by Ali Vali
*
Wadham’s blood trail ended at the wrought-iron gate in the Garden District, so Kendal climbed a tree across the street. From the higher vantage point she could study the large house walled off from its neighbors. The gas lamps on each side of the front door flickered in the wind, and that was all she saw moving.
Two men stood on the porch, and they seemed to be alone. They might’ve been trying to throw her off, but she was sure this was the place.
When the wind picked up, rustling the leaves in all the surrounding trees, the security guys became more alert, so she searched her side of the street for Charlie and anything out of the ordinary. It was three in the morning, and the neighborhood was quiet except for a few dogs and cats roaming the streets. It took her a few minutes to spot Charlie two trees over, fixated on the house.
“Did our wounded soldier go in there?” she asked, after she joined him.
“He stopped outside the Quarter before he ran inside here. I haven’t seen him since. You okay?”
“Nothing a little sunshine won’t cure,” she said, noticing all the rooms illuminated with what appeared to be candlelight. “And I saw inside the place where Wadham stopped.”
“He didn’t linger. In fact, he was so fast I would’ve sworn some madwoman with a sword was chasing him,” Charlie whispered, smiling. “If that place is Henri’s, then who does this belong to?”
“This is Henri’s humble abode. Wadham must’ve stopped at the other house to make sure we didn’t snag my brother along with him. That was probably his gathering place for his young minions. I didn’t stay long either, but I found some of Henri’s things in the master bedroom and the decaying body of what looked like a teenager in the closet of another bedroom. Poor kid died with a scream on her face, but she was the only one there. The house was empty.”
“This place isn’t,” Charlie said. “Look.”
Henri stepped to the window in the middle upstairs room, wearing only a pair of pants. His naked chest gleamed almost brighter than the moon, and he held Wadham’s sword. Charlie shivered and looked to see Kendal’s reaction when Henri ran his finger along the dried blood and licked it off.
“They aren’t going anywhere for the night, and if I had to guess, their resting place is on the grounds. We’ll come back in the morning to look around and leave our calling card. If we have to fight these things, we’ll do it on our terms and on our turf.” Charlie nodded and looked back toward the house.
“Do you think they have any others in there?”
“A handful, maybe, but it won’t matter. Tomorrow’s the full moon, and at midnight it’ll be All Hallows’ Eve. We can’t wait any longer.”
Charlie’s eyes teared, as if he hadn’t realized another anniversary to mark the murders of his family was almost here. “We’ll be ready.”
“You bet your ass, Lionel. Tomorrow we’ll fight for Celia and Angelina.” They grabbed each other’s arm in the greeting of warriors, sealing their solemn vow for vengeance.
*
“Something’s wrong,” Ora said, whipping her head up from the book she’d been engrossed in since the sun set. “Are you sure you’ve taken everything I told you into account?” she asked Henri.
From the time she’d found him in a cheap gambling den in Egypt, Ora had seen the potential in Henri that his family had not. He had been a perfect choice because he was full of hate for almost everything and everyone in his life, which meant he’d never mourn what he’d have to leave behind.
By the time she’d discovered him, she was feeling the pressure of having to run from the Clan’s henchmen. Having to feed regularly back then wasn’t easy, since the bodies she left behind sent people like Morgaine a calling card as to where she was. The only person Henri ever valued had been his mother, but when she died shortly after his sister’s birth, he had only a father who expected another god on the battlefield.
The fire in Henri’s belly had kindled when Raad started pushing him, and it hadn’t been hard to fan it to the blaze that had burned through their family home, leaving Raad and everyone there easy targets. With the power she’d given him, she’d put one more barrier between her and the Elders, and Henri had been successful so far, surprising even her.
“I realize how much you care for Wadham and Jonas,” Henri said, sounding as if he didn’t feel the same, “but you have to trust me.” He was sitting across from her with his long overcoat on, but hadn’t spoken until then.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t trust you.” She closed the book that was a replica of the one she’d started early in her life. “What you’ve put together here will allow us the freedom the Clan has denied us. Wadham and Jonas should be able to hold Asra off until midnight of All Hallows’ Eve. I’ve worked for this night for a long a time as well, and with your sister out of the way, my spell will unshackle us forever.”
“You have me,” Henri said, standing and brushing his black hair back. “You don’t need anyone else.”
Ora moved closer to him, enjoying his looks even though his appearance had changed over the centuries. The dark hair was just as thick, but his skin was now alabaster instead of the darker complexion he once had. She’d seduced him the first night she’d found him, not realizing that he had a younger sister. Morgaine had beaten her to Asra, and she’d never forgive the Elder for that. Henri had been valuable, but with Asra she would’ve crushed the Clan long before now.
“Have any of your children come back?” she asked, sitting across from him.
“If any of them have, I wouldn’t know it. Wadham has refused to let me return to my other house.” The six men Wadham had scattered in the yard had made that clear. “We’ve lost the youngest of them, but I planned for that. They were here in numbers to keep my idiot sister busy while we waited for the time you need.”
“Henri, you know your place with me,” she said, with enough heat to make him lose his sarcasm, “but Wadham has served me well and has been as loyal. You’ll have to learn to accept his place with me.”
