Negotiations would definitely be interesting.
Chapter Seven
Janice knew she was dreaming. A little piece of her consciousness realized that none of what was happening could be real. But she couldn’t pull herself out of it. She could only flow along until the end.
She stood atop a sandy hill and stared down into a small valley to look on Eric and a small Asian man standing back to back in the middle of a horde of grotesque demons. The monstrous enemies formed a milling circle around the two human men. It would be only moments before they fell under the mass of inhuman bodies and all she could do was watch as it happened.
She looked at the stranger. In her dream she knew him like she did her own soul. Just a glimpse of him sent her heart pounding, fear for him drying her mouth. He was shorter than Eric but his compact form and utter stillness spoke of the well-trained muscles of a small predator. His jet-black hair had been braided by her own hands and wrapped tight to his head but she knew how long it was and how it would stream down to block out the world when he held her in his arms. Now he held his samurai sword at the ready to protect Eric and defeat his enemies.
She turned her focus to Eric’s tight face, grim but determined. A web of small scars etched his battle-hardened visage, proof of the dangers of this war. His hair had been braided by her hand as well but snaked down to the middle of his back. Plate armor offered him some protection but without the broadsword in his hands and the man at his back his enemies would’ve ripped him apart. Even as it was, the two lone warriors were faced with certain doom.
One demon pulled away from his jeering compatriots and launched himself at the smaller man. The Asian lashed out, his sword slashing like a snake strike, followed with a kick to the demon’s chest. The creature’s head flew in one direction and its body in another. The man landed on the balls of his feet in the exact spot he’d started in, sword raised and poised, ready to strike once more. He awaited the next attack, conserving his energy to repel the wave to come.
Eric gripped his sword with both hands, raising it above his head. He crouched lower as he readied himself for the charge.
This was her signal.
She held her hands up, palms facing her two men. She closed her eyes to the battle below, focusing her every thought on the feelings she had for her men. Love, loyalty and confidence filled her soul to overflowing, the warmth encasing her in a protective shell. Carefully she scraped and pulled at those emotions, shoving them skyward to center on her upraised hands.
When every last fragment sat in her palms she opened her eyes.
Her hands glowed with a pulsing, blinding yellow light. She glanced down at her imperiled men. Demons launched themselves at them from every side. Black ichor covered the dry ground, mixed with blood dripping from the men’s wounds. But they stayed back to back, protecting each other as much as possible as they waited…waited for her.
She screamed. Sweat poured down her face as she hurled the raw power at their blades.
The first ball hit the Asian man’s sword. She could see the metal vibrating in his hands even from the distance of her lookout. He stopped moving, standing straight with his shoulders relaxed. Suddenly he slashed out with his blade. While the metal connected only with air, a wave of energy swept out. Demons fell in the wake of the pure, positive energy.
Meanwhile Eric’s blade took on an unearthly glow. She could picture the cold grin she knew spread across his face as he gazed down at his enemies. He raised his sword, tip pointing to the ground. He gripped the hilt tightly with both hands before slamming it into the hard-packed earth. Jagged strikes of energy flew out through the ground, seeking out enemies with eerie accuracy. Demons exploded wherever the energy touched.
Janice kept watch as her men wiped out every inhuman creature on the battlefield. When the last imp lay dead at their feet she picked up the bottom of her skirt and scrambled down the hill, gasping and crying at the same time.
“Jehanne!” the Asian man called as he grabbed her tightly and spun her in a circle. She laughed and placed quick kisses on his cheeks before he passed her to Eric.
Eric dropped his sword as she launched herself at him. “Peace, Jehanne,” he chuckled. “Ryo and I are fine. With your gentle hands caring for our few, pitiful wounds we will be ready to fight again within days.”
She buried her head in his chest, trembling. “Do not even speak of such a thing,” she muttered, reaching out to pull Ryo into a three-way embrace. “There must be a way to stop these invasions, Erich. The leader will find a way. I cannot stand by and watch as I lose either one of you.”
