I shuddered as the bones settled back over my neck and the dragon retreated. “Why bother with the bones?” I asked as he stepped away and smiled at me, gloating. “I’m no match for you.”
“Because it lessens the drama and makes you more agreeable. Besides, I prefer complete and utter control of my slaves. You’ll get used to them.”
“I held up my end of the deal.” I motioned toward Sugar. “Now let her go!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll release your friend,” he said with a cold stare. “When I’m good and fucking ready.”
27
JACKSON HUNTER: WEDNESDAY, 8:46 P.M.
Jackson climbed into Fin’s Mercedes, barely clearing the door of the overpriced roadster. “I don’t understand why anyone pays this much money for so little car.”
“Well, I ain’t about to climb on the back of that,” Fin said, nodding to the Harley parked in Katie’s driveway. He glanced at Jackson’s knees crunched against the dash. “I can call my driver and have him bring over the Bentley? Or you can follow me on your bike.”
“Yeah, that would be real inconspicuous,” Jackson replied. “I’ll manage, thanks.”
It was getting dark outside, which was a good thing considering what they were about to do. The objective was to confirm that Legvu had indeed taken Katie to the old mill as Fin suspected. How they proceeded from there was still a work in progress.
The property was located near the Savannah River about twenty minutes north of Katie’s house, in an area littered with abandoned buildings that turned into a ghost town after dark. They turned the headlights off a few blocks south of the building and pulled the car off the road.
“This would probably be a good time to establish a few rules, Mr. Hunter.”
Jackson turned to Fin with a flat stare. “Rules?” he repeated. “The only rule I can think of is finding Katie and getting her out of there alive. And since you’re the one who essentially put her in that hell hole, you’ll have to forgive me if I don’t place a lot of weight on your next statement.”
“Legvu was after her long before I introduced myself, Mr. Hunter. I’m just the man who put it all into perspective for her. And may I remind you that if it wasn’t for the Crossroads Society I imagine Legvu would have taken her sooner, possibly before she ever laid eyes on you.”
Jackson shut his eyes tight and calmed his urge to rip Fin Cooper’s head off his shoulders, something he was perfectly capable of doing. “Let’s just get out of this car and find her.”
“We’re gonna do that, Mr. Hun—”
“You call me ‘Mr. Hunter’ one more time and I’ll put you to sleep in that seat you’re sitting in.”
Fin arched his brow. “It’s dangerous for a man your size to be so touchy.” He unbuckled his seat belt and reached for the door handle. “Shall we, Jackson?”
They got out of the car and headed down the street, toward the battered white building with the cracked and broken windows. The challenge was to get in undetected and confirm that Katie was there. What they did with that information was debatable, because taking on a god like Legvu wouldn’t be as simple as rushing in with guns.
Surprisingly, most of the doors were locked, which made no sense considering the place had been abandoned for decades. Breaking it down would only cause a loud ruckus, alerting anyone inside that they were coming in. The back of the building proved to be more useful as they came across a gaping door merely secured by a half inch steel chain.
“Well, fuck,” Fin said. “What now?”
Jackson reached for the heavy chain through the six-inch gap and quietly twisted it. The steel links seemed to melt into fragments in his hand, releasing the door. He pushed it open quietly and walked inside.
“That’s an impressive talent you got there,” Fin commented, gawking at the chain that was now dangling broken against the open door. “Ever considered joining the society?” he asked, following Jackson inside.
Jackson ignored the remark and put his finger to his lips to silence Fin. He pointed toward a door at the far end of the room. They crept toward it but stopped when they heard voices coming from somewhere overhead, on the second floor of the building. One of the voices was Katie’s.
Fin grabbed Jackson’s arm as he took a hasty step toward the door. Jackson whipped around and glared at the fingers pressing into his flesh. “You want to take that hand off me?” he warned.
Fin dropped his hand, remembering how the thick steel chain had melted away in Jackson’s grip. “Not only are you gonna get us killed,” Fin whispered, “you’ll get Katie killed in the process.”
