The Ferryman (The Guardians Series 1 Book 2)

by Wendy Saunders

  ‘Demons like death and chaos, they love nothing more than to cause pain and suffering.’

  ‘Yes but this was very specific,’ she answered, ‘and I’m willing to bet he stirred up the witch hunts in Salem to flush out the Wests. He’d already made the connection and he knew if he could get to them, he could get to the book. That’s what he had been after all along.’

  ‘That’s a fair assumption,’ her father agreed.

  ‘He didn’t just accidentally stumble across the connection with Hester, he had to have been tracking the book for a very long time to trace it back to my family and do you really think a demon that old and intelligent would just allow himself to be imprisoned in a body of flesh by a second rate witch?’

  Charles’s eyes narrowed as he considered her words.

  ‘I felt him,’ she said quietly, ‘it wasn’t just that Aunt Evie had left me the house. The moment she was gone, I could feel something calling to me, calling me home, calling to my blood. I didn’t realise it but it was him and if I felt it, you can bet mom felt it too. He was luring her in. I’ll bet he’s been doing it all along, whispering in her ear, manipulating her and using her most desperate desire against her.’

  ‘And because she’s so obsessed she can’t see that she doesn’t have the upper hand at all,’ Charles replied thoughtfully.

  ‘Exactly,’ Olivia answered. ‘If Hester hid the book, it means he needs a West to find it. He’s using her.’

  ‘My God,’ Charles breathed, ‘once he’s done with her and gets loose, God help us all. Even Hester with all her power didn’t have enough strength to kill him in his true form, that’s why she trapped him instead.’

  ‘Where does the Ferryman fit into all this?’ Olivia rose from her seat and began to pace the room restlessly.

  ‘Well ask yourself this,’ her father replied. ‘What does the Ferryman deal in?’

  ‘Money, Greek coins to pay passage for the…oh,’ she replied slowly as the pieces began to fall into place, ‘souls…he deals in souls and not just any soul.’

  Charles sat back a small smile playing on his lips.

  ‘Oh Hester you clever, clever girl,’ Olivia shook her head smiling. ‘I remember Nana Alice always telling me that Hester was the only one in our family to be buried in the woods rather than Mercy Cemetery. She left strict instructions that her body was to be buried in the woods with no marker, only a tree to be planted over her bones. She made sure no one would be able to find her remains. If mom had Hester's remains she could perform a summoning ritual and call her soul back from the afterlife, compelling her to reveal where she hid the book. But by hiding her body she ensured no one would be able to recall her soul. That’s why they went after Charon, they are trying to use him to locate Hester’s soul.’

  She turned back to study her father’s face and found him staring at her with something that looked suspiciously like pride.

  ‘You knew mom was after Hester’s soul?’

  ‘I know how your mom thinks,’ he answered. ‘If Hester was the last person to have the book, it stands to reason that is the first place Isabel would look. As Hester is dead the only way would be to summon her spirit back. As they can’t do that because they don’t have her remains, she would look for another way to bring back a soul. Who better than an entity that ferries souls to and from the underworld? Although I had worked out the bare bones of it I have to admit you filled in a lot of the blanks. I was so focused on Isabel’ he frowned, ‘I fear I may have underestimated Nathaniel and his part in this.’

  ‘So,’ she rubbed her forehead tiredly, ‘we need to find mom? Find her and we find Charon.’

  ‘And Nathaniel,’ Charles added. ‘Now we suspect he may be a major player I won’t underestimate him again.’

  ‘Okay.’

  ‘There is one more thing you should know,’ her father warned. ‘We’ve really run out of time, something needs to be done now. The sheer amount of creatures pouring into Mercy through the doorway can no longer be contained by Danae, Davis and I. I estimate at the rate they’re coming through we’ve got a day or two at the most before Mercy is overrun.’

  ‘What can we do?’ Olivia frowned, ‘what do you need?’

  ‘I have an idea, but I need more people. Will some of your friends help?’

  Olivia nodded. ‘Everyone is meeting at my house tomorrow.’

  ‘Alright then tomorrow,’ he replied.

  ‘I should get back before I’m missed,’ she told him as she headed for the door.

  ‘Olivia?’

  She turned back to face him.