Opening his arms wide, Erich pulled both his loves into his arms. Janice let the warmth of their flesh thaw her fear-frozen heart. “I pray you are right, my love. I pray that you are right.”
Janice came awake with a gasp. She reached up to touch her tear-dampened cheeks as she glanced at the clock. Two-thirty in the morning. Hell of a dream to shake her out of such a deep sleep—one hell of a dream. She’d felt so desperate, so certain of impending tragedy. Damned subconscious tormenting her with what she already knew. The Jet Li look-alike had her stumped but she was obviously afraid of losing Eric. She had him fighting her own personal demons in her dreams.
What it came down to was that she loved him. She didn’t want to lose him. And San Francisco wasn’t a bad place to live. If she had to move, at least it would be to a city where something was always happening.
She wouldn’t tell Eric she’d made her decision right away. She’d let it sit for a bit, settle in her mind.
Then she’d jump in.
Chapter Eight
The shadows of night filled his inner office. A calming new blend of chamomile, jasmine and lavender tea still warmed his stomach. The perfect stage had been set for his vision quest. If he could at least find his Catalyst he’d have a better chance at locating his Empath. But either would do. He wasn’t picky.
Ryuu stared deeply at the perfect quartz crystal globe sitting on his desk. He let his mind become as clear as the crystal, empty of all conscious thought except for the identity of his other Two. Threads of golden light spun out before him, a mesh of time past and future. He followed the threads of the past, looking for any clue to their present whereabouts. Threads swirled out in all directions but so many different possibilities, different offshoots, existed. Every time he thought he had it, every time he could almost see one of his loved ones, his sight whirled back into the past. No matter how deeply he looked, how far he pushed himself, he couldn’t see his Two in their present lives.
His concentration was so complete, so focused, his heart skipped a beat when the door clicked open and Katashi poked his head in. “Gomen, sir, I am sorry to disturb you but I have the young man that I spoke to you about.”
Ryuu nearly set the crystal rolling across his desk and to the floor as he leaped toward the door. Finally. This could be him, his Catalyst. With his Catalyst to lend him strength he might be able to see through the veil that hid his Empath. He held his breath as Katashi ushered the man in, only to feel his hopes shatter yet again.
The young man, barely over eighteen if he had to guess, was not his Catalyst. A sullen youth with a shaved head and stubble that hinted at a red shade, the kid’s only striking features were his sharp sapphire eyes. But Ryuu felt there was something about him, some power hidden. He could see why Katashi might have suspected he was one of Ryuu’s Two. The aura was almost visible to the naked eye but he radiated that same strength.
Despite his disappointment, Ryuu’s curiosity was piqued. He waved Katashi from the room and gestured to a small lacquered table with three chairs. “Why don’t you have a seat?”
The youth snorted but walked further in the room. He spun the chair around and sat with his chest against the back. Ryuu winced slightly at the painful creak the antique made.
“So, nice setup ya got here.”
A smile chased the pain from Ryuu’s face at the cockiness in the kid’s voice. “I like to th
ink so.”
“Do this often?” the boy asked with a sneer.
Ryuu tilted his head, trying to catch what it was about the kid that struck a nerve. He was too young and malnourished to be considered attractive and abrasive seemed the best word to describe his personality. So what made him so interesting? “Do what?”
“Send your man trolling the loony bins for your next lay.” The drumming of his fingers against the table alone showed the boy’s agitation. “Not that I’m not grateful for being sprung and all. This is a hell of a lot better than my old room. Shared it with a dude who kept talking back to the voices in his head. Damned hard to sleep when some guy is yelling at Napoleon to stop trying to invade Thailand.”
A quick chuckle escaped Ryuu before he had a chance to stop it. At least the boy had humor. “No, I don’t normally pick my bed partners that way but it sounds as though I might be missing out on some interesting pillowtalk.”
A glance up and down Ryuu’s body and the kid laughed. “Nah, guess not. With you rockin’ the whole Forbidden Kingdom look you don’t have an empty bed often. And I’d like to think I’d have seen you coming, even with all the stinking meds they pumped in me.”
