by A. P. Jensen
“I saw a great war taking place. In the middle of the battle was a band of men that stood as one. At their center was a female. I couldn’t see her face or the features of the men around her, but she commanded them.” G-Ma paused and looked at each of them in turn before she gave a small nod.
G-Ma jumped up with surprising agility and hurried over to a desk in the corner of the room. She rifled through the papers before she turned back to them. She paused and Raven knew G-Ma temporarily forgot the Unmemorables, but she wasn’t afraid. She came over without a hint of nerves and handed over a torn piece of yellow paper to Raven. The guys crowded around and read over her shoulder. The handwriting looked as if it had been done by a child, but the message was legible.
A woman holds the fate of the Unmemorables in her hands. She will be coveted by many and has great power. She alone can control the Unmemorables and reverse the curse that has plagued them for centuries. Her coming shall start a war that can end the world as we know it.
“Wicked,” Bam Bam said.
Raven’s mouth twisted. What did “end the world as we know it” mean? She rubbed her thumb over the torn part of the paper and looked up.
“Is there more to this?” she asked G-Ma, hoping the old woman hadn’t wrote a grocery list on the other half by accident and tossed away an extra sentence or two.
“I think that’s all, dear.”
Raven glanced at the guys and saw a multitude of expressions on their faces that ranged from skepticism to wariness. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but four sentences on a scrap of paper wasn’t it. She gave a slight shake of her head indicating that she wasn’t convinced. She looked up and found G-Ma’s eyes fixed on her.
“You’re the one,” G-Ma said.
Raven crushed the paper in her hand. She instantly smoothed it out and set it on the table.
“I’m the one for what?” Raven asked, looking anywhere but the crazy old lady.
“I knew it the moment I saw you,” G-Ma said. “You’re the woman from the prophecy, the one that can break the curse for the Unmemorables. You can be their salvation or worst nightmare.”
“No shit,” Luester said under his breath.
Raven’s heart skipped in her chest. “You said in the vision that you couldn’t see the woman’s face. Why do you think I’m the one from the prophecy?”
G-Ma’s eerie eyes were steady. “Just as I know you’re in love with Cain and that you’re an Unmemorable, I also know what your destiny is. You’re the one the Unmemorables have been waiting for, darling.”
Raven shook her head. “That can’t be.”
“Why?”
“I don’t have great power and I don’t want to control anyone! Although I think some people suck, I don’t want to end the world. All I want is to reverse the curse and the prophecy doesn’t even tell us how!”
G-Ma shrugged. “The prophecy’s job isn’t to tell you what to do, it’s just a guideline. It also issues warnings you should heed. You alone have the power to change things, my dear.”
“I knew it!” Jackie crowed.
Raven sat back against the cushions. G-Ma talked to Cain and ignored Raven’s glare. G-Ma didn’t act like the nervous wreck Cain described. Raven got to her feet and faced Luester who scowled at her.
“What’s with you?” she snarled, not in the mood for his attitude.
“Why didn’t you break the curse yet?”
She threw up her hands. “How the hell am I supposed to know?”
“Just so you know, there isn’t going to be a damn war,” he warned.
“How about you get out of my face before I start one right now?”
“We’ll find a way to make this work,” Jackie said, coming forward with his hands out in a placating gesture.
“Make what work?” Raven asked through clenched teeth.
Jackie gestured to the four of them and then her. Harvard nodded and scribbled madly on his notepad. She peeked and saw that he’d written down the prophecy word for word. Obviously, the guys took G-Ma at her word, and aside from Luester, they weren’t too worried about the war or the “can end the world as we know it” part of the prophecy. While she tried to come to grips with the turn of events, Harvard turned to Bam Bam.
“You make sure the next priest you ask to bless the water is holy as fuck,” Harvard ordered.
“Maybe your voodoo is whack,” Bam Bam retorted.
