He was a handsome looking fellow in a white suit that probably cost more than my house. His hair was fixed in a perfect mess and in one hand he held a cigarette.
The servant stopped beside him and said, “Mr. Love, I present to you Wyatt Draven, Blade Mage of the Ozark Mountain Cabal.”
“Thank you,” he replied in a silky voice, then turned to study me as the servant disappeared back into the house. He took a long drag from his smoke, his eyes still on me. I found the whole thing a little disconcerting, like I was a heifer on the auction block. After what felt like forever, he said, “Hello, Mr. Draven. How are you enjoying the party?”
“I only just arrived, but it seems like quite the event. You have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you.” He tossed the butt of his smoke on the deck and squashed it under his foot. Then he grinned and stuck out his hand. “Sullivan Love.”
“Wyatt Draven,” I replied taking his hand. His grip was firm, but he didn’t try to crush my hand like Brother Barajas. He was a man completely in control. Applying just enough pressure to ensure I knew his strength, but making a point not to inflict pain. Or maybe I was just projecting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Love.”
“Thank you, but please, Mr. Draven, call me Sullivan.”
“Only if you call me Wyatt.”
“Fair enough.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment, his eyes back on the crowd. “So, Wyatt, I’ve heard you’re in town to assist the Knights in their investigation.”
“That’s correct.”
“Any leads?”
I didn’t reply.
His grinned shifted into a smirk. “Good man. Keeping close to the vest. I can respect that.”
“It’s not so much that,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “It isn’t my business to discuss really, is it?”
“Ah, yes, integrity as well. You are the Blade Mage, so I suppose that’s to be expected. I’ve been interested in meeting you for quite some time. The elusive Blade Mage. Chosen by the sword, yet he chooses to remain in exile. Well, until here lately, anyway.”
“Yeah, well, some of the stories might be exaggerated.”
“Like the story where the Cabal’s well-respected Director Allen had his own son murdered and was consorting with a witch, who you, and your friends, managed to kill?” He met my gaze then. “Or how you somehow managed to survive an encounter with a Revenant?”
“Yeah,” I replied, shrugging. “Those stories might be exaggerated a bit.”
“Stories often are. Yet, I’m not referring to mere rumors, am I?”
I didn’t reply.
He continued, “No, I’m talking about actual events you were involved in. And I must say, I’m rather impressed.”
“Uh, thanks, I guess.” I wasn’t sure what else to say.
“Sorry,” he said, chuckling to himself. “I suppose you wouldn’t expect a stranger to know so much about your deeds. Knowledge is power, Wyatt. And I am a very powerful man. Or so they say.”
“Well, you’re well informed, anyway.”
“Pays to be,” he replied, lighting another cigarette. “I have very reliable sources. From what I’ve heard about you, it seems the sword picked true. An oversight on the part of your Cabal not to see it. I don’t suppose you’re for hire?”
“Depends on the job.”
“I was thinking more full time,” he replied. “I could use a Blade Mage.”
“I don’t think it works that way. Besides, I like to date a before I hop in bed with someone.”
He laughed at that. “Well, if you get tired of being broke and living alone in your lonely little cabin, I assure you I would pay better than any employer you’ve had previously.”
“Thank you. I appreciate the offer.”
“Yet, you won’t accept it, will you?” he asked, shaking his head. “Regardless of what I offer you.”
I wasn’t sure that was true. It really depended on what he wanted me to do. I wasn’t about to become a wizard mobster, but my own Cabal didn’t have much interest in me. I wasn’t opposed to hearing a job offer.
Changing the subject, he said, “The Memphis Knights are very important to me and Abner was my friend. I’d like to see his killer brought to justice.”
“Well, I don’t suppose you know who killed him?”
He raised an eyebrow at me. “If I knew that, my own people would’ve already found them and brought them in.”
I shrugged. “Hey, you’re the one who claimed to be so well informed.”
“Fair enough. No, I don’t know who killed Abner. But I want them found, too. If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”
“You and Abner had a good relationship?”
“Gods no!” He shook his head. “I’d count him among my friends, but we didn’t see eye to eye on much. They’re a rigid bunch, those Templars. In my line of work, you’ve got to bend the rules from time to time. Abner didn’t see things that way. Still, I’ll miss him. I just hope I can maintain the relationship with whoever takes over.”
“The Knights are good for your business?”
“They are,” he replied. “But like I said, Abner was a friend. More than that, I respect the Knights and what they stand for. They’re like you, Blade Mage. A higher power sees something special in them. While I don’t always agree with the bible thumpers, I always know what to expect.”
“And what’s that?”
“Honesty,” he said, his expression serious. “For a man in my line of work, that’s hard to come by. The Knights are more than just holy demon hunters, Wyatt. The represent something.” He pointed out at the city lights in the distance. “Take this city, for example. It’s full of depravity and darkness. Out there right now, there are beings who’d like nothing more than to hunt, murder, and torment us. People who’ve seen the darkness tend live in fear of it. And it is terrifying. You know that. But for the people of Memphis, the people who know about our world...”
