Guild of Truth 01 - Silent as the Grave

by Mary K. Norris

  She found a key ring in the very back of the second drawer. She sprinted for the front door, fumbling with the lock for a good minute before she found the right key. She didn’t bother removing the key from the lock, she simply shoved her hands through the double doors and wrenched them open with all her strength. Footsteps echoed on the marble floor behind her. The gap in the door could barely fit a person but Cali jammed herself through.

  Jente came around the corner.

  He stopped dead when he saw her. She didn’t wait around to see what he did. She ran blindly, her heart beating a mile a minute.

  Chapter 16

  Cali’s body was still trembling when she arrived at Felix’s house. She hadn’t even realized where she’d been going until she arrived. It was strange to think that instead of driving to her apartment she’d come here; that she felt safer here than at her own home.

  The driveway was empty, which was to be expected. What wasn’t expected was that no one answered the door.

  “Felix?” she called hopelessly. She knocked then rang the doorbell again.

  Still no answer. Her phone had died in the car. Leaving her stranded.

  When it was obvious no one was going to come to the door she sat down on the front step.

  Dusk was settling in. What was a cool ocean breeze in Irvine was a lot stronger out here, and she hugged herself tight.

  She felt so alone.

  A dog howled in the distance, the sound reminding her of Yeller.

  Yeller … Sydney’s clinic. Duh! That’s where Felix must be.

  Hope flared as she hopped in his Hummer. His scent lingered in the car and Cali inhaled greedily. Her whole body ached, but not as much as her heart seemed to. She just wanted to be near him. Was a little comfort too much to ask?

  “Apparently so,” Cali mumbled dejectedly as she stared at the Closed sign in the window of Sydney’s clinic. The lights were off. Nobody home.

  Better luck next time, Crazar.

  Something wet fell from her eye and she wiped it away furiously. Stupid wind was making her eyes water.

  “Cali?”

  She turned and found Tom standing outside his pizzeria. A small bucket and rag were resting on the table he had set up outside.

  “What are you doing out here?” He gave her a warm smile that disappeared when he caught sight of her injuries. He rushed over, gingerly taking her bandaged appendages into his hands. “What happened to you?”

  His genuine concern was almost too much for her to handle. She cleared her suddenly raw throat. “There was an accident at my apartment.”

  It didn’t look like he was listening. His green eyes were fixed on her cuts, his hands warm against her forearms. Her skin started to tingle. From the wind?

  No.

  She stared at Tom. His visor was pushed up at an odd angle, messing up his dirty blond hair. His face was pinched in concentration.

  Was that tingling coming from him?

  She opened her mouth to ask but he dropped his hands from her. The tingling sensation disappeared.

  She shook her head, dismissing whatever thoughts were trying to form in her mind.

  “Is everything okay?” he asked.

  I think I’m losing my mind.

  “Fine. Do you happen to know where Sydney is?” She wanted to ask about Felix but didn’t know if Tom had even met him before.

  Tom rubbed his jaw. “I think I saw her getting picked up about fifteen minutes ago.”

  “Was Niella with her?” She needed to confront the Dreamer and get her answers.

  Tom’s brow furrowed. “Her assistant? I’m not sure. I’ve never really seen her before. She’s never there when I’m around. I can try Sydney on my cell if you’d like though.”

  “That’d be perfect.”

  Tom dug his phone out and dialed Sydney. “Hey, Sydney, it’s Tom.”

  There was a muffled reply. Cali was too far away to hear it, but she could make out the bubbly tone of voice easy enough.

  “I’m great. Listen, your friend Cali is here looking for you.” Again he paused as Sydney said something. “Does she know where that is? All right, great. I’ll send her over.”

  He hung up.

  “She told me to tell you to meet her at Felix’s house? You know where that is? They’re in the backyard.”

  She must’ve just missed them.

  “I do. Thanks a bunch, Tom.” She impulsively gave him a hug. Something she never did. But she was feeling so much better. Her burns didn’t even sting anymore.

