Ashley appeared from around a corner, carrying a pile of paperwork in a manila folder. She smiled hungrily at seeing her beau, Gunnar, and then more professionally at me. Then she froze. “Jesus! Your face!” She blurted.
“Better not let Greta hear you talk like that or you’ll get an avalanche of these on your desk.” I tossed her the religious tract.
She caught it and then glanced around my shoulder, as if verifying Greta wasn’t here, before deftly adding it to her manila folder. “Been trying to save you again, eh?” She smirked. I nodded. “So, did she hit you in the face with a Gutenberg or something?”
Gunnar lost it, his laughter filling the hallway. I scowled at the two of them. “It’s not that funny, but yes, you could say I got punched in the face because of religion.”
She frowned in disbelief, but let it go. “What brings you two rogues here?”
“Easy, you two.” I answered before Gunnar could say anything gooey and romantic. He didn’t look pleased at my efficient slaughter of the mood.
“Why are your clothes wet?” Ashley was frowning at the trail of wet footprints I had left behind me. I hadn’t felt the cold, as the building was warm and I had used a quick effortless spell to squeeze out the majority of the water from my wardrobe. Any more than that would have used too much power.
Gunnar piped up. “Don’t ask. He’s completely mental. Howard Hughes mental. He went for a swim in a holy fountain, but wouldn’t tell me why.”
They both turned to me, hoping I would elaborate. But I didn’t feel like doing that. It would only bring about more questions.
I began walking down the hall, calling over my shoulder. “Shall we?”
Ashley and Gunnar began following as I silently made my way to the door that had started it all. I was at once excited, and terrified to gain entrance to the Armory. I wanted, needed, to know what was inside, but wasn’t sure if I was ready to handle it. Anything could be in there. It could in fact be the equivalent of nuclear warheads, as the Academy feared. What would I do if that were the case? I wanted to ask myself what my parents would do, but that was obvious. They had hidden it away, after all. I shook my head, noticing Gunnar and Ashley watching me discreetly as we meandered the halls.
Did the room have something to do with my night terrors and now daymares? They had started immediately after the dragon attack. Was it some form of lingering effect of the dragons’ mind-magic? But no, Raego had informed me that it wasn’t. Unless… he was in on it. I shivered. If I couldn’t trust my friends, whom could I turn to? I had even begun to look into the myth lore of Pandora — stretching for leads a bit since my father had named the project Pandora Protocol — but I had run into nothing substantial. Pandora had died, or disappeared, and no one had heard of her or the box — or urn as most stories elaborated — since. Maybe it was just an allegory — an example — of powers left best untouched that my father found fitting as a title for his secret project. After all, he was an elaborate one for names. A project that involved dangerous powers he wanted out of the hands of the community. What better name than Pandora? I had even pondered going to talk to Asterion — the Minotaur — to see if he knew anything about the myth. I mean, he would have been around during her origin. If anyone knew her story, he would.
Gunnar broke the silence. “So, made any new gadgets lately?” He asked me curiously.
I looked over at him, then away. I didn’t feel like talking about it, as Indie’s harsh words about me ignoring her for my ‘tinkering’ were still fresh in my mind. “No.”
Which was a lie.
It was all I had been doing since the dragon attack. Every time I tried to sleep, the night terrors were there to tuck me in to a scene of insanity. So I tinkered. And I had managed to create things of the like which I had neither heard of, nor seen, nor imagined, were possible. It was as if my sleeplessness had awoken a genius Leonardo da Vinci inside me.
Raego had provided me with a literal truckload of silver scales from the dragon I had killed over the Eads Bridge, and despite not knowing what I wanted to — or could — do with them, I had used them to create quite a few useful tools. The magical boost in power I had received after my parents’ murder had fueled me to new heights of creativity I was sure no one had anticipated, but I needed to be careful with those secrets. If anyone found out what I had been making, they could use my friends against me to divulge those secrets. Very dangerous secrets. Secrets that might become necessary if my powers failed me and another Angel or Demon knocked on my door.
