by Hati Bell
“It won’t always be like this,” he assured her.
“I want to stay a little longer,” she said as she laid the flowers on the grave. “I need to…”
“Say something,” he finished for her and placed a kiss on her lips, making her heart rate speed up. “You taste of sunshine. I missed your light, love. But that’s over now. You’re back. We are back. You’ve got me. Forever.”
Then he turned around and walked away.
FOURTEEN
His brother gave him a suspicious look when Drake slid him some keys over the bar. Drake had chosen his timing well. They were the only ones present, a few hours before the opening of the Oasis.
“These are the keys to Kincaid’s summer cottage in Exmoor Park,” he explained. He’d nabbed them when no one was looking. “For you to use it a whole weekend with your girlfriend. Or girlfriends.” With Logan you could never be certain.
Logan let go of the crate of beer he filled the cooler with and leaned against the bar. “What’s the catch?”
Drake sat on a bar stool and looked innocent. His brother didn’t believe in free favors, and of course he was right. “Can’t I just be giving them to you out of the goodness of my heart?”
A snort was his answer. “Last time you had that shrewd look on your face, I ended up in leather pants with a phoenix who could hardly let go of my arse in said pants.” His eyes widened when Drake kept his mouth shut. “Bugger. This has to do with Benedict again, doesn’t it?”
“I need some information from him.”
“What kind of information?”
“Kincaid has Crassus’s son Hector locked up somewhere. I need to find him.” It was time to use his loper.
Logan grabbed a clipboard from the bar and a pen from his pocket. “Can’t Gregor help you out with that?”
“Not even Gregor knows where Kincaid stashed Hector. I need to know how Kincaid managed to capture a thousands-of-years-old phoenix.” He scratched his chest, remembering the scars that had disappeared once he’d healed after his torture. At times he could still feel El Diablo’s knife sliding over his body, scraping over a broken rib that poked through his chest, making him sick to his stomach.
“Judging by your claws you want more than that.”
He looked down, surprised to see his hands had changed into claws. “I have to know how to stop a phoenix.”
“You mean you want to know how to kill one.”
His brother looked both challenging and concerned. The thing with Logan was that, aside from the people he considered family, he didn’t care about anyone. The select company he did cherish he protected like a wolf his pups. Drake wasn’t in the mood for another lecture about self-control. “Only if it comes to that,” he admitted. “I need leverage against Crassus.”
“His precious heir in exchange for a daughter he never bothered to connect with,” Logan guessed.
“I also need to know the business with this promesi bond.” And how to break it. It was unacceptable that a phoenix believed he had more of a claim to Amber than he did. “Oh, and something else I forgot to tell you.” A new piece on the chess board. “Ravi’s back.”
Logan hissed. “Brilliant. Just what we need. Another semi-rabid dragon off the leash.”
Drake ignored that jab. “He seems… changed.”
“Of course he’s changed. He’s obviously survived the Catacombs. Though, to be fair, he wasn’t all chipper before, so I can imagine what he must be like post-hellish prison.”
“I’m being threatened on three sides. Kincaid has finally backed off since I took his name. But Ravi is like a chess pawn; if I’m not careful he might turn into a problem. My biggest concern right now is Crassus, though. His ego is too inflated to leave me and Amber alone. He’ll never allow his daughter to be with a Kincaid. Now do you understand why I want to speak with Benedict? I need information to get Crassus off my back.” After that it was time for his next move. “Benedict refuses to show up when I call for him. I’m hoping he won’t ignore you.”
Logan looked at his watch and gave a deep sigh. “Fine. Let’s get this over with. I have to open up this place in an hour.” He didn’t sound too happy at the prospect.
“Olsen still letting you do all the hard work?”
A ring-tone filled the room and Logan pulled a face when he looked at the screen of his phone. “Olsen is a lazy wanker who maybe visited the Oasis once since he bought it, but he’s not the one I’m having trouble with. It’s his wife, Letitia. She’s doing the redecorating and loves to send me messages. Not a day goes by without her texting me about new ideas she has for the place. Ideas she insists on discussing with me after closing hours.”
