by J. B. Thomas
‘What about Marcus?’
‘He’s gone. So is Agatha. So are all the guards. They just ran away before anyone got there. Apparently Ivan couldn’t believe how easy it was.’
‘What – they all just left?’
‘Marcus would’ve seen all these new mercenaries flooding in and panicked.’ She raised her eyebrows. ‘Not so brave after all, my stepfather.’
‘Where do you think they’ve gone?’
Sarah shrugged. ‘I asked Diana the same thing. Thought I could help with intel. But apparently they haven’t taken Renfield vehicles, so we can’t track them. Lord knows where they got the transport from.’ She sipped from her mug. ‘Things will be different around here now. Marcus always made sure the money came through. We’ll have to find someone else to fund us.’
‘Well,’ Grace sighed. ‘I’m sure Diana and Lucius will figure something out.’ She glanced at the clock tower. ‘I’m glad it was all over so quickly.’
‘Plenty of time for cuddling before bedtime.’ Sarah gave her a playful nudge.
Grace blushed.
Sarah took a sip of the warm chocolate liquid. ‘Lucius knows he has lost his brother for good.’
‘Hmm.’
Sarah studied Grace’s face. ‘You’re very quiet.’
‘I’m thinking about tomorrow night,’ Grace said. ‘I wanted revenge, but now the chance is here, I don’t know how to feel.’
‘Stick with Ivan and everything will be okay.’
Grace put down the mug and shoved her hands into her pockets. ‘I feel a bit sick, really.’
Sarah peered over her shoulder and smiled. ‘I think you’ll feel better soon. Goodnight, Grace.’
‘Oh . . . okay. Goodnight.’ With a small frown, Grace watched her friend’s abrupt departure.
She felt a sudden warmth on her back; a pair of hands slid around her waist. Ivan kissed her neck. ‘Hello, little one.’
‘I missed you,’ she whispered, turning to face him. He squeezed her close, smothering her mouth in a warm, urgent kiss. Her fingers crept up his neck to stroke his hairline.
She loved the feel of his body against hers.
‘Come.’ He took her hand and led her past the recreation room, where several pairs of curious eyes watched them pass, up the stairs and into the senior wing. He pushed his bedroom door open and carried her inside. ‘Over the threshold,’ he joked.
Her body pressed against his as he lowered her to the ground, catching her mouth on the way down in a long, hot kiss.
He kicked the door shut. They stared at each other for a few seconds. Blushing, she began to pull his shirt up, eventually tugging it off his head. He looked as wonderful as she knew he would – a fine spray of hair set against lines of hard muscle. Smiling, he lunged forward and grabbed her, pulling her to him, one hand sliding down underneath her bottom, his other hand sliding between the buttons of her shirt.
She curled her leg around his waist, encouraging his hand to slide along her thigh.
Ivan pressed his fingers between the buttons and pulled the blouse off her back. A sudden cool hit her skin. He bent down and picked her up again, his arms tight around her thighs as he carried her towards the bed. She giggled – he tripped over something on the way and they crashed onto the mattress.
‘Oops.’ He sat behind her, his fingers at work undoing her bra.
Grace caught her breath.
Ivan stopped and rested his chin on her shoulder. ‘Are you okay?’
She closed her eyes and nodded. ‘Keep going.’
He pressed his mouth against her neck, nibbling the flesh there. She giggled. With a soft kiss on her shoulder, he unclipped the bra and pushed it aside.
She tensed.
Ivan stroked her upper arms. ‘Sure you’re okay?’
His voice was so tender it hurt. ‘I’m fine.’
What if they broke up, or if he thought this was just some one-night stand? How would they live together in Renfield then?
His hands drifted to her ribcage. His thumbs stroked her soft skin. ‘I don’t want you to rush into anything, Grace.’
Oh . . . but she wanted him.
She leaned back on his chest, reached up and slid her arms around his neck. ‘Touch me,’ she whispered.
She didn’t want to lose him. What if he died tomorrow?
Ivan groaned, sliding his hands forward. She tilted her head so her lips were tantalisingly close. He bent and kissed her, not holding back this time. When he pulled back, there were tears in her eyes.
