Chapter Twenty-Six
I woke up lying on a piece of cloth on the ground. It took me a minute to realize that I was lying on a long, tan coat. I sat up shaking my head as my ears rung and sound flooded in. There were sirens wailing as more vehicles joined those already circling the building. The gush of jets of water raced in through broken windows and doors to meet the flames. Firefighters called commands as a third engine arrived.
There were a cluster of police cars, their flashing lights illuminating the ground as I searched. My eyes raked over the floor looking for my rescuer, for highly polished black that was my only way to identify them. Clomping boots ran past dragging another hose. I saw tennis shoes, a pair of sketchers and black shoes in various stages of scuff. I zeroed in on the only well-maintained pair in the bunch.
I ran my eyes up the pressed black slacks, to the white shirt, the smartly knotted tie and the face that was in profile to me.
Hamilton? I thought Butcher had said he’d gone out of town on business. But he was here? He was talking to a hunched over figure in the passenger side of his car. It looked like an addled Rourke. It was hard to tell with her head bent away from me. I turned my head to the sound of beating feet as two paramedics rushed towards me with a gurney. I recognized them; we’d met before. I did not want to have to deal with them again, and even less wanted a trip to the hospital tonight. The woman, cropped blonde hair and a butch build that I remembered was called Dixie, froze when she saw me sitting up alert. Her surprise made me remember the way my spine had crunched, so I looked down my body and wiggled my toes experimentally. They moved. I pumped my fist in the air in celebration. Yes! Chock one up to a superhuman ability to heal. I tried to stand, but wobbled ungraciously. Dixie steadied me.
“How are you doing that? First responders said your spine was cracked.”
“They were obviously mistaken.” I let her steady me as I adjusted to the pain. My back was sore as if hit by a battering ram, but my spine was fixed enough for me to stand. My legs felt wobbly and I had the sensation of pins and needles in my feet as the blood returned. Dixie tried to get me onto the gurney but I fought her off, stumbling into her partner who caught me and blushed crimson.
“No, I don’t want to go,” I growled at them and stumbled more trying to make my legs walk away from her. I fell against another hard, male chest and a steadying arm snaked around my waist.
“I got you,” said a reassuring voice. I looked up at Hamilton who turned his gaze on the two paramedics. I was suspicious that he might make me go with them like he did last time. “I’ll look after her. I’m sure there’s someone else who needs you.”
I let out a sigh, thankful that he wasn’t going to force me to go get checked out. They backed off. I tried to lean on him less and stand up right when he looked down at me. The look in his eyes was odd. Wondering, protective and something else I couldn’t discern.
“Lean on me all you need to Cassandra. You have every right to walk a little shaky after what you’ve been through.” I arched a brow very slowly.
“When did you get back?” He blinked at me stunned. “I came to get help,” I explained. “You weren’t there. Butcher said you’d gone away and refused to help me. I had to go begging to Rourke. Rourke! For Christ sake.” Hamilton’s face got serious and his eyes were dangerous.
“Butcher refused to help you?” I nodded noticing that he had avoided answering my question. His teeth ground together.
“The man needs surgery,” I blurted. Hamilton gazed down at me questioningly. “To remove the bug up his butt. I mean I get why Rourke and Ben don’t like me. I’d met them before, but he’s a complete mystery.” Hamilton’s lips twitched.
Shouting made me turn back to the building, the one I caused to catch on fire. I watched the flames flicker like greedy fingers towards the men trying to put it out. I hoped the owner had insurance.
My voice got real quiet. “Did Rin make it out?”
“Not that we can tell. When the fire’s out we’ll search the ashes for his body.”
Was it over then? Relief made my knees weak and Hamilton had to tighten his grip to steady me.
“Careful there. Come on, let’s get you back.” I walked alongside him shaky and unsure. I had far more questions than I had answers.
“How did you get me out?” Hamilton was quick to hide his reaction behind his normal, good ole boy mask – but I saw it, the surprise.