“Seen me coming?” he asked, taking the chair opposite the kid.
“Yeah, I mean you’re not my dark-haired Empath or strawberry-blond Catalyst, but you’ve got something major behind you. I could feel the mojo before Mister Serious opened the door.”
Ryuu gaped. This was unexpected but had possibilities. “You’re a Visionary.”
“Yep,” he said with a surprisingly childlike grin for such a seemingly jaded young man. “I thought I was the only one in San Fran.”
You’re not the only one. But who ever heard of two Visionaries living in the same city? “How did you end up…?”
“In the nuthouse?” The boy hooked his feet around the legs of his chair and started rocking back and forth again, the squeak taking up a distinct and annoying rhythm. “Hit the streets and shelters after the bastards killed my family. One of the homes turned me in at ten when I went all fugue with a vision.”
A ten-year-old in an asylum. How had he survived? “And that was how long ago?”
“Eight years,” he answered matter-of-factly. “Technically, as long as I stayed on my meds they’d let me out anytime, especially now that I’m eighteen. But they know I won’t stay on ‘em and I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
Ryuu’s jaw dropped as he stared at the young man. A child spending nearly a decade in an asylum. Nowhere to go. A Visionary. This was how a man who’d saved the world lifetime after lifetime was rewarded. A shimmer of anger raced through him, quickly repressed. Anger wouldn’t help the boy. “Well that ends here and now. You have a place and you’re staying.”
The kid grinned but shook his head. “I told you, I’m not one of your Three.”
“No, but you are one of mine.”
The boy pursed his lips, a crafty look crossing his face. “And what exactly will I be doing here? I already told you I’m not gonna be a fuckbuddy, some kinda replacement until the loves of your lives show up.”
He knew the comment was meant to insult but he suspected it was the only kind of defense the kid had left. Hope had to be a scarce commodity in an institution. “You’ll work for me and stay in one of the employee rooms for as long as you want. Katashi will set everything up for you and you’ll get an advance on your pay to help you get started. And don’t worry, I’ll make certain no one will come after you here.”
The kid’s chair came back to four legs with a loud thump. He stared at Ryuu for long enough with a blurry-eyed gaze that he wondered what the boy saw. Finally he blinked and smiled. “Guess I could give it a try. Gotta feeling you’ll need some help soon. Ya realize San Fran’s about to go to hell in a handbasket. You don’t have your Three together yet?”
“No.” Ryuu flinched at the desolation he heard in his own voice.
“I don’t think it’ll be long so I’ll stick around for now. But keep everything under wraps will ya? I couldn’t care less about the men in the white coats but I don’t want those imps finding me again. Freaking annoying little shits.”
“All right. Whatever you want.”
Ryuu hit a small hidden buzzer on the wall, carved in the shape of a dragon’s head. Moments later a hopeful-looking Katashi came in. Ryuu shook his head and answered his servant’s silent question. “While he isn’t the man I was looking for, our young guest will be staying. He’ll be working for us, so see to it he is settled in a room and provide him with what clothing he needs.”
Katashi bowed, the image of a perfect servant, but Ryuu could sense his old friend’s disappointment. “Of course.”
The kid in question stood, absently rubbing his head and looking more like a half-starved waif than a powerful Visionary. But as he sauntered toward Katashi, Ryuu could see an echo of the confident man he might become.
“Before you go,” Ryuu said, stopping the boy in his tracks, “a name might be nice. I’d like to call you something other than ‘hey you’ or ‘kid’.”
“Logan,” he replied without turning. “Just call me Logan.”
Chapter Nine
A wet, popping sound echoed through the small apartment as the demon-possessed man snapped the neck of the family pet, a small Siamese kitten. The woman tied to the chair gave a frightened little mewling sound while her husband let out a weak groan from where he lay bleeding on the floor. The large man smiled beneath his ski mask as he dropped the limp body of the kitten, his eyes glowing ever so slightly red. That wonderful sound of mortal terror sent shivers up his newly acquired spine. Nothing could replace such a sweet melody.