He withdrew his hands and turned her around to face him. ‘You are not ready for this.’
‘Yes, I am.’ Grace pushed forward and kissed him hard.
Ivan took hold of her shoulders, pushing her back. ‘Something is wrong.’
‘I’m okay.’ Her cheeks were hot, her lips aching to kiss him again. But her stomach tumbled with nerves and her mind was racing.
‘You’re not.’ He took her chin and lifted it. ‘Why are you so nervous, hmm?’
Grace stared into his eyes. ‘I’ve never done this before. I came close once, and my boyfriend at the time told everyone we’d done it. Made me sound like some kind of slut.’
Ivan stroked her cheek. ‘Now that, I would never believe.’ He pulled her into a hug, stroking her back in circles; his breath warm in her ear. ‘After tomorrow night, why don’t we go away for a few days? Hmm? Would you like that?’
Breathless, she nodded.
Ivan nuzzled her cheek. ‘What are you thinking about?’
Grace looked up and stroked his face. ‘You.’
‘We’ll have plenty of time.’ He kissed her – long and deep – then tugged back the quilt and slid into bed, pulling her close so her cheek was resting against his chest and her head snuggled under his chin.
As she floated towards sleep, her worries fluttered away. There was only now – just the security of Ivan’s arms around her, his breathing rhythmic, his heartbeat strong.
MID-AFTERNOON, THE MERCENARIES began to assemble outside the Residence, each joining his or her own squad. They sat or crouched on the grass, many shielding their eyes against the sunlight that beamed at them just over the roof. Two distinct colours marked the separation between the orders: the Renfield troops were in black, the visiting battalion in khaki. On the steps, Diana, Ivan and the visiting leader, Jorge, were deep in conversation.
Lucius’s voice boomed out through two large speakers, calling out each mercenary’s name.
‘Here,’ the voices responded.
Grace wound her hair around her fingers, securing it with a hair net. She drew two bobby pins from her pocket and slid them in.
‘You’ll need a tighter bun than that. Don’t want anyone grabbing your hair, do you?’ Sarah sat down next to Grace, her face pale. ‘You really should cut it.’
Grace gave her a close look. ‘You okay?’
Sarah returned a jittery, restless nod. ‘I’m off the meds.’
‘Oh, right. Of course. For the mission.’
Sarah closed her eyes and tilted her head back. ‘Trying to tune Anna out. She’s so agitated!’ Sarah bit her lip and stared in the direction of the asylum. ‘Lots of strangers in the place.’
‘Does she sound . . . different, now that she’s degen . . .’ Grace paused as Sarah gave her a hard look.
‘Now that she’s become a demon? Is that what you wanted to say?’
‘I didn’t mean . . .’
‘It’s not your fault.’ Sarah folded her arms and shrugged. ‘I have to face it. But she’s still my sister.’
‘Of course she is.’ There was a tense silence. Grace scanned the crowd. ‘I haven’t seen Joe yet.’
‘He’s there.’ Sarah pointed to the steps. Joe had joined Ivan, and was looking out over the crowd
. Grace waited for the customary smirk, but to her surprise, Joe had a serious, almost humble expression.
‘Hello,’ a voice said.
Maya sank on to the grass next to them. She gave Sarah a sharp nod.
‘Hi . . . how are you?’ Grace scanned Maya’s face. ‘I didn’t think you’d be coming.’
Maya just gave her a grim smile. ‘I need to apologise to you, Grace. I blamed you for Armin’s death. That was not fair of me.’
‘It’s okay. I don’t blame you for feeling like that.’
‘Anyway,’ said Maya. ‘Shall we make a fresh start?’
‘Sure.’
‘When this is all over, we’re going to track down the thing that killed Armin.’
‘We’ll help you,’ Grace gave her a firm nod. ‘Me and Joe, I mean.’
‘Thank you.’
‘All right! Listen up!’ Lucius stood back, hands clasped behind his back. An eerie hush fell over the crowd.
