyn fisted his hands at his sides. “I’m not handing over Ruby.”
“Ah, you care about her.”
“She’s been through enough. You had her family murdered.”
“But the girl was not harmed, due to your…compassion.”
“I wasn’t harmed?” Ruby exploded from her hiding place, rage heating her cheeks, and her Dragon. “You killed my family! My uncle! And you’ve been trying to kill me.”
Cyn gripped her arms as she tried to pass him and face the man who had taken so much from her. He held her fast, whispering her name in a warning tone.
Purcell didn’t look the least bit afraid of her. “The blame lies squarely on Brom’s head. He is quite mad, you know. He accused Darren of re-creating the fluctuation and then stormed off. Darren sent a scry orb to follow him, worried for his safety. Brom told Moncrief about his vision, that you would follow in your father’s insanity and sabotage everything we’ve worked for. Darren would not let that happen. He acted rashly, without consulting me. I apologize for the trouble he has caused.”
He apologized. Apologized for killing her uncle!
She crossed her arms over her chest. “A demon tried to attack me after his death.”
Purcell’s mouth tightened. “A demon that continued to fulfill its obligation.” He met Cyn’s gaze. “You killed my son, because he acted recklessly.” His cold eyes shifted to her. “Your father died for the same reason. Enough people have perished. Now we must focus on saving those we can.”
Rage trembled through her body, making Cyn squeeze her shoulders.
Cyn’s voice was rigid when he asked, “Won’t it be odd when thousands of people die for no apparent reason?”
“Of course. The CDC will be desperately searching for the killer pathogen that will seem like the avian flu panic all over again. But it will be over before they can even begin their research. You, Cyn, are—were—a Vega, the most capable of Guard officers. We could use your help.” He looked at Ruby. “You will be spared, too, if you cooperate.”
Purcell turned to Fernandez. “Show them your bracelet.”
He did, plucking at a leather band. Purcell pulled more bands from his pocket. “I will give you four of these. When the lack of Deus Vis becomes too much to handle, the Chosen will be called to a central location, where we will ride out the storm. Like a hurricane shelter.” He held out the bands. “Do we have a deal?”
Cyn gave her shoulder another squeeze. “Deal. We’ll cease and desist.” He couldn’t be thinking of trusting this guy!
Purcell’s steely gaze shifted to her, and she felt an odd pressure in her head. “I know you doubt me,” he said, as though he’d read her mind. He had, she realized. “But with your comrade on our side, you haven’t a chance of succeeding. Cyn, when you or Ruby start feeling ill, call Fernandez. He’ll have instructions by then.”
Fernandez approached Cyn. “I’m sorry I set this up.” He watched Purcell’s retreating back as though he were afraid the man would disappear.
Cyn narrowed eyes that showed his sense of betrayal. “Set me up. This could have gone much differently.”
“I can’t lose her, Cyn.” The man’s voice bled with regret. He ran across the lawn to follow Purcell.
As soon as he was out of earshot, Ruby asked, “We’re not really—”
Cyn shook his head, answering and cutting her off with the same movement. He motioned for her to follow him to the T-bird. As soon as they pulled away from the house, Cyn instructed his cell phone to dial Grayson.
His deep voice boomed over the speakers when he answered. “What’s up?”
“I need a Leap to Chena. I’ll fill you in when we get to your place.” He disconnected.
“Who’s Chena? And what’s a Leap, and why does it make my stomach knot up even more than it already is? Don’t you dare tell me ‘later.’”
He slid her a slightly amused look. “Chena is a what, not a who. It’s a town in Alaska, one of the few places where pockets of Deus Vis can sustain Crescents.”
“Alaska? Are we running off to save our asses? Or are you running off?”
“Ruby, you’ve got to stop letting your emotions drive you. Back there, bursting out like that could have gotten us killed.” He released a breath. “You really think I’d leave you to save myself?”
She settled back in her seat. “No.”
