by Dannika Dark
“Nothing is forever,” I countered. “Those are your beliefs, but don’t impose them on me as if they are the right beliefs. Just because a flower will fade, does not mean we should neglect its beauty.”
“Poetic,” he smiled.
Sunny’s voice chimed in. “I didn’t mean to get anyone in trouble, but I had to know if my friend was dead, and I needed to apologize to her for what happened. I don’t want to drive a wedge in your relationships.” She ran her finger over the edge of the crystal glass and it made a bright sound.
Novis paid attention to details, and he caught on to what she was implying. “How was her making any of your doing?” He leaned forward on his elbows, interested in how she would answer.
Sunny bit her lip as everyone stared.
“I met a guy and thought we were moving in the right direction. He asked questions about my life, but mostly about Zoë. Everything he told me, everything I believed about us was a lie. I thought he cared about my life and my friends, so I told him everything I knew about her. I’m so sorry, Silver.”
Simon announced his presence with a knock on the door before shoving it open. He looked haggard and a little drunk as he shuffled in the room in his tattered jeans, flip-flops, and a snug red T-shirt.
“Bloody hell, Justus. This better be good.”
He slumped in the seat beside me, leaving me sandwiched between two men I went to second base with. Not awkward—not at all.
Simon lifted the wine from the table and wedged it between his legs. In a calculated move, he slid his hand down the neck of the bottle in a suggestive manner and waggled an eyebrow at me.
“Could he be the benefactor of Samil?” Novis wondered aloud.
I shook my head adamantly. “No, I met Marco and he’s not the guy in Samil’s basement.”
Novis set his glass on the table. “It appears there is a fox in the henhouse. The benefactor has informants beguiling humans in order to gain information. The question is—what is he scheming?”
Sunny’s voice trembled, “I thought Marco was a good guy. He was so charming and attentive.”
“Marco?” Simon murmured. “What was his last name?”
“Fearon,” she replied.
“Bloody hell, for a minute there...” He blew out a breath and slouched.
“That’s what he told me it was, although it didn’t match the name on his credit card.” Her fingernail tapped on the glass. “His friends used another name; they called him De Gradi.”
Crystal shattered and I flinched.
Shards of glass sprinkled over Justus’s shoes, along with drops of blood. His pale expression frightened me, and I sprang into the kitchen to grab a towel.
When I returned, the shift in the room was dramatic.
Simon knelt before Sunny, speaking in soft whispers. Novis stretched out in his chair, crossing his long legs at the ankle with his fingers locked behind his neck.
Wine spoiled the ends of Justus’s rug, and blood trickled at his fingertips. I lifted his large hand, wiping the blood away. I stroked a finger over his cut, lending him my light.
The moment he sensed the magic, he jerked his hand free and showed me his back.
“Anything else you remember?” Simon asked. “Anything strange he wanted to know about Silver?”
“He asked more than once about her father.”
“What? He wanted to know what?” I dropped the towel. I never met my father and knew nothing about him, so I carried resentment for a man who decided to use the “get out of fatherhood free” card.
She looked away and Simon consoled her with a gentle pat on the knee.
Knox edged away from the wall, his chest expanding like a silverback gorilla.
Sunny couldn’t look me in the eye, and I stepped forward to calm her down. I wasn’t mad at her, and she needed to know that.
Suddenly, the breath knocked out of my lungs when Adam lifted me off the ground. He flashed towards me so fast that I couldn’t formulate words. “Glass,” he muttered, staring at my bare feet as he set me down. One split second was all it took to right what was wrong between us.
“That’s what I saw Marco do!” Sunny gasped. “That’s how I knew that he wasn’t human, he moved just like that.”
I lifted my eyes to Justus, but his back was still turned. “Who is he, Ghuardian?”
The room quieted.
“He is my Creator.”
