The Emperor

by N. M. Brown

  “We will be as we once were, when we were born in brimstone and fire. We will be as should have been.” Samantha continued. “Complete and whole again.” All the Sins nodded in time; Echo a fraction of a second behind.

  “You fought valiantly, child.” Mara spoke directly at Echo and she felt her spine straighten with the attention. “Surviving a bullet is a marvellous accomplishment. When all is right again, we will be as we once were; the strongest, the quickest, the most vicious.” Teeth bared, Maras eyes were alit with excitement and Echo couldn’t help but reciprocate.

  “Yes, yes, that time will come.” Nic groaned out, blinking through sleepy eyes. For a beat or two he looked at Echo before turning back to Archer, levelling his gaze. “You talk big, but can it be done?” Echo’s brow fluttered in confusion but didn’t speak. Didn’t Nic want them to be as they had been? Damning souls to hell, that was what they lived for.

  “It can and will be done.” Was all Archer said, meeting Nic’s gaze at an equal level.

  Echo could hear the blood pulsing in her ears as she watched the tension slip around the room, but eventually Nic gave the tiniest tip of his head and broke eye contact. Archer, taking the victory, smiled brightly down the table to Echo, beaming charisma and charm.

  “Welcome home, dearest child.” Spreading his arms wide, he stood, and the other Sins quickly followed leaving Echo to scramble behind them all.

  ‘Welcome home,’ they said in unison before Samantha continued on her own. “We are ever so thankful to have you back sweetness.” She smiled.

  “And we shall need you, my dear.” Gala conceded, raising his glass in salute.

  “Let to fun commence.” Mara smile and in turn, each Sin either gave her a nod, or small smile of welcome.

  Echo’s felt her cold heart lighten as she realised where she stood. This was her family. Fuck Sydney and her spiteful words. Fuck McQueen and his Stockholm theory. She was where she belonged; she was where she would thrive.

  “Then, we’d better get started.” Twilight sang and with a glamour’s twirl, stood and left. Everyone followed, the family dismissed, but with a single glance from Archer, Echo held still in her spot.

  One arm tucked behidn his back, the other in teh air, Archer aproached, looking like a professor about to give a speech. “I can see that working for us has been taxing on you. The limitation of your mortal coil is … often lost on us. So, we’ve decided you’re no longer needed.”

  “What?” Echo’s gut dropped and her skin iced over. This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be-…

  “You’ll work exclusively in our domain. The common folk of the Groudn floor, they will have no need of you.” Archer continued not hearing Echo’s cry of anguish as he walked slowly around her, circling. “Drinks will be requested as normal, but you will travel via the servant’s stairs to and from the kitchen. When not mixing, you’ll fetch other things we might need.”

  "Oh course Archer. Whatever you need." She promised and was rewarded as Archer looked up a smile she knew and sought after.

  “We will keep you close to hand my child. You are, and always will be, ours.”

  "Yes... always." She breathed, her blood sing with joy. Until that moment, she didn’t realise how much Sydney’s and McQueen’s words had spooked her.

  “Good. Now, go change and be ready for tomorrow evening.” Archer said sneering at her attire like it might leap at him.

  Without hesitation, Echo jumped, hurdling up the stairs as fast as her stiches would allow. So what if they never visited her in the hospital. So what if they didn’t ask her how she was feeling, she was still a part of this house. They were still family; nothing had changed.

  No, home was still home, Echo thought. Her lips curled into a wicked smile and despite being dressed in unforgiving pink scrubs, she was on top of the world.

  ◆◆◆

  The first thing Echo felt were sharp claw digging into her back, then the soft cotton sheets caressing her naked body, before hearing the obnoxious sound of the front doorbell. Wilson didn’t appreciate the wakeup call either and dug deeper into her back to the point he drew blood.

  “Mother fuckers-…” Echo groaned slipping from her bed, tossing Wilson off with a heavy push. “First fucking night home… First fucking night’s sleep not in a bloody paper sheet…” She grumbled squinting in the morning light as it blazed through her large apartment window.

  She thought about answering the door naked. That would serve the fucker right for calling so early, but as she crawled out from her warm covers, the chill in the air made her decide it wasn’t worth it.

  She opted for a thick, black Japanese robe, with a beautiful golden phoenix on the back instead, smothering her skin in a cosy layer of heat. Walking down the three flights of stairs was a punishment in of itself, but she almost spat out her own tongue with rage when she saw Jacob and Sandi lounging on a nearby couch.

  “The door is making a noise, didn’t you notice?” She snapped, but Jacob and Sandi remained curled on the couch like content kittens.

  “It’s for you.” Sandi murmured through a sleepy haze, snuggling closer to Jacob. “Wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise.”

  Frowning, Echo stomped to the ringing door and flung it open with as much force as she could. The fucker on the other side better be bullet proof because she was spitting.

  What she didn’t expected however, was a dolled-up woman – no, scratch that. A dolled-up girl no older than Echo, who was stood at the doorstep with her nose high in the air and two exceptionally large suitcases.

