The Hart Brothers Series Box Set (Including the bonus book Sabin: A Seven Novel): Freeing Her, Freeing Him, Kestrel, The Fall and Rise of Kade Hart, Sabin: A Seven Novel

by A. M. Hargrove

  “To the keeper: wear at all times. Let not it fall into false hands lest ye face universal destruction.”

  He massages the place between his eyes. “And you didn’t think to keep the damn thing, even after … ‘let not it fall into false hands?’”

  “No! My dad didn’t wear it so I thought it was just some silly folklore.”

  He starts to say something, then stops.

  “What?”

  “Juliette, we have to find Judgment Day. Whoever has it now, is facing what you are, but doesn’t know it. His or her family is now in danger, but Paradox …” he drops his head into his hands.

  “What? Tell me. No more subterfuge on this. The secrets end here, Sabin.”

  Ebony orbs latch onto mine and I almost gasp at their intensity. “Paradox has the potential to destroy and unbalance a whole lot more than only the planet.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “There’s a reason the necklace is called Judgment Day. It’s when all life ceases to exist. All. Life.”

  Everything in my body hitches up a million notches. The cogwheels increase to maximum speed. My heart’s pumping like some out of control piston gone wild. Blood gushes through my veins and arteries, like the control valve on the dam has ruptured, causing my pressure to soar. Adrenaline is released, firing into my synapses, stinging my peripheral nerves. Finally it hits my lungs, and the air is vacuumed out of the room, the band around my chest squeezes tighter and tighter, my vision grows grayer and fuzzier by the second.

  Hands on my head, voices in my ears, telling me to take deep breaths, repeating, repeating. When I open my eyes, I’m on the floor of the cabin, staring at the white ceiling. Sabin’s head comes into the view. I try to get up but his hand pushes me back down.

  “You fainted. Stay still a minute.”

  “Fainted?”

  “Yes, fainted. You’ll be fine in another minute. It was the shock of what I told you about Paradox.”

  It all comes rushing back to me now. Shit.

  “Sabin, what kind of weapon is so huge that it’s capable of doing so much destruction?”

  Lids drop closed and his head bows. “There’s so much—”

  “What?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Will my life ever be normal again?”

  “No. I wish I could say yes, but can you ever forget the way your family looked?”

  “No.”

  “The knowledge you now possess. Well, you have your answer.”

  “If you find the necklace, will I ever be safe?”

  He doesn’t answer. He doesn’t have to. Icy needles prick my skin from head to toe.

  “I already knew my life had a short endpoint.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “You, your men, the necklace, my circumstances.”

  He smirks. “I never took you for someone who gave up.”

  “I’m n—”

  “The hell you’re not. Look at you. You’re pitiful, lying here. Get up.”

  He holds out his hand and I take it.

  “Now listen to me. You’re going to marry that guy up there, the one who is so hell bent on being your hero, and let us do our jobs. We’re going to protect you, like we always have. We’ll find Judgment Day and you’ll live your life. Clear?”

  “So, what happened to the asshole prick that was up there earlier?”

  A smile plays on the corners of his mouth.

  “He’s still here. I’m having a rare moment. Don’t get used to it.”

  Rafe calls out. “Company!”

  “Fuck! Rafe, get Hart down here now.”

  Kade jumps down the hatch, and Sabin says, “You two are mine to protect. Stay put, and do as I say. Understand?”

  Sabin closes the hatch and guards the steps that lead into the cabin. We hear all kinds of horrible noises, like that night when they attacked me on my way home from work. It sounds like the boat is splitting apart, breaking in half, I don’t know.

  “Will this boat hold up?” I ask.

  “My men are capable.” That’s it. No reassurances, nothing.

  “I know they’re capable. But if this boat cracks wide open, we’ll drown.”

  He ignores me. The asshole prick has returned. Kade moves in next to me and I cling to him. But he’s not enough to assuage my fears. When he leans into me and whispers to me, I want to die for him.

  “Juliette, this is all my fault. I put you here, in this position. If it weren’t for my idiocy, we’d be safe at home, living our lives.”

