I chuckled. "I barely understand it myself."
"Are you sure that's how you want to do it? A lot can go wrong." Roman lifted to his feet. His eyes, normally devoid of emotion, expressed great weariness.
"I need Victor to see me die. Not only will I be stronger when I return, but I will also have the element of surprise."
He nodded slowly. "Very wise."
"Did you just compliment me?"
"I believe so."
"Careful," I joked. "You don't want it to become a habit."
"Maybe it should be. Maybe we've both made mistakes."
I watched him for a moment taken aback by his sudden confession. I've never known him to have regrets.
"What now?" Amy asked me.
"Call Oz back. He's safer back here."
She didn't have to be told twice. She pulled out her phone and quickly texted him. A second later her phone buzzed. "He's on his way." She looked up at me. "Do you have to go now?"
Roman spoke before I could. "Aris needs to heal first."
"He looks a ton better than he did," she said.
"It's his mind and heart that need healing," Roman said kindly. "He needs to be strong all over."
"I don't have time for that," I argued. "I need to save Kristen and Emma. Who knows what they've had to endure already."
"Victor is using them as leverage to get to you. They will be kept safe until you arrive. To save them, you must clear your mind so you can think. There is much confusion and fear in you. You cannot face Victor like this."
"What does he have to do?" Amy asked.
"He must become grounded to Earth. Grow connected to her by feeling her vibrations as we walk across her flesh, by hearing her heart beat in every wave that crashes to shore, and by smelling her sweet breath as it blows across the land."
Amy laughed. "Sounds complicated and kind of stupid."
I cracked a smile despite the mood. I was familiar with elemental magic, having been around Roman for years. He practiced it almost daily ever since he learned it from the Ames de la Terre on the Bisou Islands. You had to have an amazing amount of patience to perfect the craft. That's why I never got into it.
Roman lifted his hands into a meditation pose. "It's simple if you know what you are doing."
Part of me wanted to tell him to go to hell and rush off to rescue Emma and Kristen, but the other part of me remained still. I had already ignored his advice once before, and look where that had gotten me. He was right, anyway. My mind was a mess. I couldn't even gather a coherent thought right now. I needed to be focused to face Victor again.
I joined Roman in the center of the Halo. He lowered into a horse stance, legs apart and bent slightly, one arm raised in the air. I mimicked his movements, as he slowly changed into different positions. Our arms glided through the air, our legs following in slow, graceful movements meant to help us become connected with everything around us.
I kept my breathing even as we moved. I imagined oxygen rushing into my blood and through my body, giving cells new life. This is what I focused on. Each individual cell, the basic building block of elemental magic.
* * *
My focus traveled downward to my feet against the earth, and I concentrated on feeling the Earth's vibrations. This grounded me, and I was able to expand my other senses outward. The city was alive and full of pain. I heard the people's cries, smelled their fear. They longed for relief.
With my focus elsewhere, my thoughts cleared and my mind opened. It seemed like a long time had passed when Roman straightened and said, "You are ready."
I rose tall and lifted my chin. I was completely focused. I knew I was unable to defeat Victor, but I could do the next best thing.
I would choose to die.
36
I traveled through the tunnels toward the bay. This was the part of Ironwood that was in need of much repair. I didn't come here often, but when I did, I was reminded of my truly strange living arrangements. Even though my side of Ironwood was nice and well kept, I basically lived in the sewers. When this was all over, I was moving above ground. I was done living in the shadows.
I was almost to the exit when I passed by the older section I used to be banned from as a child. One wrong touch and the whole room could collapse. That's how my life felt right now. The foundation I thought I had beneath me had crumbled. Everything I knew had been a lie, and that left me in a fragile state. One wrong move… I shook my head.
My mind had been clear, but thinking about all of this stirred up all kinds of dangerous emotions. I stopped and inhaled deeply, shoving all thoughts and feelings deep inside me where I couldn't feel them.
I continued forward until I reached the drainage tunnel that led to the beach. It wasn't the kind of beach anyone would ever want to go to. It was boggy and filled with seaweed and garbage that had been washed ashore. It didn't used to be like this. I remember coming out here as a boy to play on the shore, along with dozens of others. All of that had changed when the city had to focus its resources on fighting the growing drug problem. There were no funds left over to maintain Seaside Park, and now all that remained was a smelly, dirty pile of sand and seaweed that people avoided.
I walked along the beach, careful not to step on broken bottles or used syringes. Thank goodness for night vision.
Up ahead was a set of old, wooden stairs that led to the shipping yards and docks. Instead of going up them where I would be more exposed, I decided to sneak beneath them. Roman wasn't exactly sure what part of the pier Emma and Kristen were being held at, but if I got close enough I should be able to hear their voices.
The Docks District had been built sixty years ago in an attempt to make Coast City more accessible to freighter ships. The landing pier went out at least a hundred yards into the bay, where the water was much deeper. Between the decaying dock and the dirty beach, the whole place stank.
I held my breath as much as possible as I waded through the water beneath the boardwalk above me. The water was cold, and any other time I might've questioned my decision, but I had one goal and nothing was going to stop me.
