The Watcher (Crossing Realms Book 2)

by Rebecca E. Neely

  “Got it?” Dev snarled. His gaze swept over the humans, all of them backing away.

  Hard Luck’s mouth fell open. A dark stain spread across the crotch of his jeans, and a puddle slicked the floor where he lay pinned.

  And the waves of foreboding pulsed. Dark. Strong.

  The looters, victims of Abel and their own shortcomings, stared at him. Then one another for a second or two, before the odd dozen of men and women turned tail and ran. Some out the back. Others through open windows.

  Hard Luck scrambled to his feet. Slid in his own urine. And raced out the front door.

  Damn, it feels good to be back in the saddle.

  Dev hurried to the back of the shop and eased himself next to the only window. Through what remained of the dirty pane of glass, he studied the street, his Watcher’s eyes missing nothing and no one.

  There.

  The cobwebs thickened. He gagged.

  Three men close to his own age appeared from around the corner of one of the neighboring houses.

  Scavengers. Feeding off human misery.

  They were inconspicuously dressed in dark jeans and T-shirts. Two wore hooded sweatshirts, the third, a ball cap slung low on his forehead. They were about twenty yards away, far enough they could feed on his Vitality energy without becoming sick.

  If they didn’t have Similitude.

  That was a chance Dev had figured into his odds. Either way, he’d soon know.

  Edging out the back door, he walked toward them.

  They held their ground.

  Foreboding damn near choked him.

  Dev kept pace, another five yards. Then stopped.

  They stumbled back a few steps, and ran in the other direction.

  Gotcha.

  Easily, Dev closed the distance between them, knowing his Vitality energy would weaken them with every step. The cobwebs loosened their grip. Coughing, he settled on the one with the ball cap, and latched on to his shoulder. Ball Cap’s face paled along with his companions.

  “You. What’s your name?” Dev demanded.

  “What the hell?” Ball Cap sputtered.

  “Your name!”

  “Kael.” He fell to his knees. The others ran blindly into an alley, saving themselves. And leaving their fellow Betrayer stranded.

  “I have a message for Abel.” Dev rattled off an address. “That’s where he can find me. Tell him to come, and come alone, unless he wants to see his brood population reduced today. Got it?”

  Moaning, Kael slumped to the ground.

  Squatting next to him, Dev grabbed him by his shirt collar and lifted his head until their faces were inches apart. “I said, got it?”

  Gasping for breath, the Betrayer nodded.

  Releasing him, Dev raced back the way he’d come, scrabbling over rock and track, the roar of a departing train vibrating in his blood.

  CHAPTER 27

  Dev paced beneath the 52nd Street Bridge, wheels and motors reverberating overhead, the July afternoon scorching everything in its path. Protecting the humans today, thwarting the Betrayers, had felt good. Felt right. It’d also underscored the need for an end to the chaos unfolding in the city. And what he saw as a standoff between the Betrayers and him.

  Today he aimed to bring about that end.

  Here in the salvage yard, the dog days of summer came to breed, leaving in their wake the unclaimed, the unwanted. Against a backdrop of crumbling cement and rusty barbed wire fence, broken pallets and chunks of Jersey barrier dwelled, orphans of the city’s infrastructure. Even the weeds took a begrudging foothold on this outcast bank of the Allegheny River.

  As a boy, it’d provided hours of fascination.

  As a man, he saw it for exactly what it was. A wasteland.

  How appropriate.

  Dev heard the car before he saw it. A decade-old Chevy Impala motored along the battered side road. Brown front quarter panels contrasted against the rest of the car’s midnight blue. It slowed to a stop about twenty feet away.

  In his bike’s chrome, Dev flicked a glance at its reflection.

  Abel. Punctual. Alone.

  Or is he?

  Dev had already taken the risk. There was no turning back.

  Abel opened the door and stalked to where Dev stood. Surveyed him. “As I live and breathe, Dev Geary. I guess not even Haenus, the gods rest him, can keep a good man down. How does it feel to be in the land of the living again?”

