Feathers and Fire Series Box Set 2

by Shayne Silvers

  I turned back to find Cain nodding at me. He didn’t look happy, but he looked determined to prove his point. “Weird, right?”

  I nodded numbly, realizing I was staring back at the dress.

  “We both went to the fountain, but now Roland can’t find it…” Cain said in a low tone. “These Sons of Solomon want to kill you and can apparently stand in a party without being seen.” He met my eyes. “I’m not a quitter or anything, but…we’re facing long odds.”

  Roland spoke up. “What about Last Breath? You said he killed these Sons of Solomon. Perhaps he let you live on purpose?” he suggested. Neither of us replied. Last Breath hadn’t seemed like the friendly type, so I wasn’t banking on him being charitable.

  “What do you know about him, Cain?” I asked into the silence.

  Cain leaned back, letting out a frustrated breath. “It’s all nonsense. He’s the boogeyman. Someone dies a gruesome death without explanation? Last Breath. Someone infiltrates a compound to kill everyone inside? Last Breath. I don’t have anything solid one way or another. Just enough urban legends to make your hair curl. The only reason I jumped on it is because he’s said to be big, a white blur, and has piercing blue eyes. I saw that at the park, and six people silently died in a single heartbeat.” He leaned forward, staring at Roland. “Last. Breath.”

  Roland turned to me, waiting for my input. “I’ve never heard of him, but I saw the same thing as Cain, and whatever that thing was, it was terrifying. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  Roland sighed. “As much as I hate to admit it, I think I’m quite literally about to fall asleep on my feet, but I need to point out something to you, Callie. Part of this picture makes my skin tingle…” he said, tapping the paper.

  I took one look at him and realized he was right. He should have been asleep an hour ago. I got to my feet, tugging the blanket tight around my shoulders as I studied where he pointed.

  “Doors?” I asked Roland, not understanding. I glanced back at Cain. “Does that mean anything to you?” Cain thought about it for a few moments before shaking his head.

  “It’s capitalized every time it is used.” Roland had an intense look on his face, looking at me expectantly. “I think you need to go to Abundant Angel,” he finally added, eyes discreetly flicking to Cain to let me know why he wasn’t speaking plainly. “Fabrizio might know something about these Doors from his time in Rome.” That’s when it hit me.

  Roland had once shown me something in the basement of Abundant Angel Catholic Church. A room full of mysterious Doors hanging from chains. From the anxiety on Roland’s face, I wasn’t sure he was happy to suggest the idea. I could also see that he wasn’t certain it would hold water, but…

  I checked the printout again. Every single time it had been used, Doors was capitalized.

  “Just a thought. Do you have any other leads?” Roland asked me tiredly.

  I shook my head, thinking hard. I couldn’t think of anything, and Roland was about to be dead weight, whether he wanted it or not.

  “Cleo did mention her dislike of the Vatican. Maybe Fabrizio has some answers,” Cain agreed. “Or maybe he knows more about the Sons of Solomon. Secret organizations started with the Church, after all,” he said with a wry grin.

  He wasn’t necessarily wrong.

  “What do you know about this quest, Cain?”

  It was a long minute before he responded. “Solomon’s Temple…” he began, “is a fool’s errand. Like the Holy Grail. It only leads to pain.”

  “But it’s Solomon’s Temple,” I enunciated. Then I pointed my thumbs at my chest, careful to keep my blanket in place so I didn’t flash them. Both had seen the Callie product line in the shower, but that had been an exception. I wasn’t Claire, flashing my goods left and right for a reaction.

  “If it were that easy, there wouldn’t be a quest in the first place. They would just give you the keys and say welcome home, Callie.” He turned a cold pair of eyes on me. “Get any keys in the mail lately?” he asked. “Because that would be super.”

  I scowled for good measure but shook my head. “No.”

  “Exactly. It’s settled then. We go see the Italian.”

  Roland scratched at his chin pensively. “A mythical assassin and a mythical quest…” He glanced over at a clock in the wall and his face hardened.

  The room was silent for a few moments before Cain spoke. “We should probably get dressed first,” he suggested.