‘You’ve all had your squad briefing today, and I expect that you all committed your orders to memory. That’s the easy part. What you must do now is commit yourselves to this mission, knowing that there will be sacrifices to be made.’ Lucius looked around the crowd with a firm eye. ‘Failure to act on our part will mean a catastrophic outcome for the human race. Remember, you are sarsareh. Your role is to be a vigilant defender, to take action when no-one else will. You will be going up against a vast number of demons, and you must be prepared for surprises. They will have powers that we cannot anticipate. We know that they are ever- evolving, and when in the company of a high demon, they are more powerful than ever.’
A nervous rumble ran through the crowd. ‘Jesus,’ someone muttered. ‘We’re in for a slaughter.’
Lucius raised his hand; the murmuring stopped. ‘But we have our own secret weapon.’ He looked sideways at Joe and then turned back to the crowd. ‘This will not be an ordinary fight. We have the advantage. Follow your orders and have faith.’
Lucius leaned in close to Joe. ‘Sorry to put the pressure on you, son.’
Joe shrugged. ‘No problem.’
‘Assemble in your squads.’ Lucius nodded out at the crowd. ‘And good luck to you all.’
THE TRANSPORTS MOVED in a convoy – a long, black procession that snaked past the farmlands and into the city limits. Grace stared out at the old houses, remembering them from the night she and Joe escaped Renfield. Tonight, no-one sat on rocking chairs, no children ran the streets. The houses seemed to be surrounded by a blue-grey haze. Was their absence an omen?
‘Focus,’ Ivan had taken her aside today, his eyes serious. ‘Don’t let anyone or anything distract you. If we can’t take him from a distance, you must get to Malcolm and stop him. No matter what else is going on around you – even if the worst happens, you must get to Malcolm.’
‘The worst,’ she whispered to herself as she stared at the back of Ivan’s head, ‘would be to live without you.’
He was so still, so calm – as always. Then he turned his head to look at her. His eyes told her of his love in the soft, open way he gazed at her. Then he dipped his chin in a warm, reassuring nod.
Grace looked at the others. Joe presented a calm face, but the sliver of sweat on his forehead told her he was nervous. Sarah was leaning back, eyes closed. Maya was staring out at the river, her face hard.
They drove past the City centre, its towers gleaming in the moonlight, and along a riverside road that connected the metropolis to its most affluent suburbs. As they stopped at an intersection, Ivan looked across at Seth in the driver’s seat. ‘Drones on standby?’
Seth nodded. ‘Ready to go.’
‘Do it.’
They pulled into a grove, well-protected by large bushes, willow trees and boulders. Gradually, the other six transports pulled in behind them; each carried twenty mercenaries from both Renfield and the visiting battalion.
Seth pointed into the distance. ‘That’s it.’ A mammoth limestone wall, broken up by four guardhouses at the front, ran around the boundary of the property, culminating in a stone arch through which a driveway ran. Vivid lights shone from behind the walls; their exterior was also dressed in garlands of fairy lights. To the right was what looked like a hastily constructed car park, crammed with luxury vehicles. A group of drivers were sitting on a tree log, sharing cigars.
Another vehicle pulled into the grove – a large, black truck. The driver ran around and pressed a button at the rear. A ramp descended; a group of mercenaries ran up and disappeared inside the trailer. They re-emerged, driving a small fleet of quadbikes down the ramp and out into the open.
‘Cool,’ said Joe.
Ivan jumped out of the car and stopped to stare at the mansion. Seth followed; the other squad leaders came across and joined them. Ivan nodded at Seth. ‘Send in the Sentinel.’
‘Yes, sir.’ Seth turned away, pressed his earpiece and muttered a quiet command. Somewhere, in that dark sky, a small stealth drone was soaring over the mansion, stealing images of all that went on below.
In the car, Grace looked across at Sarah. She was sitting very still with her eyes closed, head slightly bent.
‘You okay?’
Eyes still closed, Sarah held up her hand. ‘Wait.’ After a few more seconds, she opened her eyes and let out a long breath. ‘Damn it.’ She shot Grace a regretful smile. ‘My telepathy doesn’t seem to be working tonight.’
‘Sanderson,’ Ivan called.
Sarah slid out of the car. Grace followed her; together they stood at the fringes of the group.
