“You want to call off Cujo there? She must be confused. I’m not the bad guy.” He paused and added, “I need to call Alex.”
Trusting the dog, I didn’t call her off. I let her growl. I told him to call Alex though. He pulled out a cell phone and placed a call to Alex. After explaining what happened to Jordan, he hung up.
“Well? Is he coming?” I asked.
“Yeah, he’s on his way. He’ll be here shortly. I have to go to another meeting though. I’ll be back a little later.” He gave me a little smile and vanished.
Domino barked once and rubbed her face against my leg. Well, that was creepy. Assuming Alex would be here in a few minutes, I stood in the kitchen.
“Hey Cujo, do me a favor and use your super-dog senses and sniff around. We’re looking for blood and the smell of a stranger. Someone who shouldn’t be here, maybe.”
Like a very hairy CSI, she went to the front door and started from there. Meanwhile, I searched the kitchen. No sign of blood. I stuck my nose down to the floor and peeked into the seams between the tiles. Nothing. I know I saw Jordan…Where did he go? What gives? This was really weird.
Alex was a no-show. It had been three hours since James called him and he hadn’t showed. I paced up and down the hallway and ground my teeth in frustration. Damn it. What was taking him so long? Surely this was important? Jordan had to be okay, didn’t he?
There’s nothing wrong with Jordan. You’ve made a mistake.
I know what I saw. Jordan was hurt.
The little voice continued. Are you sure that’s what you saw? You’re tired. Maybe you didn’t see anything.
I did see it! Jordan was bleeding…
Then where is he?
I whispered, “I don’t know.”
Chapter 8: A Momentary Lapse of Reason
THE WITCHING HOUR and I couldn’t sleep. Millions of city lights muted the stars as I stared out into the night. I leaned against the brick wall on the rooftop and tried to let my mind drift. It wasn’t working for me tonight. My thoughts rambled disjointedly. I couldn’t organize them into anything remotely coherent. Every time I tried to meditate, little voices of doubt intruded. Random images from my past flitted around like hyperactive butterflies. I must be really stressed; my concentration was shot and meditation was light years away. There was just too much going on right now. Cursing in frustration, I stomped back inside and locked the doors. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t call Alex myself because I didn’t have his number in my phone. No one had given it to me. Sean always had it though, but calling him wasn’t an option at the moment.
My heart caught painfully. I missed Sean. But this was necessary. Getting away from him for a little while was my only option if I wanted to sort out my thoughts…my memories. I needed to understand what happened that day in Vermont. Something nagged at me, there was some clue I was overlooking. It was important, but I couldn’t find it. My stupid brain wouldn’t cooperate. Curling up with Domino, I fell into a restless sleep full of dreams. I woke suddenly with no idea where I was. Blinking in the morning light, I looked around in confusion.
Oh. That’s right--the penthouse.
Yesterday’s events came rushing back and I sighed. I was alone. I sensed no one else in the apartment. After dressing and eating, I shouted for Alex. Well, he’s supernatural, right? Maybe he can hear me. I tried shouting for Raphael and Zadkiel too. No one magically appeared. I left a note on the table, just in case, and took Domino for a walk. We rounded the corner onto Broadway where swarms of people marched to their destinations. New Yorkers had that look of purpose about them. Everyone knows where they’re going and they don’t mess around. The energy of the city recharged me and I joyfully joined the swarm and let it sweep me along. I had no particular place to go.
After grabbing two hot dogs from a vendor of questionable cleanliness, the dog and I perched on the steps in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I slid Domino the rest of my bun and licked spicy brown mustard off one of my knuckles. Leaning back, I closed my eyes against the caressing breeze and breathed in the exhaust fumes.
“You must be my soul mate,” a deep voice said in front of me.
I scrambled to my feet blinking against the slant of sunlight. Oh! There in front of me was a beautiful male with sparkling blue eyes. He was perfectly marked and regarded me regally. What muscular haunches he has! Oh, and the human attached to the leash was not so bad either. It was no surprise that Domino hadn’t warned me, she only had eyes for…
I asked, “What’s his name?”
“Domino. And yours?”