“I don’t see the problem.”
Logan groaned. “Olsen’s smoking hot, younger wife. A typical case of the black widow slash golddigger with an older, rich man. She’s Brazilian and I swear, every time she saunters past me in one of her short skirts, I hear the samba.”
Drake suppressed a smile, almost shocked at this display of his brother’s personal growth. “You telling me that the reckless Logan Stark has boundaries? Maybe pigs do fly. Since when did a wedding ring ever make you stop the chase?”
“You shouldn’t shit where you eat,” Logan grumbled. “But enough of that. It’s time to call a phoenix.” He made a small incision in his finger until a drop of blood formed. “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the craziest phoenix of them all? Why, of course that’s Benedict Costa de la Fuente.”
Benedict appeared in the blink of an eye. Dressed in a bright green bathrobe, holding a rubber duck. “Logan, my golden draconi,” he lisped and hopped onto the bar. “Had I known you would call me, I would have put on cologne.”
“We need your help.” Logan went right to business. “Tell me about Crassus’ son, Hector.”
Benedict stroked the rubber duck. “And what’s in it for me? A dragon promise to spend a weekend with me in Aspen? You, me, Lola, and a hot tub.”
Drake grinned. Logan would rather live a celibate life than make a promise he couldn’t break out of.
His brother grabbed a bottle and a glass from the counter behind the bar. “Cocktails in the color of your bathrobe is all I can offer you, mate.”
“Mojitos! You know exactly what I like. See? We are destined to be together.”
Drake studied the phoenix. At least this time he appeared to be somewhat sober. “I want to know how Kincaid captured a phoenix.”
“Simple,” Benedict said. “Dragons don’t like iron; we don’t like titanium.”
“So, say, stabbing a titanium knife through a phoenix’s heart would kill him?” Drake asked casually.
Benedict shrieked. “I knew it! You want to find out how to kill a phoenix, not how to capture one.”
Logan rolled his eyes and gave him a reproachful look. Drake shrugged. So, subtlety wasn’t his thing.
His brother handed Benedict his cocktail. “Kincaid isn’t the type of man who lets a man live after killing his wife, be it an accident or not. If he could’ve killed Crassus, he would’ve done that instead of kidnapping his son.”
“You are right, my golden Adonis. Killing a phoenix is practically impossible since we can only be killed, or permanently extinguished as we call it, by another phoenix. Something which hasn’t happened since Alexander the Great. A true death of one of us would immediately lead to a clan war.”
“Which explains why Kincaid kidnapped Hector instead of killing him in retaliation,” Drake mused. He was convinced that if Kincaid had wanted it, he would’ve found a way to permanently take out Crassus. But the last thing his grandfather wanted was a phoenix clan war which would have victims on the dragon side as well. He might not like the man, but he did take his job as the leader of his people seriously.
Benedict looked over the rim of his glass. “No one knows how Kincaid did it. The old chap is quite the legend amongst my kind. According to rumor he has frozen Hector in titanium, like they do in the Catacombs. Which is shitty timing, sin
ce Hector is Crassus’ most ferocious general and indispensable during the Demillennium.”
Drake gestured Logan to make another drink for their invaluable source of information. “Which means Crassus will do anything to get his son back.”
“Of course. According to rumors Hector’s promesi didn’t even get to say goodbye to him. An uncommon gruesome act, even for a Kincaid.” The phoenix shivered, as if someone had just walked on his grave.
“So every phoenix has this promesi?” Logan asked.
Benedict nodded. “From the moment Amber was born, one was appointed to her. The phoenix parents, which in this case would be Crassus, usually choose someone from their own or a befriended clan. Matteo’s father is Crassus’ right arm, so they didn’t have to look very far.” He tilted his head. “Yes, Lola. My socks are yellow. Why else would I be carrying a rubber duck as an accessory?”