  “What the fuck do you wan-,” But before Echo could finish her snarl, the girl breezed past walking straight down the hall like she owned the place and dumped the cases by the stairs.

  First, the snooty woman looked over the Drawing Room. The sleek, oiled mahogany shone in the morning dawn, while the rows and rows of expensive liquor gleamed at the back of the room. The lights were off and to the untrained eye, you would think it was a lounge of a pompous rich twat.

  The girl clearly thought so, nodding as if she agreed with the chosen décor. “Yes… of course.” She said with a hit of bitterness, before wandering over to the Library examining the shelves of the expensive antiques and pretty jewels.

  While she totted around in her six-inch heels, Echo gave her a look over. She was petite and tall but not as tall as Echo, with a tiny waist she’d enhanced with a wrap-around bow. Her dress looked like an old floral curtain covered by a cheap, fur edgeds trenchcoat. Her hair was on the duller side of ginger and curled in a neat, vintage up-do. The same coloured freckles dotted her nose which she’d tried to hide under foundation, while her button nose - which at this moment was inches away from a Ming-Dynasty vase - seemed to constantly be turned up like there was a foul smell.

  “Who the fuck do you think you are?” Echo asked perplexed by this girl. She even speared a glance at Sandi and Jacob but unsurprisingly, they’d mysteriously disappeared. Lucky them.

  Instead of answering, the girl breezed past clutching her shoulder purse close to her side. She took in the crystal chandelier and the silk wallpaper, before coming to a stop in the centre of the hall, nodding. “Yes. Well… I can see why he’s been so absent.” She sniffed. She was about to pick up the hilt of Excalibur when Echo decided she’d had enough.

  Gripping the girl’s arm, she snapped her close until they were toe-to-toe. “Who. Are. You? How dare you trespass here.”

  The girl looked at her wide eyed in fright like she’d just realized Echo was there. “I-… I am not trespassing. If fact-” She stomped her foot, before straightening her dress, “I’m not trespassing because you can’t trespass on your own property.” She tried to move past Echo again, but Echo was having none of it.

  “Excuse me?” Echo laughed, looking the girl up and down again, hearing a strong country-hill folk accent. “You don’t own this place sunshine. Now fuck off to whatever dairy farm you came from.” She gave the girl another shove towards the door, and found
that the girl wasn’t as steady on her heels as she let on.

  Yet the girl didn’t waver. “I own whatever my husband owns and if this is where my husband resides then yes -you money grabbing whore- it is all mine.” The girl shoved back, and Echo felt her anger rise, causing her to grind her teeth together.

  “Don’t you know about this thing called the internet?” Echo mocked. “This isn’t your husband’s house bitch. It’s a member’s only House and I can promise you, whoever you think your fucking husband is, he isn’t the owner.”

  Colour suddenly fushed on the girls cheeks, finally realizing she might be wrong. “Of course, I looked online. I was called from a number registered to Cardinal House. I looked up the address and saw it was in Rippling which is where my husband lives."

  "Someone called you? From here?" Echo frowned as she eyed the rotary phone by the door. No one ever used it; even she didn't had she lived in teh house for twenty-three years.

  "Yes. The caller asked me about my husband and our relationship. They said it was apart of a serious investigation, but they never called back, so I came looking.”

  “So, you travelled all the way here to stake your claim on a house you thought your husband owned?” Echo scoffed but her temper had cooled. Something was iffy about this girl.

  If she was so devoted to her husband like she seemed, why the Hell didn’t she know where he was? And if her husband lived in Rippling, shy didn't she?

  Put off by Echo's question, the girll fidgeted. "I didn't claim anything, i just-... i just assumed this was where he was staying." She bluffed.

  “Right... Well, perhaps your husband was here. What’s his name? Or better yet, tell me his kink? His fetish or addiction? That will make it far quicker.” Echo supplied.

  The girl frowned. “Fetish… what do you mean? My husband’s not into that stuff.” The girl even snorted at such an idea. “He was very vanilla. Canice was never adventurous.” She sighed pronouncing Canice, ‘Can-iss’ which drew out a little Irish kick from her voice.

  “Canice?” Echo repeated, giving her another look. If this guy didn’t have a fetish, he wasn’t Sam’s client. He couldn’t be rich, not the way this woman gawked at the House, so he wasn’t a client of Archers.

  The woman tossed her hair over one shoulder with an eye roll. “Canice my husband. Haven’t you been listening. I'm Anna McQueen. And Canice is my husband, Detective Canice McQueen..”

  If Echo had a drink, she would have sprayed it all over the girl’s pretty dress as she barked a laugh.

  “Canice? Queenie’s first name is Canice and you, your his wife.” Looking to the ceiling like it was a cosmic joke Echo aughed.

  "Yes, why is that funny?"

  Very slowly, Echo looked back to Mrs. McQueen, enjoying this early wake-up call more and more. “Well, I’m sure I can help you. McQueen and I know each other quite well.”