We entered the hallway that housed the now visible door to the Armory. A crude Omega symbol was etched into the stone over the frame, causing me to shiver. The end. We were just down the hall from where I had been abducted by the Academy less than 12 hours ago.
“Um. Why is it out in the open like this?” Ashley asked nervously.
“I removed the spell hiding it, obviously.” I muttered. Gunnar eyed me doubtfully, remembering my mention of the visit from the Academy Justices last night.
But, like a good minion, at least Ashley accepted my answer. “We still don’t know how to enter, but your parents might have hidden their trail. They must have had some kind of key.” She offered cautiously.
“The Academy goons mentioned something about a key also. They seemed to think I had it on me, but I have no idea what or where it could be.”
Ashley raised a brow. “Academy? As in, the secret wizard police?” She asked with alarm.
I nodded. Gunnar looked more concerned by the second.
“Maybe we need to stay in town for a while to help you, Nate.” Ashley said, ever the corporate soldier. Gunnar’s gaze crashed and burned with both the resigned weight of responsibility to a friend and the dying dreams of his impending proposal. I couldn’t let that happen.
“No. You two need a break. They’re just fact-finding at the moment. They want to know what happened here. And they took their sweet time coming to ask. I don’t think they’re in much of a rush or they would have come knocking on my door sooner. I think they’re just trying to tie up loose ends for documentation purposes. They didn’t really seem that concerned.”
Gunnar’s eyes weighed heavily on mine, but I could tell that as much as he wanted to stay and help me, he wanted to propose to this amazing woman even more. I couldn’t blame him. He had spent his whole life looking for the perfect woman, never sleazing around, but merely waiting. This could literally be his once in a lifetime chance at claiming true love. If I told them anything about the curse the Academy had placed on me, or my new parole officer, Gavin, I would never get rid of my friends and Gunnar would never propose to Ashley. There are times when my life just really sucks. I could definitely use their help, but my problem did not constitute their problem.
Thinking of Gavin out there somewhere in my city, scouting me unseen, made me nervous all over again. Maybe he was using an Academy trick to watch me even now… I shrugged that one off as a bit excessive. They wouldn’t have needed to confront me if they could do that. I hadn’t noticed anyone trailing me on the way here with Gunnar, but lack of proof of being tailed was not proof that I wasn’t being tailed. It’s only paranoia when you’re wrong.
I quickly realized that having asked to see Ashley might actually destroy Gunnar’s big plan. I had to get rid of them. Now. I would have to figure this out on my own.
“Listen, guys. I’ll be fine for a few days. Indie’s out of town with her mother since the accident, and I could really use the me-time to clear my head. I know I’ve been impossible to be around lately, and to be honest, I’m not sure I dealt with my parents’ murder the healthiest way.”
“I don’t know. Slaying a harem of were-dragons felt very therapeutic to me.” Gunnar grinned.
I smiled back weakly, nodding. “True, but I’ve got a lot of Demons, you know?” No pun intended, I thought to myself. “And I need to find a way to banish them before it costs me my friends, the company, or… Indie.” Ashley’s eyes glistened sympathetically as s
he laid a hand on my shoulder for support. I was definitely speaking literally and figuratively, but they didn’t need to know that.
“Don’t worry, Nate. You’ll figure it out. You always do. Maybe you’re right. No distractions for a few days. Clear your head. Tinker around a bit, and we’ll be back to clean up the mess in no time.” I scowled back and she smiled mischievously through wet eyes. “You will barely even know we’re gone.” Right, I thought darkly. I would be too preoccupied with Angels, Demons, and the Academy to realize that my only allies were thousands of miles away, getting engaged. “If it wasn’t for Gunnar winning those airline tickets online, we might not ever have decided to go. Admitted workaholics.” She smiled, winking at Gunnar. I noticed Gunnar’s gaze shifting to mild concern as he studied my face, reconsidering based on something he saw deep inside my eyes. I couldn’t have that.