“Domino.”
“Wow, we really are soul mates!” The man held out his hand and said, “I’m Balin.”
He had warm golden brown eyes and thick brown hair that was just a little too long. Curling against his collar, it gave him the look of some kind of model. Italian maybe? His nose was crooked as if it had been broken, but it added character to an otherwise flawless face. His mouth looked soft, sensitive even…more of a poet than a fighter. But was he harmless? Looks didn’t always show the truth, did they? He could be a demon for all I knew, but it couldn’t hurt to be polite.
We chatted for a few minutes and he invited us to walk with them to Central Park. Seeing no real reason to say no, Domino and I joined them. The trees were thick and the path was shady and cool in the afternoon sun. It felt good to breathe in the semi-clean air of the woods. Joggers ran by with their iPods humming making me wish I’d brought my running shoes. Balin was a natural entertainer and told story after story until I found myself laughing in spite of the weight on my mind. But by the time the sun cast long shadows over the park, I was ready to get back to the penthouse. My stomach growled alarmingly and I blushed.
“Wow! It’s late! No wonder you’re starving. Listen,” he said, “do you want to grab dinner? I live pretty close. We can leave the dogs in the loft and go out.”
Alarm bells tinkled in the back of my mind. Something was a little off. Hoping to appear nonchalant, I looked indirectly into his eyes but nothing but steady brown irises met my own. There was no wall of fire, no blackness, and certainly no kaleidoscope of color showing his innermost thoughts.
Still not comfortable with going to his flat, I made excuses. “I’m sorry, Balin, but I need to get back. My uncle should be home by now and I need to see him. But thanks for the offer.”
His poet lips grazed my knuckles as he said, “Until we meet again then.” He winked broadly and turned away.
My skin tingled like a raw nerve when I pulled my hand back. I resisted the urge to wipe off his kiss and practically dragged the dog four blocks before I slowed down and stopped. Breathing like I’d run four miles, I rubbed the back of my hand viciously against my jeans. It was still there. My skin felt raw where his mouth had touched it…it burned like the skin had been scraped off the top. I held it up in the fading light, but the skin wasn’t broken. It was tan and taut like the rest of my body. Still, it stung like hell and I stuck it in my mouth automatically. Bitter acid curled my tongue back and I spit it out. Ugh. Gross!
Who is this guy?
Better question: What is this guy?
Alex was still absent when we got back. Disappointed, I poured a glass of water and scrounged for dinner. Apparently, Jordan hadn’t been shopping. The fridge was sadly empty. I managed to find some crackers and a tiny wedge of cheese though. There was a carton with three eggs in it and a box of cereal. I flipped a coin. I lost. Domino got the eggs for dinner. Tapping my fingers absently on the bar, I had a minor epiphany. I was bored. I marveled at the idea for a few minutes. I couldn’t remember the last time I was bored. There was no help for it though. I had to do something. I flipped on the television and caught the news. The news anchor was in the middle of a story about the body of a homeless man. A picture of a burned warehouse filled the screen. Intrigued, I turned up the volume.
“And the unidentified man was found outside of this abandoned warehouse near the East River. He was reporte
d dead by an anonymous caller earlier today. Cause of death has not been determined.”
A close up of the warehouse flashed on the screen. The building itself was mostly destroyed but the front entrance was still intact. The pale red siding was streaked with grime. I know that place! I’ve been there before. Hmm. What would a dead homeless guy be doing there? Cause of death? Hmm, I would bet my right arm cause of death had something to do with chemical poisoning. Dagin? Again? Or maybe, still would be a better assumption. He was still operating in the area and I’d bet his men never cleaned up the crap in the old warehouse before moving on.
What would it take to get rid of this demon?
