“Oh, now you wouldn’t want to be holding out on me.” The way Devon was playing with his device caused his stomach to churn, wondering what outlandish early settlement fee was about to be added. He was surprised when Devon placed the device before him, displaying the outstanding figure with no interest or additional charges added. Placing his finger to the device, he confirmed the transfer. “The buzz from last night got everyone talking. Come on, we’re friends, you can tell me.”
“I really can’t. Maybe whatever buzz you felt was from the purity level or something.”
“Hmm, maybe.” He gently slapped Will’s face, causing him to flinch. “I don’t suppose you’ve given any more thought to my offer?”
“Sorry, no. I like the Taphouse, it feels… safe.”
“Your loss. Well, that’s our business tied up. That is, until next year. It’s been a real pleasure.”
Devon watched as William made the worst casual, hasty retreat he had seen for a long time, a smile twitching at the corner of his lips as he idly turned his device over.
“So, is he the next target?” whispered one of the small group he chose to associate with.
At first, he had really detested being assigned to the campus by his clan’s leader, Vincent. He thought, after his previous indiscretions, it had been a way of showing him he was still a child in his eyes. It was only as things began to evolve that he understood his placement here. The Academy was the only tertiary learning institute in this territory, and not only did students travel a long way to attend, but some stayed on campus and many chose to get jobs to help cover living expenses. Being here gave Devon unfettered access into the lives of the students, their connections and friends. Having eyes and ears around the campus was a way to learn about people. Someone was always talking about that prude at work, the person who enjoyed to party, or the person no one would miss. Students gossiped, and he and his group listened, marking targets from idle gossip to become their next Tabu. That was where the real money was made. The Black Card Menu was mostly Tabus, which was the name given to people dragged from their pitiful life only to be infused with whatever poison their selective members sought. Those who showed high tolerance and the possibility of extended production were later sold off in silent auction. With stock usually rotating every month or so, everyone was happy. Especially Devon. His reputation had blossomed in his clan, many thinking of him as a favourite amongst their leader.
“No, it wouldn’t do to have him vanish. He’s too high profile at the moment. Besides, what would it look like if someone who had just paid off our protection were to vanish? No, Liam7 is fine just the way he is.”
Leaning his chair back against the wall, he surveyed the room, keeping his attention divided between the idle gossip of those near and his device. They were in need of some more Tabus. After the latest disaster they were down to just fifteen, of which six would soon be auctioned to a new home, usually for use in whatever prestigious event they needed catering.
He had left William’s information open. The corner of his mouth twitched smugly as he opened the location data. He had hoped William would have been willing to give up the source of his boost, but when he spun his first lie he knew there was no point pushing him too hard, not when he could obtain the information easily himself. Studying the device, he saw there was only one place he had frequented recently that didn’t tally with his previous activity.
Whispering into his second’s ear, he excused himself, his anticipation rising. He had some duties to attend to, but first, a little daytime reconnaissance was needed. If William could produce such pure quality product by taking a boost from whoever lived at that address, taking it from the source directly was bound to hold no comparison.
Today had been the first day Ashley had been cleared for work and, with a shift request pending, she intended to take advantage of it. Her work had always been more than a job to her. She loved spending time with the elderly residents, listening to their stories, helping with their needs. She always thought of them as extended family and found she missed their company. Besides, the awkwardness about what happened—or rather didn’t happen—with Conrad yesterday refused to give her peace. Her mind ran in circles, questioning if she had misread the signs, misinterpreted the gestures.
She had been waiting, ready to transition their friendship into something they both seemed to want. Even now, as she replayed her moment of humiliation, she swore there was no mistake. She saw the same desire burning in his eyes as she felt rise within herself, his gaze often so intense it caused her breath to hitch. After everything that had happened, she decided she was done waiting and that she would make the first move.
Somehow, she had been mistaken, clearly overlooking something people who dated knew to look for. The moment she had discovered her gift all courting had stopped and when her parents died, boys were the furthest thing from her mind. Until Conrad, she had simply possessed no interest in a relationship beyond friendship, even though she had noticed the way Will sometimes looked at her. Although maybe that was something she misinterpreted, too.
Last night, they had fallen asleep on the sofa watching a string of terrible movies, laughing at the poor acting or the terrible special effects while sharing ice-cream and popcorn. His arms around her shoulder had brought her more warmth than any blanket. She had fought to stay awake, fought to savour every second until she drifted asleep in his arms. When she had woken with her head on his chest, listening to the soothing sound of his heart, she hadn’t wanted to move. She had wanted to stay there in his embrace forever, or at least for just a moment longer. There had been nothing but the two of them and she dared to dream that one day, she could raise her chin and wake him with kisses… kisses he would return.
She would have stayed like that until he stirred, just relishing their closeness, but her morning needs saw her slipping from his grasp and when she returned he was making breakfast. Part of her wondered if he had been awake, savouring the moment as she had. Then she recalled his rejection and everything became awkward, a strained silence neither seemed to be able to fill.