Jackson conceded, nodding to Fin. They climbed the steps to the second floor, careful not to make a sound. The voices got louder. Jackson was tall enough to peer over a horizontal window above a closed door. He nodded toward the room, indicating that Katie was inside. Then he motioned Fin back to the staircase.
“He’s in there with Katie and Sugar,” Jackson said as they reached the bottom of the steps.
Fin seemed surprised. “Sugar is alive?”
“He’s got her strung up to a beam, the same one from the video.” Jackson rubbed his face with his hand and glanced around the first floor. “Son of a bitch looks like a monster.”
“That’s because he is a monster,” Fin declare with a dark, even tone. “Now, I’ll admit I’m impressed by your strength, Jackson, but we are no match for an angry god.”
Jackson nodded his head. “Right. But I know who might be.”
28
KATIE BISHOP: WEDNESDAY, THE OLD MILL
The room was dark, the only illumination coming from a few working streetlights outside the building. Legvu was a creature of the night, blending in with the darkness even after the burns I’d deliver had healed miraculously. He’d been sitting in a chair a few yards away, silently staring at me for what seemed like hours.
“I don’t suppose you have any candles?” I asked. It was small talk to take my mind off the pathetic scenario that was eating away at my resolve. Poor Sugar. She was barely hanging on—literally. Her legs had gone weak, and I could see her silhouetted shadow sagging toward the metal bucket that no longer braced her feet, but still managed to keep her from completely dangling in the air. Another hour of mindless waiting for Legvu to make a move and I was afraid her arms would suffer irreparable damage.
He surprised me with the gift of light. With a flick of his hand several of the rusted strip lights cracked and flickered, the blown-out florescent tubes firing up as if they’d just been replaced. “Benefits of being a god,” he said.
“How long are you going to keep us here?” I asked, conceding to myself that he would never let Sugar go. “We’re hungry, and I have to take a piss.”
He stood up and approached my chair, a cocky grin on his face. “Be my guest.”
“What?” Then I realized he’d just invited me to squat in the middle of the room. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
Returning to his chair, he picked up a glass of water, hesitating as it touched his lips. “Where are my manners?” he said, feigning the hospitable host. “Would you like some?”
My mouth was a desert, but water would only exasperate my overflowing bladder. “No,” I answered, looking at Sugar who was begging for that water with her eyes, “but she could use some.”
He regarded Sugar, and for a moment I thought he might have the decency to offer the glass to her. “No,” he mused after a few seconds of thought, shaking his head. “I’d have to remove all that tape and then wrap it around her mouth again.”
That was the end of the small talk. The room went silent again as he dragged out the excruciating wait, deciding what to do with us. I was about to give up and piss on the floor when I heard a sound coming from outside the room—voices.
Legvu’s cocky expression went cold as the sound got his attention. He looked back at me and raised his finger to his lips, glancing at Sugar as a warning for me to shut up. He rose swiftly out of his chair and headed for the d
oor. I was amazed at how a creature of his size could move so elegantly without making a sound, completely naked, with claws for feet that walked over the debris of broken glass on the floor as if it were a soft lawn grass.
A trickling sound pulled my eyes away from Legvu’s disappearing backside. It was the sound of liquid running down Sugar’s legs, dripping over the edge of the bucket and landing in a pool on the floor. Our eyes met, but I quickly glanced away to hide my own terror from seeing her so vulnerable and to allow her the dignity she deserved.
My eyes traveled around the room and stopped on a pile of wood tossed in the corner. Next to it was evidence of squatters or teenagers looking for a party spot in the abandoned building: a torn backpack, scattered cigarette butts, cinder blocks probably used as makeshift seats. One of the blocks was broken into several pieces. I glanced at the glass of water and then back at the concrete pieces of the cinder block.