“Mistress,” Wadham said, stumbling in and holding his chest.
“What happened?” She watched as Henri helped him into a chair. “Where are the others?”
“They’re all gone.” He appeared ashamed as he said it. “The slayer was waiting when I woke and was there when we returned before dawn. She killed most of them before sunrise, and Jonas must have walked into her ambush since he wasn’t there to help me.”
“She wounded you and you came here?” Henri asked.
“I had to,” Wadham said, looking not at Henri, but at her. “We must leave, Mistress. Asra has taken our best warriors, and I’m in no shape to defend you if she finds you.”
“Of course Asra’s going to find us,” Henri said raising his voice. “You’ve led her right to our door.”
“I’m not dust because I wounded her, and the man who fights with her isn’t experienced. With the cut to her leg she couldn’t follow me, and she ordered Charlie to stay with me.”
“My sister’s probably right outside, you fool,” Henri said.
“Enough.” Ora offered her wrist to Wadham. It wouldn’t cure him, but it would shorten the time his wound would take to heal. “Are all your men still outside?”
“Yes, Mistress, and I’ve warned them to stay vigilant for any movement,” Wadham said, licking his lips after he drank. “We have enough time to make arrangements to move tomorrow night.”
“We get this close and you want to leave?” Henri asked.
“Nothing’s worth it if we lose our queen.”
Henri stripped off his coat off as if he’d suddenly grown hot. “Don’t insult me by thinking I’d gamble with her life. If your men are gone, we’ll replace them with some of mine, like Troy. Compared to us he’s a child, but I trained him myself.”
“Your simpletons are gone,” Wadham said with a snarl. “Asra is a formidable opponent we shouldn’t have goaded into this game of yours.”
“What do you suggest?” Ora
asked.
“We must move from here tonight while the sun is a few hours off to assure you’re not in any danger. Tomorrow night we’ll head back to the Ivory Coast.” Wadham dropped to his knees and crawled over to her on them so he could place his forehead on her feet. “We’ve been there for years without problems from the Clan, and our day watchers adore you. From there we can plan how to trap the slayer. Next year I promise you’ll have her heart for the spell you need.”
“You plan to run away like a cockroach?” Henri grabbed Wadham by the hair and lifted him off Ora’s feet. “Do you think so little of your queen?” he asked, bending down until their faces were close together. “Or do you have no faith in me?”
“This isn’t a contest, Henri,” Wadham said, pressing his hand harder into his chest. “Try to see past your hatred of me, Asra, and everyone else before we all lose everything.”
Henri tore off his shirt and stood so he could tower over Wadham, slamming his chest with his fist. “You’ve bragged constantly how easy it would be to defeat my sister.” Henri easily took Wadham’s sword from him. “You’ve carried this around with you, preening for her,” he pointed to Ora, “but after facing Raad’s daughter you act like a frightened little girl. My father was skilled enough to rule over the pharaoh’s troops, and he poured all that talent into Asra.”
“Aren’t you proving Wadham’s point that we should leave and regroup?” Ora asked.
“Asra was good before the Clan came into her life, but after training with the Elders and the masters she’s found in her life, she’s almost perfect. I can admit that, but the blood that runs through her,” Henri walked to the window and scraped off some of the blood on the blade, “is the same that runs through me. I know her intimately, so you must choose who you’ll trust.”
“Wadham, rest, and at tomorrow’s sunset, if you are still unable to fight, we’ll go home.”
“You’ve never had to question me, Ora,” Wadham said, making her smile since he seldom used her name. “I implore you to listen. We are all in extreme danger.”
“Rest, my sweet.” She placed her hand over the one he had pressed to his chest. “I might have lived long, but I’m in no hurry to welcome death.”
“You’ve made up your mind, then,” Henri said, still staring out of the window with Wadham’s sword in his hand.
Ora let her eyes linger on his broad back and compared him to Kendal, based on the few times she’d witnessed Kendal in her role with the Clan. The siblings had inherited their looks from Raad, but only Kendal still retained the sun-burnished healthy color of the handsome man she’d seen moments before death. Raad hadn’t begged for life.
That night as his household lay dead, Raad had watched his son stalk around him, displaying all the new powers she’d given him. Raad had risen from his sickbed to watch the others die, but if Henri had hoped to build his fear, he had failed. Raad’s words had made her pause.
“Kill me, but I will live on in the spirit of Asra. Her sword will damn you, and as she plunges it into your chest, I’ll be waiting to greet you in the land of the dead. On that day you will never know another moment of peace, and I will know paradise.”
“I warned you about your tone,” she said, heading for the stairs. “And I haven’t decided anything.” At the landing, she turned and glanced at Henri, finding him peering up at her. “Tomorrow night the bones will decide.”
Chapter Twenty-two
“You want to stay here today?” Charlie asked. They had walked back toward the car at a reasonable pace, but now Kendal was heading to the Piquant, where she still had a suite.
“I’d love to go home, but my fan club would only tail us, and I don’t want them anywhere near Oakgrove tonight for any reason. I may have to tie both of them to chairs in Piper’s condo if they don’t start following directions. It’s their choice.”