  He gave her a friendly pat on the back. “Anytime.” She released him, unable to believe what her body had just felt. Underneath all that pizzeria uniform was a wall of muscle. There must have been some kind of secret gym society out here that men who were involved in culinary arts attended. What other explanation was there for a baker and a pizza cook to be so ripped?

  • • •

  Joel’s truck was parked in Felix’s driveway.

  Cali went around the back like she’d been instructed. The side gate was open, and she could hear Joel and Felix along with Sydney’s laughter. No Niella though.

  She came around the corner of the house and stopped. Felix’s backyard wasn’t all that big. There was the porch, connected to the sliding glass backdoor and then a section of grass that had a few flowers rimming the fence.

  Sydney was seated at the only wood bench by the fence, clearly enjoying the view. The view that had Cali’s feet frozen to the grass. Both Felix and Joel were shirtless, playing some type of two-player football.

  “Come on, Joel, you have to make a play for the ball sometime,” Felix was goading him. The ball was fitted snugly into the crook of his arm. He feigned left then right. Joel tried to mirror his moves but was slower by a few seconds, obviously lacking Felix’s quick reflexes and grace.

  Joel made a play for the ball. Felix spun out, easily avoiding him and strutted to the far end of his backyard where Cali guessed the touchdown zone was.

  “That’s five to one, Kegler.” He threw Joel the ball.

  Joel caught it with a grunt. “Hey, not all of us were All-American athletes.”

  Felix grinned, the waning sun reflecting off his bronzed chest and shoulders.

  Cali could hardly breathe. She longed to fall into his arms.

  His gaze flicked to her, his face brightening further. He jogged over. “Hey.” He bumped into her affectionately but didn’t touch her more than that. She didn’t know whether to be grateful or disappointed. “How’d the interview go?”

  Cali held onto her self-control by a thread. “I think it’d be better if we went inside.” She looked to Joel and Sydney, then back to Felix. “All of us.”

  He frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  “Where’s Niella?”

  “At home.” Sydney came over. “Why?”

  How much to tell them?

  She wanted to tell them everything. She really did. But she couldn’t be betrayed again. She somehow needed to get herself alone with Niella.

  “I need to talk to her. Where does she live? I’ll go pick her up.”

  Sydney exchanged glances with both Joel and Felix.

  “Are you sure everything’s okay, Cali?” asked Felix.

  “I’m fine. Please, I just need to figure things out right now. The drive will do me good.” Not necessarily a lie.

  “I’ll get you the directions and tell Niella you’re coming to get her.” Sydney ran back into the house.

  Felix continued to study her. She avoided his eyes. He had an uncanny ability to read her better than anyone, and she didn’t want to give anything away.

  “How are you feeling?” Joel’s question caught her off guard.

  “What?”

  He pointed to her arms and bandages. “You don’t look too bad. Felix made it seem like you were seriously injured. Guess Collette doesn’t know how to construct a very good bomb. You’re lucky. Are you feeling better?”

  Cali looked down at her arms and noticed they
were nearly healed. Completely.

  What the … ?

  “I feel … great actually.”

  Felix looked just as puzzled as she felt. “How’d you heal that fast? These were all open cuts earlier.”

  “She’s Wolverine, man.” Joel was truly impressed.

  Felix shot him a look and took one of her arms to remove the bandage. Underneath was nothing but slightly tender, smooth, pink skin. He went to the bandage on her face.

  Cali held her breath. “Well?”

  Felix took a step back. “The same thing. You’re … healed.”

  Sydney came over waving a piece of paper. “Got your directions right here. Want me to come with?”

  Cali pocketed the paper. “I got it.”

  Sydney’s face flashed with something like hurt before she covered it up. “Are you sure? You’re going to have to help Niella into the car, fold up her wheelchair, and heft it into the back of Felix’s Hummer.”

  “Like I said, I got it.”