She had agreed to skip lectures in order to inform his mother of what had been happening. She had just finished taking a new round of blood to see if the virus had been completely destroyed when the notification had come through from work, asking if she was available to come in early now her temperature had abated. It had been the perfect excuse to leave.
Conrad had taken her home on his bike so she could change. After last night, the thought of being so close to him unsettled her, and while he had offered to take her to work and pick her up, she had insisted on taking her own bike. Of course, that hadn’t stopped him riding with her, even though it meant slowing his motorbike to a crawl to keep pace as she pedalled.
As she dismounted, a notification had come through from Liam telling her he would be visiting this evening. Conrad had taken her hand in his, promising she wouldn’t be alone and arranging to meet her from work. He said they needed to talk about what happened last night, and his words had left an empty pit in her stomach. This agreement seemed so long ago now, and her shift had passed all too quickly.
Pulling on her jacket, she grabbed her helmet from behind the reception area, hardly able to believe she was going home already. Her shift had passed without incident, although when it came time to unchain her bike she felt the nervous flutter of butterflies in her stomach. Glancing at her watch, she gave an approving nod. It had been a long time since they had let her leave at seven. They were short-staffed, but after a quick phone call from the administrator, the matron had insisted she take off early. Strange, but not unheard of if the night was expected to be a quiet one.
Her device flashed as she sent the notification to Conrad; nothing complicated, just a quick message to say was starting for home and would meet him there. If nothing else, she knew she could spend the next fifteen minutes preparing herself. Her gaze probed the dim lighting as she unchained her bike, her attention focusing on Whiskers
, the nursing home’s adopted stray, as he foraged in the undergrowth, no doubt waiting for his supper.
The moment she found herself on the road, her concerns drifted away. There was nothing else in her world, just her and her bike. She pushed her fears and doubts through her legs, using their power to propel herself forward, faster, harder, as she climbed the hill leading to the park. Closing her eyes for a brief moment as gravity began to take over, she sailed downhill, relishing the feel of the cold wind upon her face, the freedom of her hair billowing behind her. For just a moment, all her worries had been left behind and she felt at peace.
As the downhill road turned into a level run and the park gates made their appearance to her left, her legs began to pump the pedals, her breath quickening from exertion. The crunching of tyres alerted her to a vehicle behind her. Tucking into the curb, she made sure they had plenty of space to pass. The headlights bathed the road before her in their cool glow, and for a moment, as they pulled past her slowly, her stomach churned with tension. Once they had passed, the driver sped up, his tail lights disappearing into the distance, but the uneasy feeling remained, reminding her of what was to come this evening, wondering what exactly Conrad had in mind. It wasn’t as if he could reveal himself to Liam.
When she reached the park entrance, the shadowed silhouettes of a small group of loiterers wolf-whistled. Their darkly clad figures almost blocked the entire entrance, instantly putting her off cycling past them in order to cut through. She decided to stick to the road skirting around the park instead. She found herself pedalling more slowly, unease mounting in her stomach as she reached the halfway point, closer to home. The once-dispelled fears began to rekindle, memories of Liam’s touch, the thought of Conrad’s rejection, all causing her pace to slow. Tonight, she would have to face them both, a prospect she wasn’t looking forward to.
Her bike wobbled slightly, warning her to increase her speed just moments before headlights once more flooded the road before her. The roaring engine showed no signs of slowing as the car rushed past, far too close. She cursed as her handlebars jerked, her balancing faltering as she wrestled to regain control. Unable to recover, she braced herself for the fall. The impact of her body slamming against the pavement knocked her sick. She had been so focused on the horrors awaiting her at home, she hadn’t even noticed the streetlights here were out until the world around her suddenly became bathed in red as the car’s brake lights illuminated the dark street and the passenger jumped out.
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you in this darkness, your back light must be out. Are you hurt?” the male apologised. He crouched down, offering his hand. Pulling her to her feet, he patted her arm firmly, before stepping back, checking her over.
Confusion washed over her as she saw the strange fletching left in her arm where his hand had struck. He moved quickly, hooking his arm under her as her legs gave beneath her. “Steady.”
Pins and needles began to spread throughout her body as her eyelids became heavy. She knew then that his words were only meant to satisfy the curiosity of any passers-by. She glanced around for help, but no one, not even the group who had been obstructing the park entrance, was anywhere to be seen. Even the lights had extinguished on the car, bathing everything in a stifling blanket of obscurity. Her bike, abandoned upon the pavement, was the last thing she saw as the figure lifted her into his arms, carrying her towards the car. His voice echoed as she felt herself succumbing to the darkness. “We’ll circle back and deal with the bike once we’ve taken her to Devon.”
Conrad checked the time on his notification against the current time and resumed pacing. Ashley should have been here fifteen minutes ago. He looked at the time again as another minute ticked by. Pushing his helmet on, he hopped onto his bike. She should have been here. His engine purred as he brought his bike around. It would only take him a few minutes to check she was okay, to find her on the route home. He knew he was being paranoid. She had probably had to nip back into work for something, but he would feel safer knowing and, for the last fifteen minutes he had felt a steady chill creeping over him, starting deep in his core, the same place that her presence sang to.