He paused and took a drag off his cigarette. “When those people wake up in the middle of night from a bad dream, and they hear a Harley roaring in the distance, they know the Knights are out there. When they see the symbol around town, they know they’re protected. When they see the Knights go rolling by, they know they’re safe.”
I nodded slowly.
There was a brief flash of light from somewhere around the tree-line, and Sullivan’s smile spread again. “Here they come, Wyatt. Watch them in all their majesty, our holy knights.”
Chapter 20
Music drowned out the crowd. Best I could tell, Sullivan had a series of speakers wired around the place and they them cranked up to eleven. The song was Electric Worry by the band Clutch.
The sound of a roaring engine howled just loud enough to be heard over the music. A moment later, another sounded, then another, like coyotes calling out to each other in the middle of the night.
Then the roaring motors were joined, and in the distance, I saw a stream of headlights pour through the trees.
Sullivan, almost giddy with excitement, leaned in close. “Here they come, Wyatt. Here come the Memphis Knights!”
Three to a row, they seemed an endless stream descending on the property. As Hamish had said, it was all of them, and they road in together.
I felt a bit of Sullivan’s excitement, then. They were a sight to behold, indeed. All those bikes coming down the hill toward us like a giant snake slithering in our direction. And it wasn’t just some random biker club. No, these were the Templars. Holy warriors with blades strapped on their backs and guns on their hips. All men and women dedicated to their purpose. Were I their enemy, I would’ve been afraid.
The horde drove around the house, passing us as they went. Their bikes were so loud it drowned out Sullivan’s impressive speaker system. I thought I caught a glimpse of Uriah and Victor at the front of the line, then they disappeared around the front of the house.
As they slipped from sight, most of the guest started moving in back into the
house and toward the grand ballroom, where I surmised they’d make their entrance.
Sullivan tossed his cigarette on the deck and said, “They’re something, aren’t they?”
“They are,” I agreed.
“I must go welcome them to their party,” he said, moving toward the door. “Hopefully we’ll get a chance to speak again.”
I followed him back inside the house but stopped at the balcony overlooking the ball room.
The guests gathered around on either side, making a path for the Knights to enter. In this setting, they seemed like royalty.
In moments, they were marching in, three to a row just liked they’d ridden in. Victor, Uriah, and Barajas were at the front. The rest of the Knights followed. Unlike the rest of the guests, they weren’t required to wear suits. They wore their leathers. There’d be little question who was, or wasn’t, a patched member.
Sullivan met them on the floor and greeted them, saying a few words I couldn’t quite catch from my vantage point.
As they poured in, the Knights spread out, joining the other party attendees and the festivities resumed. The band on the floor started playing an upbeat tune and several folks started dancing.
I studied the crowd, trying to pick out the few faces I recognized. Was the traitor here, perhaps? Had they ridden in with the rest of their brothers and sisters? Could they be down there among the Knights, pretending to mourn like the others? Or maybe they really were mourning their terrible deed.
An even more terrifying thought occurred to me. Could the killers be here themselves? Was it possible those dark wizards were among the crowd? Maybe they were watching me even then. Down there dressed in expensive suits or fine gowns. Maybe they were there.
I spotted Uriah in the crowd. He alone, I gave a pass. He was the one who’d invited me, after all. More than that, I’d seen the look on his face. I trusted that it was real. No, Uriah had no part in the murder of his father. Of that, I was confident.
The others, though? Not so much.
Tooter stood just beside him, his loyal companion. Or was he? What was that strange meeting I’d seen earlier? Could the big man have been the one who betrayed Abner? Could it have been his son’s best friend who lured him to the house?
And what about Victor? He had the most to gain. Many of the Knights supported electing him as their new leader and he wanted to bring the ‘old’ ways back.
I spotted him near the center of the room, still visiting with Sullivan. He hadn’t seemed particularly heartbroken over the loss of his best friend. He’d just been angry. But then, perhaps that was just how he processed his grief.
And Barajas? The only Knight who didn’t carry his sword. Perhaps the only one who could fall to the dark side without the others knowing.
And what of Sullivan Love? For all his silky words, perhaps he was in league with the dark mages. He was clearly a man of great influence. Perhaps with Abner out of the way he thought he could buy the Knights. He was just as much a suspect as anyone, though I doubted he rode a motorcycle.
Oh, and I couldn’t forget Anna, Abner’s witch girlfriend. Could his estranged mistress have been involved?
Or the other witches? What of the clues they’d missed? What if they simply didn’t approve of Anna intermingling with a holy warrior? Could they have been so bold to order his death?
I doubted the Coven would. They had Arcane Guardians of their own, after all. Yet, that didn’t mean that some part of their order hadn’t been involved. It didn’t mean that Abner’s lover was innocent. Perhaps he did something to make her jealous? Perhaps they had a falling out.
I scanned the room and spotted Sister Betran first. She stood a few feet from Victor mingling with some of the guests. She wasn’t hard to spot in her fancy peacock colored dress.
Anna stood just beside her. Her face was a mask, trying to hide the pain she dared not show.
I spotted two of the other witches a short distance from the others, sipping cocktails and flirting with a few of the Knights.
Then I saw Eilidh and my breath caught in my throat.
