His Words of Wrath (The Kaldr Chronicles Book 3)

by Kody Boye

  A click sounded on the other end of the line, followed by a mechanical voice that said, “Please state your name and your reason for calling.”

  “My name is Jason Depella,” I replied, “and I wish to speak with a member of the Agency.”

  The call ended abruptly. “I,” I started to say.

  “It’s normal,” Amadeo replied. “They’ve an automated intelligence system that determines the cause and need for the call. Do not worry. They’ve received your message.”

  I passed the phone back to Elliot, then returned the piece of paper with the number and extension written on it when I thought to crumple it up for later use. He accepted it without question and, with force I’d not anticipated, wet the paper with his magic until the writing had all but faded.

  “Thank you for your time,” I said, nodding first to Amadeo, then to Elliot Winters. “I’m sorry to have bothered you.”

  “There is no need to apologize,” Elliot said. “I thank you for addressing your concerns with me. Amadeo or myself will ensure that the agent is directed to you upon their arrival.”

  With that, I turned and walked out the door—thankful that I had taken the necessary steps to secure our hopeful safety, but wary that it would be too late before it would actually happen.

  6

  I slept horribly. Cramped between Guy and Aerick, I was either restrained by one of the men or couldn’t find a comfortable position for most of the night. By the time I finally rose the next morning—long after both men had risen and departed for what I imagined would be their perspective duties—I was exhausted.

  Though the temptation to remain in bed was great, I rose, sauntered into the shower, and cleaned myself up before stepping out into the main room. I found Guy seated at the bar, sipping what appeared to be another glass of scotch.

  “I’m sorry you didn’t sleep well last night,” Guy said before I could even begin to greet him for the morning. “I’ve already ordered a larger mattress to better accommodate the three of us.”

  “It wasn’t the lack of room that was keeping me awake,” I replied.

  “Oh?” he asked.

  I settled into the barstool next to him and rubbed my hands along my eyes—hoping, with childhood innocence, that it would dispel the exhaustion from my body and grant me the energy necessary to face the day. When I finally did choose to reply, I cleared my throat and said, “It was my conversation with your father.”

  “That’s where you went last night?” Guy asked. “When you left dinner early?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “Aerick was drilling me about what had happened. I thought you were asleep when we got back, so I didn’t want to wake you to ask what had happened.”

  “I inquired about getting in contact with the Agency.”

  “And?”

  “I left them a message.”

  “Fat chance of them getting back to you anytime soon,” Guy said, setting a hand on my shoulder. “Godspeed, love. Godspeed.”

  Though I doubted God had anything to do with it, I nodded and watched as he rose and rounded the bar. He pulled out my customary diet soda, cracked it open for me, and slid it over without question. The rush of caffeine to my head was the exact jolt I needed.

  “Where’s Aerick?” I asked when I finally began to wake up for the day.

  “Working in the fields,” Guy replied. “He wasn’t sure what purpose he should serve, so I told him he should head outside and ask one of the Kaldr tending to the matters at hand.”

  “How do you guys sustain yourselves during the winter?” I said. “I mean, financially?”

  “We continue to sell the eggs the chickens lay at the markets,” Guy replied. “Sometimes the birds themselves, though not always. Many of the Kaldr will transition to Fredericksburg to enroll in the work force.”

  “And the warm flesh?”

  “Will remain here freely, as their contract states.”

  “They’re not allowed to leave?” I frowned.

  “They are only allowed passage if they are accompanied by a Wiper,” Guy said. “Or if they relinquish their minds to one.”

  “How does that work?”

  “They receive a severance, a new identity, a nondescript history. The Wipers then transfer them to their preferred location and erase any aspect of the supernatural world they can find within their conscience.”

  “Wait,” I said, then paused. “You said… they can find.”

  “Yeah.”

  “So you’re saying that sometimes they don’t find everything?”

  “There’s a reason some people end up committed,” Guy replied.