  Chapter 21

  I was marginally pissed off that I hadn’t left a spare set of my leather, ass-kicking gear at the church, but at least I had my Darling and Dear boots and jacket to wear with my dark jeans and tank-top. I also had the Templar scarf, which could come in handy. I didn’t dare make a quick trip home to change, because I wasn’t sure using Gateways or Shadow Walking was such a grand idea. Even though the Gateway worked getting to Roland’s, I wasn’t really in the mood to chance it. I had a sneaking suspicion that it was a very bad idea, in fact…

  I had finished dressing before Cain, believe it or not, so I had wandered down into the church proper, finding myself waiting by the Angel statue.

  I kept my eyes on the statue, because it was easier than staring too closely at the shadowy ring encircling my finger. I considered my meeting with Michael, trying to decide if this quest had anything to do with learning how to use the Seal of Solomon, and how to get Nameless off my thumb for good. Probability was high that Solomon’s Temple might have information about Solomon’s Seal. And that meant I needed to win this trial.

  The message had said there were two ways to enter—one on the earth, and one in the mind. As a wizard, I had extraordinary abilities. But where would they best be used? I didn’t have the experience or knowledge the Sons of Solomon had, so did that mean I should try to beat them with the land entrance? Or with my magic—a type of mental power—should I try the mind? Maybe their knowledge was strictly of the Earth—old parchments, old locations, and things of that nature. Clues on Earth. Or it could mean their minds were bigger, and that I should stick to the Earth like a cavewoman, hitting rocks with my club until I found the entrance.

  I really hoped Fabrizio had something for me. Because the circular arguments were making me dizzy, and I didn’t currently have the brain-power for this level of mental gymnastics.

  I also thought a lot about Solomon’s Temple itself, if it might be the solution to finding my own purpose. It allegedly held all manner of wonders. Probably answers. I realized I was like those people who bought lottery tickets when the jackpot grew ridiculously high, fantasizing about what they would do when they won. I let out a sigh. Real rewards came from work.

  And somehow, some way, I really wanted to outwork the Sons of Solomon.

  Their very name was a lie. I was the heir to Solomon’s Temple. I had the Seal to prove it. I didn’t care how many books they had read about him. I realized I was breathing heavily, so forced myself to calm down. Maybe Dorian and Cain had a point about my wildly out of control anger. After this quest, I might have to look into anger management classes.

  “Put your toys away,” Roland said from behind me in a stern growl. I glanced back at him, realizing I had both the Seal of Solomon and the silver butterfly Nate had given me in my hands, like I was subconsciously considering asking the man for help—a place to start.

  He did have a lot of archaic knowledge, and I would prefer asking him to Fabrizio. But…what if Nate asked to join me?

  I didn’t want that. I couldn’t explain why, but this felt personal, and not just because of my relation to Solomon. No, something else about this whole thing seemed to stoke a fire deep within me. Perhaps it was my fear of Last Breath. Perhaps it was the challenge. Perhaps it was greed, not wanting to potentially have to share the prize with Nate Temple when I won.

  I smiled absently, realizing I had phrased it as if it was a foregone conclusion, even though I had no idea where to start.

  “You called Fabrizio?” I asked Roland, tucking
the Seal and charm into different pockets.

  Roland glanced down at his phone, grunted, and then pocketed it. “Yes. He’s waiting.”

  “Good. I guess. Any words of advice? I don’t want the Vatican involved.”

  Roland cleared his throat. “There’s something you should know about Fabrizio, Callie…” Roland’s eyes grew distant, perhaps respectful, but I also sensed a healthy dose of fear, as if Roland had only just now considered that he and Fabrizio stood on opposite sides of a line in the sand, whether they wanted it or not. That Fabrizio’s apparent reputation was now a threat to him personally. “Fabrizio currently has the most kills of any Shepherd. And before you dismiss that, we were very, very close.”

  I arched a brow. “Oh.”

  “If anyone knows about Last Breath it would be him. And I really think you should press him on the Doors below the church. As Head Shepherd, he might know something I was never told. But remember, he stands for the Vatican, first.”