  “You? You know my Canice?” Mrs. McQueen, - or Anna - Echo reminded herself, didn’t look so pleased. “Well, will he be here tonight?” she continued to ask.

  Echo’s face automatically fell into a mocking frown. “Hell’s no. Queenie hates it here. Heck, he almost died here. I haven’t seen him in weeks.” That seem to make the Mrs. smile, until she realized what Echo had said.

  “He almost died?” Anna’s delicate hand flew to her throat like she couldn’t catch her breath.

  “We almost died.” Emphasis the ‘we.’

  In fact, as the sleepless dazed lifted from her eyes, Echo was suddenly confronted with a mass of options; each was as fun and delectable as the next. She hadn’t lied when she said she hadn’t seen McQueen in weeks, but that didn’t mean she didn’t intend too. Leaving him alone now would be like only eating half a pie. Such a waste. She had games to play, pedestals to break, halos to crack.

  “Is he alright?” Anna asked.

  “Like I said I don’t know. I haven’t seen him.” Echo could tell McQueen hadn’t married Anna for her brains, but fortunately Echo wasn’t lacking in that area. She was only lacking a heart.

  “Buuuut-,” She purred, drawing Anna’s attention. “I do know where he works.” She smiled along with Anna, sticking out her hand to shake. “I’m sorry about before. I’m not one who likes to miss out on her beauty sleep. Let me start again. I’m Echo, I live here at the House. Quee-… I mean, Canice and I became close not too long ago.”

  “Oh.” Anna seemed nervous to touch Echo again but shook her hand none the less. “You became friends with my Canice?”

  Echo smiled, “Something like that.” She paused, allowing her words to sink in that little further before continuing. “So, if you’d like, I can take you too him? He;ll be at work, but i'm sure he won't mind the visit” Looking at the grandfather clock in the hall, Echo saw that it wasn’t too late in the morning, just after eleven really. She gave Mrs. McQueen a sideways smile.

  “Will that be possible. It’s so sudden. I’d want to make myself presentable if I’m going to meet his work mates.” Anna said, seeming to have forgotten she was dressed like a lady about to luncheon.

  “No, no.” Echo insisted. “Queenie would be happy for us to drop in. He loves company.” She assured Anna ushering her into the library.

  In part it was for comfort, but more so to keep her sticky mitts far away from the valuables that lined the shelves. “Sit right here. I’ll run and get dressed and then we’ll go. I’ll even get our driver to pull around to drop us off.” Echo got a slight kick out of that. No, her sweet McQueen hadn’t come into any wealth Anna so pathetically wanted.

  Smiling one last time a her new ‘friend,’ Echo went to stairs when she heard the clip-clop of heels behind her. “Wait?” Anna called, causing Echo to plaster a fake smile on her face before the woman could see her scowl, “Are you sure you know my Canice? He was always… particular about work. He never liked people just dropping by… it doesn’t sound like him.”

  Echo tilted her head intrigued but didn’t drop the smile from her face. “He’s tall, with sun kissed blond hair, slightly tanned skin and grey, stormy eyes you could get lost in?” Echo felt a thrill as recognition shone on Anna’s face. “Yes, I’m sure it’s your McQueen.”

  Turning back around and walking up the stairs Echo felt the last of her slumber drop from her shoulders. She felt her skin tingle and her lips just begging to curl into its wicked grin. Oh, it was so good to be bad.

  II

  McQueen sighed into his mug once more as he gazed across the mounds of files on his desk. Manila envelopes stacked five high in four different piles.

  He’d been working for two weeks, but that was only after his forced recuperative leave. Despite protesting he was fine, apparently being kidnapped by a serial killer and killing said killer awarded him time off. McQueen had spent the time pacing and fussing, until he’d come back the minute he’d been allowed.

  He thought he’d been ready to come back, but as he gulped down some lukewarm milky tea, he might have spoken too soon. Thinking back to his conversation with the Chief, he doubted any amount of time away from work would have saved him from this assignment though.

  “I don’t want your head filled with pompous fanfares McQueen. Catching a serial killer is a once-in-a-life time achievement.” The Chief said stood at his desk looking down at McQueen on his first day back.

  Despite a cheer of congratulations and back slaps, the small band of officers at Rippling Police Station gave him a wide birth. It was no secret the Chief had wanted to see him, and everyone was weary of the Chief. He looked like a strong gust of wind could blow him apart andhe had the personality of a paper bag to match. However, he held everyones respect and for good reason: he had a will of steel. When he wanted something done, he made sure it got done.

  In that meeting, McQueen had felt very small as the Chief spoke down at him and got the distinct feeling that, notwithstanding his near-death experience, the Chief wasn’t best pleased with the last case’s outcome. “You’ve had your once in a lifetime case, McQueen. You’
ve caught the serial killer, time to settle.” And like a forgiving God, the Chief passed McQueen a single sheet of paper which held sixteen different file numbers.