“You’re losing your touch, buddy.”
Kendal punched his arm and laughed. “It’s a new era, Charlie, and it makes me hanker for the days when I could club them over the head and drag them back to the cave. I have a feeling, though, if I tried that with Piper, I’d thank Morgaine every day for giving me the ability to not need sleep, because she’d kill me the minute I closed my eyes.”
“You lived when people did that. I always thought it was a myth.”
“It’s a myth, at least when you consider all the women in my life. I’ve always thought it’s not much fun if they aren’t willing to go toe to toe with you. I bet that’s why you still miss Celia.”
“Celia was my friend and a lover, but she had a wicked temper. Thank the gods it only came out when I was doing something Celia disapproved of, so it wouldn’t have mattered what era we lived in. I’d never have found a club big enough to intimidate her. I loved her with all my heart, but ooh she was scary when she got mad.”
“We’ve been lucky, my friend. Those were women worth fighting for.” They neared the hotel, and Charlie declined her offer of a room. He wanted to visit the field where the remains of his family rested. On the eve that this horror would finally end, he wanted to watch the sunrise from there and pray for guidance.
“I’ll be back for you,” Charlie said as they stopped at the front door of the Piquant.
She put her hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, “Put in a good word for me as well.”
*
“Good morning, Ms. Richoux. Are you enjoying your visit so far?” Edwin asked, recognizing her.
“It’s been great, thank you for asking. They haven’t given my room away in my absence, have they?”
“No, ma’am. You’ll even find a chocolate waiting on your pillow. Would you care for anything else to be sent up? Perhaps a doctor to look at your leg,” he said calmly. She had chosen a pair of light-colored buckskin pants, which were great for comfort but didn’t hide bloodstains very well.
“It’s not mine, but thanks again.”
He opened the door and saw she’d left a bit of a bloody footprint on the tile. “Are you sure? We have a guy who makes house calls.”
“Trust me, Edwin, you should see the other guy.”
She unlocked the door and stepped into the closet to remove her weapons. The cut didn’t hurt much, but it annoyed her, so she opened the curtains of the large window facing the city and propped herself on it. With the first sign of dawn, the process began again. She didn’t need to remove the pants to watch what was happening, like she had so many times in the past. It was like watching a flower bloom in fast motion. The sun would knit the skin together, healing her body inside and out. When she was whole again, the door to the suite opened behind her.
“I knew it,” Piper said, when she spotted her leaning against the window.
“I remember something about you and a promise. You can’t blame forgetfulness since you made said promise less than twenty-four hours ago. I told you to stay away from me.” She tried to sound angry but couldn’t continue the charade as Piper stalked toward her. “It’s the only way I know to keep you safe.”
“And you swore you’d be careful and come back to me, and look at you.”
“I don’t remember promising that.” Piper pulled Kendal’s shirt out of the stained pants and she did nothing to stop her. “I’m fine, really. The blood isn’t from a fresh cut.”
“I’m not fragile. You don’t have to lie to me.” Piper poked her finger into the slash in the leather the sword had made. “Let me help you, don’t shut me out. Please, Kendal.”
“Little one, I’m all right. I wouldn’t lie to you about something like this.”
“So sue me, because I don’t believe you.” Piper held up the part of the shirt where she’d torn away her makeshift bandage. The tie of the pants came undone next.
“Is this some ploy to see me naked again?”
Piper’s movements grew more frantic and her eyes filled with tears. “This isn’t a joke. Hill had to hold me down when I saw you were injured. I couldn’t stand to see you bleeding. Why can’t you
understand that? Why don’t we just call the police? This isn’t worth your life.”
Kendal held Piper’s hands and glanced down at her leg. Seeing her appearance through Piper’s eyes made her realize how Piper perceived the situation. “This is something I have to do alone.”
“But you don’t have to. I’ll help you so you can finish this. Then we can pick up where we left off yesterday.” She released Piper’s hands and let her pull the bloodied and torn pants down her legs. Piper removed the strip of shirt Kendal had tied to slow the stream as it soaked through and uncovered smooth, perfect skin. “I don’t understand.”
“I told you I was fine.”
“Kendal, no one ties a bandage to their leg for nothing. What were you trying to do, make a fashion statement?”
“I was trying to fool someone into thinking I was hurt so they’d lead me to the people I really wanted. I’m sorry if you misunderstood and I worried you. I wouldn’t intentionally try to hurt you.”
Crying, Piper got back to her feet and appeared to be deciding whether to leave or stay. “You did hurt me by sending me away. I don’t understand any of this, but I’m starting to understand how I feel about you. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to stand by and watch you try to destroy yourself.”
“What do you feel?” Kendal stepped out of her pants and moved closer to Piper so she could take her hands, needing a connection to her.
“I ache inside when I think someone’s hurt you.” Piper’s shoulders slumped and her tears fell in earnest. “Stupid, huh?”
She held Piper against her chest as tight as she could without hurting her. “No, not stupid. That’s very sweet, and I feel lucky to know you care about me.” Piper’s hair smelled like a citrus grove, and the aroma made Kendal relax. “Now you know how I feel when I think about someone hurting you.”
