“Where else?” Magnus muttered without looking up.
Pushing away from the bar, Gideon made his way to the door across the room, the one leading into the kitchen. Reggie followed him.
The kitchen was dark, except for the single bulb over the preparation table and the light spilling through the open staff room door. Low whispers followed the warm glow, floating through the semi darkness. Gideon followed the sound and stopped in the doorway.
Inside were Octavian and Riley, lost in the cocoon that perpetually surrounded them when the other was in the room. Riley was perched on the table with her arms around Octavian’s neck as he nuzzled into her, murmuring something in her ear that had her giggling. It was a disgusting sight.
“Don’t you two have a room?” Gideon interrupted with a little more bite than was necessary.
It wasn’t that he didn’t love his eldest brother and the pint sized woman he loved more than life itself. But damn it all to hell! What did a man have to do to walk freely through his own home without stumbling in on things he would rather not see? Like his brother’s naked ass.
It had been the same ever since Riley had been turned into a strigoi and Octavian had given his soul to the devil to keep her. That had been almost three months ago. Gideon had hoped things would cool down between them. It hadn’t. Not even an inch. If anything, they seemed even more desperate not to let a single moment pass them, like they were afraid if they didn’t touch, kiss ... screw every chance they got, something bad would happen and they’d be torn apart. As if Octavian would ever let that happen. Hell, even Gideon wouldn’t let that happen. Riley was family. He loved her as much as he loved his brothers. He’d be right there next to Octavian, fighting to keep her safe if it ever came down to it, just as he knew Magnus and Reggie would, which was why he wanted to hit the two with something blunt.
“You’re back.” Riley smiled at Gideon as Octavian eased her off the table. The dull light sparked off her needlepoint fangs and glinted in her red eyes. “Did you guys have fun?”
Standing just behind Gideon’s shoulder, Reggie snorted. “Oh, loads.”
Giving Gideon a shove, he walked away. A moment later, Gideon heard the door leading upstairs open and shut.
“Something happen?” Octavian asked.
Gideon sucked in a deep breath, held it, and then released it in a single rush. “Nope. Night.”
With a salute, he turned on his heels and stalked out of the room, following Reggie’s retreat.
In his room, he shut the door and kicked his boots into a corner. He shrugged off his coat and tossed it over the armchair by the door. Then he started the mundane process of undressing, letting everything just slip off him and fall where they may. The brawl had taken more energy than he liked using in a single night, unless it was to fight something worthwhile.
He dropped across the cool spread of his bed and shut his eyes against the world. Usually, this worked. Usually, he’d pass right out and stay asleep until dawn. He probably would have this time, too, if it hadn’t been for the blood curdling scream that ripped through the manor.
In a single powerful lunge, he tore off the bed, snatched up his jeans and tugged them on as he half ran, half stumbled to the door. He paused only once to grab his angelic blade from his coat pocket.
His bare feet pounded as he raced down the corridor in the direction of the sound of female anguish. His blood roared in his ears as he imagined all sorts of horrific things happening to Riley or his mom and what he would do when he got his hands on the person responsible.
At the bottom of the stairs, he nearly collided with Magnus running up. The angelic blade in his hand glinted in the feeble moonlight spilling through the stained glass showing a seriously pissed off Michael in all his angelic glory.
“Where’s that coming from?” his brother demanded.
Gideon shook his head. “Not downstairs?”
Doing a turn on the steps, Magnus growled in his throat. “Find Mom! I’ll find Riley.”
“What is that?” Reggie appeared at the top of the stairs. He’d clearly had the idea of going to bed as well, because he was topless and his fly was open to reveal white boxers. His brown eyes shot from Magnus to Gideon. “Where’s Mom?”
“Split up,” Magnus ordered, taking charge. “I’ll take outside. Gideon, upstairs. Reggie, down here. Shout if you find anything. Where the fuck’s Octavian?”