  Forcing himself to smile, Dev chose his words carefully. “Guess we’re both flying under the radar today.”

  Adjusting the sleeves of his sweater, Abel ran a hand over his smug smile, his goatee. “My secret is out.”

  The corners of Dev’s mouth twitched. “Cold, Abel?”

  The brood master’s lips thinned. “Taking a walk down memory lane?” He advanced, coming within a foot of Dev. “You see, I know, all about you, Watcher. Funny, isn’t it? We’re alike that way, you and I. Always seeking approval, years later.”

  Dev cracked his knuckles. “I’m nothing like you.”

  “Go ahead and keep thinking that.” Abel stood tall, nearly matching him in height. “The difference between us? I made something of myself. You, you never learned. I did, the hard way. You think I don’t know why we’re here? Returning to the scene of the crime. Hungry for some revenge while you’re back in the human realm?”

  Dev rocked on his heels and held silent.

  “Foolish, but then you always were. Nick always bested you, didn’t he?” Abel continued. “Made him the leader, because you were out running amok, and look where it got you. Dead.” His lips parted, revealing perfectly white teeth. “Let’s cut to the chase. What do you want, Geary? I have to say, arranging a meeting through one of my people is ballsy. Even for you.”

  Dev had thought about this moment for days, had wrestled with exactly how he’d approach the situation. He allowed a space of time to pass. “Why did you send someone so inexperienced after us at the motel? Jordan, isn’t it? Your niece? Looked pretty wet behind the ears, and damned sick, last time I saw her. Can’t the brood master fight his own battles?”

  Abel raised an eyebrow. “That’s why you dragged me out here? To ask me about my niece?”

  Dev continued as though he hadn’t spoken. “I’m thinking your re-purpose of the Similitude isn’t going so well,” he said, air-quoting ‘re-purpose.’ “Am I right?”

  Abel’s eyes clouded momentarily. “I’m standing here, aren’t I?” He snapped his fingers. “And I’ll be standing here tomorrow, and the next day. Unlike you. You can’t have much time left in this realm. I could end that right now. Drain you. With your own stone, no less.” Smirking, he touched a finger to the one around his neck.

  Rage, raw and untamed, surged in Dev like bile. “I’m relieved to know it’s been in good hands,” he ground out.

  Abel smiled winningly. “Our ancestors used to fight on the same side, remember? I know how the Watchers work. There’s been no Compulsions.”

  “You took care of that, though. Didn’t you? With the shooting, the riots.”

  “One must do what one must do.” Abel glared at him, steely eyed. “I guess you could say, Dev, that once again, you’re to blame. If you hadn’t crossed realms, I wouldn’t have been forced into finding an alternative for my brood.”

  “Your alternatives don’t work for me,” Dev growled.

  “The Watchers’ realm is shut down. And your network is weakening with every minute that goes by. You know it. I know it.” Abel stepped forward. “Come to think of it, isn’t that where you have that freak show tucked away? Mia? No, it’s Meda. You’re not the only one with a hacker at their disposal. You won’t be able to protect her. Not forever. Once we’re done with the lot of you, I’ll take her and use her like the
tool she is.”

  Fury and terror erupted in Dev in one mighty blast. Meda’s worst fear. “I won’t let you within a hundred yards of her.” Danger keened his voice.

  “We’ll see. Do you honestly think a human’s science can help you?”

  “Let’s find out.” With a snarl, gripping the Flint and channeling his fury, he charged Abel like a battering ram and landed a punch to his jaw.

  Grunting, Abel reared back and swung. Dev juked down, dodging his punch by inches. They circled one another, gearing up for the next round.

  His eyes as stony as the concrete surrounding them, the Similitude around Abel’s neck glowed icy clear.

  The first waves of dark energy hurtling into him, Dev focused through the haze, the drain. And fell to his knees. He’d come too far. Lost too much. Sucking in air, the undertow dragged him into murky depths.