“I don’t know what you mean.” I let it go for the moment, too tired to go through things in my head, but I saw the man behind the curtain and there was no going back. We headed towards his car where Rourke vacated the passenger seat for me. I flopped into it wincing. Hamilton went around to the driver’s side, leaving Rourke and I to regard each other.
“The hallway of that house was a mess,” She sounded unsure of herself. “But when we came to, none of my men were hurt.”
“I moved them out of the way,” I said flatly. Her face flushed as her lips formed her next words.
“Thank you.” I blinked in surprise and slid my legs gingerly into the foot well.
“Well then, I guess you’re welcome.” Hamilton leaned across me to pull my seat belt on. I frowned at him confused. He was treating me like an invalid and I didn’t care for it. I could have done the seat belt myself. Rourke shut my door for me and tapped the top of the car twice as we pulled out.
* * * *
An hour later, after filling out a statement, I let myself into my apartment. I was weary and all my muscles smarted not only from the fall, but from the running before that. I guessed superhuman healing didn’t cover doing superhuman exercise. I was going to have to work on my stamina. I rolled my neck, going from room to room and checking for any more uninvited visitors. I made sure every window and door was locked before pushing the last of my strength into my wards. I was going to put devising stronger wards on my to-do list, right near the top when I felt better. I kicked off my boots and turned off the ringer on the phone. It was nearly two in the morning and all I wanted to do was relax. I dragged my tired body into the bathroom next to the kitchen and smiled at the sight of my tub. I was going to crawl into a hot bubble bath then sleep till Wednesday. I turned on the faucet, grabbed the oils that smelled like roses and ran the water till it was frothy. Steam rose up and covered the windows and mirror in a watery haze. Slowly I peeled the soiled, chard and bloody clothes from my body. I swiped at the glass of the mirror so I could see my reflection.
My face was covered in a thin layer of soot and ash, a larger, darker smudge on my cheek. I felt nasty to the nth degree. It had been a hell of a week so far and I was going to be glad to put it behind me. I lifted one foot into the tub and the water sucked my toes into its warm embrace. I gave a sigh of genuine pleasure. I slid down till only my face was exposed, tapping my toes against the cold faucet as I let a sense of peace wash over me. I thought about Hamilton. Now that my head was clearer, my body relaxed and the pain dulled to a throb, I contemplated the bizarre situation with a man I thought my ally, if not my friend.
Hamilton was investigating me. He’d been looking for records of my birth, my parent’s marriage and anything connected to them. I knew he didn’t find any birth record for me. He did find a marriage certificate of my mother to my step-father and his birth certificate, as well as the marriage of his parents. He did not find any birth record for my mother, and her signature on the marriage document was so illegible I was unable to tell what her maiden name had been. Then there was the unusual way Hamilton pretended to know nothing about the supernatural. He would ask to be reminded of basic facts, but the more I got to know him, the more I didn’t believe him when he would ask me if I was serious. I was beginning to think he knew very well how much there was out there. He was playing dumb, but it was getting harder and harder to fool me. There were also the one or two hostile looks he gave me when the mask he wore cracked, telling me not to push. I had the unmistakable feeling that he was hiding something.
I slid
further into the water wetting my hair and smoothing it back so that the wet curls hung against my neck. Hamilton’s had been the only voice I’d heard when I’d lost control. Why? He had looked at the E-FIT of Rin like he recognized him. If it had been Hamilton that carried me from the building then he was super strong and unaffected or impervious to fire. Who was Paris Hamilton? Or what was he?
I lifted my right leg out of the water and leaned forward to pull the knot loose on the makeshift bandage there. The wounds I’d sustained were just purplish bruises now and only hurt when poked. Even I cannot fight the compulsion to poke it to see how much it hurts when confronted with a bruise.