Drake pondered about the extension of the promesi bond. “Benedict, if every phoenix has a promesi they are close with, where is yours?” Clearly something was wrong with the eccentric phoenix, but he hadn’t seen any promesi of his taking his back.
The phoenix blinked and patted on the bar stool next to him. “Lola sits right here.”
He sighed. The phoenix had fallen back into his fantasy world. “There’s no one here but us.”
“There are no women here, Benedict,” Logan said softly. “Let alone a phoenix named Lola.”
“Of course she is. She’s—” Benedict’s head jerked to the left as if someone had tasered him. “Lola,” he whispered and started bonking his head on the bar.
FIFTEEN
In yet another attempt to learn more about herself and her phoenix heritage, Amber went in search of Matteo. It was past time they settled some things between them. Especially since she had plans for the rest of the week. Lunch with Pinky and Cally. Dinner with Ian, though she wondered if he would cancel again. She had this feeling he was avoiding her. She pulled out her phone as she walked into the living room, smiling when she read Drake’s message. She might not see him every day, but every morning he let her know he thought of her.
“Blyat! Die, you Russian piece of scum!” Faey and Namaka were engaged in a ferocious battle. On the Playstation.
“What makes you think Sub-Zero is Russian?” Namaka asked while frantically pushing the buttons of his console.
“No one else can be this cold,” Faey snarled, right before her sword chopped Sub-Zero into pieces.
Amber plopped onto the sofa next to them while Faey kicked Namaka’s butt. A moment later the infamous “Finish him!” blasted through the speakers and Sub-Zero was beheaded.
Namaka sagged into the couch. “It’s no fun playing with you.”
Faey opened another energy drink. “Don’t hate me because I rock.”
“Luckily, I still have some time for a re-match before—” Namaka stopped mid-sentence when Faey’s smile disappeared.
“You have about two months. Then it’s Faeynobyl.” Faey made an exploding sound. “Or Faeyushima. Which one do you think has a nicer ring to it?”
Namaka turned as crimson as the highlights in his pitch-black hair. Amber gave him a quizzical look. She was obviously missing something here.
“Sorry. I… I just meant…” Namaka started to stutter.
“I know what you meant,” Faey said and threw her console to Amber.
She caught it just in time. “Um. I never played this before.”
“Then I’m sure you’ll do just as fine as him,” Faey said sweetly.
Half an hour later Amber gave up. She’d lost count of the times she’d been stabbed, maimed, and killed. Judging by Namaka’s beaming face, his gamer honor was restored, though.
Faey popped open her third energy drink and was teasing Namaka because the only person he could defeat was a “cinder.”
Amber put the controller on the coffee table. “I’m actually looking for Matteo. Any idea where he’s at?”
“Egypt,” Namaka replied as he shoved a handful of chips into his mouth. “I heard him talking on the phone about a death mask. Or a death book. Is that a thing? I’d love to trace you to him but unfortunately I can’t.”
“Why not?” She’d seen Matteo pop in and out of the house on numerous occasions. The man never used the front door.
“I haven’t inflamed yet. No one knows the exact moment it will happen, but I’m sure it won’t be long. Any day now. I can feel it!”
Amber cast a glance at the other phoenix. After giving her a you-wish look, Faey walked away. “Faey leaving the room when I’m about to ask her something,” she muttered. “Why am I not surprised?” Over the past few weeks she’d discovered two things about Matteo’s sister; she always carried caffeine with her—be it a cup of coffee or an energy drink—and she was in a perpetual bad mood.
Namaka put down his console. “Don’t take it personally. Faey has some issues.”
Before she could question him any further, Matteo traced into the living room. Namaka grabbed one of the bags in Matteo’s hands and took off.
Matteo put the plastic bag onto the coffee table. “Kushari from Cairo,” he explained while moving plates and cutlery from the bag onto the coffee table. “Macaroni, rice, lentils, spicy tomato sauce, fried onions, and chickpeas. And fresh basbousa cake for dessert.”
She took a plate and sat next to him. “It smells great. Much better than the breakfast I’ve had or the company. Speaking about said company, why does Faey hate me?”