  “Don’t say that. When were our lives ever normal?”

  “Shut up, you two,” Sabin hisses. He hasn’t looked at us, but keeps his eyes trained on the hatch leading down here.

  I grab Kade’s face and kiss him, trying to impart to him it’s not his fault. He only did what he thought would free me. My eyes search his, trying to find an answer. Hopefully he gets my message. Then my arms hug him as close to me as I can. Feeling helpless is a terrible way to be. We stand there, locked together, listening. The noise above dies down, and then it becomes silent.

  Sabin is motionless. I want to tell him to go up there and check. He doesn’t though. He waits. Like Kade and I do.

  Suddenly the hatch rips open and Sabin is hurled into us by something that moves so fast I can’t get a make on it. He springs to his feet, and with one arm, knocks Kade and me further back into the cabin, yelling at us to hide. All I feel is Kade yanking my arm so hard, pain shoots up into my shoulder. I grope my way backwards, using my free hand and my feet, while Kade pulls me into one of the berths. It’s one of them. One of those Shaurok and they are the ones that killed my family. Do I want to see these evil people? Do I want to look them in the eye and know who they are? Or do I want to hide here, and let Sabin take care of things?

  “Kade, it’s a Shaurok,” I whisper.

  He doesn’t answer but nods instead. He motions with a finger over his lips to be quiet.

  The sounds from right beyond the door are horrific. They’re exactly as they were the night Sabin saved me, but somehow this is worse. Sabin now has to protect Kade and me, and I’m the reason Kade is in danger. Fierce, vicious growls grow louder and it comes to me that this door we stand behind offers no protection whatsoever. Reality shows itself when that very door is peeled back like wrapping paper from a box, and momentarily I’m face to face with my predator. It’s not anything that I expected. I had built up some monstrous, horrifically terrifying creature. That’s not what I see. But in many ways it’s worse. A monster does stand before me and he is possessed by a singular fixation. Me. This is a creature who can see or think of nothing but the person who now is right in front of him, exactly where he wants me to be. How do I know this? His expression, the way it instantly softens, the saliva that freely runs out of the corners of his mouth, the way his powerfully muscular posture relaxes. But I make no mistake. This man has no compunction about killing. Empty psychopathic eyes gaze at me from a blank face. But what is astonishing is their lack of color. His irises are pure white, rimmed in red, with red pupils that are dilating to an unprecedented size.

  Before I realize what happens, the Shaurok lies dead at my feet, his neck broken, and Sabin carries him away.

  At about the same time, the one called Rafe shouts out, “All clear.”

  I look at Kade and know exactly what he’s thinking. “Kade, this is not your fault. Tell me you understand this.”

  “Right now, I want to get you off this boat. That, that thing. His eyes—the way he looked at you. He would’ve killed you. We need to listen to what they say. I’m thinking they’re right, Juliette.”

  “I know they’re right, but we didn’t know all this before. And he didn’t kill us. Can we fly out of here tonight?”

  “Yeah. All I need is to inform the pilot of our departure time.”

  “Let’s go up and tell them. Or maybe we should take one of them with us.”

  “Maybe. Let’s check. I don’t want them pissed of
f at us again.”

  When we get to the top deck, I can’t believe my eyes.

  Kade is silent. There is no evidence of any of those Shaurok people. What did they do to them? Did they kill them all and toss them overboard? The boat is demolished. There is so much damage; I can’t begin to recount it. Nothing has been left unscathed.

  Sabin stands in a semicircle with his men, most of whom are bloody. Sabin looks like hell. One of them says something to him and he glances at us over his shoulder. I hear him say, “Get in the water. Clean yourselves off. We need to get out of here.”

  All six of them jump in the water, but this time when they get back in the boat, they’re dripping wet.

  “There’s a first aid kit on board,” Kade offers.

  “Not necessary,” Sabin shoots back.

  Kade and I trade confused glances. These strange men are so difficult to figure out.

  “Does Kade need to call his pilot so we can fly home?” I ask.