I sloshed out of the tub, pulled the plug and listened to the gargling water swirl down the drain. I got dressed in an emerald green satin nightgown that fell to my ankles, held up amazingly by tiny, spaghetti straps. Toweling my hair I started towards my bedroom. I grabbed my robe, slipped it on and headed back into the kitchen for a cola. I pulled the tab with a satisfying hiss and noticed two things. The light on my answering machine was blinking and a neat, basic business card was sitting where I had left it on the work surface. I didn’t know what compelled me, but I picked it up, palmed it while I read the details and slipped it into the pocket of my robe. I turned up the volume on the phone and hit play. I headed back to my room.
“You have one message, received today at two twenty-five a.m.”.
A tap on the balcony door startled me and I looked up to see Vincent standing there. He gave me a small, winsome smile flashing his new fangs. I was going to return a smile when the voice on my answering machine cut painfully into my relaxed mood.
“Cassandra. There was no body in the fire. He got out. Rin is still out there! You’ve got to…” The sound cut off as my bedroom door clicked closed behind me. My eyes focused on Vincent. His eyes were wild and he pounded his fist on the glass. I tried to turn but was too late. Something pressed over my nose and mouth. A hand locked around my waist and a sweet, cloyingly smell overpowered my senses. The room spun and the last sound I heard was the angry, impotent growl of a vampire through glass.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I woke to the sound of voices. Well, it was actually only one voice, but it sounded like a conversation was going on. I just couldn’t hear the other person’s response.
“I have her and you don’t. I’ve shielded this location so you can’t track either of us. Those are my terms!”
I forced my heavy lids open and looked around. The room was lit by the glow of a fire in a hearth and a few kerosene lamps. It was decorated in rich shades of blue and gold. Drapes hung down over the walls hiding what looked like patches of damp and rough brick. My head swam as I turned my head towards the fire. It was an old hearth, simple and wide, with a bar across that a kettle could hang on to boil. I followed along the line of the wall to wooden stairs going up to a door and windows high up on the walls, at street level. We were in a basement room, my abductor and I. He sat with his back largely to me, staring into a bowl on his desk. I could just about see his face in profile. Rin smiled softly at it.
“I’ll contract you again in an hour to hear your decision.” He splashed water from the bowl with his fingers and adjusted some papers on the desk.
The only exit seemed to be the door at the top of the stairs. To get to it, I would have to go right past him. Maybe if I was quick. If I just rushed at it, didn’t look, just ran. I could make it. I pulled my body up, but my wrists locked into place as I tried launching myself from the bed. I struggled. It was no good, I was held fast. Rin turned at the sound of my struggles and his grin grew wider.
“My sleeping beauty, awake now?” I growled, unable to work out why I couldn’t break free. “Ingenious little spell isn’t it? The more energy you expel trying to break free, the tighter and stronger your restraints become. And even if you relax, it’s still rope that I’ve knotted very tightly.”
I stopped struggling, knowing it was useless. I was still in my nightdress but he’d removed my robe. It hung over a lamp on the bedside table. He turned to look at me fully and I could see the fresh burn scars on his face, neck, shoulder and arm. The skin on his entire left side had bubbled and melted like candle wax, but it was also healing. His ravaged face reminded me that I could call fire and burn the ropes. The flames curled to life around my fingers and spread up my arms. Rin gave an audible sigh, clucked his tongue and got up. He reached for something concealed by the end of the bed and hurled it at me.
I screamed when the ice cold water touched my skin. The fire went out and the satin clung to my body. He swung the bucket back and wagged a finger at me, tsking.
“Try to call fire again and you get the bucket again. I almost wish you would. You do look good wet.” I shivered with the cold.
“Was that your version of moral support?”
He grinned at me his “I’m on the edge of bat shit crazy” smile.
“I’d love to offer you moral support but I have questionable morals.”
I didn’t doubt that. Rin refilled the bucket and positioned it at the ready in case I was stupid enough to ignore the warning. He sat back in his chair watching me. I needed some time to think of another way to escape so I asked him questions to keep him busy.
“Who were you talking to?” He stroked his hands down his leg and gave an air of nonchalance.
“To one of the monks.”
“Monks?” I asked curiously while trying to slip my wrist from the loop. The more I tried, the tighter it got. I winced with the pain but luckily he didn’t notice.