She wasn’t with the others. She stood alone, near the wall, trying to hide from the crowd. In the short time we’d spent together, I’d only caught brief glimpses of the face she’d kept hidden beneath her hood. I’d known she was pretty then, but now... Woah. She wore a thin black dress. A rather plain garment, really, but even from a distance, she was breathtaking. Beautiful, in the purest sense of the word.
Her hair was longer than I’d realized at first sight and the mix-match of colors just worked for her. Her features were delicate but her eyes were intense. And, I must admit, she had a rocking body.
I caught myself staring at her and struggled to pull my gaze away. Before I could, her face turned up toward me, and for a moment, our eyes met. Then a familiar voice behind me said, “Hello, Wyatt.”
I spun around, reaching for my sword and staff. Behind me stood a middle-aged man in a pinstripe suit.
“Settle down, Blade Mage,” the Valravn said, smiling at me. “I’ve only come to say hello.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Perhaps I came to pay my respects to the late Master and Commander,” he said, moving alongside me. He casually leaned over the balcony railing. “Or perhaps I just didn’t want to miss out on such a grand social event. Look at them down there, Wyatt. They look like ants, don’t they?”
I stayed my hand and asked, “Are you really here? Or are you just projecting yourself like before?”
“Are you asking so you know whether to draw that sword of yours?” he asked, the wolfish grin on his face spreading. “Perhaps I was invited. Do you think Mr. Love would appreciate you decapitating one of his guests? Especially at such a somber occasion?”
“Did you have something to do with Abner’s murder?”
He threw back his head and laughed.
“That funny?” I asked.
“Yes,” he replied, but didn’t continue the thought as his eyes roamed the crowd below. “Are you so convinced I’m your enemy?”
“You tried to kill me.”
“True, but only because you got in my way. That was just business. You handled yourself very well, by the way. Clearly, I underestimated you. I was very impressed.”
“Thank you,” I replied, ensuring my words dripped with sarcasm. “Your opinion is very important to me.”
“Oh, don’t be such a sourpuss, Wyatt. As I said, it was just business. And you’re still alive, aren’t you?”
I didn’t reply.
“Don’t you think it’s strange?” he asked, eyes still scanning the crowd.
“What’s that?”
“All of these little events you’ve found yourself involved in? For all those years, you stayed hid away and cooped up in your little cabin. Then, one, two, three events you’ve found yourself pulled into. Strange, isn’t it?”
“Are you trying to suggest they’re related?”
“You’re not stupid, Blade Mage,” he said, turning to meet my gaze. “What do you think? All these power players coming out of the shadows. Do you think it a coincidence?”
“I think the only thing that relates all three incidents is you. I saw you talking to the Obayifo. Then you were the one hunting Eva. Now you’re here.”
“A fair point,” he said, nodding. “So, once again, I ask you... Are you so sure I’m your enemy?”
I stared at him, unsure what he was getting at.
“You were in league with the witch.”
He shook his head. “No, that’s not quite right, is it? You eavesdropped on my conversation with her. Did it seem we were in league?”
I refused to say it, but his words were true. Instead, I went a different route. “You were hunting Eva.”
“Yes, I was,” he replied. “But you don’t know why, do you? And you saw her for what she truly was in the end, didn’t you?”
“So, tell me why then,” I said, crossing my arms.
He shrugged. “He
r voice is a power against me. I sought to silence it.”
“You aren’t making a compelling argument in your favor.”
“It would make more sense if you weren’t so inclined to an emotional response. If you weren’t so convinced of my wickedness, perhaps you’d think through what I just said to you.”
“You’re right. I am convinced of your wickedness,” I agreed. “There’s little you could do to convince me otherwise.”
“Fair enough. I am a creature of darkness and shadow, Wyatt. I wouldn’t deny it. But I didn’t ask whether you thought I was evil. I asked if you were so sure I was your enemy. There is a difference.”
We stared at each for a few seconds and finally I said, “You were at odds with the Revenant. It wasn’t really about Eva. She’s just his defense system.”
“Make no mistake, the Revenant is a powerful foe on his own, but yes, his little songstress is his only true defense against me. So, I wanted her out of the way.”
“You were the one who took her memory?” I asked. “Cursed her, or whatever. I still don’t know what the hell happened, exactly.”
“Doesn’t matter. Don’t digress.”
“Fine. So, you’re feuding with the Revenant. The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend.”
“True indeed, but you still aren’t seeing the bigger picture.”
“Which is?”
“There is a connection between these events.”
“And that connection is?”
He held my gaze, staring into my eyes with his black pupils. Finally, he said, “Something is coming, Wyatt. All those years ago your father tried to warn the others. They didn’t listen. Then he died.”
“He died of natural causes.”
“Perhaps. But he knew. He’d heard the whispers. And then he was gone, and no one took his warnings seriously.” He sighed then chuckled to himself. “Foolish humans and arrogant mages, the lot of them.”
“What’s coming?”
“I’ve seen a great many wars in my life.” He paused for a few seconds then continued, “Wyatt, if you wanted to invade an enemy nation, what would you do first?”
“Why are you asking me this?”
The Memphis Knights Page 14