Valor: The Custos Saga

by Jessica Tastet

  Gabney watched her approach with suspicious thoughts bouncing around her head.

  “So birthday girl, you’re not having a good time?”

  “I don’t seem to have your luck. You and Lysander seem to have hit it off.”

  “No sharp fangs or dead bodies lurking in his pockets. That’s a win for me. But tonight was about you.”

  “I’m okay.” Gabney frowned as tears drowned her eyes. “My dad was supposed to be here, but he couldn’t make it. He’s never missed before.”

  “How about we go back to your room and do something girlie like manicures. Just because you’re twenty-one doesn’t mean we can’t have a birthday, slumber party style.”

  “You don’t want to stay with Lysander?”

  Angelica shrugged. “I don’t really like crowds, and the guy needs to learn to ask for a date.”

  “Well,” Gabney said, looking around, “what are we waiting for?”

  Angelica shivered as the night air swallowed them at the door. Apparently, October weather changed daily in New Orleans.

  The street crowd was sparse for a Thursday night, but the building’s old world charms were distorted under neon lights. Its charm still hid in the shadows of the unlit buildings. She couldn’t help feeling drawn to the city. Blurring her vision she could imagine the houses before they became weighed down from years of harsh revelry. The streets felt more welcoming than the cold, gray of Gram’s home.

  The sound of a distant drum pricked her ears. A strange evenly measured sound. She strained to hear it closer, but it hid in the distance. A soft murmur began in the back of Angelica’s skull.

  They turned from Bourbon Street onto St. Ann Street leaving the light buzz of voices behind. The drum increased in volume as though it moved closer. Angelica scanned the empty street but the murmur of warning moved into full alarm. There were two more blocks before they reached Charters Street, and the darkness pushed at them.

  Gabney stopped, the darkness causing panic inside of her. “Do you think we should go back and get the others?”

  Gabney’s thoughts flooded through her. Uncle John confided in her. They killed for knowledge. He’d warned her to be careful. Not to be alone.

  Angelica squeezed Gabney’s arm as a queasiness boiled in her stomach. She shouldn’t have walked with Gabney alone. Since being around these people, her survival instincts seemed to have been put on off-duty status. “Don’t think. They may be able to read your thoughts.”

  A brief surge of embarrassment flushed through Gabney’s mind, but her rambling thoughts ceased. Angelica listened to the silence with all of her senses. The same slow drum echoed in her head. Angelica’s mind whirled. She knew someone approached, but she’d never experienced this drumming sound before. It was a sound of recognition she registered somewhere deep in her unconscious.

  “If I say to run, just go. Don’t look back.”

  Cold panic surged through Gabney’s body. Angelica released her grip on her arm to avoid absorbing more panic; enough was already eating its way through her.

  Angelica moved to step forward as a tall figure stepped out from a parked car. The drum pounded a slow beat of a tribal ceremony from under the cloak. The sound vibrated through her, making it hard for her to concentrate.

  She shook herself and reached further, feeling through strange thick layers.

  The slow measured beat was his heart.

  What? How could she hear his heartbeat? That was new, not to mention a little disgusting.

  A covered arm flung forward, and Angelica felt rushing air before she smashed against a brick wall. Pain tore through her shoulder and tears burned her eyelids. Ouch. She attempted to push herself up and tremors of pain shot up her side. What the hell was this? Wasn’t she supposed to be strong?

  Gruff measured words droned from the darkness of the cloak. “I want to know where the book is located. Your life depends on your answer.”

  Ignoring the shooting pain up her back, Angelica reached out her arm and flung him against the car. The alarm shrilled in her ears. He rose, turning toward her. She couldn’t see his face except for the whiteness of his eyes.

  He was surprised, but the reception broadcasted muffled. He was hard to read with only fragments making it through, but he hadn’t sensed that she was gifted until she retaliated.

  Angelica screamed. “Run! Gabney, Run!”

  Gabney gawked at the stranger, frozen.