Ignoring Killian’s rule of never going off alone, I was making my way to the other side of the East River. I was pretty sure I could find the warehouse again. It felt good to do something useful. I had memorized the street map and tucked it into my jacket pocket. I was wearing the darkest things I’d brought, but felt oddly unprepared for a fight. Killian had rules for our ops. Every time we had an op, we went over the plan and the weapons we’d need. Keeping to my training, I went over my own simple plan, but I felt naked now without NVGs or a headset. All I had was my Sig and a knife strapped to my calf. Sean had given me the silver-bladed Primani knife a few months ago. Unlike the heavy military-issue weapon we usually carried, this one was more a stiletto than combat knife. It was also simply engraved around the haft with two intertwined circles. A small cross bisected them through their center. The symbolism was clear: my blood, their blood, our blood together. Together, we were stronger. I fingered the blade and hoped I’d be strong enough going solo.
The sun was down completely and as usual, the streetlights were mostly broken. This area was a wasteland, and no one seemed to care about keeping the lights on. Pausing on the same bridge I’d crossed with Dec so long ago, I felt a crushing sense of déjà vu. I let the feeling wash over me and absorbed the images. I’d been here before and was here now. There was nothing weird about that. Shaking off the creepy feeling, I took a breath and kept moving forward hugging the tree line instead of walking down the rutted dirt road. The same broken-down 18 wheeler greeted me around the bend. Geez, didn’t anyone clean up? That thing had nearly crushed me flat the last time I was here. Probably I wouldn’t need to worry about any explosions tonight so it was safe to go hide behind it. The weeds climbing up its windows would provide excellent cover for a nosy secret agent like me.
Disappearing in the shadows, I looked for any other signs of life. Not sensing anyone, demonic or otherwise, I slipped over to the far side of the warehouse. The homeless guy was found near the water. It was super creepy here in the dark so I was going to move through this like lightning--get in, get out! A branch scraped against the side of the building and I jumped. Suddenly this wasn’t the best plan ever…I was really alone here. Even the sounds of cars were very far away. No one would hear me scream…
Hello, what do we have here?
Using the toe of my boot, I rooted a piece of melted white plastic out of the dirt. I pulled out a plastic bag and carefully put the bit of plastic inside and sealed it. I shoved it into my backpack and kept looking. Tapping a toe, I racked my brain for ideas. During last year’s raid, the chemicals had sidelined me and James when they blew into us. I was coughing up blood for hours until Raphael healed me. If the barrels leaked into the ground…and the homeless guy slept near the building out of the wind...What would Sara Sidle do? I scooped some dirt into the plastic bag and sealed that up. I searched around the rest of the building and didn’t see anything weird. I was just turning to leave when I thought I saw a movement in the brush.
Slowly pulling out my gun, I turned towards the brush and nearly dropped it in surprise. The biggest rat I’ve ever seen came out from under it and sauntered towards me like I was dinner. It was almost as big as Domino! With tiny rodent eyes gleaming hotly in the moonlight, it looked like a demon from Hell. It lifted its nose and sniffed the air catching my scent. Emboldened now, it picked up its pace and shuffled closer. Holy shit! I took off in a dead sprint back up the middle of the road. If I was attacked by another person, I would shoot him and let the rat eat him.
Thanks to all the running I’ve been doing, I survived long enough to find a corner grocery store. I was happily putting groceries away when my cell phone rang. Tossing Domino a cookie, I checked the caller ID. It was Sean. I guess he’s finally noticed I’m not there…my heart did a little flip-flop in my chest and I considered the phone. It kept ringing.
“Sean?”
Pregnant pause.
“Where are you?” he asked with a heavy sigh. “Mica? Do you have any idea how worried I am? Where are you?”
“I’m fine. I’m okay and I don’t need your help.”
Long silence. I could hear his teeth grinding together through the earpiece.
“Okay…would you at least explain this…note you left me? Was this supposed to explain things?” He sounded like a man trying very hard not to shout. I could picture him counting to ten before speaking.
Grimacing at his tone, I said, “I was mad.”
I had been really angry when I wrote it, but it seemed like a lifetime had passed since then. Probably I should tell him about Jordan and James…
“That’s it? You were mad? That’s your explanation for tearing out of here in the middle of the night without even talking to me? What the hell were you mad about?”
His frustration came through loud and clear. A little embarrassed now, I tried to remember what I wrote. I couldn’t quite remember…It seemed like so long ago, maybe I had overreacted. What was I angry about again? Something to do with Killian? No, that wasn’t right. Sean? No, never him. What was I upset about? I chewed my lip as I racked my brain for memories. A warm fog settled over my brain.