“Shit, Sugar,” I muttered as an idea whirled around in my head. I crawled over to the broken concrete block and pulled the bone charm from the cup of my bra. Sugar’s eyes went wide as she moaned. “Shhhh,” I silenced her. That little piece of bone was our only shot at getting out of the building and sending Legvu back where he belonged, and he’d be walking back through that door soon.
The muffled voices continued, assuring me that the unfortunate trespassers in the building hadn’t run into Legvu yet. I cringed at the thought of hearing screams when they did, but right now I needed to focus on saving the two of us. The cinder block was broken into several pieces small enough to pick up and use as a hammer. I placed the bone on the floor and waited for an opportunity to smash it. The volume of the voices went up as Legvu must have had a face-to-face with the intruders. As quietly as possible I brought the piece of concrete down on the bone, listening for signs that he’d heard it and was rushing back. The commotion continued. The end of the bone broke off into a small pile of coarse fragments. With the edge of the cinder block, I ground the smallest pieces into fine dust. If I could mix some of it into his water he might drink it. Not as good as getting him to swallow the entire bone, but I suspected it would at least throw him off a bit and possibly give me the upper hand. My hands shook as I swept the small pile of dust into my palm.
Legvu came back through the door with two men dangling from his hands. I stood up abruptly, forced to leave the larger piece of the bone on the floor. The intruders were alive, but he had a tight grip around their necks that suggested they wouldn’t be for long. By the looks of their clothing and dirty faces, I assumed they were a couple of homeless men who’d made the unfortunate mistake of seeking shelter for the night in the wrong place.
With my shoe, I concealed the larger piece of hyena bone on the floor, careful not to put my full weight on it.
“Look what I found.” He dropped them to the ground. “Boy, are you two going to regret walking in here tonight,” he mocked, delivering the dire news to the stunned men. One of them regained his senses and tried to stand up. Legvu didn’t stop him, and by the predatory look on his face I could tell he was eager for the man to run. But instead of running he stood frozen in place, staring at the giant mutation glaring down at him. Legvu’s eyes were frightening to look at whether you knew what he was or not, but to see something so demonic, with his coal skin and half-beast form, was enough to send the heart into arrest.
Legvu lost interest quickly when neither of the men scurried for safety. “Fuck,” he hissed with a disappointed sneer before grabbing the standing man’s neck again and swiftly snapping it until he sagged like a rag doll in the beast’s grip. Then he tossed the body across the room and reached for the second man. This one he slammed hard enough against the floor to break bones. “Humans are so fragile and resilient at the same time,” he commented, nudging the poor man with his clawed foot. “Look at him. The damn thing refuses to die.” With a quick snap, he repeated the murderous move that ended the man’s life.
With an exaggerated draw of breath through his nose, his mouth twisted in disgust. He seemed annoyed by the whole encounter, like it was a waste of his precious time to expend energy on a couple of vagrants. He glanced at the spot where I’d been standing before he left. “What are you doing over there?” he asked, looking suspiciously at me like I was up to something, which I was.
I couldn’t help it. My eyes went to the water glass on the table behind him. He followed my gaze and then looked at the hand I was holding behind my back. Putting two and two together, he stomped toward me and reached for my throat. I stumbled back, taking my foot off the bone on the floor, seizing the only opportunity I was going to get.
“What’s this?” he asked, almost laughing as he spotted the bone next to my foot.
Without losing a speck of the bone dust trapped in my hand, I dodged his lunge and fell to the floor. When I looked up, all I could see were his furious eyes fixed on mine as he descended on top of me. The lights flickered for a moment before extinguishing, leaving only the illumination from the waning moon as a dark shadow hovered above the room, crawling over the ceiling and descending on top of Legvu. The shadow seeped over his dark form like black oil spilling over his body, wrapping around his waist and pulling him off me.