Cyn pulled into the high-rise’s parking lot and started heading to the entrance. “Maybe Purcell’s telling the truth, and this disturbance is a natural result of the impending solar storm. My gut says it isn’t.”
“If he’s right, my father was either crazy or greedy. My gut says it’s not true.”
“Your gut or your heart? You must be able to tell the difference.”
She recalled the memories Grayson had revived. “I remember my father telling Darren that what they were doing was dangerous. That’s why he destroyed everything. He wasn’t a man intent to run with a moneymaking device, but one in fear for the safety of his family. And all Crescents. My gut says that in the end, he did the right thing.”
Cyn nodded. “Trust your gut always. Trust your emotions never. Going to Alaska is about getting answers. Jay Caruso’s had a fascination with the Deus Vis ever since he went to college with your father. When Brom had his vision fifteen years ago, he called Jay, whose idea it was to use the prism to see the Deus Vis. Jay is a permanent resident at Sanctum, the Crescent sanctuary where Brom went. When I was at Brom’s earlier, there was a message from Jay on his machine. He’s running experiments based on something Brom just told him. We’re going to find out what that something is.” He ran his hands lightly over her shoulders and down her arms. Her body stiffened, and he pulled back. “You’re going to need a coat.”
Even that casual touch sent his energy into her body. “I can get one at the airport.”
“We’re not going via plane. We’re going via magick.”
Chapter 21
Cyn outlined what they knew while sitting at the bar at Grayson’s. Grayson took a generous drink, obviously feeling the emotions zinging between Cyn and Ruby. “There was something on the news this morning about an uptick in people getting the flu. I don’t feel it, but I’m old. I’ll take you and come when you’re ready to return.”
“I understand.” For Cyn, Sanctum was a place of healing. For Grayson it was probably a reminder of why he’d needed healing.
Grayson slammed down the rest of his drink, setting it on the counter with a thud. “Ready?”
Ruby slid from the stool and grabbed the coat Grayson had borrowed from the lone female Caido in the building. She’d taken the whole Leap thing pretty well. Of course, compared to demons and finding out you were a Dragon, Leaping was pretty tame.
She put on the coat, then grabbed a small bag. Cyn had nothing but the clothing he wore and a long black leather coat.
Grayson stripped out of his shirt. Their “wings” weren’t the Mundane’s vision of the feathery kind. Even so, they still tore through clothing—and hurt like hell if his grimace was any indication. Ruby stared as he came around the bar, trying to see his back. She didn’t get a chance. He put his big arms around both Cyn and Ruby. “You’ll feel light-headed, light-bodied. It’ll pass.” In a flash of white, Cyn felt the very sensation Grayson had described.
Seconds later, they stood outside the remote commune known as Sanctum. A sign gave the impression that it was, indeed, some kind of private mental facility. Beyond the utilitarian entrance lay beautiful landscaping and buildings.
Cyn turned to Grayson, who was also taking in the place. “It calls to you already, doesn’t it?”
Grayson said, “Yes, which means it’s time to go.” In a flash, he was gone. Here, among only Crescents, no one had to hide their magick.
Ruby held out her hands. “I can feel a difference in the energy here. Is that what you mean?”
“Sanctum has an odd mix of natural magick and strong Deus Vis. You can see the aurora borealis here year-round,
where it’s usually only visible in winter months. It’s a bit like the Thrall. The broken come here to heal, to become whole again. And you never want to leave.”
Now Ruby’s hazel eyes had the same effect, holding him in a different type of thrall. “Sounds like you’ve been here before.” She tilted her head, seeming to look right into his soul. “What did you need to heal from?”
“My life. My past. I made a little girl an orphan. I quit the only career I’d ever known. I gave up a lot for the Guard, and I caused loss and suffering in the name of duty. I ended up staying for a year. This place held me as a willing captive.” She was looking at him as though he were an angel. “Don’t let it suck you in.”
Ruby blinked at the directive. “No, of course not.”