Bam Bam and Harvard both drew weapons, but Luester intervened. In one move, he slapped the knife out of Bam Bam’s hand and disarmed Harvard with such force that he sprawled on the floor. Both of them cursed, but neither tried to retaliate against Luester. Something for her to remember, Raven thought.
“Anything broken?” G-Ma called out lightly.
“No.”
“Alrighty then,” she said and continued her conversation with Cain.
Raven walked toward the cabin door. She agreed to see G-Ma to get out of this mess, not have G-Ma confirm beyond a doubt that she could break the curse. G-Ma must be senile. Raven couldn’t be the woman from the prophecy. She wasn’t coveted by many, she was a fucking housekeeper! If she had such great power, wouldn’t it have shown itself by now? This was all a huge misunderstanding.
Raven reached for the door handle, but Cain appeared out of nowhere and swung her around.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“I need air.”
“What’s wrong?”
Raven couldn’t meet his eyes. “When are we leaving?”
“Don’t go!” G-Ma cried and rushed over with an imploring expression. “I made enough stew for all of you.”
“We’ll spend the night,” Cain decided on the spot and Raven stiffened.
“We’re going to head back to Vegas. You can come with us,” Jackie said to Raven.
Cain stared at her as he said, “Raven stays with me.”
Raven didn’t argue even though she wanted to. She turned away and walked outside. Cain didn’t try to stop her. Spotlights highlighted the forest around the house and Ace didn’t turn as she walked toward him through the snow.
“What did the old lady say?” Ace asked.
Raven stopped beside him and didn’t answer. Ace glanced at her for a split second before his eyes continued to track the surrounding forest.
“She thinks I’m the one from the prophecy,” Raven said finally.
Ace nodded. “Figured as much. She know how to break the curse?”
“No.”
“When are we leaving?”
“We’re staying.”
Ace’s brows rose. “We’re going to bunk down with Cain’s little grandma?”
“Sounds like it. She made stew.”
“I can use some stew. I’m freezing my balls out here.”
Raven saw the cat sitting on the console in the SUV. His yellow eyes glinted in the light.
“You didn’t let him out of the car? What if he peed in there?” she asked as she started forward.
“Cain’s car,” Ace muttered and then, “Batman’s fine.”
“Batman?”
“He has the Batman silhouette going on with the pointy ears and black fur.”
Raven opened the SUV. The cat immediately jumped out and slinked between the trees. Raven crunched through the snow behind him and tried to let go of her frustration. She didn’t give a rat’s ass about anything but breaking the curse, but having the prophecy laid out in front of her like that gave her chills. She already had a boatload of Unmemorables (including her father) who loathed her. If they heard the entire prophecy she wasn’t sure what they’d do. Honestly, she couldn’t blame Luester for his hostility. The woman in the prophecy wasn’t a good omen.
The cat was a dark shadow ahead, and when Batman froze, she did too. They were a fair distance from the house, but light penetrated through the darkness, enough for her to see the cat turn his head sharply toward the right. Raven followed his gaze and ducked as a dark figure slid out from behind a tree. Raven swe
pt the feet out from beneath the figure and saw a glint of steel as the person’s arms wind milled for balance.
Raven ran as fast as she could toward the house. Before she could break through the tree line someone grabbed her from behind. Before she could scream, a hand clapped over her mouth.
Be still.
Raven’s eyes flew wide as Ace’s voice whispered through her mind. She whirled to face him as he released her. Ace scaled a tree as quickly and silently as if he were Spiderman. She watched him dubiously until she heard the faint whisper of voices and light footfalls in the forest. She gave the tree a bear hug and began to shimmy up the trunk like an awkward girl.
You’re an Unmemorable. You can climb like us, Ace said impatiently. Let your body take over.
Raven couldn’t find purchase with her boots, so she gripped the wood with cold hands and pulled herself up with all her might. She rocketed up five feet and nearly lost her grip on the tree. She wasn’t sure how she was scaling a tree with less effort than walking, but at the moment she didn’t care. She perched on a branch thirty feet above the forest floor, breath billowing out of her in a white cloud. She glanced at Ace who tossed her a gun that she caught in reflex. What the hell did it mean to be an Unmemorable anyway?