The quiet voice of memory whispered to me. They left you alone. Remember? They left you. They walked away and left you alone. They didn’t take you with them because they don’t trust you.
Realization dawned as bright as the sun through the fog. That’s right! They left me without a word and took off. My Primani left me alone. They didn’t trust me to go with them. Why couldn’t I go? I was a strong fighter now. I’ve proven myself. There’s no reason to make me stay home! What were they up to? More secrets? They were probably killing someone else who irritated them. Ramon’s terrified face slammed into view. His face twisted in pain as Killian stood behind him…whispering those evil words, killing without even touching. Talk about keeping his hands clean! Maybe I’d be next? I’m always irritating them. Even Dec gets tired of me sometimes.
No wait, that’s not right. I shook my head to clear it. I was confused. I hadn’t been that angry, had I? I came here to get my thoughts together. I left for some space…the fuzziness returned. Shaking, I lowered myself to a chair. My head spun in a slow spiral as I pictured Sean’s blue eyes snapping at me in anger. He was always angry! What was his problem? Couldn’t he just leave me alone for a change? He doesn’t own me. I have a right to my own life. That’s right, to my life. I’m not Primani! I don’t have to answer to them. Staring groggily at the kitchen counter, I saw red behind my eyelids and my blood steamed as it raced through my body. My skin burned and glowed like a lamp in the dark kitchen.
Knuckles white against the counter, I slurred, “Oh, go to hell!” just before sliding into darkness.
Domino’s cold nose nudged me awake sometime much later. My face hurt. As if moving through wet cement, I dragged my arm to my face and pulled my cell phone out of the crease in my cheek. I must’ve been lying on it for a while because there was a deep impression in my skin. What happened? Why am I on the floor? My mouth felt like cotton and my eyes burned. I shifted to sit up and my head exploded. With both hands gripping my skull, I stared up at the skylight. Any little movement brought excruciating pain. My eyes watered with it and I drew in a careful breath. Domino whined helpfully and I slowly cracked an eyelid. Her eyes looked into mine. Declan?
Of course!
I lay very still and focused my healing energy on my splitting head. Breathing slowly, I guided the gentle current and felt its warmth surround my neck and flow into my aching face and around my skull. The pain subsided slowly and I felt refreshed again. I sat up gingerly and then stood up and stretched. I picked up my phone and groaned.
The screen was shattered.
Hundreds of itty bitty ant cars crawled along the city streets 18 stories below me. Leaning out a bit further, I could barely see the people walking by. I’d been staring blankly at the scene for a while and still no magical solution had presented itself. I had to make a decision. I was alone in the penthouse and I was lonely. I had $5.82 and had to use my credit card for everything. I had no way to get more money. There was a dead guy at the warehouse where we accidently blew up a stockpile of toxic chemicals that were stored inside white plastic barrels. I now had samples of said plastic and contaminated dirt. My hand ached.
Problems were many; options were few. I could call Sean…that would solve the loneliness and money problems. He’d know how to send the samples to their lab too. Good idea except my phone was destroyed. I flexed my fingers and frowned. They seemed stiff to me…absently, I rubbed my hand and wondered if we had any drugs here. Maybe aspirin would help?
The wind nearly knocked me over as I turned the corner and hit an open space in the sidewalk. Clouds roiled high above the buildings as I rushed up the street. I zipped up my jacket and pulled up the collar. The air was wet with a threat of rain and it would be cold when it finally hit the sidewalk. I was rushing to get back before that happened. The bottle of Tylenol rattled in my pocket. Only two more blocks...My hair blew into my eyes again, and I shoved it back for the hundredth time. As I did, I caught a familiar reflection in the plate glass window next to me. My skin prickled at the exact moment I crossed the opening to the alley. I didn’t have time to scream when I was yanked off my feet and thrown into an open car door. Struggling madly, my boot connected with something soft, and a surprised grunt was the last sound I heard before a sharp pain burned into my neck.
The Lost Soul Trilogy (Primani Book 5) Page 35