  Abel stood over him, as unforgiving as the asphalt beneath him. Planting his foot square across Dev’s throat, he sneered, “Always the lone wolf. Tell me where Haenus’ stone is. If you do, I promise I’ll kill you quick.”

  Dev gasped for air. He knows. How?

  With all the physical strength and energy given him, Dev channeled the Flint.

  And saw Meda’s face. Mataeus’. A man’s.

  And a boy’s.

  Dev dragged in air. “Go to hell.” Grabbing Abel’s calf, he yanked with all his might. The Betrayer brood master tumbled to the ground. Dev scrambled across the pavement, still drawing on the Flint’s stored energy.

  His eyes wild, his sweater torn, Abel dragged himself a few feet. Tried to stand. Couldn’t. “Brood!” he sputtered.

  A man and woman rushed from behind one of the bridge’s pillars. A fresh wave of cobwebs slammed into Dev. As did recognition. Stumbling, the sun beating down on him, he fell to his knees. Heard his phone smack the pavement. Hissed as gravel chewed into his palms.

  Through the haze clouding his vision, he locked onto the Betrayers. Saw the stones at the base of their throats.

  More Similitude.

  Clear.

  He had to warn Meda. The clan.

  Abel’s face swam in and out of focus. His voice sounded like it was underwater. “Still dragging that around with you, huh?” Laughter. “You’ll never be anything but a drain on your clan. A weakness. In this realm or the Watchers’.”

  I. Will. Not. Die. Today.

  Not like before.

  Hope and fear collided as images rocketed through his mind.

  The alley. The motel. The warehouse.

  Dreadlocks.

  Meda, rising above him. Witchlike and hungry.

  Dev squinted in the sun. Sweat soaked his hair and burned into his eyes.

  A truck’s air brakes echoed overhead. Men shouted. Abel? His brood? Car doors slammed as an engine roared to life. In the distance, tires squealed on pavement.

  The Allegheny lapped at the shore, quieting the roar in Dev’s ears and swallowing it whole.

  CHAPTER 28

  Nick bulleted around the bend at twenty miles over the posted twenty-five miles per hour speed limit. Meda rode shotgun, clutching the door handle. Curtis sat on the floor between the van’s two bucket seats, bracing himself against the console. It was nearly five o’clock, but the heat hadn’t given an inch, and the respite of a storm was only an ugly rumor among the clouds.

  For hours, the trio had searched for Dev in every godforsaken orifice of the city. Only when they’d picked up on his Vitality energy in the last twenty minutes were they able to finally locate him.

  Dev had been powered down. Flying under the radar, Nick had told her.

  Hiding. Sneaking. Lying.

  Nick slammed on the brakes, testing the van’s suspension. Making a hard right, he hit the gas. Anything not tied or bolted down in the back crashed into the metal partition behind them. Meda covered her head instinctively, stifling a scream.

  Cobwebs melded with the humidity, two icy hands suffocating her with dread.

  Nick gulped air, darting a glance at Curtis. “You all right, bro?”

  “Yeah. For now.”

  Meda had seen firsthand what the dark energy did to Dev. “You can’t stay here,” she cried.

  Nor could they leave.

  Would they find Dev alive? Or dead?

  He’d come to the salvage yard, his childhood stomping ground. The Betrayers were here. He’d broken his promise to her. To the clan. He’d lied to her. To all of them.

  And Meda would give anything to hear his voice, feel his touch, one more time.

  “It’s Abel,” Nick shouted. “With other Betrayers. What the hell?”

  Spotting their van, the Betrayers grabbed Abel around the waist and hustled toward an old Chevy. Slowly, the dark energy dissipated.

  Nick jerked the van to the side of the road, jammed on the brakes, and threw it in park.

  After depositing Abel in the backseat, the other two Betrayers leapt in the front seat of the Chevy. Tires squealing, it roared from underneath the bridge and sped along the single road leading in and out of the salvage yard.

  “Thank God,” Meda said, in barely a whisper. She gaped through the windshield, unblinking. Her lungs clogged. Ice filled her veins.

  Dev.

  Crumpled on the side of the road.