Once I reached the center of the great structure, I held still and listened closely. At the far end, where the water was deeper, several smaller docks jutted from the pier. Boats tied to them gently rocked back and forth. Occasionally a bell would ring from within their cabins.
On the north side, a man and woman argued. Their muffled voices spoke about not having enough money to keep their boat parked on the docks, an odd conversation for this late at night.
I continued down the pier, stopping when I finally heard a familiar word. Judge Lamrey. Two men were talking about Emma's mother and whether or not she could be counted on for some upcoming trial. I tried to listen as I moved in their direction, but many of their words were drowned out by the waves crashing around the wooden posts holding up the pier.
As I drew closer, I recognized the Physician's voice as one of the men, but not the other one, who spoke in a stronger, deeper tone.
Another quieter conversation reached my ears. It was further down the docks where the water was much deeper. I might not have heard it at all, if I didn't know the sound of Emma's voice so well.
Someone was asking her questions about me. I moved closer, slogging my way through the water until it reached my chest. I could hear better from this spot and immediately recognized who was talking to her: Victor.
"I don't know why you're trying so hard to protect him," he said, speaking to her in a harsh whisper. "Don't you know that it will get you killed?"
"Like I told your men before, I don't know who this Aris is. I only know Adam from work." Her voice was strong.
I looked up through the wooden slats above me trying to see how many men were up there, but I only spotted three sets of shoes. There had to be many more. Victor rarely went anywhere without an entourage.
"Adam is Aris," Victor said. "Don't you get that? I need to know where he's been all of this time."
"I
don't know what else to tell you," Emma said, sounding tired.
"Are you sure he's going to show?" the man with the deep voice called from across the pier. "I don't have much time. My plane is waiting."
"Don't worry," Victor said. "He will be here."
"You better not be wasting my time," the deep voice said again.
I sloshed through the cold water toward the sound, trying to look up through the slats to see who would dare speak to Victor like this. I didn't think anyone ordered him around.
That's when I saw him. Through a small gap in the planks stood a man with silver hair. I repositioned my line of sight to get a better look at him through my narrow view. He wore a dark, expensive looking suit with a blood red tie. Bushy eyebrows shaded his dark eyes, and his high cheekbones reminded me of an aristocrat.
I didn't like the positioning of everyone on the dock. I wish they would've been more clumped together, but they all seemed so spread apart. It also made sneaking up on them extremely difficult. I lowered my head and skimmed my fingertips through the top of the water. Did it really matter if I snuck up on them? I already knew the end result. I just needed to make sure Kristen and Emma stayed safe.
With new resolve, I waded back to shore until I reached the stairs leading to the top of the pier. I quietly ascended them. Even though I wasn't trying to surprise anyone, I didn't want them to be alerted to my presence just yet.
Once I was at the top, I ducked beneath the awning of a ticket stand where I could have a better view of the pier. Other food and small souvenir shops lined the back of the platform with a few scattered kiosks in the center. A small stage had been erected in the center where outdoor bands performed in the summer. It was meant to help bring people to the area, but because of the stench, not many did. Only dockworkers and those coming in from the occasional cruise ship stopped at the shops.
At the end of the long platform, where fingerlike docks protruded out into the sea, I counted two dozen men. I looked for the man in the suit. He stood off to the side, staring down at the lit-up screen of his cell phone. Despite having gray hair, he was extremely well-built, with broad shoulders and a thick trunk. A woman stood behind him in a long black dress. She stared out across the sea, her dark hair blowing in the wind. Even from this distance, I had a distinct impression there was something supernatural about her.
"Aris!" Victor called into the wind. "I can smell you. Come join us."
I licked my dry lips and swallowed. With my fingers curled tight, I left the shadows and walked down the pier toward him. Guns immediately appeared and pointed in my direction, but I didn't stop. I lifted my hands in the air to show that I was unarmed.
"Let the girls go, and I will do whatever you want," I said.
Victor walked down the dock toward me and glanced to the side, motioning at two men. They stepped aboard a small yacht. Behind Victor was Emma. Our eyes met and she gave me a small smile. She would never know how much comfort that action gave me.
I stopped moving when Victor was about fifteen feet in front of me. He did the same. The silvered-haired man was there with him, the woman close by. Her complexion was pale in the moonlight, and she continued to stare across the water as if she wished she were somewhere else. Several feet behind her stood the Physician, rubbing his tongue against his canine tooth.
"Where's Kristen?" I asked.
The tall man smiled and spoke in a French accent. "First thing first. It's nice to meet you, Aris. My name is Bastian Chenote. I worked with your father in what feels like a lifetime ago. He was a great man. I was thrilled to learn his son still lives. I think we can do great things together."
There was something about Bastian, a power that emanated from him. I could practically feel it, much in the way I felt the heat from the sun's light.
"And how exactly did you know my father?" I asked. I glanced at Victor in time to catch his fingers curling into fists.
"Jonas helped me with an important project while it was in its infancy," he said. "I hope to continue that work soon."