How long had it been since he’d experienced such freedom in the mortal realm? A century, two, a millennium? Who could remember? But he savored the rare pleasure, thankful he’d pleased Lord Balimorth enough to earn such a reward.
“Why?” the woman begged in a voice hoarse from jagged screams and tears. Energy sapped, she no longer struggled against her bonds, instead sagging into the chair. “Take whatever you want. You don’t need to hurt us.”
He reached out and gripped her face, admiring the mottled bruises already blooming across her fair skin. “Oh but that’s where you’re wrong. I do need your pain, your fear. And better yet, I love it.” He leaned in close, letting her smell the smoke and brimstone on his fetid breath. She wouldn’t understand what it meant but he knew that on a primal level she’d recognize it as being wrong. “Every scream you utter brings my Lord closer to freedom and victory.”
He glanced back down at the half-conscious man crumpled at his feet. He gave him a passing kick to the ribs. The man twitched but otherwise remained completely still. “And the pain this one feels when he wakes will make it all the better.” He smiled down at the woman with lust-filled eyes. “Can you imagine the expression on his face when he finds pieces of you spread over this pleasant little home of yours? I wish I could stay to see it.”
Before the woman could scream again he slapped a piece of duct tape across her mouth. He whistled a cheerful tune as he went to her kitchen to see what kind of knives she had. She looked like the type who enjoyed cooking. Hopefully she kept good-quality cutlery. Using something they’d picked out and bought together would color the man’s pain an even brighter shade. Too bad he couldn’t really take his time on her, couldn’t relish her butchering.
But he needed to hit at least three more houses before dawn. He had his quota of misery to fill. By then he’d have to drop this useless body at the police station for a confession. If he waited too long the man’s mind would snap. And he wanted the man to remember every moment with crystal clarity. As a deacon at his church, the man would be compelled to confess. And the shock value of that confession would ripple across the neighborhood, causing greater fear, anger and unrest.
Idly, the demon wondered if anyone would believe the man when he claimed to be possessed or if they would put it down to him shooting for an insani
ty plea.
Chapter Ten
Ryuu straightened his tie and resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he stood beside the door to the meeting room between the two suites he’d chosen for his guests from RM&J. He’d already stopped by to make certain Logan was settled and wanted to spend more time talking to him about what he could see. This would be a short meeting at least, so maybe he’d have time to visit with the boy later. The other company wouldn’t take no for an answer until they’d sent their best man down to talk to him. As if he needed money badly enough to sell his dream.
Zen was his pride and joy. He’d designed every inch of it, from the color of the pebbles in the streams to each piece of furniture. There wasn’t the slightest chance he’d let some faceless conglomerate have it.
But the people in the meeting room weren’t at fault. They simply had a job to do. He sighed as he reached for the doorknob. He’d rather be in his office talking to Logan about a possible reading. Since the boy wasn’t personally connected to them, maybe he could see Ryuu’s other two. That chance offered the first bright ray of hope in years.
So for once Ryuu was caught completely off guard. He stepped into the suite and froze, mind going blank. It couldn’t be this easy. It really couldn’t.
Sitting on the couch facing the door were the rest of his Three. Jehanne still looked like a pixie, even dressed in her charcoal skirt and jacket, with mischief shining in her green eyes. While her hair was short, barely grazing her shoulders, it was still the golden shade of the sun and lying perfectly straight. When she turned to face the door, he caught a flash of vibrant color beneath. Blue? That would fit the mischievous heart of the woman he’d loved so much.
He turned his attention to Erich as he rose to his feet and offered his hand. He stood tall with wide shoulders, though not as wide as when he’d wielded a broadsword to protect the innocent on their travels. His hair was a bit darker than before but shots of silver moonlight still wove throughout. And he’d kept it long, happily, though tied neatly at the base of his neck. Ryuu remembered vividly the feel of Erich’s hair mixing with Jehanne’s feathering across his flesh.
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