  Like the memory she’d relived of his death. Her heartbeat drowned out all other noise.

  Flinging the door open, she jumped out, Curtis hard on her heels. Together, all three of them rushed to where Dev lay.

  Overhead, traffic echoed. The heat of the day clung to her. Tears clouded her vision. Gulping, she knelt on the pavement, the odor of tar ripe and harsh in this asphalt hell. Whimpering, Meda clutched Curtis’ hand.

  Nick rolled Dev over.

  He groaned.

  She scrubbed her hands over her face. A cry, red and feral, coursed through her system and ripped from her throat. “Damn you!”

  Nick nodded grimly at Curtis. “We’ll take care of this, Meda.”

  She rose, pacing as she tried breathing to gain focus, some measure of calm. And miserably failed.

  Nick and Curtis helped Dev into a sitting position. Coughing, he spat in the dirt. Joining hands with Dev, Nick and Curtis channeled Vitality energy to him. Minutes passed. Finally, Dev opened his eyes, crackling with life, hot and green and bright as they met hers.

  Together, the men stood. Keeping his gaze locked with hers, Dev spoke, addressing them all. “It works,” he rasped. “The Flint. It works.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Abel. I saw into his Vista. He’s had spies at the warehouse.”

  “Who? The woman from the motel? Others? How many?” Nick and Curtis shouted over one another.

  “I couldn’t tell. I threw out Jordan’s name. He didn’t confirm or deny it was her.” Dev paced. “I don’t know for how long. And there are other brood masters here. Two that I know of.” He spat. “Macen. And Ramsey. How the hell were they able to find us so quickly? Out of all the warehouses in the city? And how is it possible we didn’t feel cobwebs, like before? He had to have known I had the Flint.”

  “Maybe that’s why he came. So he could test it. Same as you.”

  “He also knows we have Haenus’ stone.”

  Meda stood motionless, the information working its way into her brain.

  Nick’s face darkened. “Son of a bitch. We have to regroup. Fast.”

  She said nothing, only stared.

  Nick shot a look at Dev, then Meda. “You two take a minute,” he said. “And only a minute. We have to get out of here.”

  “Will do.”

  Curtis and Nick hurried toward the van.

  Dev took her hand. She slapped him away, his touch annihilating her. “You’re alive,” she mana
ged. Only hours ago, she’d said those same words. Now pain marred them, instead of joy. “You lied to me.”

  He squared his jaw. “I had my reasons.”

  The words bounced off her, impenetrable. “Reasons,” she repeated dumbly. “You lied to all of us. You promised me.”

  “Meda,” he pleaded. “I’m sorry. Please try to understand.”

  “I’ve done nothing but understand. For the last five days.”

  “I had to come alone. I couldn’t risk any of you getting hurt. Not because of me.”

  Tears clogged her throat. “That’s not how it works,” she muttered. “We’re a team.”

  “You’re right. If not for you, I could never have done this.”

  “Don’t twist words around to suit you.” Her voice rose. “When we worked together to save the man at the motel, in the Situation room, that was teamwork. And last night.” Images of their bodies and souls entwined slashed her in two.

  A war of emotions played out across his face. But he folded his arms across his chest, and dug his heels in. “I’m expendable. You’re not.”

  Her heart shattered like glass. How could she tell him she didn’t know what she’d do without him, when he was leaving in two days? When he’d already made his mind up that he could be an army of one? That it’d been like experiencing her own death, yesterday and today? And his, a thousand times over?

  She wanted to kick, to scream, to hate.

  Anything but to love.

  A chasm of cold numbed her, brackish and bottomless. She wouldn’t fault herself for misplaced trust. She’d known going into this how he could hurt her.

  And he’d delivered.

  “You’re not getting it,” she shouted. “I can’t blame you for wanting revenge. I do blame you for letting that overtake everything, all your good sense.”

  She heaved a breath that hurt her chest, crying, “You are your own worst enemy! As far as I’m concerned, you let the Betrayers kill you. Again. I don’t think I can ever trust you after this.”