“Well, I’m glad he won the tickets. You guys really drag me down sometimes. An eagle needs to stretch his wings or else he becomes a chicken.” Gunnar growled. I smirked back darkly. “Really, I’ll be fine. Besides, I do have other friends, you know.” A thought sparked at the words, but I kept my face straight. I hoped I sounded genuine. Gunnar was an ex-FBI Agent who could smell a lie a mile away, not even accounting for his werewolf sense of smell.
Gunnar’s concern disappeared as Ashley reached up to caress the long scar on my jaw that had been caused by Alaric Slate’s death throes. She hesitated near my nose, for which I was thankful. “No repeats of last time. We need you in tip-top shape.” She spoke with concern.
Gunnar grunted. “Well played, Nate. I think we need to get out of here before he convinces you he’s a decent guy.” He warned Ashley, chuckling at my resulting sneer. Ashley punched him playfully on the arm, immediately flexing her fingers in discomfort afterwards. It wasn’t fun to punch a werewolf. Gunnar kissed her knuckles sweetly before they waved a final time and left me alone in front of the door. I shot Gunnar a last second thumbs up out of Ashley’s view. He scowled back with a shake of his head.
Great. I had gotten rid of any potential casualties.
Now what?
Chapter 13
I hung up my cell phone with a marginal twinkle in my eye. Perhaps I would actually get some help without risking anyone’s life after all. It felt good to possibly be ahead of the bad guys for once.
With nothing else to do, I stepped closer to the mysterious door — or broom closet, as it now appeared to be — that led to the Armory. And I knocked.
Politely.
Hey, you never know when something is going to knock back, and it costs nothing to be polite. I felt more than a little ridiculous knocking on a broom closet door, but magic was funny like that. When I opened the door without permission, it was a broom closet, but if I knocked… things might be entirely different. I waited.
And waited.
And continued waiting a few moments longer.
But nothing happened.
I pounded the door with my fist. Nothing. So I slapped it in a fit of rage with my open palm, immediately breaking open the wound caused by the broken bar glasses last night. I saw the hot blood splatter onto the door before the sting of pain registered. “Motherf-”
But I bit my tongue as the door began to suddenly open with a long, eerie creak, like the middle of every bad horror movie. A warm wind buffeted past me, ruffling my coat. Huh. It wasn’t a Key after all. Maybe the password was an expletive. That sounded like just the kind of humor my father might use. Then a chill went down my spine as I applied a sliver of brainpower to the situation. It wasn’t a curse word. It had been my blood. My veins turned to lava as the long-term consequences of that thought entered my mind. That meant that whoever had my blood had the Armory.
I was the Key.
All one had to do was catch me, and they could use me whenever they wanted to open the door. That didn’t sound good.
Not at all.
This made me a free agent for any baddie out there.
If anyone ever discovered my secret.
A lilting, feminine laugh drifted from beyond the now open doorway, chilling in its innocence. “It’s about time, Nathaniel, my host.” I shivered, trying to peer through the darkness without stepping foot inside. Should I do this? Or should I wait for backup? But… I didn’t have any backup. Everyone was gone. I guessed I could call that intern who was tearing down the crucifix in my office. He would make good cannon fodder, I thought idly. Then I blinked, surprised at my callousness. That wasn’t a good sign. I had subconsciously decided to let the lowly intern risk his life in order to protect mine. Granted, it was part of the job description of interns everywhere — five percent other duties as instructed… but still, that wasn’t like me to be so cold. Was it caused by my lack of sleep? Was I losing my empathy? I didn’t have time for that train of thought, so I shrugged it off.
So.
Was I scared? That might sound like a dumb question. Of course I was scared, but normally that didn’t slow me down at all. I always confronted my fears. But I always made sure I had backup somewhere or an ace up my sleeve in case things got dicey. Now I didn’t. I was entirely alone, and my magical reservoir was capped off. I would have to play this game differently than I was used to doing. Normally I blew things up that scared me. Now I would have to think first, blow shit up later. If at all. To conserve my power.