He called Jay’s phone but it went right to voice mail. “Jay, this is Cyntag Valeron, a blast from the past. Listen, buddy, I’m here at Sanctum, and I need to talk to you as soon as you get back. It’s about Brom.” He disconnected. “I’m going to get a room so you can rest up until he gets back.”
“I could use a hot shower. But what about you?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t be around.” He looked at the familiar buildings and landscape, his soul taking comfort in just the sight. “I’ll give you some quiet time.”
Ruby took in the landscape as they headed to the lobby, her face lit with enchantment. “I haven’t seen mountains for years, when Mon dragged me all over Europe on his tours.”
Her nose was pink, the freckles across her cheeks standing out even more, and her delight filled him with some emotion he dare not name. Or acknowledge.
The woman at the front desk greeted them with a demure smile. “May I help you?”
Cyn pressed his hands on the granite counter. “Do you have a cottage available for the night?”
She clicked on the keyboard. “You’re in luck. I have one left but only for tonight. Starting tomorrow we’re fully booked with a waiting list. People are panicking about the solar storm, thinking the stronger Deus Vis here will save them.”
It might save them from far worse than the fluctuations of the storm. “We’ll take it.” Cyn handed her his credit card.
Ruby tossed her bag over her shoulder as they headed out of the lobby a few minutes later. “Where did Brom stay when he was here?”
He pointed to a building behind the one they’d just exited.
She stared at the three-story building for a moment, her expression pensive. “Now that one looks like a mental health facility. It’s even got gates around it.”
She continued down the winding path the clerk had highlighted on the map. He followed a couple of feet behind her, watching the way her braid slid back and forth with her movements. Remembering how he’d loosened it and buried his face in her hair. He stifled a sigh.
Some of the people they passed bowed in greeting, wearing the baggy cotton clothing Cyn remembered well. One man whispered, “Namaste.”
“Now it’s looking like a monastery,” Ruby whispered.
“It can be monastic if that’s what you need.” For Cyn, this wasn’t only a place of healing but of penance. He had lived like a monk in one of the many cottages scattered over the property, allowing himself little pleasure and no luxuries. His pace slowed, memories of walking down paths of sharp rocks barefooted to ground himself in his body, the hot springs in caves and cold showers outside the meditation hut, all coming back.
“Is that what you needed?”
“I had to come to terms with the fact that I’d killed a lot of people in the name of right.” He came to a stop at the edge of the labyrinth, short evergreen hedges that followed the concrete path in a round maze. In the center sat the meditation hut. “And that maybe it hadn’t always been so right after all.”
“Brother Cyn?” The words, dripping with incredulity, made them both turn at the man approaching.
He smiled at the sight of his sponsor and clasped the hand offered with both of his. “Brother Cameron, good to see you.”
Cameron was another old Dragon, though he only looked to be in his fifties. The bowl haircut made him appear even younger, the fringe of brown hair straight across his brow like a mod sixties haircut. He looked beyond Cyn to Ruby and said, “Did you bring us another lost soul?” He clasped her hands with both of his, giving her a warm smile. “Welcome, dear.”
Ruby glanced at him, then back to Cam. “I’m not lost.” She turned to Cyn. “Who else did you bring here?”
“Brom. I knew it was what he needed when he was falling apart.”
Cam nodded. “He stayed for a long time. Many people find they stay much longer than they intended. And that they are more lost than they realized.”
“We don’t have time to stay, unfortunately,” Cyn said. “We’ve got a problem in Miami, something I hope Jay Caruso can help us with.”
Cam gave Cyn a look that meant he was assessing him right down to his soul. “Maybe that’s why you think you’ve come.” He gestured to the hut. “Please avail yourself of our facilities. It looks like you could use them.” Compassion tempered his knowing smile. “You, too,” he said to Ruby. “There’s a women’s and men’s side for the springs and showers. The outdoor shower in the garden is open to both genders, so knock before opening the gate.”
Ruby turned to Cyn. “I’ll find the cottage and meet you there later.” She took the map and gave him no choice by heading off.
“I’m here if you want to talk.” Cam gestured to the hut. “Otherwise, please…” He left Cyn to his thoughts.