With no way to answer that, they shot off in separate directions.
The wails continued, seemingly endless and without pause. It swept through the manor, a hollow sound of unbearable pain, and the longer it continued, the more desperate Gideon became. His heart hurt. It was as though his very soul was being wrenched. The anguish tore and twisted through him until he wanted to curl up where he was and weep.
“Mom!” He pounded a fist on his parent’s door. “Dad?”
Without waiting, he wrenched open the door and stumbled inside, something he hadn’t done since he was a kid escaping a nightmare.
The bed was empty, as was the rest of the room.
Swearing, he pivoted on his heels and ran for Octavian and Riley’s room. He didn’t bother knocking. He didn’t care if they were buck naked and fucking so long as Riley was okay.
“Riley?” He shoved into the room.
Nothing. Not a single soul in sight.
Heart thrashing, he turned and dashed downstairs.
“Gideon!” Reggie crashed into the room from the front room. The doors swung violently with his attack. His wide, frantic gaze met Gideon’s. “Anything?”
Gideon shook his head. “I can’t find anyone. Where’s Magnus and Octavian?”
Looking as terrified as Gideon felt, Reggie shook his head wildly. “I don’t know!”
“Okay.” He put his hand up, the one not holding his angelic blade. “We stay together. Magnus went outside. Octavian and Riley were in the staff room. Did you check there?”
Reggie squinted at him like he was insane. “Of course I checked there!” He tipped his head back and looked at the ceiling as the screeching pooled over their heads, weaving through the air like a solid force. “Where is that coming from? It’s everywhere.”
He opened his mouth to tell his brother he had no idea when the kitchen doors slapped open and Octavian marched in, dragging a wide-eyed Riley in after him.
Gideon expelled his first breath of relief. “She’s with you! Thank God.”
“What the hell is going on?” Octavian demanded. “Where’s Mom?”
“We have no idea,” Reggie answered. “We’ve looked everywhere. Where were you two?”
“The conservatory,” Octavian answered. “We heard the screams and came running.”
Some genius had built the conservatory away from the manor so one would have to go out the backdoors and around the house to get to it. Gideon never cared as he never went there. His mom, however, loved it and kept the place brimming with blossoms during the summer. Recently it had become yet another place for Octavian to get Riley naked and give Gideon all the more reason to stay away.
“Did you see Magnus?” he asked. “He went out there looking for you guys.”
Octavian shook his head. “We haven’t seen anyone, except you two.”
“It’s so sad,” Riley murmured, crimson eyes fixed on the ceiling. “We have to find them.”
Octavian touched her cheek. “Go to the bedroom. Lock the door and stay there until—”
Riley, as Gideon expected, shook her head, nose wrinkled in outrage. “I’m coming with you. I’m the strongest one here,” she said when Octavian started to protest. “You need me.”
“Hey!” Gideon muttered. “I resent that.”
“She’s right,” Reggie said. “Not about being stronger, I mean, she is, but we need all the help we can get. If something has Mom...”
“It’s not Mom.” Magnus barged in through the backdoors, followed closely by both their parents.
Gideon’s knees nearly buckled. He stomped ac
ross the distance and yanked his mother into his arms.
“You okay?”
His mom chuckled and patted his back. “I’m not the one screaming if that’s what you mean.”
“Then who is?” Octavian demanded.
No sooner had he spoken when the sound abruptly stopped.
“That’s not weird...” Reggie murmured hesitantly. “Or creepy.”
“I’m guessing this isn’t normal?” Riley mused.
“Not at all,” Liam Maxwell replied evenly as he swung his silvery eyes over the room. “Has everyone left?” The question was directed at Magnus, who nodded.
“I locked up.”
“Okay.” His father turned to them, face set. “Octavian, you and Gideon stay here and keep close to Riley. Magnus, you and Reggie come with me.” He turned to his wife. “Stay with Riley, mo chroí.” He touched her face, murmuring my heart in Gaelic. “I’m going to search the grounds and return quickly.”
