Riders

by Veronica Rossi

  “He did this?” she said. “Samrael?”

  “No. Technically, I think I did it.” I was pretty sure it’d happened when I slammed into him on the street.

  I felt her eyes move to mine, but I kept my gaze on the pulse beating at her throat. The necklace was right there. I didn’t want to think about it right now.

  She dabbed at the cut and around my mouth and chin. I felt weird having her clean up after me. Mopping up my dried blood and snot. There were a lot of things I wouldn’t have minded happening between us. This wasn’t on the list.

  “We have to start acting together,” she said.

  “We will,” I said. We were up against forces that were far more powerful than any one of us. Our only shot was by working together. But my team—an actor, a drunk, and a sociopath—didn’t exactly inspire confidence. Still. I had to find a way to work with them. “I met Ra’om tonight.”

  I wasn’t sure why I’d added that. I just couldn’t stop thinking about him. I couldn’t stop seeing his red eyes in the darkness. I couldn’t think of Anna without picturing her ripping at her face. All the images were right there. Lurking. It felt like Ra’om had planted land mines in my brain.

  Daryn drew the towel away. “I thought you might have.” She sank onto her ankles and looked at me. “You’re … okay?”

  “Yeah.” I made myself hold in place.

  She stayed watching me for a long moment. Then she stood and rinsed out the towel. “Tomorrow,” she said. Then she came back for another pass on my nose. “We’re all together now. Tomorrow I’ll tell you more.”

  I nodded and we went quiet for a little while. I knew we were almost done. She’d leave soon, and I didn’t want that. “You told me your sister wanted to be a doctor. You, too? You seem pretty good at this.”

  “No. Not me.”

  “What did little Daryn want to be when she grew up? You owe me three more answers. You promised at the airport. I think you promised me ten, but I’ll settle for three. Time to pay up.”

  She smiled. “Okay. Three more. Little Daryn hadn’t thought past college when her life was turned upside down. But the one thing she knew was that she wanted to keep running. She’d run track in high school.”

  That made a lot of sense. “What event?”

  “Hurdles.”

  “Hot, Martin. And cool. Really cool.”

  “Thanks. I loved it. I was good at it, too. You’re fast. Both you and Marcus.”

  “I’m faster. I could beat him.”

  Daryn laughed but I wasn’t sure why that was funny.

  She swept her hair behind her ear. “Okay. Second thing?”

  “Fifth. Let’s just keep numbering up instead of doing two rounds of three.”

  “We could recategorize this set as A, B, C?”

  “If we were trying to make me unhappy, we could.”

  She shook her head. “You’re so odd. Okay, fifth.” She stared at the fancy wallpaper, narrowing her eyes in thought. Her mouth was curved into a smile, and she looked incredible.

  I wanted to kiss her neck. Kind of badly. I also kind of wanted to bite her, too. Not to hurt her, of course. She just looked so good. All that smooth skin. She made me feel a little vampirish and crazy. I wanted to be all over her. Always. But especially when she was this close.

  “I’m obsessed with Amelia Earhart,” she said. “I dressed up as her for Halloween, like, ten years in a row. Every picture of me as a girl, I’m wearing aviator goggles. Not up on my head, either. I actually wore them.”

  “Over your eyes?”

  She laughed. “Yes. I wanted to see the world the way she saw it. I had her short hair and everything. And I made everyone call me Amelia in second grade and through half of third. I still wish that was my name. Amelia Martin.”

  “Not as good as what you got. Daryn’s perfect. Your name is. For you.”

  “Ew, but thanks. It’s a family name.” She paused, smiling at some memory. “I think running hurdles … I think it came out of wanting to fly.”

  She’d stopped fixing up my nose a little while ago. I took the towel from her and tossed it in the sink. I’d been hanging on her every word, but it didn’t feel like I was getting enough. Like we were close enough.

  “Come here,” I said, pulling her up beside me.

  I could tell she didn’t expect that because she went quiet. For a little while, everything was quiet and we just looked at our legs. I liked her legs even better now that I knew she was a hurdler. They were strong legs that could move fast and jump. Badass. Didn’t get any cooler than that. I liked her name better too. I felt defensive about it for her.