  Angelica felt his intrusion into her mind. Her walls crumbled like landslides. Her mind opened without warning and everything from her first dance to Lily’s eyes rose to the surface.

  She counter attacked with her own intrusion but darkness abounded. His thoughts were like falling through a well. A well dripping in red. Blood.

  Gabney gawked, statuesque. If Angelica failed, Gabney would be helpless against him.

  Angelica pushed forward, every muscle straining with the effort and aching where bruises were already forming.

  “To hell with this,” she muttered to herself.

  Angelica thrust forward, kicking his robe in the middle. Without hesitation, she delivered a second kick to his ankles, and then came down on his back as he went down with both elbows. He sprawled to the ground before her.

  Angelica reached into Gabney’s shocked mind and yelled at her to run. Gabney looked around as Angelica yanked her arm nearly from her shoulder and pulled her forward at a run.

  Angelica’s insides twisted as she shrugged off the residue of Gabney’s mind. Pain shot through her bruised shoulder, and she was afraid to look back.

  They were breathless as they reached the welcoming door of Landon House. Before they could propel themselves inside, Gabney fumbled with the lock and shut the door behind them. They each collapsed on the foyer’s floor. Angelica rubbed her shoulder and waited for her heart to slow.

  Footsteps vibrated from within, and in moments John Landon and Jack were in the foyer.

  John rushed to a trembling Gabney. “What’s happened? You’re shaking and breathless.”

  A fumbling at the door increased Angelica’s heart rate, and a whimper escaped from Gabney.

  What if they were followed?

  Lysander and the others walked in.

  Mark glanced from Gabney to Angelica. “What happened? We left when we couldn’t find you two. Lysander said y’all wanted to come home.”

  Tears streaked down Gabney’s cheeks. Angelica could feel Gabney’s disgust with herself for giving into tears. Angelica wished she could afford them because they were burning in her throat. Fear. She trembled with it and bile rose in her throat at the emotion.

  Landon put his arm around Gabney and helped her up. “Let’s go into the den and find out exactly what happened tonight.”

  Lysander came to help Angelica up, but pain jarred through her when he touched her arm.

  “Jack, get Barbara to get some first aid supplies. Angelica’s injured.”

  Angelica’s cheeks burned with shame as the others turned to stare. She gritted her teeth. “I’ll be fine. Make sure Gabney’s okay.”

  Roxy narrowed her eyes and peered at her, but Angelica couldn’t figure out what she had said that had caused the glare to subside for a moment.

  Angelica followed the others into the den, but within moments Barbara was beside her with bandages and peroxide. Once Angelica caught a glimpse of the bloody bruised flesh of her arm and shoulder, she clinched her teeth tightly together and attempted to focus on Gabney’s words describing the ordeal instead of Barbara’s fiddling with bandages.

  A collective awe traveled through the room by the end of the tale. Someone was more curious than awed, but Angelica was too exhausted to distinguish the brainwaves.

  John squeezed Gabney’s hand. “I suppose Angelica’s gifts will no longer be our secret, but your lives are worth losing that advantage.”

  Serena sat next to Mark, stroking a large gray cat. “Angelica didn’t win with her gifts though. How did you learn to defend yourself like a common st
reet thug?”

  Angelica glared at her, feeling the sneer within her thoughts. The curiousness wasn’t coming from her.

  Gabney grinned a goofy grin at Angelica. Angelica could feel Gabney’s bravery returning. “Angelica was spectacular. She knew someone was coming before he stepped out. If it weren’t for her, I’d be dead.”

  Jack sipped his tea. “It’s obvious the man wouldn’t have been after you if it weren’t for Angelica.”

  Angelica felt his distrust, as well as his dislike. She hadn’t made a friend there. “He was after Gabney, and he was surprised by my abilities. He thought Gabney had knowledge of a book. What book?”

  Landon sighed. Angelica felt pride mingled with fear. “Angelica’s right. Everyone who’s been targeted recently holds knowledge. I believe they are searching for that book again.”