Kyaerin Maxwell nodded without argument. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and stepped back.
Gideon watched the trio stalk out the back door and disappeared from sight.
“We should go into the next room,” Octavian suggested. “I don’t like how blindsided we are here.”
“But we’ll be in the open out there,” Gideon argued.
“Better than being ambushed,” Octavian countered, already moving towards the door with Riley, leaving no room for further argument.
Their mom followed, giving Gideon no choice but to take the end.
Octavian made Riley and their mom sit at a table, the furthest one from the door and left them there as he hurried to the bay windows and peered into the darkness. Gideon stayed close to the women, not because he thought they would need his protection, but whatever wanted to hurt them, would have to go through him first. He tightened his grip on his blade.
“I don’t see anything,” Octavian said, a note of impatience in his voice.
“Maybe it was the wind,” Riley suggested. “I saw a documentary once about abandoned castles and how the wind through the cracks sounded like ghosts.”
It made sense, except it didn’t explain the sense of utter gloom that had followed, or the fact that that was the first time any of them had ever heard such a thing. But no one corrected her. Gideon was too busy listening to every whisper, rustle, and creak. Maybe he was listening a little too attentively, because when the front doors opened, he nearly jumped out of his skin.
Octavian was next to him in a flash, guarding the women as their mother dragged Riley out of her seat and drew her back, away from the doors.
“Who’s there?”
Being the only one with a weapon, Gideon stepped forward.
A small, pale face poked in through the opening. Bright, green eyes blinked at him, then at Octavian. It was a girl, eighteen-nineteen at the very most, with hair the color of moonlight and an expression torn from every heart wrenching novel he’d ever read, sorrowful and afraid.
“Who are you?” Octavian demanded when she continued to stand huddled by the door.
She wore a dark cloak that formed a puddle around her feet. It made Gideon suspect that it wasn’t hers; it was much too big for her tiny frame and designed for someone taller, a man perhaps.
“I ... I’m sorry,” she whispered, looking close to tears. Small hands unfolded from amongst the miles of fabric and wrung anxiously. “I didn’t know where else to go.”
“Gideon.” His mother appeared at his side. She rested a tender hand on his arm, lowering his weapon.
“Mom—!”
She pursed her lips at him, warning him not to argue. “She’s just a little girl.”
“So was the devil!” he retorted. “We have no idea who she is. She could be dangerous.”
“He’s right,” Octavian agreed, never once taking his eyes off their guest. “We can’t ... Riley!”
It was too late. The redhead was already across the room and guiding the girl inside. The door was shut behind them and they were all trapped with a possibly very cleverly disguised threat.
“You’re freezing!” Riley slipped an arm around the girl and ushered her towards the kitchen. “I’ll make you some hot chocolate...” she paused, grimaced. “You can drink hot chocolate, right?”
The girl showed the first signs of a weak smile. “Yes. I love it.”
Relieved, Riley beamed, and together, the two disappeared through the swinging doors.
For a moment, the three of them simply stood there, not fully understanding what just happened. Then Octavian was gone in the blink of an eye with only the clack of the kitchen doors as indication to his destination. A second later, they heard Riley’s outraged protest and the violent clang of a pot striking marble.
Exchanging a bemused glance with his mother, Gideon went to join the party.
The girl was cowering on one side of the preparation table. Riley was on the other with Octavian standing between them as big as life and as mean as a prodded bear. He wielded no weapon, yet the sheer size of his balled fists was enough to scare most people. Gideon had large hands, but Octavian was just massive all around and when he was pissed, most smart people ran.
“You better start talking,” Octavian was warning the girl in a tone that suggested there was no other option.
“Octavian, stop it!” Riley snapped at him. “You’re scaring her!”
“I’m going to do a whole hell of a lot worse if she doesn’t answer my question,” his ever gracious brother shot back.