  He didn’t sound frustrated or upset. But crimson fire was suddenly crackling over his knuckles, and he didn’t seem to realize it. Was he being…protective of me?

  “You do care about me, you filthy bloodsucker!” I teased.

  He grunted, releasing his power immediately. I sensed a flicker of a smile on his cheeks, but it was soon replaced by frustration. I didn’t even have to ask. He wanted to come with me but knew he couldn’t. He might be a liability, having to sleep all day. And he hadn’t been to the magic fountain. Barring all that, he had vampire drama to deal with, even if he denied it to me.

  I had known him long enough to realize when he was hiding something.

  Cain strolled up, studying us with a suspicious frown. His hand rested on the hilt of the long dagger on his belt, but sensing my attention, he flipped his shirt over it and lowered his hand to his side.

  I realized they were both staring at me, waiting for my Gateway to Abundant Angel Catholic Church, where Fabrizio had moved in.

  I slowly shook my head. “We should probably call an Uber a few blocks from here, because I think Last Breath can sense travelling. I don’t want to invite him into the church by accident.”

  Cain looked uneasy at the thought of walking the streets or taking a car, but he gave a resigned nod after a moment. “Even if you’re wrong, the risk of you being right is too high. He did show up immediately after you tried Shadow Walking.”

  I nodded. “He didn’t knock on Roland’s door after my Gateway, but if he sensed Shadow Walking at the fountain, maybe he can also track Gateways. If I’m wrong, you can tease me about it later. Plus, it’s daylight. How scary can a walk be?” Cain gave me a frank look, but I ignored it. It didn’t need to be said that Last Breath could be standing outside right now, waiting for us to exit the church. But with it being daytime, I was banking on the fact that he wouldn’t attack us in the open. I simply couldn’t take the chance of inviting him into Abundant Angel by using my magic to travel. Because it would piss off Fabrizio and likely get a lot of people killed if my suspicion was right.

  Roland pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it over to me. “I’ll pick it up when you return. It’s got the Uber app on it,” he said.

  And I wanted to kick myself for not even thinking about that. My phone had drowned. Duh.

  Roland looked suddenly awkward, dry-washing his hands, and I saw Cain’s face stretching into a wide grin. That’s when I realized what the situation looked like—a dad sending his daughter off to college, trying to make sure she had everything she needed, and…

  He didn’t quite know how to say goodbye. It was…cute.

  Then he suddenly wrapped me up in a tight hug, which was extremely unlike him. “Be safe, Callie,” he grumbled. “I don’t know how I would react if anything happened to you. If you don’t come back…I may just drown Kansas City in fountains of blood,” he promised in a very cold tone. Then he released me and took a step back.

  He didn’t smile. He didn’t smile for so long that my own smile faltered and died.

  Cain chuckled. “Maybe I’ll just stick around here, then. Papa Roland isn’t half as bad as you made him sound. He’s positively delightful.”

  I shoved Cain towards the doors. “Don’t joke about that, Roland,” I warned him, turning to walk backwards out of the church. “I’m supposed to be the scary one.”

  Roland didn’t apologize or take back his comment. He didn’t laugh. He didn’t smile. He just stared at me with those damning crimson eyes, and I knew that inside, his soul was screaming. That he had meant every word. I pretended not to feel the shiver that danced down my spine as I stepped outside and the door closed with a solid thud.

  “Remember that look I told you he had on his face after you disappeared from the party?” Cain asked cheerfully. “That was it.”

  Chapter 22

  We had walked a few blocks in the early morning light, and as a testament to our crap luck, the sky had opened up into a steady drizzle, getting us wet all over again. At least I was no longer wearing a dress, much more comfortable in my dark jeans, tank-top, and jacket. It was a relief when we climbed into the Uber, because every loud shout, engine backfire, or general street-ruckus had made us flinch, waiting for Last Breath or a Son of Solomon to jump out at us in the middle of broad daylight. Mainly because Cleo had somehow remained unseen at the party, blending in so fluidly that there had been no way to discern her from any other guest.

  So, any casual pedestrian could be a threat.