Chapter 8
Coincidence parked its ass in my driveway every chance it got. It was a fluke that I met Justus in a bar; it could have been anyone, or any Breed. He took me under his wing and in the short span of time we spent together, he became one of the most important mentors in my life. Suddenly, the rug ripped out from beneath us. His Creator was directly involved in the attack that led to my becoming a Mage. The betrayal he felt was palpable.
Justus couldn’t look me in the eye. “I cannot believe this is true.”
“We will summon him,” Novis decided. “Tread carefully, Justus. We assigned this case to you, but don’t let it become personal. Until we have facts, we have nothing.”
I collapsed in my seat. “What case?” Sunny strolled across the room and sat on the arm of my chair.
Novis lingered by the bookshelf, feeling the weathered spines of our collection. “The benefactor is more than just a high paying juicer; we suspect that he’s conspiring against the Mageri. We requested HALO take over the investigation.”
Without warning, Knox stormed across the room, drawing everyone’s attention to his sudden movement. He stopped in front of Sunny and lifted a heavy arm, pointing at her. Every man in that room, including Adam, inched forward.
“Who did that?” His lip curled, and something dark flashed in his eyes.
I turned to see what he was looking at. Sunny had lifted her arms to stretch, and the short sleeve fell back, revealing the marks on her arm.
Adam rose from his chair. “That was blood on your sleeve, wasn’t it?”
“So what if it was?” I argued.
“Did you fight someone?”
“With my Ghuardian, yes.”
Justus faced him directly, lifting his chin. “She bested them.” He said it with pride on his tongue and my heart warmed.
“Atta girl,” Simon cheered.
“Trouble just seems to follow you, doesn’t it?” Adam’s lip twitched. “One of these days, no one is going to be there to save you.”
“Hey, leave my girl alone,” Sunny chimed in. “She doesn’t need saving. I always knew she had fight in her, but that was spectacular. Justus had to peel her off that idiot,” she said, flipping up my hair in the back. “What were the odds of running into them?”
“I guess they’re locals and live in the neighborhood.”
“Hold the fuck up. The guys at the bar—those are the guys you’re talking about?”
If there were such a thing as a testosterone meter, it would have spiked.
Knox lifted her sleeve to get a better look. It was an ugly mark and his jaw tightened like a steel trap.
“I still can’t get over how you can heal. That’s so amazing.” She poked my knee and smiled.
“But you can’t,” Knox said. He turned around and walked across the room, releasing a long sigh as he stared at the fire.
“Take the chair,” I said to Sunny. I went to my favorite spot on the sofa.
“Bloody hell,” Simon muttered. “You haven’t seen Marco in years, Justus. We don’t know what he’s been up to, but he hasn’t kept in touch with you, has he?”
The fire crackled and hissed, sending sparks up the chimney in a twist of light.
Simon’s fingers were between the cushions when he pulled out a peanut, studied it, and smiled at me through hooded eyes. He tossed it on the table and sighed. “Marco will never come willingly if the Council calls on him. You can bet he’ll go underground.”
Novis stretched, and tucked his fingers in his rear pockets. “Simon, remember that debt you owe to the Council? I think i
t’s time we collect.”
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“It means that I’ll be taking a trip,” he grumbled.
I scoffed at him. “How are you going to get Marco to come with you? Tap him on the shoulder and say ‘Excuse me. We think you may have been involved in something illegal. Could you please fly back to Cognito with me so we can put your ass in the slammer?’ He’ll never talk.”
Justus folded his arms and lifted his head to the high ceiling. “If Marco is involved with the benefactor, then he will want to know where you are, because you are a deal that has not been closed. I have his trust, and can use that to bring him in.”
Simon snatched my glass and placed it on the table. “No worries, love.”
I listened as they questioned Sunny, but it was impossible to fight against the collapse of energy. Justus didn’t need to level down because he kept himself under control during the confrontation, while I could barely contain my light within my fingertips.
I nodded off somewhere between plane tickets and hotels. Intense emotions spiked energy levels in a Mage; most of the time we leveled down. It takes concentration to harness your light and shift it appropriately—controlling it, before it controls you. It was my first street fight, and I didn’t bother leveling down. I needed the nap.