I gazed at him as he floated a few yards away. On one side, he was held by a man with dark skin, his face furrowed from age and his bare back scarred deeply. On his other side was a woman wearing a long brown dress with a white apron, and a scarf wrapped snugly around her head. She was weeping, and as I looked closer I could see something swaddled in a sling against her chest. It was the still, lifeless form of an infant.
The two apparitions multiplied, and within minutes Legvu was surrounded and nearly engulfed by a sea of ghostly slaves. Their incorporeal eyes turned in my direction, and I realized they were waiting for me. Time seemed to stop as the room fell silent. Even the snarls coming from Legvu’s mouth muted into nothing, and Sugar’s frantic thrashing hit a moment of pause as she calmed herself and gazed at the vision filling the room around us.
I climbed to my feet and approached the trapped god, holding my hand out to unfold my fingers and expose the precious powder. A thin layer stuck to the sweat of my hand, but there was enough to set free. Then I blew it into the air and watched it whirl into a tiny cyclone. The bone dust appeared to dance under the dim moonlight as it traveled through the thick night air and landed in his eyes.
Legvu stopped fighting the army surrounding him, his face stuck in a fixed gaze of horror as his mouth opened and closed but made no sound. He turned to look at the larger piece of bone lying on the floor as if resolved to his fate. They released him and he began to grow smaller, his body disappearing into fine mist in the shape of an extinguishing tendril of smoke, the bone sucking him inside.
The ghosts dissipated as quickly as they’d appeared, and the phantom lights flashed bright again. I reached for the chain of bones that seemed dead and powerless without Legvu’s will to control them and ripped them from my neck. It wasn’t much, but I’d managed to get some of that bone inside of him through the membranes of his eyes. Before he had a chance to regain his power and fight his way back out, I threw the necklace across the room and grabbed the charm from the floor, shoving it in my pocket.
There was no easy way to do it. I stood on one of the chairs and ripped the duct tape from Sugar’s mouth.
“Ow!” she spat. “Goddamn motherfucker!”
I nearly fell off the chair from the force of her growl. But time was of the essence, and if I didn’t get her down from that beam soon Legvu was going to find his way back out of that small piece of bone and make us both regret we were ever born. She’d struggled so hard against the rope that the knot had tightened to the point where it would take a knife to cut her loose.
“Check them dead boy’s pockets,” she said.
As usual, she was right. One of them had a switchblade in his pocket. I cut the rope and she sagged to the ground, spreading her arms and legs like a snow angel while she got her circu
lation back.
“We have to get out of here, Sugar!”
She jumped up, her wig nearly flying off her head. “Give me that goddamn bone!” she ordered. “I’m gonna teach that son of a bitch some manners!”
I could feel the bone vibrating in my pocket. Either Legvu was fighting to get out, or some other wicked force was about to explode from it. “Not now, Sugar.” I grabbed her arm and steered her toward the doorway just as the building started to shake. Tiles from the high ceiling came raining down around us, and the floor started to split from the spot where we were standing all the way down to the closet exit. The lights swayed, flashing and popping as the phantom bulbs exploded and sent very real shards of thin glass ricocheting around the room.
“Come on, baby,” Sugar said, finally getting the picture and bottling up her need for vengeance. “We goin’ straight through that door and out this hellhole.”
We were about halfway across the room when the crack in the floor turned into a parting sea of old wooden beams. The floor lifted on both sides and sent us tumbling sideways down the slope toward the exterior walls. By the time we regained our senses and looked up, the upper floor was caving in and about to come crashing down on top of us.
“Lord Jesus!” Sugar prayed, tracing a cross over her chest as she curled into the fetal position and waited to meet her maker.
“Hell no!” I yelled. “Get your ass off that floor and follow me!” We weren’t dying today, not after everything we’d just survived. We scrambled toward a window and prepared to jump. But as we pulled at the unyielding pane and started smashing out the remaining glass pieces, the entire structure of the building started to collapse inward, pulling us down into the rubble like sand being swallowed by the tide.
Crossroads of Bones (A Katie Bishop Novel Book 1) Page 24