  “Number six is kind of a confession.” She peered at me sideways, letting out a slow breath. “I don’t like Pearl Jam. I mean, I didn’t until I met you. In your Jeep that day on the way to Los Angeles, I wanted you to like me so I might have played it up. The funny thing is, I think I’m actually starting to love Pearl Jam now, for real. One of those self-fulfilling prophecies.”

  “You know I like you.”

  I took her hands, and ran my thumbs over her knuckles. They were strong and soft, like she was. I couldn’t believe the things we were saying. “I wish I didn’t like you … but I do.”

  “Daryn, I want to kiss you, but I don’t want to scare you away.”

  “Are you that bad at it?”

  “Ouch. That’s cold, Martin. And for the record, I excel at anything I apply myself—”

  She darted in and her mouth was against mine. Making quick, gentle brushes, then it was over.

  “I was worried I’d hurt your nose,” she said. “That’s why I…”

  Her cheeks had gone pink.

  “You didn’t. My turn now?”

  “Yes,” she said right away.

  I turned so I had one leg in the tub, then I shifted her hips my way and brought her a little closer.

  “Gideon, what are you doing?”

  “Just trust,” I said. Then I took her face in my hands and went for it. As soon as we touched, she looped her arms around my neck, I pulled her against me, and then we were both gone. Our I like yous were in our mouths, our tongues, our hands. We were wrong-footed around each other so often, but not now. We were finally being honest. Completely real with each other. I’d never felt that way before. So much. So intensely. I never wanted to stop feeling that way. Then she drew away. Too soon again. But I was starting to see that I’d never feel like I got enough of her.

  Her arms came down, wrapping around my waist, and she rested her head on my shoulder.

  I needed a second to touch back down to earth. Get back in my right mind. Daryn’s closeness wasn’t helping that process along. Neither was her warm breath on my neck.

  I wove my fingers into her hair. It was soft and wavy, and the color was gold in some places and went all the way to dark brown in others. No one had better hair. “I can’t believe I kissed you for the first time in a bathroom.”

  She was holding on to me pretty tight. “What bathroom?”

  I smiled. That was a good sign. “I want a shot at re-creating this in a better location. At least we weren’t sitting on the toilet together, but a bathtub isn’t—”

  She let go of me and straightened. She wasn’t smiling. The look on her face put a fist to my stomach.

  She looked sorry.

  “Okay.” I nodded. “Okay. I understand. I guess we’re not doing this again.”

  “Do you understand? When this is over, I don’t want you to be another thing I miss.”

  The steadiness was gone from her eyes. There was a storm in them now.

  “I don’t want to be another thing either,” I said.

  “I didn’t mean it that way, Gideon. I didn’t mean for this to happen. It’s just … you make me forget. I forget about everything when I’m with you.”

  “Daryn, I said I understand.” I couldn’t look her in the eye any longer. My gaze dropped to the silver chain.

  “We can be friends, though. We can find a way
… right?”

  I wanted to say yes, but I couldn’t lie to her. I didn’t know if I could be her friend. I didn’t have the clarity to make that call right then. I felt numb.

  I felt nothing, so I didn’t say anything.

  Which was probably answer enough.

  CHAPTER 41

  The lightbulb finally quits and the room goes dark.

  Instant curtain drop. Darkness, like Alevar is behind it. Black so deep I can almost feel it. Cordero. Texas and Beretta. The pine walls. Everything’s wiped out.

  My breathing is the only sound, and it’s fast. This is too much like when I saw Ra’om. But I know I’m fine. Still here in this chair, talking my head off, thanks to these drugs. Then I remember the things I just said and wince.

  What the hell, Blake? Talk about the Kindred, fine. Talk about Marcus, Bas, and Jode. Talk about anything but her.

  I want the gag back. Someone needs to unshackle me so I can punch myself.

  Cordero lets out a long sigh. “Budget cuts,” she says. “Can one of you run down a replacement, please?”