  She only made one wrong turn the entire journey and that was because Sydney’s bubbly script made her p’s look like r’s.

  Cali’s first reaction to Niella’s home was, I need to get a job working for Sydney. She had no idea how Niella afforded the place. She never in her wildest dreams would have thought a vet clinic secretary would be making enough to afford a house like that, but the proof stood right in front of her.

  Unless she’d done something before working for Sydney.

  She’d have to remember to ask but first she had bigger questions to breach.

  Niella was outside waiting as Cali parked in the driveway. When she got out of the Hummer, Niella had already wheeled herself over to the passenger door. Cali hastened to her side to help. Wrong move.

  Niella shoved her hands away. “I got it,” she snapped. She continued to struggle. Felix’s Hummer was just a tad too tall for her to get the right leverage to pull herself up.

  Cali braced herself and grabbed Niella around the waist. “What the hell did I tell you?” Niella barked instantly. But Cali wasn’t listening. She only lifted her high enough to grab the “oh shit” bar then unceremoniously let her body drop.

  Niella clamped her mouth shut on what Cali was sure would have been a good cursing. Instead Niella glared at her. Evilly.

  You’re welcome.

  Niella pulled herself in, one of her legs twitching.

  Cali jumped back.

  “What?”

  “Your leg. It moved.”

  Niella gave her one of the bitterest smiles she’d ever seen. “I’m not paralyzed. My legs are just mangled.” With that she shut the car door in Cali’s face.

  Cali wheeled her chair around to the back of the Hummer where, after much cursing, she was able to collapse it and shove it inside.

  “Look,” she said as she climbed back into the driver’s seat. “There’s a reason I’m here to pick you up.”

  “You mean besides wanting to spend time in my charming presence?” Niella asked sarcastically.

  Cali held her own attitude in check. Don’t piss off the Dreamer. She’s the only one with answers. “There’s something I want to ask you.”

  Niella quit fiddling with the radio. “Of course there is. Don’t insult my intelligence, Cali. I knew there had to be a reason why you wanted to come pick me up. No one seeks me out for social events.”

  Cali’s mouth opened before she could stop herself. “Well, maybe if you weren’t such a punk ass you’d get invited to the party a little more.”

  Niella stared at her for a long moment, her face impassive. Had Cali pissed her off? Hurt her feelings? She highly doubted that last one.

  “Sydney told me over the phone that you were acting strange. At least you’re not one to dawdle. What the hell do you want? And if all you want from me is to answer a damn question then why am I being forced to leave my home?”

  Cali backed out of the driveway, collecting her thoughts. Why was she bringing her to Felix’s? Was it to save face? Did she want the group to trust her when in fact she didn’t trust them in return?

  Why did she care so much what they thought of her?

  She had planned to tell them what she’d learned. She wasn’t going to leave them defenseless. But she had to know first and foremost if she could trust them.

  She pulled out onto the main road. “I learned some information I think you all have the right to hear, but before I give you anything I want to know what you Dreamed that day. About me. I didn’t want the others around when I asked.”

  Niella arched one perfectly plucked brow. “Why do you want to know now when for the past week you’ve been nothing but placid?”

  Her grip tightened around the steering wheel. Don’t read too much into her diversion. It’s an honest question.

  That didn’t stop the niggling inside of her. Had she been right? Was Niella holding out on her? Were they trying to keep her for themselves for whatever reason?

  “Let’s just say I’m curious now. I’ve been through a lot in the past week.” More like the past twenty-four hours. “I’m sick of not understanding. If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine, but don’t expect me to tell you anything when I can’t — ”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Niella cut in. “When you can trust us. Right? Look, I know all about your little suspicion of us, okay? We’re not the bad guys. We aren’t using you, we’re not going to use you, and we’re never going to use you.”

  “How did you know what I was going to say?”