Matteo put his phone on the table. “Faey does not hate you per se. She hates everyone equally.”
“But—”
His fingers flew over his phone as he answered absently. “Faey is as dangerous as she is vulnerable. Stay out of her life and you will be just fine.”
This only raised more questions. She opened her mouth but then changed her mind. She couldn’t deal with Faey’s issues right now as well. It was the first time in weeks she’d actually had a moment with Matteo and she wasn’t going to let him leave again before getting some answers. “So, um, how exactly does one become a phoenix? Do you have to get bitten by another phoenix, like with werewolves or vampires?”
He looked as if she’d vomited over his expensive loafers. “Don’t be ridiculous. There are no such things as werewolves or vampires.”
He didn’t have to sound so offended. How was she supposed to know? It hadn’t been that long ago that she believed phoenixes were a myth. “Are you sure?” she asked, just to aggravate him. She bowed over her plate, so he wouldn’t see her smile.
“I’m over a millennium old, promesi.”
“Will you please stop calling me that?”
“Had human bloodsuckers and wolves existed, I would have encountered them. There was this rumor one time about a wolf girl in Sparta. I happened to be in the neighborhood and—”
“Happened to be in the neighborhood?” She grabbed a piece of bread and dipped it in the sauce. “Were you out to grab a cup of coffee and suddenly traced to Marathon to fight beside King Leonidas against the Persians? Don’t tell me that the mighty phoenix Matteo battled alongside a simple inferi.” His look told her he didn’t appreciate her sarcasm.
“I’m over a millennium old, as I just told you. Leonidas of Sparta had been dead for about a thousand years when I visited Sparta. Don’t they teach you anything at school anymore? I was searching for the mask of Agamemnon and happened to come by the village of the wolf girl.”
“Agamemnon was the brother-in-law of Helen of Troy,” she hastily added, not wanting him to think she was a complete airhead.
“Exactly. The wolf girl, however, just appeared to be a girl who was raised in the wilderness. She only showed herself at night because she was skittish of humans. At night she cried at the moon, taking after the wolves. She absolutely did not change into a wolf.”
Amber forgot all about teasing Matteo and his condescending view on non-phoenix folk. This was a real-life Mowgli-the-jungle-kid story here. “What happened to her?”
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“The villagers killed her,” he said, with one eye on his phone.
She gave him a horrified look. “Why?”
“She had lice.”
“Why didn’t you save her?”
“She had lice,” he repeated, looking at her strangely.
Empathy obviously wasn’t his forte. “And what about what you eat?”
“Did you notice any changes in your appetite?”
“Yes, I eat more,” she admitted, cutting into a piece of cake that dripped with sugary sweets.
“It is because your metabolism has accelerated, since you are a phoenix now. Your metabolism will not be the only change you will be going through.”
“Oh?”
“Your feelings will be all over the place. You will also notice that you will get more quickly… agitated. At times it may seem like your feelings have gone haywire.” He grabbed his phone. “I have to take this. I will be right back.”
Of course. In the weeks she’d known Matteo he constantly traced away. Business was the usual answer. Enough was enough. “Wait. I’m coming with.”
“Another time perhaps. I have to pick something up. In the meantime, why don’t you work on your relationship with Crassus? Your father wants—”
“He’s not my father,” she cut him off and got up.
“It does not matter how you feel about him. According to our laws he is your father. It is how everyone will see him. Which means it can be dangerous to take you with me this close to the Demillennium.”
“Don’t I have the right to go where my promesi goes, according to your laws?”
“Have you been talking with Benedict again?”
Oh, yeah. Benedict had been a great source of information. That is, when he wasn’t speaking crazy talk to his hamster Lola. “I want to come with you. On the way you can explain to me about demi… what did you call it again?”
“Demillennium.” Matteo sighed. “I will take you with me on one condition: you will openly acknowledge me as your promesi, because you cannot have both. Either I have to take you with me because I am your promesi, or I am not your promesi and you stay here.”