  Mark shifted and glanced at Angelica. “They want the Book of Shadow Souls.”

  Jack snorted. “It doesn’t exist. Rosemary destroyed it if it ever did exist. I’ve always believed it was a myth really.”

  Landon frowned. “Whether it exists or not, doesn’t matter. They believe it does, and they are willing to kill for it.”

  Angelica’s shoulder burned, and she’d like to be alone so she could look at it, cry about it, or something other than pretend she didn’t mind it.

  “What is this book?”

  Mark leaned forward. “It’s actually one of five books that are supposed to contain all the practices, beliefs, rituals, everything really of our ancestors.”

  Angelica tried to focus. “Where are the others then?”

  Roxy was back glaring at her. No surprise there. “The Vindica has two of them. No one knows where the other two are, but Reximortum had the Book of Shadow Souls until twenty-one years ago when Rosemary is believed to have destroyed it.”

  Angelica bit down on her lip. “So why is this one important?”

  Mark picked up his head. “What?”

  Angelica sighed. Exhaustion had settled into her bones. “Why do they want this one and not the others? What makes this one something to kill for?”

  Landon’s pride swelled, and Roxy again had that puzzled expression on her face. Angelica was too tired to consider why.

  “And who is Reximortum?”

  The room grew quiet and eyes studied the floor.

  John stood. “How about you and I discuss these things tomorrow. I believe we all need some sleep, and your arm will feel better after some rest.”

  Angelica followed Gabney up the stairs. No one would look at her as they climbed the stairs, but she figured tomorrow would be a nice day to start using some of her people skills and winning them over with her charming personality.

  “Angelica, did you ever tell me to run? It was so strange.”

  Angelica stared at the banister beneath her fingers. “I yelled, but you were in shock. I’m sure tomorrow it will be clearer.”

  Angelica could feel Gabney’s doubt. They’d neglected to train her to defend herself, but they’d made her knowledgeable of dangerous information. Angelica saw that as neglect. At least Lily had believed they should hide themselves among people who could protect themselves. Angelica wondered why these people were unable to see their own faults. Angelica had always seen hers clearly.

  Seventeen

  Cain knocked on the third door of the night as he lowered his hood and scanned his surroundings. He waited as he felt the movement stir slowly in the bowels of the house.

  Moments later, the door eased open a small distance.

  “Yes?”

  “Reginald, it’s I, Dark Soul Cain.”

  Cain bowed.

  “It’s four o’clock in the morning. Has something happened?”

  “There was an attack tonight, and we are inquiring if it were a Dark Soldier attack.”

  “Are you saying you’re not sure?”

  “We are uncertain,” Cain paused, considering how to phrase it to cause his desired effect. “We are the foot soldiers, and we were not sent. We are unsure if there is a new threat.”

  “My family is not responsible,” he grumbled. “I will certainly make my own inquires.”

  “Sorry to have disturbed your sleep; we believe our inquiry to be of high importance at this pressing time.”

  “No matter, Dark Soul. We don’t want any unforeseen obstacles at this pivotal moment. Carry on your inquiry. I will add my calls to it at first light.”

  “Good evening, Reginald.”

  Cain stepped away and slipped into the darkness. He kept to the shadows and made his way to Pere Antoine Alley.

  His inquiry had turned up nothing, and he needed to find out if the others had experienced the same. His father was up to something, and Cain didn’t like not knowing. He did not find pleasure with the idea of a more powerful Reximortum. Hope at escaping his father’s command would diminish if Rex found that book first.

  Rumors had flown twenty-one years ago that Rosemary had destroyed the book. Rex had found a torn, burnt page in a pile of ashes. For a time, Cain had thought Rex believed it had been destroyed. Six years ago however Reximortum had decided that the book did exist and that Rosemary had sent it to someone to hide. As usual, he didn’t explain his source for his change of mind.

  That was when Cain had been sent to Landon House as a spy.

  The problem that Rex had not foreseen is that Cain enjoyed living there. He liked the group of people who weren’t chained to the command of one. He had choices at Landon House, and he even liked John Landon, his father’s enemy.