  ‘I only ever wanted the best for you and if I could change things and give you back everything you lost I would.’

  She sighed tiredly. ‘I know, but you’re right about one thing, ‘what’s past is past. It can’t be changed and I can’t allow it to keep ruling me. I’m not saying I forgive you exactly but in some ways you were as much a victim in this mess as anyone. If anyone’s to blame, it’s mom for putting us in this situation.’

  ‘Thank you for that.’

  She shrugged and headed for the door. Impulsively she stopped and turned back, looking her father in the eye.

  ‘And for what it’s worth, I missed you,’ she admitted quietly, ‘even when I hated you I still missed you.’

  Charles’s mouth tightened as he watched her turn and disappear from the room, his eyes dark and his expression unreadable.

  Chapter 19

  Theo lined up the shot, closing one eye and squinting as he tried to clear his blurred vision. He hit the cue ball and hoped for the best and with a small clang of colliding balls, his target rolled ponderously to the edge and dropped into the pocket.

  ‘I did it!’ he smiled, a big wide smile of the inebriated.

  ‘Good job,’ Tommy patted his shoulder, ‘except for one problem. That was my ball you just potted.’

  ‘Oh,’ Theo frowned as Tommy handed him a glass.

  ‘Don’t worry, you’re doing okay for an old guy,’ he grinned.

  ‘I’m practically the same age as you.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Tommy laughed, ‘give or take a couple of centuries.’

  Theo knew Tommy didn’t really believe he’d come from 17th Century Salem, but as it seemed to amuse him Theo didn’t bother to argue.

  ‘So what’s going on?’ Tommy leaned over the table. Wobbling slightly, he corrected himself and lined up his next shot, smacking it straight into the corner pocket. He took the glass back from Theo and downed the contents, eyeing his friend speculatively.

  ‘Nothing’s going on.’

  ‘I’ve spent enough time with you Theo to know when you’ve got something brewing in that brain of yours.’

  Theo sighed and glanced over to Jake who sat drinking a beer while he watched them try to play pool.

  ‘Will this stay between the three of us?’

  ‘Of course old man,’ Tommy slapped him amiably on the back, ‘Bro’s before Ho’s.’

  ‘I have no idea what you just said,’ Theo frowned.

  ‘You’d better hope my sister doesn’t hear you saying things like that,’ Jake chuckled and Tommy looked around nervously, just in case.

  ‘It’s alright Theo,’ Jake assured him, ‘whatever you say to us is in confidence.’

  ‘I have something I need to tell Olivia and it’s…well it’s complicated and I don’t know how she’ll take it. Things are good between us at the moment and I don’t want that to change.’

  ‘All relationships change,’ Jake told him sagely as Tommy rounded the pool table to line up another shot. ‘That’s how they grow and get stronger. You have to be honest with her because without trust and honesty in a relationship it won’t go anywhere; it will always be just something superficial.’

  ‘Oh my God,’ Tommy laughed, ‘what the shit? Do you want me to hold your uterus for you there, while you take a piss?’

  ‘You know Tommy,’ Jake took a swig of his beer, ‘I
liked you a lot better before you joined the army and came back with that smart mouth of yours.’

  ‘I’ll bet,’ Tommy laughed. He turned back to Theo who was leaning against the pool table, propped up on his pool cue.

  ‘Ignore the relationship guru over there, who has never had a relationship that lasted longer than three months. Theo what is it exactly you think you need to tell Olivia?’

  Theo sighed and frowned. ‘I need to tell her about my wife.’

  Jake spewed his beer across the floor and started coughing violently.

  ‘Seriously?’

  ‘Seriously,’ Theo repeated.

  ‘You’re married?’

  ‘Yes, well no, I was…it’s complicated.’

  ‘No shit Sherlock,’ Tommy shook his head. ‘This we need more drinks for.’

  He beckoned to the waitress nearby and she nodded and headed back to the bar.

  ‘Okay start explaining,’ Jake frowned.

  ‘When I was younger I was married. My father insisted,’ Theo added ruefully, ‘but it wasn’t a good marriage.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘She died.’

  ‘Okay,’ Jake pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to focus through the haze of alcohol. ‘So did she die before Sam dropped you into the middle of Mercy; you didn’t actually leave a wife back in Salem and take up with Olivia?’