  The door opens, and light and sound pour in. There’s a discussion going on out in the hallway. Not a friendly one. I only hear a piece of it before Beretta steps out, shutting the door behind him.

  “We can still continue this way. Can’t we?” Cordero asks.

  “You mean I can.”

  The radiator starts going again. Why are sounds so much clearer and louder in the darkness?

  “Yes, of course. I meant you,” she says. “Is it getting harder for you to talk about this?”

  Is this getting harder for me? Yes. My thoughts are clearing. I almost feel normal again. Which is feeling like I don’t want to cooperate.

  “Gideon?”

  “Sorry. I was just thinking for a second.”

  “Then this is getting harder for you. If it’s helpful, we can give you another dose.”

  “Of the drugs?” Is she kidding? Yeah, right. Like I’m taking that offer. “No, I’m good. Why’d you bother with them in the first place?”

  “I thought I explained that when we started. You were belligerent when I tried talking to you, and when you were first picked up in Jotunheimen. I understand your anger better now, of course.”

  “Because I’m War.”

  “Yes. And it couldn’t have been easy when Daryn stayed in Norway instead of evacuating with you.”

  Wait.

  Wait.

  Did I tell her that?

  I know I’ve thought it a lot. But have I actually said it?

  Why would I have said it? I haven’t gotten to that part of things yet. I’m almost sure I haven’t.

  Did she hear it from Daryn?

  From the other guys?

  I stare into the darkness, wishing I could see her face.

  The radiator shuts off. My entire focus goes to the smells washing into my nose. Her perfume. Citrus and roses. And that musty smell. I know that stench.

  “Everything okay, Gideon?”

  “Yes,” I say. But I don’t think it is.

  I need a chance to think.

  “Then let’s start again. Why don’t we pretend this is a campfire story? Without the campfire, of course.”

  Keep it steady, Blake. Everything stays the same.

  “Sure. We can pretend.”

  CHAPTER 42

  It was Jode’s fancy British voice I heard as I shuffled into the suite’s living room the following morning, rubbing sleep out of my eyes.

  He was pacing in front of the sofa, his blond hair sticking up like a troll figurine’s. In the daylight, I was able to get a better look at him. He had a keen look in his eyes and ruddy cheeks, like he’d been out in cool weather. In his rumpled designer clothes, he looked less like he was hungover; more like he’d just stepped off a yacht. Daryn, Bas, and Marcus were spread out around the area, giving him a rundown of our situation.

  I noticed that the key was resting on the chain around Daryn’s neck—in plain sight. Morning sunlight poured in through the balcony, making it gleam. Apparently that piece was common knowledge now. I needed a second to get a handle on how that made me feel, which was not very special, even though I accepted that it might be the best thing for the group.

  “I understand what you think is happening,” Jode said. “But I can’t get involved in this.” He stopped pacing when he saw me. “Oh, good.” He flipped a hand my way. “Here he is now. Welcome to the gathering, War. You got us this suite, didn’t you? Which I’m paying for? Thank you for that.”

  “You’re welcome,” I said. I dropped on the couch and rubbed my eyes again, then my head, trying to get my brain going. I’d slept like crap. Most of the night, I’d dreamt of the images Ra’om had shown me. Even now, they seemed close. I felt like I had an evil residue inside my head.

  “I know this is a lot to take in,” Daryn said to Jode, “but you have to try to accept it. We’re still in danger, and that includes you, whether you like it or not. The Kindred won’t be far. With all of you together, they’ll be able to track us faster.”

  “You told me they’re attracted to the key,” I said.

  Daryn looked at me. Straight on. Her bronzed skin seemed pale this morning, and there were faint circles under her eyes, like she hadn’t slept great, either.

  I’d decided to put what happened between us behind me. I needed to stay focused. I had to finish this horseman stuff so I could get back my life.

  “They are,” she said. “But they have other ways of tracking us, too.”

  They did, and I was starting to figure those out. I sat over my knees and cleared my throat. Then I told them what had happened to me on the street the night before. Finishing with that, I moved right on and described the Kindred’s capabilities as I saw them.