  She shrugged and continued to toy with the radio until she found a fast-paced dance song. “I know quite a bit about you. Not by choice, mind you, but if I constantly think about someone or something I can almost direct how I Dream. There’s been a lot of mistrust on our end too, about you.”

  The comment stung more than Cali liked to admit, but what the hell had she expected?

  “We’re constantly wondering about you,” Niella continued, “and that leads to me catching glimpses of you and your history. I get why you don’t trust us. I really can’t blame you for that. That asshole Tyson did a number on you. If that happened to me, I’d probably be just as paranoid as you.”

  That was a little disconcerting.

  They drove a few more blocks in silence.

  “And you expect me to just go along with that?” said Cali. “To believe everything you’re telling me?”

  “I know you won’t, but I’m just saying we’re not the one attacking you in your apartment or trying to kidnap you. I Dreamed about you being taken by a man in your parents’ house. Dark hair, dark eyes. His appearance has slowly come into focus, though not by much.”

  Dark hair? Dark eyes?

  Cali’s stomach clenched.

  Vander Donahughe had dark hair and eyes.

  “But Collette was the one who came after me that day.”

  “Only because I sent Felix to go get you. The future is in constant motion. By altering one piece, it’s only fair to assume the future as a whole would change.”

  “And you saw that we were … were … ”

  Niella’s face softened. She really was beautiful when she didn’t have that angry scowl on her face. “Soul mates?” she supplied helpfully.

  Cali stared straight ahead. “He’s not using me to further his power, is he?”

  The question had nagged at her until she was sick from it.

  “As much as Felix can annoy the hell out of me, he’s really a good guy. But I don’t need to defend him against you. You’ve seen it better than any of us. If you have any grievances with him, then you’re going to have to take them up with him.”

  Fair enough.

  They were almost back to Felix’s when Cali realized she hadn’t gotten all the information she wanted. “What else did you see in your Dream of me?”

  She was met with silence.

  “Niella?”

  She glanced over.

  Niella’s head was propped against the window, eyes closed, face peaceful.

&n
bsp; No one falls asleep that fast.

  She shook Niella’s shoulder. Nothing. Most people she knew jerked awake when she moved them in their sleep.

  Unless …

  Cali’s foot slipped from the gas.

  Niella was Dreaming.

  “Holy fuck.” She gripped the wheel like a life-line. She didn’t know the Dreams could take her whenever they wanted. She’d thought she Dreamed when she went to bed or took a nap.

  Her eyes dropped down to Niella’s mangled legs. Oh, God, had she been driving when she’d had a Dream? Was that how her legs had gotten like that?

  Cali felt sick to her stomach.

  She focused on the road, forcing her eyes to stare straight ahead.

  Her gaze wandered.

  She pulled them back but that didn’t stop the questions. What was Niella Dreaming? Were they in danger? Was Felix in danger?

  When Niella moved Cali nearly screamed.

  Just like that Niella was awake. Cali spared a glance her way and almost wished she hadn’t.

  She was crying.

  Chapter 17

  Felix.

  Cali’s first thought was that something horrible had happened to him. “What’d you see?” Her first instinct was to stomp on the gas but the cars ahead of her were blocking her path.

  When Niella didn’t answer she gritted her teeth. “Well?” she pressed.

  “Nothing.” Niella wiped at her face.

  “Bullshit,” Cali spat. “Is it Felix? Is he hurt, going to be hurt?”

  She turned the wheel sharply to cut across the street. Horns blared. Niella screamed, her hands shooting out in front of her to brace herself on the dashboard.

  Cali nearly took the Hummer up a curb. She threw the huge vehicle into park and got up in Niella’s face, sick of being left in the dark. “What did you see?”

  Niella’s eyes were shut tight, fresh tears leaking through her shut eyelids. When she finally cracked them open, Cali got a good look at the stark terror before anger burned it away. Niella shoved her back in her seat. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” she yelled. “Are you trying to scare me into answering you? Traumatize the woman who was in a car crash even more? Huh? Is that your plan?”