  ‘God no!’ Theo shook his head, ‘that would have made her my mistress. I would never do something like that to Olivia, no matter how I feel about her. It would have been disrespectful to Mary, to Olivia and to God. Adultery is a sin.’

  ‘Okay, shove your Puritan back in his cave’ Jake smiled, ‘I was just asking to clarify things. So this Mary was already dead when you came here?’

  ‘Yes,’ he nodded.

  ‘So you’re a widower?’

  ‘Technically.’

  ‘There’s no technically about it,’ Tommy interrupted. ‘You have the best excuse ever for not telling her. It’s like, honey it happened over three hundred years ago, it totally slipped my mind.’

  Theo let out a small laugh, unable to help himself. ‘I wish it were that simple.’

  ‘It is that simple,’ Tommy told him seriously, ‘if you want it to be.’

  ‘As much as it pains me to say it.’ Jake added, ‘Tommy’s right.’

  ‘Could I get that in writing?’

  ‘Shut up,’ Jake mouth curved in amusement. ‘The fact is it happened over a lifetime ago, at least four lifetimes in fact. The past is the past, maybe it should be left there. Being in Mercy with Olivia is a fresh start for you. You’re not still married; that life no longer exists. So why not just enjoy what you have with Olivia.’

  ‘Well, that’s the complicated part,’ Theo grimaced. ‘You know we have a bit of a spirit problem in Mercy at the moment?’

  ‘Oh shit,’ Jake shook his head in disbelief. ‘I take it your ex-wife has put in an appearance.’

  ‘You could say that.’

  ‘Aw man,’ Tommy shook his head, ‘that just fucking sucks.’

  ‘That’s why I have to tell Olivia. At first I wasn’t sure if it actually was Mary but there is no doubt about it. She’s becoming more and more insistent about showing herself. Sooner or later Olivia is going to find out and I’d rather it came from me and not from my very angry and very dead former wife.’

  ‘Well you’re right about that,’ Jake sighed. ‘Good luck man.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Theo muttered dryly.

  The waitress reappeared with three shot glasses. ‘Thanks Shirl.’ Tommy nodded handing the glasses to the other two as she moved away.

  ‘To psycho ex-wives, may they rest in peace,’ Tommy lifted his glass.

  Theo sighed and raised his glass as the three of them tipped their heads back and downed the contents.

  ‘So what about you?’ Tommy propped himself against the side of the pool table next to Theo and stared at Jake. ‘What happened to the hot red-head you were seeing?’

  ‘Erica?’ Jake replied. ‘It’s over, we don’t want the same things.’

  ‘Ah,’ he nodded knowingly, ‘started making noises about marriage and kids did she?’

  Jake didn’t answer, he simply took a long pull on his beer but Tommy didn’t miss the fleeting look on Jake’s face.

  ‘Oh,’ he drawled slowly, ‘I see. It wasn’t her wanting marriage and kids was it…?’ He laughed in delight, ‘how the mighty have fallen. Well Jake, seems you’re just as human as the rest of us.’

  ‘Shut up,’ Jake picked up a chip from a nearby bowl and threw it at his brother in law.

  ‘I’m sorry man,’ Tommy was still laughing as he held up his hands in mock surrender, ‘what happened?’

  ‘She got offered a job in Boston, she’s leaving,’ Jake shrugged.

  ‘You pissed because she’s leaving, or because she broke it off?’

  ‘Bit of both I guess,’ Jake stared at his bottle toying with the edges of the label before he shrugged and looked up. ‘Whatever, it’s not like I was in love with her or anything.’

  ‘Uh-huh,’ Tommy replied staring at him meaningfully.

  ‘I’m not,’ Jake insisted. ‘We had fun together, it was never serious and I’m not looking for marriage and babies. It’s just lately,’ he shrugged, ‘I don’t know I just figure sometimes it would be nice to come home to someone instead of a fridge full of beer, ESPN and an empty apartment.’

  ‘Jeez, you got breasts to go with that uterus?’

  ‘Shut up,’ Jake laughed, ‘I’m just saying is all.’

  ‘Yeah yeah,’ Tommy smiled, ‘get a dog. It’s less trouble and will spend less on shoes, trust me.’