How many? Ace asked.
Raven held up one finger and when Ace didn’t look in her direction, waved her hand to get his attention. He turned his head and gave her a baleful look.
You can speak telepathically too, genius, he said silently.
“How?” she mouthed.
Think it to me.
She imagined a laser pointer going from her brain to Ace’s. She braced herself and thought, ONE!
Ace nearly fell out of the tree and clutched his head with both hands. Think it! You don’t need to melt my brains!
One what? Bam Bam chimed in.
What the fuck is going on? Jackie asked.
You told her about the telepathy? Luester snapped. Why don’t we just spill all our damn secrets so she can enslave us today, idiot!
You have to try the stew. It’s amazing, Bam Bam said.
That demon cat just clawed my leg, Happy complained. I’m going to shoot it.
You can’t shoot Batman, he just saved Raven’s life, Ace snapped.
Who the fuck is Batman? Luester asked.
Why Batman? Oh, I get it, Bam Bam said.
Raven clutched her head as the Unmemorables’ babbling exploded in her mind. She recognized their voices, which were familiar enough for her to sort out. She saw movement below and cut through the crap.
There’s two people moving through the forest, she reported telepathically and hoped they could hear.
All talking stopped and she let out a relieved breath.
Recognize them? Luester asked calmly.
No.
Happy, do you have your rifle? Jackie asked.
Yeah, Happy replied.
Get on the roof, Jackie ordered. Raven? You hurt?
No.
Position?
Trees.
We’re coming out. Sit tight.
Raven and Ace perched in the tree and searched the darkness. Two figures moved on light feet. They were dressed all in black, but Raven saw blonde strands of hair peeking out from a hood. When the woman turned to speak to the man beside her, Raven bit back a moan. Why couldn’t her life be simple? Shit balls! Pris and Bernt, Cain’s parents, had arrived.
The Council’s here, Raven reported.
There was a sharp silence and then the most inventive stream of curses barraged Raven’s brain like a hailstorm.
Let’s split, Luester said.
Trap? Happy interjected.
We’re out of here, Ace said and reached for Raven’s arm.
She gave Ace a sharp look and pulled back. Cain’s father looked around the forest almost as if he sensed their silent exchange. Cain dressed much like his dad who preferred business suits, but at the moment Bernt opted for black assassin gear that zipped up to his chin.
We can’t afford to let them take you, Ace said in a no-nonsense tone. We need to go.
I’m not leaving Cain, she said.
One of his parents tried to attack you, Ace said as if he were talking to someone slow.
He’s not like his parents, she said as Bernt pulled out a pistol.
Ace shot her an impatient look. You don’t know Cain Henson.
He made another grab and she dodged.
We have to move, Jackie said. The SUVs are clear.
She won’t come, Ace snapped.
Damn it, Raven, you’re seeing for yourself that Cain brought us here to hand us over to the Council. It’s an ambush.
He wouldn’t do that, she said.
Heavy footsteps pounded through the snow and came straight toward them. Ace froze and tightened his hand on the gun as Cain appeared in front of his parents.
“Where is she?” Cain demanded.
“Rich had a vision...” Bernt began.
Cain grabbed his father by his black assassin suit and shook him. “Where is she?”
“Who are you talking about?” Pris asked.
Cain turned to his mother, snatched the knife from her hands and held the blade up to the light. It took Raven several moments to realize he was looking for blood. Of course, even if Cain’s parents killed her, they’d forget the incident the moment they turned away from her body.
“If you’ve done something to her I’ll...” Cain began.
“We don’t know who you’re going on about,” Bernt interrupted. “We heard there are hostiles here.”
“They’re not hostile,” Cain said and then to himself, “she promised she wouldn’t leave me.”