Whatever color the cold had bit into the girl’s cheeks had receded, leaving the hills ashen with a hint of gray that made Gideon edge closer just in case she fainted.
“P ... please...” Her voice broke with terror.
“Octavian, enough!” Their mother moved to stand next to the girl. Her arm eased around the tiny creature’s thin shoulders and she was propelled away from a furious and glowering Octavian. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”
Wide, green eyes darted nervously between Gideon and Octavian. “Imogen ... I’m Imogen.”
His mother smiled. She smoothed the girl’s hair away from her tear stained face. “That’s a beautiful name. I’m Kyaerin. These are my sons, Gideon and Octavian, and Octavian’s wife, Riley. We won’t harm you. You have my word.” With a last comforting smile, his mom turned to the rest of them. “Octavian, stop terrifying the poor thing and get your father and the others. Gideon, can you get a seat for Imogen please? She must be exhausted.”
“I am not leaving you or Riley alone with her.” Octavian folded his arms as though to infuse his defiance. “Not until I know why she’s here.”
Their mother looked about to put the law down, but Imogen beat her to it.
“I didn’t know where else to go,” she said softly. “My mom always told me that if anything ever happened to her that I should come here and you would help me.”
“Help you?” His mom stole glances towards Gideon and Octavian before returning her attention to the girl. “Help you with what, sweetie?”
Silver tears rained down her pale cheeks. Her face crumpled and her entire body heaved. But unlike the delicate sobs they were all expecting from someone so small, they were rewarded with an earsplitting screech that shattered every piece of glass in the room.
Chapter Two
The room imploded. Pieces of pottery exploded, sending sharp shards in all directions. Light bulbs burst overhead, showering them with glittering fragments and the ground shook beneath their feet. Gideon was sure his own brain had combusted, but he couldn’t think to check and see if blood was seeping from his ears.
Across the table, Octavian had pulled Riley into his chest, protecting her from the bits of debris flying around them in a whirlwind of chaos. His mother was on the ground, clutching at her ears, face morphed into one of agony as the girl wailed. Not knowing what else to do, Gideon marched over and clamped a hand over her mouth, smothering the inhuman sound.
The girl, terrified once more, stared
up at him with those enormous eyes of hers. Her damp lashes were sharp star points around the wide contour. She sniffled, but didn’t struggle.
“Stop.” He commanded softly. He released her when she blinked and bent to help his mother off the floor. “You okay?”
She nodded, shaking the bits of glass from her hair. “Yes, I wasn’t expecting that.”
“I don’t think any of us were,” Gideon muttered, eyeing the girl.
“I’m sorry,” Imogen whispered, looking on the verge of crying again. “I didn’t mean to...”
His mother turned to her automatically. “It’s all right. Why don’t we get something hot inside you and you can tell us what happened, okay?”
Imogen said nothing.
At least she wasn’t crying again, Gideon thought.
Riley pulled away from Octavian and tipped her head up to peer at him. “Are you okay?”
He gave the slightest of nods. “You?”
“Yes.” She touched his chest before moving to pick up the sauce pan she’d set aside.
No sooner had she filled it with water from the tap when the backdoor flew open and his father, Magnus, and Reggie marched in. They came to an abrupt halt when they spotted the disaster that had become the kitchen and Imogen.
His father came out of his surprise first.
“Who’s this?”
One arm still securely fastened around the girl, his mother replied, “This is Imogen. She’s what we heard earlier.”
Glass crunched under his father’s shoes as he crossed the distance and moved to join his wife and the imp held securely to her side like a lost waif.
“Hello Imogen,” he said gently. “Are you hungry?”
Imogen shook her head.
With a kind smile only a man like his father could pull off in the face of everything that had happened, he instructed Reggie to grab a stool from the other room. He then motioned Imogen into it when Reggie placed it at the preparation table.
Gideon's Promise (Sons of Judgment Book 2) Page 2