‘Yes, sir?’
Ivan stood aside to allow Sarah to step forward. ‘Can you give me a situation report? From the inside?’
Sarah lingered nervously at the edge. She rubbed the back of her neck. ‘No, sir. I’m sorry.’ She looked away from the prickling stares of the squad leaders. ‘I can’t see a thing. It’s really . . . cloudy.’
‘Never mind. Do you think you can still use masking and influence?’
Sarah nodded.
‘Good.’ Ivan turned away and pulled out a handheld computer tablet. ‘We’re accessing the most up-to-date imaging right now. Evans, can you send a small group across to deal with those drivers? Shouldn’t be hard. Remember: non-lethal fire.’
Five mercenaries armed with tranquilliser guns stole through the dark and took up their position in the bushes behind the drivers. ‘Three, two, one.’
Hands flew to necks; one of the drivers gasped, turning towards the darkened bushes. But they all slumped forward within five seconds. Sarah backed away from the group and stood close to Grace. ‘Boy, do I feel useless,’ she muttered.
Grace looked at her friend. ‘What’s causing it?’
Sarah shrugged. ‘I can’t tune in to anyone, let alone the high demon himself. It’s like trying to find a spark in a raging volcano. Really, we can’t be sure of what we’re dealing with.’
A fresh chill ran up Grace’s back. She folded her arms and took a settling breath.
Sarah smiled. ‘I can still feel your thoughts, Grace. Don’t worry. We’ll still be able to do our thing in there.’
Grace nodded.
‘It’s easier,’ Sarah said. ‘With masking, you’re targeting a specific area. Not as hard as trying to tune in to read one or two minds among a crowd like this.’
‘You’re so calm,’ Grace whispered. How Lucius had wasted Sarah’s talent. How Sarah had wasted her own talent by taking those meds. What kind of rift would Joe open? What would happen in there? Her mind began to hurtle.
Ivan looked around the group of leaders. ‘Right. Let’s recap on our plan. First we take the external gatehouse with sniper fire. Next, our drones will neutralise the guards in the second gatehouse. Then we move in on the bikes . . .’
Grace’s stomach fluttered as she watc
hed him speak. Mesmerising, the way he engaged each of the other leaders, how his voice held a combination of calm, authority and anticipation. She glanced towards the mansion, her heart hammering.
She’d be all right, as long as she stayed with him.
‘Sentinel imaging is in,’ said Seth.
‘Excellent.’ Ivan drew the group’s attention to the surveillance image of the mansion on the computer. ‘Right. Several armed guards on both sides of the driveway between the first and second gates. See how many of them are patrolling the hedgerows? The first wave of bikes – snipers – will take those guards, then we’ll use bikes to push through to the second gate, which we’ll blast with C4.’
One of the leaders pointed to the other figures on screen who were dotted around the garden area behind the second gate. ‘Guests?’
‘Hosts,’ Ivan replied. ‘High-ranking Earthborns. For Mammon’s army.’ He glanced down at the screen. ‘The imaging won’t pick up the Shadows, but my money’s on their being demons. We don’t expect them to be armed with live rounds; not with so many guards around. Regardless, we will take precautions. Everything else looks as we anticipated, with a greater concentration of guards as we get closer to the mansion. There are more hosts inside as well.’ Ivan pointed to the mansion. ‘My guess is Jones and his immediate crew will be at the rear of the mansion.’
One of the visiting leaders cast Sarah and Grace a critical look. ‘Isn’t there a way to know that for sure? What’s the point of having psychics if we can’t use them?’
Sarah stared at him through narrowed eyes. ‘There’s major telepathic activity in there. And there are only two of us.’ She pronounced each word slowly.
He shrugged. ‘Surely you can overcome it.’
‘You don’t understand! It’s not that simple.’
‘Oh, yeah.’ He folded his arms. ‘Here we go. Complications, the “you don’t understand” bit.’ He grinned at his colleague. ‘It’s always like that with telepaths.’
‘How would you know?’ Grace said. ‘I don’t see any on your squad.’
‘Enough!’ Ivan’s sharp tone put an end to the discussion.