The sound of a car engine revving had them all jerking their heads to the North. Cain was gone in a shot with his parents following in his wake. Raven couldn’t resist giving Ace a satisfied smirk, which he ignored. They slid down the tree trunks and rushed through the forest to the driveway. They got there in time to see Cain pin Luester on the hood of the SUV.
Chapter Seven
“Where is she?” Cain asked in a voice that promised death.
“Don’t know,” Luester said.
“You’re lying to me.” Cain stuck a gun in Luester’s face and there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that he was a breath away from pulling the trigger.
Raven ran forward. “Cain, I’m here.”
Cain whipped around, slid the gun into his waistband and walked toward her with flat eyes. He grabbed her, sank his hand into her hair and gripped so she looked up at him. His eyes moved over her face and she sensed the demons he was trying to tamp down. In this moment, he was capable of anything. She knew all eyes were on them. She gripped his waist with frozen hands and dug her nails into his skin.
“I’m fine,” she said quietly.
“Who is she?” Pris demanded. “Jane’s not going to be happy about this.”
Pris was dressed in a matching assassin suit. Despite her wealth, haughty attitude and penchant for fur and pearls, Cain’s mother wasn’t a blonde bimbo. She was an experienced killer and the weapons on her body weren’t for decoration.
“Not now, Mom,” Cain said harshly.
“Jane?” Raven repeated.
“My one serious relationship,” he muttered
“And how long ago did you break up with Jane?” Raven asked, knowing this wasn’t the time or the place, but she couldn’t help it. What did Pris mean that Jane wouldn’t be pleased? Had their relationship been more serious than Cain let her believe?
“That’s not important,” Cain said.
“Not important?” Raven repeated, voice rising.
“I’m with you, so...”
“Since when are you with another woman?” Pris asked.
Before anyone could speak, an SUV pulled up. A door opened and Rich, the leader of the Council, ambled over while smoking a cigar. He had on a Stetson, cowboy boots, and a suede jacket lined with wool. She gripped her gun and would have drawn it, but Cain cl
asped her hand in his. When she tried to pull away, he squeezed painfully.
“Cain, my boy!” Rich said jovially as if everyone in the clearing wasn’t armed to the teeth.
“What are you doing here, Grandpa?” Cain asked.
“You won’t answer my calls and I Saw you’d be here, so...” Rich shrugged.
The Unmemorables’ voices were faint in her mind, but it was enough for her to understand they were debating whether or not to take out Rich.
Don’t, she said.
She didn’t care much for Rich who turned on her after they spent an enjoyable day together. She couldn’t believe she fell for his southern drawl. Killing Rich would be a declaration of war, and no matter what, he was Cain’s grandpa. Cain would kill the Unmemorable who put a bullet through Rich’s head and she couldn’t have that. Damn, her life had been so simple when she had no friends, lover or family to care for. Her conscience was clear and now everything was so fucking confusing. Caring about people was a bitch.
You’re surrounded by Hensons, Luester pointed out as he slithered out of sight now that Cain was distracted.
Cain won’t let them touch me, she said.
“What do you want?” Cain asked his grandpa.
Rich’s eyes moved to Raven, but he addressed Cain when he said, “We’re just here to talk.”
Cain tense stance didn’t relax in the slightest. “You came here to talk? Fine. Do it and leave.”
“I need you to come back to headquarters.”
Even as Raven stiffened, the Unmemorables cursed.
If Rich is ambushing Cain, we need to get the fuck out, Ace said.
“No,” Cain said.
We’re gonna be fine, Raven told them, but she didn’t sound as confident as she wanted to be. She’d seen the Council in action. How far would they go to make Cain come home?
Rich is going to find a way to make Cain do what he wants. Don’t move any closer to that fucking cowboy, Happy ordered.
“We’ve had several agents go missing after I sent you to Vegas and it’s getting worse. Not one of the five I sent out on missions has come back. I need everyone at headquarters, especially my best,” Rich said.