I woke up stretched across the sofa with my head in Simon’s lap. Silence swaddled me. Embers diminished to a curious glow, and the air smelled of bacon and coffee. Simon’s fingers had been busy, as tiny little braids skimmed over my face.
“How long was I out?”
“Hours,” he said.
“Why didn’t you wake me?”
“Wouldn’t dream of it—especially after the priceless look on Adam’s face.”
“I wish you wouldn’t try to start trouble.” I sat up and rubbed the corner of my eyes, feeling well rested.
“You know, you’re more agreeable unconscious. I’d love to sleep with you again sometime.”
Braids scattered across my shoulders. “I see you were busy.”
“I’m a man who likes to keep my hands occupied.”
I noticed a wet spot on his pants and wiped my mouth in embarrassment.
“I think Bam-Bam fancies your friend.”
“His name is Knox, and my inside sources tell me otherwise.” I yawned.
“Some things are more obvious to other men, I suppose.” He tugged a loose thread from his jeans until it snapped off.
“So what’s the plan?”
“I talked them out of sending me alone. We don’t want him to get nervy. Everyone goes, including Knox.”
“Why would he go?”
Simon stretched out like a cat, groaning aloud. “Knox is human, so he can get close and do a little detective work without raising suspicion.” He sighed and chewed on a fingernail. “We know a few places he owns, but it’s a big city and he could be staying anywhere. We’re crashing at Sunny’s flat to keep a low profile. No need to worry about our names raising any flags in town.”
“How long will we be gone?”
“This time love, you will not leave the house.” He pinched my nose playfully. “It’s safer here. No one has access to get in. He’s put his trust in you once more.”
My voice softened. “I want to help, Simon. I have more right than anyone to go after him, and I don’t want to be excluded.”
He groaned, kicking up his feet on the coffee table. “Careful what you choose for your purpose in life; revenge is a swamp you’ll get lost in. You’re too valuable, which is why we’re keeping you safe and sound in the castle.”
He dropped his chin and wiped a hand across his lap. “I believe I need a new pair of trousers since these are covered in slobber. I do love it when the ladies drool over me.”
“Do me a favor? Don’t hit on Sunny. I know how much you love to flirt, but you owe me a solid. She’s a sensitive girl and I don’t want her played by one of my friends. Just keep an eye on her, and… away from Justus.”
“No worries,” he chuckled. “Something tells me that massive bloke is going to erupt like Mount Vesuvius if Justus so much as charms her. I must confess that I would very much like to see that.” His pierced tongue poked at his lower lip. “Novis didn’t show it, but he’s quite displeased with your Adam. He’s the sort that has high expectations of his Learners. I suspect he’ll be revoking some of his privileges.”
“Great.” I slumped back on the sofa and threw my legs over Simon’s lap. As if I didn’t feel guilty enough. “When are you leaving?”
“Four hours.”
“Already?”
“No time to waste, darling.”
“Why can’t I go?”
“Can’t risk it.”
“He wouldn’t recognize me.”
Simon wiggled my toe, the little piggy that had roast beef. “He’s a clever Mage, so you stay put.”
“What makes you think he still lives there?”
“The pubs Sunny gave us are still in his name. Doesn’t even bother to get a different identity from what the Mageri gave him. Marco appears to be quite the entrepreneur. He’s taken a fancy to that place.”
“It’s a hole-in-the-wall town.”
Simon laughed. “Your phrases amuse me; they don’t mean the same thing where I’m from. Cowardly men prefer to stay out of sight, and out of mind,” he concluded. “Why should he leave? Your city is without a Council because of the low population, so that puts him in a powerful position. Marco has years on him, and he’s stinking rich.”
“Do you think Justus will try to confront him?”
A moment lapsed before Simon answered. “I won’t let him.”