  Sabin advances toward us. “Yes. Now. And you will be nine instead of two. Will that be a problem?”

  “None at all,” Kade says. He makes the call and the pilot says he’ll be there in three hours.

  “What will we do about the boat?”

  “Dock it in the marina and we’ll handle the repairs. It shall be as good as new.” Then Sabin jumps in the water to rinse all evidence of his battle with the Shaurok off.

  I think about this for a second, and when he climbs back aboard, I blurt out, “How?”

  “It’s not your concern. I said we’ll handle it and we will. Go pack.” The asshole prick is definitely back. “Pack for your boyfriend, too. He’s going to be driving what’s left of this boat back to the marina.”

  Wasting no time, I get down below, change my clothes, throw my stuff in my bag, Kade’s in his, and I’m ready.

  “That was quick,” Sabin comments.

  “Yep.” I’ve decided I’m not going to add anything else. But strangely, all their clothing seems to be different. No, not different, but not as torn. Like they’ve patched it or something.

  “Hey, did you patch their clothes or something?” Why did I ask that? His eyes look like rusty darts are shooting out of them. Damn that man gets moody.

  “Or something,” he snarls.

  “Fucking prick is here to stay,” I mumble.

  One minute he’s standing on the opposite end of the boat, and the next, he’s in front of me. Is it the darkness that gives me that illusion or does he move that fast, like the snap of my fingers?

  “Fucking prick. Do you want Fucking Prick to stay or go? Go means you and boyfriend are dead. Stay means you and boyfriend live. You saw him, the Shaurok. You heard what he can do. So you choose. If I stay, keep your fucking comments to your fucking self.” Then he’s back with his men.

  I guess I had that one coming, but still. He could be a little nicer.

  He yells out, “Being nice isn’t what’s going to save your pretty little ass.”

  Fuck. I’m so done. No more talking or even thinking about them. I’m acting like an automaton from now on.

  Kade pulls the boat into the marina and they order us to get off. We’re accompanied by the one called Edge, and we walk down to the parking area. We are to wait for the rest of them there. Kade and I have no idea what they’re doing.

  I decide to get nosy. “Edge, what are they doing?”

  “Fixing the boat, what do you think?” His voice is filled with angst. He is vigilant about his surroundings, guarded and aware.

  “Oh, I didn’t—”

  “Yeah, you don’t a lot, Juliette.”

  He summed his feelings up about me pretty fast right there.

  “Look, I owe you all a huge apology, but can you put yourself in my shoes? What would you have done?”

  His eyes, and they are some kind of eyes—deep brown with bright streaks of citron radiating from the pupil—dig into mine. “It would have been difficult, yes.” That’s all I’m going to get. And I understand. To say anything else would be a betrayal to Sabin.

  About twenty minutes later, they join us and two cars pull up.

  “Let’s go,” Sabin says.

  He instructs the driver to take us to the airport. He rides with us, along with Edge. The others follow in another car. Two hours and fifty minutes have passed since Kade phoned the pilot. The security is minimal since we are flying a private jet. The cars pull right up to the jet and we all get out. The pilot greets us and gives Kade a wary look. Kade has a word with him. I have no idea what he says, but the rest of us board the plane.

  The flight attendant inquires about drinks. I ask for water and the men want liquor. Whisky and scotch are what they order. Straight up. No ice or anything. The attendant nods and brings them their drinks. Kade joins us and looks at the men.

  “Isn’t is a little early for that?”

  “We operate on a completely different schedule than you do,” Rafe says. It’s the first time he’s ever answered a question directed at the group.

  “I don’t drink. I’m a recovering drug addict.”

  “We know.”

  “I figured you did. Is there anything about either of us you don’t know?”

  “Not a thing,” Sabin answers. His eyes are cold and hard.

  The plane lifts off and soon the pilot announces we’ve cleared ten thousand feet.

  Kade stands and says, “Juliette and I are going to the back cabin to take a nap. If you need us, do us the courtesy of knocking.”

  Sabin dips his head in acknowledgement. “Please be aware that we have highly acute hearing. Just thought I should warn you.”

