Faegen, Trinity - Mephisto Covenant, The

by BTKT

  Sasha handed the ring back to Mathilda and drained the last of the cocoa, more to hide that she was close to losing it than because she wanted more cocoa. Trying to keep it together, she set the cup on the small side table, then stood, thinking she’d go to her laptop and e-mail Mom that she got the tickets, even though she wasn’t absolutely sure she’d use them. She hadn’t been sure about much of anything for a while now.

  The only constant in her life since everything went batshit crazy was Jax. No matter what happened, how horrible, how frightening, how sad—he was there. But it was all unconscious, some instinct in him that was as natural as breathing. Was that what love meant? That you were there for someone, no matter what it cost you? The longer he was around her and the more attached they became—so much they couldn’t sleep apart—the harder it would be for him when she left. But he never turned his back, never pushed her away.

  She took one step and the room began to spin. “Mathilda, I don’t feel very good.”

  Instantly, the housekeeper was fussing and herding her toward the bed, pulling at her clothes as she went. By the time she was under the covers, she knew she’d caught something awful. Mathilda looked worried, and that was the last thing she remembered.

  ---

  “Is she asleep?”

  Mathilda nodded, her lips pursed. “It’s a bad thing I did, Master Jax. Bad, bad, bad. Puir lamb trusted me and drank it right up.”

  “She’ll never know. She’ll wake up later tonight and think she was sick.”

  “I hope so. It’s not something I like doing, tricking her like that, but I reckon you know best.”

  She left the war room, and Key said for the second time, “I don’t understand why you didn’t just tell her. She’s going to find out. She has to find out. All you’re doing is delaying the inevitable.”

  “He’s buying time,” Phoenix said. “Think of the difference it’ll make if she stays because she wants to, not because she has to.”

  “What she wants is no longer on the table. I guess she doesn’t have to accept immortality, but not staying on the mountain isn’t an option. I’d think she’d want to know that. And she needs to know Katya took the oath, sooner than later. She may tell her something about Melanie’s trip to Key West, which could wind up screwing the whole plan for next week. I’m ordering you to tell her, as soon as we’re back after tonight’s takedown.”

  Key didn’t get it. None of his brothers did. Except Phoenix, because just as Sasha said, he was different. But he had a duty to his brothers, to the plans already under way for taking out fiftyfive Skia next week. Jax nodded and said, “I’ll tell her.”

  ---

  Her cell phone was playing an Augustana ringtone, the one she had for random calls from people not in her contact list. Groggy and feeling like someone had stuffed her mouth with cotton, she got out of bed and went to her backpack to dig around for her phone. She answered, sounding like a fifty-year-old chain smoker, and Brett said, “Where are you?”

  Aw, geez, she got out of bed for this? “At a friend’s house, and the answer’s still no, Chris can’t live with me. Your mother needs to get over herself. Tim’s barely cold.”

  “You don’t really get how much she hates Chris.”

  “Yeah, I do. She was an evil bitch even before she took the oath.”

  “Speaking of oaths, guess who’s taking hers tonight?” “Amanda won’t do it, Brett. I know she won’t.” “Come to the ghost house and see for yourself.” He ended the call. She immediately called Amanda, but of course she didn’t answer. She left her a voice-mail message, begging her not to do it, to wait until Sasha could talk to her.

  Ending the call, she checked the time and groaned. It was past nine o’clock. She’d slept for hours and missed the game. Was Jax disappointed? Did he know she was sick? Surely he did. Mathilda would have told him.

  Shaking her head to get the fuzzies out, she stood and went to the little closet to get some jeans. While she dressed and pulled her hair into a ponytail, she wondered how long she had before Amanda would take the oath. If Bruno was there, what would she do? She couldn’t go commando on Brett and the others, or Bruno would know she wasn’t normal.

  Maybe she could get there before anyone else, find a place to hide, then grab Amanda and take off with her.

  She went through the little sitting room and knocked on Jax’s door. As she expected, he didn’t answer. He was probably still at the school for the game. She went through his room to the bathroom and brushed her teeth, then went back and slid into her coat. Closing her eyes, hoping she’d practiced enough that she wouldn’t screw up, she imagined herself in the garage.

  When she opened her eyes, she was standing on the roof of the garage, already sliding toward the edge. It was a long way to the ground.

  Quickly closing her eyes again, she imagined she was inside the garage, and breathed a sigh of relief when she landed on the stone floor, just next to the side door, right beside the key rack. She didn’t turn on the light, not wanting anyone to come out and ask why she was taking a car off the mountain. They’d call Jax, and he’d tell her she couldn’t go, that if Amanda was going to pledge, nothing Sasha could do would make a difference.

  Maybe not, but she was determined to try.

  She picked a Subaru Outback, mostly because it was closest and the garage door behind it wasn’t blocked by snowdrifts. Backing out, she hit the button on the visor, and the garage door went back down.