  “Is that why some people claim that aliens exist and have abducted them to do experiments on their minds?”

  “Oh, aliens exist,” Guy replied. “Were you not aware that the Sanguine are product of extraterrestrial parasites?”

  “No,” I replied. “I wasn’t.”

  “The supernatural world doesn’t often bridge with the world of science, but in the case of the Sanguine, it does. That’s why they call the Kaldr magic, the Howlers infected and the Sanguine parasites—because they’re born or created from different strains.”

  “I see,” I replied.

  “The world’s a lot more complicated than you think, which is why the Agency remains in place: to protect and keep anonymous the things that would otherwise shatter the integral structure of everyday society.”

  “And the Agency is its own corporation. Nothing governmental or anything like that?”

  “Nope. They stand on their own. But their compound is huge. It’s like Area 51, in a way—won’t let you in, rarely will you get out. At least, not with your memories intact.”

  I nodded.

  Guy stood, pushed his hands over his head, and arched his back. “I have a feeling you won’t have to wait too long to hear something,” Guy said. “Even if they just send an agent to guard the premises.”

  “I mentioned Scarlet,” I said.

  “Shit,” Guy replied. “What’d he do?”

  “Nothing, really. He just looked at me and gave me a very stern no.”

  “Wouldn’t it be ironic if they did send her?” Guy asked. “I swear. Dad’d blow a gasket.”

  I didn’t want to think about it.

  Given Scarlet’s history with the Winters’ Kaldr clan, there was no telling what would happen if she did happen to show up.

  7

  Dumb luck prevailed in the days following our conversation. No sooner had I woken and made my way down the stairs did I see Elliot and Guy standing in the front hall, bickering over something I could not determine.

  “Are you insane?” Guy asked. “You can’t turn them away. The Agency explicitly sent them!”

  “I can do whatever I want,” Elliot Winters growled. “This is my land, and by no means am I going to have someone such as her remain on my—”

  A knock came at the door, cutting him off before he could finish.

  “Who’s going on?” I asked.

  Elliot stalked away, up the stairs and past me without so much as a word of response.

  Frowning, and not knowing what to say or do, I stepped off the final stair and joined Guy in the hallway as he made his way toward the door.

  “I’ll warn you,” Guy said. “She’s going to be in a pissy mood.”

  “What are you,” I started.

  The door opened.

  None other than Scarlet Jane stood in the threshold, looking angrier than I could’ve ever possibly imagined.

  “Scarlet,” Guy said.

  “Fuck off,” she replied, stepping in through the door. Her eyes instantly centered on me like a predator waiting to pounce upon and then devour its prey. “Jason DePella?”

  “Yes?” I asked, swallowing.

  “My name is Scarlet Jane of the International Agency of Supernatural Affiliations, number 1-3-6. I am responding to your request to speak with a member of our association. I’m listening.”

  Behind her, Shad
ow—her constant and faithful companion—sauntered into the house, closing the door behind him without much more than a single glance at me.

  Forcing myself to keep Scarlet’s unwavering, vengeful stare, I swallowed a lump in my throat and said, “Yes ma’am.”

  She reached down to the gun at her side. “Call me ma’am again and I’ll make sure you’re not the problem.”

  “Yes ma—miss.”

  She nodded, then lowered her hand at her side. It didn’t stray far from her holster.

  After taking a moment to compose myself, I explained the situation to both she and Shadow, the latter of whom began to detail notes with a stylus on a tablet. When I finally finished, Scarlet sighed, nodded, and said, “I’ll put myself up in my camper.”

  “You’re more than welcome to stay in,” Guy started, but stopped when she turned her hateful eyes on him. “Nevermind.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “Given that I’m on the Agency’s time and your property, I’ll expect any information or supplies to be carried out to me. That includes whatever food you wish to offer.”

  “All right.”