  Kade’s jaw clenches. “Unless we both talk in our sleep, I doubt you’ll be hearing a thing.” He grabs my hand and leads me to the back.

  “Let’s sleep. I’m about to drop dead. Between the worry and exhaustion, I didn’t think my eyes could stay open another minute,” he says.

  We fall into bed and he’s out. I snuggle into his side and think about the last day. It went from blissful cloud nine to pandemonium and Gehenna. All because of that stupid necklace. If only I had never slipped the damn thing around my neck. Whatever possessed me to do that? And the power it contained. I waltzed around for a couple of years, with that thing dangling around my damn neck, and had no fucking idea the Armageddon it could wreak. And who the hell handed it off to my father? And where did he get it?

  Ugh! All these questions that rip my brain apart are making it impossible to even shut my eyes, much less sleep. I ease away from Kade, careful not to wake him, and slide off the bed. Seven faces look up when I walk into the main cabin.

  “No sleepy for little girly?” Sabin drawls. The effect of the liquor is obvious. “And why not?”

  I decide to spill my guts. I’ve had this shit bottled up in me forever, and these people know about it. “Were you there the entire time? From the beginning, I mean. When my parents were murdered.”

  “Pretty much. We knew your father had Judgment Day.”

  “So you were protecting my family?”

  Sabin blows out his breath. “Not exactly. We knew it had been given to him, but we didn’t know where he’d hidden it. He didn’t wear it, like you. But he’d spent enough time trying to figure it out, trying to identify the stone, that it left enough of its trace on him. That’s how they found him.”

  “So you weren’t there when Mom and Sylvie died?” my hand covers my mouth. Weakness isn’t something I’m proud to show, but this … this still breaks me into pieces.

  “Right after. We were in the house when you came in.”

  “Oh, God.” It’s like it happened yesterday. The visual knocks me in the head like a fisted hand. My arms automatically wrap around my middle, in that stupid attempt to ease the ache that will never go away. “Sylvie, she wasn’t like me. She was so innocent and sweet. She was kind, beautiful, and laughed all the time. The room would brighten up with a million stars when she walked in. Why her? Why did they kill her? And Mom? They d
idn’t have anything to do with it!” I swipe the tears off my cheeks.

  His voice softens when he answers. “It’s how they work, Juliette. They don’t care who they hurt. They just destroy.”

  Even after all these years, the pain is still fresh and raw. Exactly like it was the day I found them.

  I inhale an unsteady breath. It’s a question I’ve asked myself a hundred—no a thousand times. “Do … do you think they suffered much?”

  A shadow passes over his eyes. It’s here and gone in an instant, but slow enough for me to catch it. “No, Juliette, they didn’t suffer.” He covers my hands with his, comforting me. He’s lying. But I accept it.

  “Why didn’t you stop me?”

  “Stop you?”

  “From putting the necklace on? If you had come to me and explained, I would never have put it on.”

  “Would you have believed us?”

  I don’t know if I would have. It’s hard to say now, because so many things have happened.

  “You could’ve lied. Said it was yours. Something, anything, to stop me.”

  “We did try, Juliette. Remember when you were camping and you carried it around that entire day in your hand, debating on whether or not to wear it? We were trying to stop you then. Our stupid plan failed, when you tripped and fell. It ended up almost around your neck and that’s what made your decision. You said, ‘Well, that about does it, then.’”

  I grasp his hands and ask, “But why didn’t you show yourselves?”

  “That’s not what we do.”

  “Why not?”

  His brow furrows and his eyes become so intense; I almost feel the words before he speaks them. “It is our way.”

  “I was alone, afraid, unsure of everything. I didn’t know what to do, where to go, all because of that … that thing.”

  “You were never alone.”

  “Yes I was. I didn’t know you were there. It was the same. And now this will never go away, and because of my actions, some poor foolish person is in trouble too.”

  “Perhaps this person hasn’t put it on yet.”

  “What if she has? Or worse yet, what if some guy gave it to his girlfriend and she’s halfway around the world?”