“I didn’t know men these days were so shy.” The voice teased from the shadows.
I decided to answer back. “You’re not a Demon, are you?”
The cute voice that answered had an entirely different tone this time. It now barely restrained eons of experience at fatal threats. “Never.”
“Oh, okay. Well that’s a start. Are you going to eat me if I come in there?” I asked, not knowing exactly what was on the other side of the door. That hiss could have been a monster. It sure didn’t sound human.
“I am no beast. I’m a petite, curvaceous dream woman. No blades, fangs, or sticks. I swear. But I detest Demons.” The voice called, sounding more human again, and slightly… amused.
“Um. Alright. I’m coming in now.” I took a step and waited for the gates of hell to grab me by the short hairs. I realized my body was rigid, ready to flee at the drop of a hat. Listen, she might be a little girl, but she also might be a giant, dreadlock clad, flying, gorilla-vampire hybrid. One never knew. Sensing no inhuman presence ready to gobble me up, I took another cautious step into the darkness. The door slammed shut behind me, bumping me forward a few inches. My butt cheeks clenched tight enough to crack a walnut, not wanting to get pinched by a four hundred pound door.
In a blink, I realized the darkness was entirely gone, replaced by gold, crimson, and orange hues reflecting off thousands of metallic objects. Elaborate clothing, armor, and classic artwork from eras long extinct decorated the wall between a literal platoon of weapons and artifacts. The room I stood in had an open balcony with sturdy marble railings that ran right up to a sky that seemed afire from a vibrant sunset. A wide, long hallway stretched from the opposite end of the room, leading away for what seemed like forever.
And this was one room.
I could see dozens more openings spaced along the hallway.
The enticing voice floated to my ears from the balcony as I spotted a silky, lavender colored fabric fluttering in the wind. “Come out, come out, wherever you are.” She teased.
I blinked. She was facing the opposite direction, but her thick auburn hair flowed in the breeze like a shampoo commercial’s wet dream. She could be hiding razor sharp Katanas in front of her, or she could have a gorilla-vampire hybrid’s face after all. I had to be careful here. I didn’t know the rules, but this obviously was not Temple Industries. I was somewhere else. It wasn’t sunset in St. Louis, and it wasn’t even remotely warm there. Here was almost toasty, as if I had stepped into a beach town near the equator. I didn’t even know whether this place was real or a mental construct… or maybe even another daymare. My eyes suddenly darted back and forth
eagerly, searching for a box, but I found nothing. Then again… I wouldn’t even know to look for a box if this was a daymare, which meant that this must be real.
“Please turn to face me, if you don’t mind.” I called politely. Her amused laughter caused a pleasant tingle over my skin. It was captivating — the perfect mixture of amusement and darker, adult undertones. She turned to face me and my breath froze. Large almond eyes greeted me. Her face was oval and naturally tanned, with a sharp jaw and large, luscious lips, which were smiling up at me to reveal large, brilliantly white teeth. She was short, but a genuine goddess. And yes, she was definitely curvaceous. Was that my parents’ secret? They had kidnapped a goddess? “You look… normal.” I said bluntly.
She cocked her head curiously. “Normal? Well, you sure know how to woo a girl. I’m curious, were you really expecting a gorilla-vampire hybrid?” She asked mischievously.
I blinked. How the hell did she know that? I opened my mouth after a few seconds of silent gawking. “If you knew my life, you might not think that so odd. Can you-”
She interrupted me. “Yes. I can read minds. Most of the time. It’s my duty.” She answered softly, curtsying like a princess out of a fairy tale. “I am at your service, if you will have me.”
“I don’t think I need any servicing.” I realized how that sounded and instantly went on defense. “I mean, I’m all set in the servicing department. I’ve got this girl I really like, and she really likes me too. She services me just f-”
Her laughter cut me off, and my teeth clicked sharply as my face flared beet red. “Not that kind of servicing. I guess you could say that I work for you. Perhaps that is a more modern phrase.”
Blood Debts (The Temple Chronicles Book 2) Page 11