This had gone on long enough. Once she was safe at home, he was going to tell her all about himself, what he was, reveal the horrific visage of his other-self, the form that sent people screaming, the form his ex-girlfriend Rei had called horrific and unlovable. If she could still bear to be near him after she had witnessed the monster within, maybe he could also make her understand why he could not claim the kiss he so desperately craved. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her, he wanted her more than he could ever hope to express, but it was impossible. She deserved the truth. She deserved more than him sitting awake on the sofa holding her, praying she wouldn’t wake for a little longer so he could savour the closeness, the comfort that being near to her brought him. If she couldn’t accept him for what he was, if she reacted the same way as his last girlfriend, then at least he wouldn’t have to concern himself with being unable to resist the temptation of her advances.
The street near the park was bathed in darkness, reminding him of the recent outbreak of vandalism. Flicking his lights onto main beam, a reflection of light blinked into existence. Dazzling at first, the chrome beckoned his attention as he recognised the discarded frame. Touching his brakes too hard, his bike skidded to a halt, falling against the road with a loud crunch as he jumped from it, running to the abandoned bicycle. The name Afterglow stencilled upon its frame struck him like a solid blow. Removing his helmet, he pushed his hand through his hair, turning full circle as his gaze desperately panned the surroundings, hoping to spot her. He called her name, and when she didn’t answer he did the only thing he could think of. He called his father.
A car slowed as it drove around his abandoned bike, the passenger asking if he needed help before continuing on their way. Unable to think, he removed his device just as it started to chime.
“Tess, I was about to call you.” He could hear the tremor in his voice giving away barely a tip of the torrent of emotions he was feeling.
“Are you with Ashley?”
“That’s why I was going to call. She was meant to meet me at her house, but when she didn’t show I went looking for her. I don’t know where she is. I’ve found her bike, but…” He trailed off, his vision once more desperately searching the surroundings, hoping to find her, to find answers. The more he spoke, the more he felt his panic rise. This could not be happening.
“I’ll be with you in five.” The call disconnected, leaving him to wonder exactly how she knew where to find him, but his time for reflection was soon interrupted as the flashing lights appeared at the end of the street.
He watched helplessly as his father’s car pulled up, followed by another black vehicle with three other Blue Coats inside. He sent them to question the nearby residents while he cordoned off the scene, his vision continually flitting to his son with a look of obvious concern.
“Give me a hand moving your bike, Con.” As he lifted it up, his father swept up the plastic shards from the broken indicators. It was busy work, but Conrad was glad of the distraction as he wheeled the bike further away, resting it on the kickstand. His father watched him, opening the passenger door of his car as he returned. “Come sit, tell me what happened.”
“Has her chip been disabled?” Conrad questioned, the moment he pulled the door closed.
“First things first, tell me what happened.” As Conrad relayed the events of the evening, he noticed his father open the windows, dispelling the building heat that had misted the glass, creating a blur of flashing lights and shadows. As he brought his account to a finish, Conrad turned, holding his father’s gaze.
“Has her chip been disabled?” he questioned again.
“You know I can’t tell you that.”
“Dad, this is Ashley we’re talking about. After what’s been going on, there is no way this can be random.” Pushing himself back, he heard the seat protest against his su
dden and violent shifting of weight.
“Right. Now it’s time to let me do my job. You go home, there’s nothing more you can do here.” A slight rapping on the back window alerted him that one of the Blue Coats was seeking his attention. After a hushed exchange, a small zip bag containing something was passed through the window. “Do you recognise this?”
Conrad studied the smashed contents, the sight of them rekindling memories of all the times he had placed his hand upon Ashley’s. “That’s Ashley’s watch,” he confirmed. “Why would someone remove something so valuable?”
“It’s the latest model,” his father said, turning the bag over in his hands as he scrutinised the contents. “It has a tracking feature inbuilt in case someone got into trouble or broke down. If so, the watch can be used to send an instant SOS without the need to go through the chip identification process.”
He heard what his father hadn’t said, that the feature had been added in case someone was abducted and their chip disabled. It was an extra measure of security included due to the growing concerns.
“Okay, Con, you’ve done all you can. Try to get some rest. I know I promised not to say anything about what we uncovered, but I think at this point I need to let the precinct C.O. in on what we know about Ashley. That way, he can start looking into known trading rings. I’ll open a line of communication with P.T.F. and see if they can locate her brother. He needs to know what’s going on, and maybe he knows something about her origin that will help.”
“Dad.” Conrad’s hands were grasping the legs of his jeans so tightly that his fingers cramped. His gaze remained unfocused, with the threat of unshed tears forged from anger and fear. He couldn’t bring himself to say what he wanted to.
Salvation's Kiss (Tales Of Mython Book 1) Page 15