Cyn didn’t want to talk. What would he say, how he’d caused Ruby the most pain of her life and was selfish enough to still want her? He walked along the circular pathway and ended up around the back of the hut, where a small stone garden and thick hedges surrounded the outdoor shower.
He went inside to the men’s section and pulled out the pants and wrap shirt most of the residents wore. He flagged down one of the employees and asked about getting his clothing cleaned and delivered to the cottage. Then he wrapped a towel around his hips and walked outside.
It was warm for this time of year, about fifty-five degrees. He knocked at the gate, and when no one called out, pushed it open. Just the sight of the tiny garden infused him with peace. He took it in for a few minutes before turning on the shower. Jets of cool water raised a slew of goose bumps on his skin. He relished the discomfort, along with the numbness that followed as he washed his body and hair.
He was the lost soul.
Staying lost would be the best thing. Since Ruby had come into his life with her fire, he couldn’t numb himself anymore. He lifted his face into the stream of spring water and hoped it would cleanse all thoughts of having her from his body, his mind.
Ruby let the hot water pound her body and soothe her aching muscles. For the first several minutes, she found herself continually looking out through the clear shower curtain, imagining a sound or a shadow.
Psycho, anyone?
Except that movie didn’t have demons and tulpas.
She leaned against the tiles, pressing her cheek against the cool ceramic. She was a lost soul, fighting her own emotions with an aching heart. She’d accused Cyn of following orders to kill out of ambitiousness, but she’d seen his loyalty to others. His loyalty to her despite her anger.
Think with your gut.
He followed orders because he had placed his faith in the Guard and, in particular, the man who had raised him. And if she were to concede that maybe her father was good despite his blind ambition, she had to see why Cyn had done the things he had. Not blind ambition, but blind faith.
Deep inside him, he held goodness.
She dried off and dressed, disappointed to find the cottage empty. Where was he? She put her hand to her Dragon. Find him.
Her Dragon jolted at the command like a dog released to find a treat. She followed her instincts to the meditation hut. No surprise. He’d looked at it with the longing of a man who needed solace.
It was late af
ternoon, though the sun was still high in the sky. She followed the labyrinth, walking into the sanctity of the octagonal building. The blinds let in dim sunlight, the only light in the open room. No chairs, only mats and a few people sitting in lotus positions. None were Cyn.
She wandered through some of the other gardens, finding most of them empty. The sound of running water on the other side of a thick hedge caught her attention. She followed it to a wooden gate. A waterfall? She opened the gate and froze.
She’d found him all right. He stood naked beneath a showerhead, his hands braced on the wall, facing away from her. His head was bowed, as though he were in pain. She automatically put her hand to her throat, feeling it tighten and go dry all at once. Why was he showering out here? Goose bumps covered him. The lack of steam coming from the water made her realize it wasn’t warm either.
His position reminded her of someone under arrest. She shivered, wondering if he’d done this before. Atoning for the people he’d killed. For her parents.
His wide shoulders tapered down to narrow hips, to a tight ass made even tighter because all his muscles were clenched. The body of his Dragon trembled, its wings shrinking close to its body. A tremor passed through him, making him flex his fingers.
She approached slowly, her heart as tense as his muscles. The Dragon’s head turned and looked at her. It seemed to be pleading for her to stop its torture. She reached through the water and ran her hand down his back, over the lines of the Dragon’s body. He didn’t jerk, making her wonder if he’d known she was there all along. Of course, no one snuck up on Cyn.
He, in fact, did not turn to her but flattened his hands against the walls. “Ruby, what are you doing?” His voice was hoarse. From cold or something else?
“I could ask you the same thing.”
He turned to her then, and she saw turmoil in the embers of his eyes. “T-taking a shower.”
“Mmm. A cold shower in the cold air.”
The water was cold, already numbing her fingers. They remained on the indent of his lower spine, where the Dragon’s tail dipped to his tailbone. Droplets sprayed her like ice chips. She’d forgotten to put on her coat.