  I leaned back in my seat after a few minutes of directing the driver to ignore his GPS unit and take side streets. I realized I had been checking behind us, watching our fellow drivers for a tail. I would have been embarrassed, but Cain looked just as concerned—like we were bugs trapped in a box. We definitely didn’t make our driver feel very safe, what with the thick paranoia we brought into the car with us, and I think he was relieved when we suddenly shouted for him to stop by a random laundromat. I hopped out first, but Cain lingered for a few moments before climbing out.

  The driver didn’t even ask for a good review before he took off.

  We leaned against the wall of the laundromat—only a few blocks from our destination—trying to blend in with the foot traffic and get a read on the street life. Cain even lit a cigarette, watching the pedestrians across the street in apparent boredom.

  “When did you start smoking?” I asked absently, keeping my eyes on the street.

  He grunted. “Off and on for a few hundred years.”

  I frowned. “Why aren’t they dripping wet?” I asked, remembering our plunge in the fountain.

  He grinned. “I swiped these from the driver while I was threatening his dog’s life if he ever mentioned our fare to anyone,” he said in a peppy tone, puffing on his cigarette. “Cigarettes are great camouflage. People see what they want to see. Watch.” He exhaled a cloud of smoke towards a couple walking by. They took one look at Cain’s cigarette and the smoke, frowned slightly, and stepped wide, not even actually looking at our faces. Cain shrugged, his point proven. “A smoker is obviously smoking, whereas two people leaning against a wall with their hands in their pockets are doing something nefarious.”

  I nodded, folding my arms across my chest dramatically. “I thought you were quitting that nasty habit?” I snapped, loud enough to earn an approving smile from another woman walking with her significant other in the opposite direction.

  Cain smiled, extinguishing his smoke. “There you go. Quick learner.”

  I rolled my eyes and began walking, making my way towards Abundant Angel a few blocks away. Almost there. We weren’t far from Darling and Dear, but I didn’t have time for their nonsense. I also didn’t want to run into Phix. The Sphinx thought it was her job to treat me like her pet. If she showed up, everyone would run screaming in fear, and we probably wouldn’t be able to talk her out of tagging along…wherever we ended up going—which could be a problem, depending on what Fabrizio said. She was most likely still out on her errand for Darling
and Dear anyway, or she would have already ambushed me.

  “What if Fabrizio can’t help us?” Cain asked. I sighed, not having an answer. Cain patted me on the shoulder reassuringly. “It needed to be asked. I’m sure we would hear from the Sons of Solomon at some point or another,” he said jovially. “Then we could just keep killing them until we learn what we need.”

  I arched an eyebrow at his ridiculous plan. “Let’s make that our last option.”

  He shrugged. “Just spit-balling.”

  We rounded the corner, coming into more familiar territory. I glanced at Cain, pointedly. “I don’t want to talk about it,” he muttered darkly, recognizing the area.

  “You know, when I first met you, around here, now that you bring it up,” I said, pretending not to have heard him, “you seemed to have a lot more skills. You disappeared right before my eyes at Dorian’s house, you could conceal yourself, even used a little bit of magic. But back at the fountain…” I trailed off suggestively. “The word lackluster comes to mind…”

  Cain cursed under his breath. “I haven’t been killing as often. It…powers me up. And I may have had a toy or two from Darling and Dear for some of that past stuff. Maybe.”

  I turned to look at him. “Really?”

  “Some idiot girl talked me out of killing things. I’ve been reconsidering lately, since I’m learning she hasn’t been practicing what she preaches…”

  I scowled back at him. “Point taken,” I finally admitted. Then I patted him on the back. “I’ll keep you safe while you figure out how to get your mojo back.”

  We walked on in silence, and I found myself thinking back on the time I had chased Cain through a nearby alley. It was one of the first times I had used my Silver magic—granting me a strange, wondrously chromatic hue of the world before me. It had broken through Cain’s concealment spell, and I’d been able to see a few milliseconds into the future—seeing Cain’s avoidance tactics a moment before they had actually happened. I wondered if that form of sight could come in handy now, maybe pick out any Sons of Solomon in the crowd. Maybe even give me a clear vision of Last Breath’s true form.