  Alevar had the night wings and could fly. We had to assume he was soaring around, looking for us. Samrael could see into our minds. Any plans we made were subject to being brain-hacked if he got close enough. He could also pull knifelike bone shards from his arm. I didn’t know what Ronwae could do, but the way she shimmered worried me, like maybe she was having a hard time holding on to her human form. The female with the dreadlocks was another question mark, but there’d been something werewolfish about the way she’d prowled—and howled. Malaphar had the ability to shift form and mimic others. Pyro was the insane, fire-throwing skater dude. And Ra’om. He was in a category of his own. I’d only seen him in my mind, but I had no doubt he was real.

  As I spoke, Jode stopped pacing and sat down to listen. It hit me that we were finally together, the five of us. With Bas, Jode, and Marcus there, I felt like I was getting a full chord now from the cuff—a complete signal—but it was more than that. It was a feeling of accomplishment for having successfully mustered up.

  When I was done, Jode pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. “So we’re not the only ones who have these abilities, then?”

  Bastian broke into a grin. “Tell Gideon what yours is.”

  Jode’s gaze landed on him. “I don’t think it’s relevant to the discussion.”

  “What is it?” I looked at Marcus, but that wasn’t going to get me anywhere. He was slumped in a wingback chair, hiding under the hood of his sweatshirt like we weren’t worth his time. “What’s his power, Bas?”

  “He makes people want stuff.”

  “It’s not stuff,” Jode said. “As far as I can tell, I enhance will. Determination. Whatever a person’s foremost desire is.”

  “Wait. Your power is enhancing desire?”

  Why-oh-why wasn’t that my power?

  “Yeah, and get this,” Bas said. “For me and Marcus it was the desire to eat. We emptied the minibar half an hour ago. Marcus almost tore the door off trying to get it open.”

  “Wait. You used your power on them?” I asked.

  The red in Jode’s cheeks went deeper. “It was unintentional.”

  “He’s still figuring out how to control it,” Daryn said.

  “The on
ly thing that’s helped is getting plastered.”

  “That’s why he’d been drinking last night,” Daryn explained. “I had Sebastian give him a bump of fatigue, which seems to be a good substitute.”

  “It was a good idea,” Jode said.

  I looked from him to her and back again. Why did I suddenly feel like I wanted to hit something?

  “What’s our next move, Martin?” I asked. “Do we know where we need to go? Because that would really help. Instead of running around with the key, it’d be great if we could just put it somewhere safe. Can we do that? Or is that another thing we don’t know? Probably, right? Otherwise this would be too easy. You know, sometimes it actually feels like you’re working for the Kindred? I’m almost tempted to ask you to prove you’re not Malaphar.”

  Whoa, whoa, whoa, Blake. What the hell was that?

  I broke it down. Tired. No sleep. Rejected. Yes to all, but this was something else. It was that residue of darkness from Ra’om. I couldn’t shake it off. It was beating me down. Now I’d crossed a line and everyone else thought so, too.

  Tension filled the room. More than tension. The room filled with the anger that poured off me.

  Marcus sat up and stared at me. Intense. Ready to pounce.

  I had to make a smart next move, or I knew we’d end up brawling again.

  Balcony. Balcony for some air.

  “Actually,” Daryn said. “I’m glad you said something.”

  “You’re … glad?” I settled back onto the cushions.

  “Yes,” she said. “Malaphar is how this got started. Like you said, he can cloak himself in a person’s voice and image. That was how the Kindred almost took the key the first time.”

  She paused, looking at each of us. Traffic from the city streets roared softly in the distance, filtering in from the balcony. I could feel her calm settling over us. Telling us to listen up. Big stuff was coming.

  “The key has always been in the protection of one of the archangels. It was in Michael’s possession until recently, when he alighted on a cliff in a place called Lagos in Portugal. A very old Seeker who lived there was close to dying, and being welcomed to the afterlife by an archangel is a privilege we’re given for our service. The Kindred saw an opportunity.