  “A few ground rules,” she said, looking at both myself and Guy. “Neither or you are to remain outdoors after the sun begins to set, nor are you to step foot off this property unless you are accompanied by me. And under no circumstance are you to directly engage with anyone or anything that comes upon this property unless otherwise stated. Are we clear?”

  “We’re clear,” she said.

  “Shadow,” Scarlet said, turning toward the door. “Come on. Let’s go.”

  After opening the door, the two departed without another word.

  “Well,” Guy said as he shut and secured the door behind them. “That was… awkward to say the least.”

  “Why does she hate Elliot so much?” I replied. “And why does Elliot want nothing to do with her?”

  “Elliot hired her to eliminate a number of Pierre’s pack a few years back,” Guy sighed. “Given that it almost got her killed, and that he lied about the details involving the situation, she’s a bit bitter over the whole thing.”

  “I take it he didn’t let on how large Pierre’s pack was?” I asked.

  “No. He didn’t.” Guy paused, then glanced up toward his father’s wing of the house. “Let’s just say there were a few wolves in particular causing trouble and my father wanted them dealt with. The only problem was, he didn’t inform Scarlet that these wolves were part of a pack.”

  “And she was targeted because of it.”

  Guy nodded. “So… yeah,” he concluded. “She isn’t on particularly good terms with my father, nor is he with her as a result.”

  “I take it she called him a few choice words by the time the whole thing was over?”

  “I don’t even want to begin,” Guy said.

  I couldn’t help but laugh.

  Guy—who’d remained stoic throughout the whole event—frowned. “It isn’t funny, Jason.”

  “But it’s sure as hell ironic,” I said, casting a glance out the nearby window to find she and her Wiper companion disappearing into a motorized home. I sighed and turned my attention back to Guy. “I’m going to go find Aerick,” I said, “and let him know what’s going on.”

  “Suit yourself,” Guy said.

  With one last nod, I walked out the front door.

  8

  I found Aerick near the aviary, grappling with a number of chickens as he tried to procure their eggs from their next.

  “Damn cocksuckers,” he growled, grimacing as one of the hens snapped her beak at him. “Motherfucking pieces of motherfucking chickenshit. Give me your goddamn eggs before—”

  “Everything all right?” I asked.

  My appearance—combined with Aerick’s sudden jump—caused the hen to launch herself from her nest at him. He grabbed the chicken before she could attack his face and threw her out into the open, where he then stamped his foot as she neared, thereby startling her away.

  “Cock troubles?” I asked.

  “For your information,” he growled, placing the eggs in a basket, “that’s a hen. And yes. I am having ‘cock troubles,’ as you so put it.”

  “Maybe I can help you with that,” I winked.

  He smirked and grimaced as the hen began to stalk toward the two of us. “Goddamn,” he said. “Please make that thing go—”

  I gathered the humidity in the air into a ball of liquid and dropped it on the chicken’s head. She immediately went running, screeching the entire time.

  I swore Aerick was going to keel over from laughter. “God,” he laughed, leaning over and slapping his knee. “Just… fuck. That shit was funny.”

  “At least now she’ll leave you alone,” I said as she ran over to where another Kaldr was throwing seed for the wild birds. She lifted her head and gave me an inquisitive look before continuing her work.

  “Yeah,” Aerick said. “Guess so.”

  He exited the aviary, kicked the straw off his pants, and turned to face me. “Who’s the pissed-off black lady and the good-looking Asian guy she’s with?”

  “The Hunter and Wiper from the Agency,” I replied.

  “Damn is that guy good-looking,” he said, whistling at the fleeting image of Shadow crossing one of the long windows before the blinds were drawn shut. “Aww. Goddammit. I wanted to see more.”

  “You’re the biggest perv I’ve ever met.”

  “Trust me,” Aerick said. “I’m not. Have you ever seen video of those guys who pull their dicks out in public? You know, the ones who get off on getting caught?”

  “You mean before they’re arrested?”

  “No. They’re never arrested. Most of ‘em just get looks. Or, yannow, blowjobs.”