In the distance, Kristen was escorted out of a boat, sandwiched between two men gripping her arms. Her head was slumped forward, her hair covering her face. The men practically carried her as her feet shuffled along the wooden planks. I moved to help her, but the sound of several guns cocking stopped me.
"Don't even think about moving without our permission," Victor growled.
Bastian looked between Victor and me and then down at his wristwatch. "It's been lovely to meet you, Aris. I hope we can work together soon. I'll have my people contact you soon."
"And who are your people?" I asked, trying to learn as much as I could about this new stranger.
"You'll know them when they find you." He turned to Victor. "Take care of this tonight. My patience has worn thin."
Victor grimaced like the words had caused him harm. "It will be done."
Bastian walked by me without another word. The woman trailing behind him slowly looked at me in passing. Her haunting gray eyes, the color of an old gravestone, seemed to suck me into a smothering darkness that filled me with hopelessness. My legs grew weak as I forced my gaze downward.
Victor chuckled. "She has that effect on everyone. You'll learn not to look her in the eyes."
I cleared my throat, shaking the dread from me.
Victor looked past me, his eyes trailing Bastian as he disappeared into a limo at the end of the pier. "I don't know how you're alive or where you've been, but I wish I would've known. Things would've turned out so differently."
"Just let the girls go," I said, glancing at Kristen. She still hadn't lifted her head. "We can talk after."
His left eye twitched as he regarded me steadily. "Kristen kept you from me. She lied to me. I can't just let that go unpunished."
"You will not harm her," I said.
"Let's go for a walk," he said and turned toward the ocean.
When I didn't move fast enough, one of the guards slammed me in the back with the butt of an AR-15. I stumbled forward until I fell in step with Victor.
"I didn't believe it was you," he began, "even after you left my house. Kristen has been a very convincing liar all of these years."
His eyes flashed toward her as we approached them. She lifted her head and stared at me, her eyes sad. Her right eye was black and swollen and her lip was split. Despite Victor's warning, I rushed toward her and shoved the two men away. She collapsed into my arms, and I held her tight.
"Hold your fire!" Victor shouted at his men. He looked back at me. "Let her go, Aris."
I slowly looked at him. "I will kill you for this."
"I don't think so." Victor nodded at the two men at the end of the dock by Emma. One of them withdrew a knife and held it to her throat. Its shiny metal surface reflected the moon's light.
"Let's finish that walk, shall we? I would hate for things to get messy."
Rage overwhelmed me, and it was all I could do to contain it. I gently placed Kristen on the dock and whispered in her ear, "I will be right back. Everything is going to be okay."
She didn't have the strength to look up at me.
Victor and I continued our path down the dock toward Emma. He stopped in front of her.
"Meet Aris," he said to her. He snatched her arm and jerked her to me. "Although I have a strong feeling you two already know each other."
I pulled her to my chest and looked down at her. "Are you okay?"
She searched my eyes. "I always knew it was you."
I spoke quickly to her. "No matter what happens to me tonight, know that I will never leave you."
Victor jerked her from my arms. "Consider that a courtesy. So you know what's at stake if you try anything against me."
He continued to walk, motioning with his hand for me to follow. I reluctantly walked after him. He didn't stop until he reached the very end away from everyone else. We stared out over the ocean. Moonlight left a silvery trail across the watery darkness.
"I don't know how much yo
u've been told about your past," he began, taking a gentler tone, one I had never heard from him before. "But I want you to know that I loved your mother. She was the most incredible woman I had ever met. Her only fault was falling for a narcissistic asshole. Jonas had always been that way. Confident, self-assured, even cocky. I think that's one reason why Daisy fell for him in the beginning. He believed the world was his, and he could accomplish anything. But then he took V, and those qualities were amplified. He couldn't control the power."
I glanced back at Emma. Her arms were wrapped around her body, and she was visibly shivering. She wore only a t-shirt and short shorts like she had been taken right out of bed.
Victor continued speaking almost as if to himself. "This city was bleeding under his control. He stopped listening to me. He stopped listening to Daisy."
I shifted my gaze to Kristen. She had moved to her knees, but was still slumped over. I needed to get them out of here.
"Do you think you are doing a better job?" I asked.
His jaw muscles bulged. "I'm doing what must be done."
"And flooding the city with drugs and crime is necessary?"
He turned and looked at me. "It's better than the alternative."
I snorted and shook my head. "What could be worse than torturing and killing people?"
His expression darkened and he leaned toward me. "You may think I'm a monster, but you have no idea. The evil growing out there would make skin suits out of people like you and me."
A cold chill threatened to break on my skin, but I held it back. "What do you want with me?"
He exhaled a long breath as if he had been waiting forever to say his next words. "Your presence has given me hope. I want you to join me."
"That will never happen."
"But it must." He turned back and looked at Emma. "You will do it for her. I've seen how you look at her. I recognize the emotions behind it."
Emma was watching me, her eyes sad. She was shivering uncontrollably now.
"I will do it," I said, knowing that whatever vow I make won't matter in a few minutes. "But on one condition. You must let them both go. Kristen only did what she thought was best for me."
A Hero's Death: Aris Crow Vampire Legend Page 24