“The Monks,” he said as if I should who he was referring to. “The go between, between the four. The servants of the heavens.” I gave an exasperated sigh and rolled my eyes.
“This may have escaped your notice but I don’t have the foggiest hell of what you’re talking about. Four who? Servants of what?” He shook his head in what I thought was pity. “What?”
“Do you even know that you’re a phoenix child?”
“Yeah, I know that. How the hell do you know that is my question?”
“I knew it the first time I saw you. You were trying to hide it, but I could see through the cracks of your protection. But I had to be sure, so I watched and I waited. I felt it when you unleashed your fire and re-birthed yourself in it. I was sure then.” I growled at him, hating the idea that he had been watching me that long, following me around. It just added to his creep factor which was off the charts already.
“How the hell do you know so much? I’m going to ask one last time. Who exactly the hell are you?” He stood dusting himself down and placing an arm over his chest. He bowed at the waist.
“Time for a proper introduction then. As you know I called myself Rin, but my full name is Shi-Rin Lao. I am a dragon child.” My eyes went wide and then I blinked repeatedly.
“A what? How does that relate to me? And aren’t you mortal?” He gave the tiniest of growls as if he were angry at my ineptitude.
“I guess if I think about it, we’re technically cousins.”
I grimaced. As if things couldn’t get worse, my insane stalker was now a cousin with inappropriate feelings. I did not want to be related to this nut job, especially with his unnatural feelings towards me.
“And the mortal part? How come you’re mortal when I’m not?” Rin’s lip curled back over his teeth in a snarl. I was obviously poking a sore wound. Good.
“Because I’m in exile. The majority of my powers were stripped. Its torture to be trapped in this one flesh, not allowed the joy of my dragon shape, denied the beauty of my homeland.”
“They kicked you out? I can’t imagine why.” Rin didn’t seem to notice my sarcasm.
“I tried to overthrow my father and failed.” A few pieces of the puzzle started to slide into place.
“That’s why you were so desperate to get a hold of me.” And I couldn’t deny that at the moment he had me. “You think it will get you back in good with someone.” He smiled.
“Clever
girl.”
“Patronizing bastard.”
“You don’t know how important you are to them. They need you. I have you. They will have to agree to my terms to get you.”
“Let me guess, what could you want…” My voice was droll but he took it as a cue. He threw his arms up, fingers curled like claws and his eyes looking skyward.
“Full restoration. Reinstatement. Returning home, with you as my mate.” I pulled a face.
“I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.” Rin strolled over to the bed and stroked the back of his hand over my cheek.
“I will not seem so hideous to you when I have my ability to heal like you do. Even the magic I have cannot undo this the way my true nature would.” I turned my face away from him. He took his hand back. “After a few months in bondage you will find you’ll be more kindly disposed towards me.”
“Keep your fifty shades fantasies to yourself.”
He laughed at me with a mad glint in his eye, returned to his chair and gave his back to me.
With his back turned, my mind split in two. The part of me that knew I had to use his inattention to my advantage to escape was at war with the part that wanted to ask him more questions. When would I get this opportunity again to learn more about myself and where I came from? I could always escape later. The survivalist part of my brain told me there might not be a later. He was going to contact whoever, the monks, in an hour. Then presumably if I was as needed as he believed, they would collect us both. I had to go before that happened. Once the deal was made there was no way to tell how quickly things would progress. They might not travel the way a human would.
I couldn’t pull free of the rope or burn through them. The last bucket of ice cold water clung to my skin in a strange way that I could feel impeding the burn. It would take longer to get a full burn on. By which time, he would just throw another bucket over me. Rin didn’t seem to be in any kind of amorous mood in which I could trick him into untying me. Any shift in my regard to him would also be a tip off that I was trying to play him. Rin wasn’t a stupid man ruled by his hormones. He tried that route and regarded it as a failed attempt. He wouldn’t buy that I had changed my mind so readily.
Deadly Sin (Cassandra Farbanks) Page 23