  Rex could not comprehend this.

  Cain reached the alley and spotted the others near the abandoned doorway.

  “Any confirmation?”

  Echo shook his hood. “No, no one acknowledged sending him.”

  “He’s gone outside the soldiers, I know it.”

  Echo squirmed. “Aren’t we going to get in trouble for asking questions?”

  “No,” Cain said. “Everyone will be talking about it. We will say that we were concerned there was a new player, which we are.”

  “Who do you think this new player is?”

  Cain looked to Falcon, though he was a new Dark Soldier, he was close to Cain’s equal. Although fiercely competitive, Cain respected him.

  “I don’t think he’s human. I saw him, and I think he’s something else.”

  Echo drew in a sharp breath. Echo, on the other hand, needed to be cut from his team.

  Cain glared at Echo a moment, and he squirmed. “How are you going to find out?”

  Cain looked toward the looming buildings beyond. “I’m going to see someone.”

  Eighteen

  Angelica sat up in bed for the fifth time. Sleep eluded her and these fluorescent white, glow in the dark walls weren’t helping. A gallon of paint would do wonders for the place. As a guest room it worked, she supposed. It wasn’t as if it was her room to decorate, and after tonight’s injury, she wasn’t planning a decorating theme just yet.

  She ran her fingers over the rough texture of her shoulder. The stinging had dulled a bit, but it was the conversation that was keeping her mind from rest.

  Her courage had failed when it came to digging into Lily’s past, but it felt negligent not to know what was going on with these people if she was going to put herself in between them and trouble, especially if her body would need to be stopped with any more brick walls.

  She couldn’t lay awake in this bed any longer. Anxiety crawled across her flesh like ants.

  Angelica padded down the hall barefoot. At Gabney’s door, she stopped, but Gabney needed to sleep and forget about her ordeal.

  During the conversion of this old hotel into a home, the floor plan wasn’t altered much. Angelica passed three bedrooms on each side before she made it to the staircase. Her breath caught as she stepped onto the wooden stair, hoping it wouldn’t creak under her weight. Her movement down the staircase went unannounced.

  Downstairs darkness swallowed her before her eyes picked up
a faint glow in the direction of the sitting room that led to Landon’s library.

  Angelica followed the glow, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. All she needed was to walk into furniture and wake up the entire house.

  She knocked softly on Landon’s library door, glancing toward the foyer, wondering if anyone else was awake in the house.

  She nudged the door open at a muffled greeting.

  John sat behind his massive desk, which was now piled with open books. Reading glasses rested on his nose, and he had notepaper spread on top of the books.

  His eyelids were heavy, and his face was pale. Angelica would guess he hadn’t gone to bed tonight. “You couldn’t sleep?”

  Angelica closed the door behind her. “Certain things were bothering me and keeping me awake.”

  Landon waved his hand over the pile of books. “Something you said got me to thinking, so that left two of us awake tonight.”

  “What did I say?”

  Angelica yearned to walk around and peer over his shoulder at the books, but they hadn’t reached that comfort level. She had the impression that no one reached that comfort level with Landon, ever.

  “Why is that book more important than the others. You see, we’ve had two for centuries and no one has attempted to use them. The council won’t even allow me to open the covers to peer inside. Why has this book caused so many deaths? Why does the Dark Soldiers want this book? More importantly, what does it contain that they would want so desperately.” He motioned to the pile again. “As you can see, I’ve worked myself into quite a frenzy.”

  “Any answers?”

  “No.” He frowned. “A few leads though. What has you awake at this hour?”

  “Questions without answers, like who is this Reximortum?”

  “Oh.” Landon reached and pulled his glasses down, setting them vicariously on top of the books. “It’s difficult for the others to listen to stories about him. I didn’t put you off to avoid the question.”

  Angelica nodded. She recalled the downcast eyes of the group, and it made sense. “He’s not one of those super hero good guys, is he?”