Chapter 9
With everyone gone, I had no distractions to pass the time. We didn’t own a television, radio, or even a computer. My music player was difficult to charge, and I was tired of listening to the same old songs. I paced the house and discovered a new diversion: cooking. I had a couple of signature dishes, but otherwise, I’ve always been a catastrophe in the kitchen. Justus filled the kitchen with a few essentials before leaving; little did he know what he was missing out on.
By day two, I managed to cook up a storm. The results included lasagna, noodle casserole (grossly undercooked veggies), a batch of cookies, three cakes, and chicken enchiladas.
On the third night, Simon called to check in on me.
“Are you guys done with your expedition yet?”
“Miss me already?” he purred. “Marco is an elusive bastard. We’ve sent Knox to his pubs, but the human could not be any less conspicuous. We can’t afford to have him make too many appearances. Sunny will give him a ring tomorrow—pretend to be the ex who wants to smooth things over.”
“Don’t do that, Simon. It’s better if he forgets all about her.”
“I’ve considered the risk. If this doesn’t draw him out, then she’s returning to Cognito with us…for good.” Simon chuckled like a man with a secret. “Hercules made sure of that.”
I swirled my finger in the soft icing of a chocolate cake, decorated with a garnish of strawberries and a dusting of sugar. I liked the idea of Sunny moving to Cognito, so I didn’t argue. “I don’t see how she agreed to that.”
Simon snorted. “She doesn’t know.”
“Since when does Knox have any—”
My words hit the brakes. In a silent house, any small noise was like a parade. “Hold on.”
“What is it?”
A knock sounded at the front door in a friendly rhythm.
“Nothing,” I exhaled, sliding off the counter. “Adam’s dropping in to check on me. Don’t mention this to Justus; I’m already in enough hot water to boil a lobster.”
I arrowed through the living room and wiped my fingers on my jeans. The metal door was a security measure that helped Justus sleep at night. I slid the latch and heard whispers on the other end of the phone.
“I’m not kidding, Simon. Don’t you dare mention this.”
“Silver—”
Simon was my friend, but his friendship with Justus spanned at least a century. I slipped the phone in my rear pocket and pulled open the door.
A man of tremendous height wearing a black raincoat stood before me. Slowly, I lifted my chin to look up at him. Adam always had a few inches on me, but this guy towered at 6’5”.
Damn, he was tall.
Only the tip of his nose and mouth were visible. An oversized hood cloaked his face, but his pressed lips stretched wide when he smiled. Rain dripped from the ends of his fingers, splashing on the dark concrete. Light from inside glistened off the water-drenched coat, and he smelled like a thunderstorm.
He removed the hood, spilling a stream of water to the floor. Hair the color of sunlight spread across his shoulders, all one length and wet at the ends. The soft ethereal quality of it was a contrast against his pronounced bone structure. Shadowed grooves along his face showcased high cheekbones, and yet there was a softness to his expression. The top of his nose was a little broad, drawing attention to deep-set eyes framed with heavy brows, giving him an animalistic gaze. His light eyes glittered, but I couldn’t distinguish the color as they dropped to the floor. His looks were distinct, but not classically handsome. In fact, he was frightening, and… I really needed to stop staring.
“Who are you?” I asked, inching the door closed. We never had visitors.
He wiped droplets of water from his chin and cleared his throat.
“Jiminy, it’s coming down like cats and dogs out there! Sorry I’m late; I missed the turn. You must be Silver.”
He offered a hand and lifted his brows with a pleasant expression.
“I’m Logan Cross.”
I stared at his hand wordlessly.
“Justus didn’t mention I was coming by to keep an eye on you? I could sit out here if it makes you easier, but I know about the back door and that wouldn’t make me feel easy. He would have my hide if he didn’t think his Learner was protected.”
I forced a smile.
Logan had a strong voice that warmed me on the inside like a cup of cocoa. “It was a last minute arrangement, but he said he would prepare you for my visit. Did he not call you?”