  “You know those videos aren’t real.”

  Rolling his eyes, the younger man hefted the basket of eggs in his arms and returned his attention to me. “You think this is the end of our troubles then?”

  “Not by a long shot,” I sighed.

  9

  Scarlet remained sentinel for the next several days—always watching, almost never sleeping. Food was delivered to the motor home three times a day and rarely was the Hunter seen without her guns, an inscribed sword or a dagger about her waist. Her patrols were cruel—bordering on the edge of excessive as she patrolled the grounds both day and night. It seemed as though it would all be for nothing until they appeared one day on their three motorcycles.

  I was on the porch, chatting with Guy about all matter of things, when they arrived at the edge of the property. Having not yet breached the gate, they parked their motorcycles and waited—likely for the opposition that was Scarlet Jane and the Wiper to approach. When neither did, however, and when the vampires merely stared at the property, I grimaced and turned to face Guy.

  “Why aren’t they coming?” I asked.

  “They’re waiting,” he said.

  “For what?”

  “You.”

  I felt their eyes on me the moment he said that, boring into my soul like hot iron being pressed into the unsuspecting flesh of cattle. Marked as I was by their cruel intentions, there would be no escaping anything they had to offer.

  Rising, I began to make my way down the porch’s steps.

  “Jason,” Guy started.

  “I have to,” I said. “They’re not going to leave until they speak to me.”

  As if anticipating my actions, the door to the motor home opened to reveal Scarlet, dressed to the nines in heavy leather armor with silver threading throughout. “Don’t even think about it,” she said as I began to approach.

  “They want to speak to me,” I said.

  “Stay back,” she growled.

  “At least let me come with you.”

  She stalked past me, shadowed by the Wiper, and began to make her way toward the outer edges of the property.

  Concerned, I waited, hoping that violence wouldn’t break out.

  She approached quickly and without caution, clearly not afr
aid of the creatures whom could’ve easily killed Aerick and I in the days prior had they seriously wanted to. Their dark eyes were invisible beyond their hooded visages, yet I felt them the entire time, even when Scarlet stepped forward and began to confront them.

  The first word I heard was, Leave.

  The second word I heard was, No.

  The third thing I heard was the sound of a gun being cocked.

  I grimaced as a crowd began to develop around me, consisting of Kaldr, Howler and warm flesh alike. They watched with quivering anticipation as the Hunter squared off against the Hunted, waiting to see what would transpire within the next several minutes.

  I didn’t want to know. I didn’t want to see. I didn’t want to hear.

  When Scarlet turned and beckoned me forward, I grimaced and began to start forward.

  “Jason,” Guy said.

  I ignored him, but was almost immediately intercepted by Aerick. “Don’t,” he said.

  I pushed past him and continued to stalk toward Scarlet.

  Both men flanked me, urging me to return to the farmhouse and abandon what would be an utterly-futile mission. Instead, I walked on until I came within feet of Scarlet Jane.

  At that time, I began to feel their gazes upon me again, this time with more malice and dread than ever before.

  “DePella,” the Sanguine whom had spoken to me originally said.

  “You’re not welcome here,” I replied, ignoring both Aerick and Guy’s hands as they reached out to grab me. “Leave.”

  “You are a coward, DePella, for garnering forces whose intentions this battle is for naught.”

  “And you’re a coward for terrorizing innocent people who have done nothing to you,” I replied. “Like I said: leave. And don’t come back.”

  “Or I’ll have to shoot you,” Scarlet added. The sunlight gleaming off her gun reflected off my sunglasses and into one of the vampires’ hoods, revealing the grey and mottled flesh beneath.

  I grimaced.

  I’d expected them to be dead. I never expected them to be decaying. No wonder they smelled so bad.

  The Sanguine laughed and extended his arms, instantly prompting Scarlet to draw a silver-coated dagger inscribed with a cross from her side. “You think we are afraid of you?” he asked. “Of one man, one woman?”