  ‘I’ll tell my sister you said that.’

  Tommy snorted in laughter and launched himself at Jake. They wrestled around and rolled out of the chair, landing on the floor in a tangle of elbows and knees as they scrambled to get each other in a neck lock.

  ‘Is that all you got, NYPD Blue?’ Tommy laughed breathlessly as he elbowed Jake in the kidney.

  ‘Shut up G.I Joe,’ he rolled over and yanked Tommy’s arms behind his back. ‘Your ass is mine now.’

  ‘Said your sister last night,’ Tommy replied in a muffled voice as his face was pressed into the floor.

  With a war-like whoop Jake wrapped his arm around Tommy's neck and pinned him against his ribs and with the other hand scrubbed his knuckles against Tommy’s scalp.

  Theo was watching in amusement as the waitress wandered over and looked down at the two over-sized kids on the floor.

  ‘What’s he doing?’ Theo asked.

  ‘Ain’t you never seen a noogie before?’

  Theo looked blankly at her.

  ‘Anyways, you boys want anything else to drink.’

  ‘I wouldn’t mind another one of these?’ Theo held up his shot glass.

  ‘Just bring us the bottle Shirley,’ Tommy gasped as he tried to loosen Jake’s hold on his neck.

  ‘You got it,’ she smiled and walked away.

  ‘You know what?’ Tommy panted.

  ‘What?’ Jake growled.

  ‘We’re missing a golden opportunity here.’

  ‘What?’ he relaxed his grip on Tommy marginally.

  ‘Well if what you guys say about Theo is true and he really is like five hundred years old……’

  ‘I’m only 31,’ Theo interrupted in exasperation.

  ‘That means he’s never been noogied before.’

  ‘Ah,’ Jake turned to look at Theo with a wicked glint in his eyes, ‘that’s true.’

  ‘Now just you wait a minute,’ Theo held up his hands as Jake released Tommy and they slowly climbed to their feet.

  ‘Too late,’ they both laughed as they jumped him and wrestled him to the ground.

  Olivia walked into the bar and scanned the room. It was fairly quiet but there again, between the weather and the epidemic that seemed to be sweeping through the
town, she wasn’t really surprised. Her gazed finally landed on the unholy trio she’d been searching for. Shaking her head and laughing lightly she headed over towards them.

  Jake, Tommy and Theo were all sitting on the floor, propped up against the wall, passing a bottle of Johnnie Walker Double Black between them.

  ‘Hey,’ she greeted them and was greeted by three sets of bleary eyes blinking up at her.

  Theo’s face broke into a heart wrenching smile as he saw her, before looking at her like she was the most precious thing in the world.

  ‘Time to go Theo,’ she placed her hands on her hips and looked down at them in amusement.

  ‘I gotta go home now,’ Theo slurred as he turned to face his friends.

  ‘Awww,’ the other two protested, ‘can’t we have another hour?’

  Olivia laughed delightedly, it was like dealing with a trio of 11 year olds.

  ‘No, it’s bedtime,’ she smiled as she glanced at Jake, ‘and as for you deputy, shouldn’t you be setting a better example for your community?’

  ‘I am setting a good example,’ he hiccupped.

  ‘Oh really?’ she raised a brow questioningly, ‘and what’s that?’

  ‘If you’re gonna get drunk use the good stuff,’ he smiled beatifically as he waggled the almost empty bottle at her.

  She chuckled and leaned down to grasp Theo’s hands.

  ‘Come on baby, let’s get you home.’ She hauled him to his feet, ‘you can play with your friends tomorrow.’

  He stumbled into her as he stood, wrapping his arms around her as he got his balance. He pulled her in tight against his body and her breath caught in her throat.

  ‘Damn you’re beautiful,’ he murmured as his lips found hers.

  Unlike most drunks this was not some sloppy drunken smooch as Olivia discovered. His kiss was devastating and she felt it right down to her toes. She could taste the Johnnie Walker on his lips but it wasn’t unpleasant. He tilted her head and before she realised what she was doing her hands snaked into his hair and she opened her mouth, letting him taste her. He was even more potent like this she thought. She bit back a groan and pulled away reluctantly before she set an example for the community of an entirely different nature.