  It took a while for the heater to warm, and her teeth chattered while she drove down the long drive, through the forest, to the narrow road that led to the highway. The snow had stopped, which made it easier to see, until she crossed the mists. Eventually, she broke free of the dense fog and after a few more switchbacks, she was at the highway.

  Driving toward Telluride, she tried to remember how far it was to the turnoff for Last Dollar Road. She knew the ghost house was there, because she’d heard people talking about it. A family named Taylor had built the house in the seventies, then the dad went wack and killed everyone. It had been empty ever since, because possible buyers claimed there were ghosts. True or not, it had served as a party house for local kids for years.

  The turnoff came sooner than she had expected, and she took the turn a little too sharply, skidded, and almost landed in the ditch. Adrenaline pumped fast and furious, making her even more anxious. She crept along while she scanned the edge of the road, looking for a turnoff that might lead to the house. There were several, but each one had a name posted, and none of them was Taylor. She was getting close to the tiny airport before she spied a turnoff with an old, rusted sign. The name had long since faded, but someone had painted Ghost House in white letters.

  She shivered and turned up the heat.

  The road was narrow and winding, and she came upon the house all of a sudden. There was a very small clearing in the trees, just enough for the little cabin and a tiny yard. East’s car was already there, killing her idea of waiting and hiding. But there was just the one car, so Bruno hadn’t arrived yet. The house was dark, except for one dimly lit window. A fire in the grate, maybe, or a candle. Anxiety oozing from every pore, she sucked in a deep breath, killed the engine, and got out of the car. The old porch groaned and squeaked as she walked up the steps and crossed to the front door. She was about to knock, then thought, Why? This was an abandoned house. And she wasn’t a guest. The knob turned in her hand and the door swung inward, revealing a small, dusty hall with a narrow staircase along one wall and a doorway into a family room on the other. She heard deep voices, and a low, pained moan.

  Moving slowly toward the entryway, she cringed when a floorboard creaked, but no one came running, so she continued on. At the threshold, she froze. The room was bare, lit by a fire in the grate and three candles on the floor, each one illuminating large figures in black spray paint: 66X. Her mind wanted to go back in time, to that empty warehouse at Pier 26, to the terrifying faces of people who despised her enough to stone her to deat
h.

  Fighting back the memory, she made herself focus on the here and now, on Amanda. Naked, her arms and legs were splayed like a jumping jack in the center of the X, her wrists and ankles secured to the floor with ropes tied to tent stakes that had been driven into the wood. She was unconscious, her pale skin splotched with countless angry, red whelps. Burns inflicted on her by Brett, who was even then holding a poker in the flames, heating it up. The air was thick with smoke and the putrid smell of burned flesh. Sasha watched Brett turn from the fire; saw East move toward

  Amanda, a long knife in his hand. Julianne leaned against the wall next to the fireplace, a vodka bottle dangling from her fingers. She laughed when she saw Sasha. “Wouldja lookit who decided to join us.”

  She remembered Reilly’s words. I never knew what evil looked like, until today.

  Taking it all in, she knew, in a defining moment of truth, she couldn’t turn her back on this. Whatever sacrifices she had to make by giving up her mortality and remaining Mephisto for eternity, she had to do it. Amanda was willing to be humiliated and tortured, then hand her soul over to a liar, all so she could be somebody other than who she was. Maybe Brett was right and no one was immune. Eryx was a cancer, and if she couldn’t heal humanity, she could do her best to kill the disease.

  Her lingering hesitation, she realized, had been nothing more than a lack of confidence. Capturing the lost souls, transporting them around the world, then sending them to their deaths hadn’t seemed like something she could do.

  Looking at the evil in this room, she no longer had any doubts. She could do it. She wanted to do it.

  They all three faced her, and she clenched her fists. “Let Amanda go. I’ve called her dad, and the sheriff.”

  Brett smiled. “No, you haven’t. And no, we won’t let her go. She belongs to us now, isn’t that right, Amanda?” He moved close and poked her with the toe of his boot. She roused and looked up at him with adoring eyes. “Is it time? Is Mr. Bruno here now?” “Not yet. Soon. First, say hello to Sasha.” Amanda jerked her head up. “What are you doing at my initiation?” “What are you talking about? There’s no initiation! It’s only

  an oath! They’re torturing you because they’re evil.” Brett lowered the poker and Amanda stiffened, eyes wide with terror. Just before he touched her soft, white belly with the hot metal, Sasha rushed him and shoved with all her might, gratified when he flew backward, into the wall. He hit it so hard, the drywall cracked, and he slid to the floor, stunned, his head bleeding. Julianne stood straight and looked down at his crumpled form. “What a puss.” Raising the vodka bottle, she drained it, then lifted it over her head and threw it at Sasha.

  Instinct made her duck. Reflex made her lift her arm and catch the bottle in one hand. Turning swiftly, she swung it in a whistling arc and bashed East upside the head. The heavy glass shattered, and he went down like a load of bricks, the knife clattering across the floor until it came to rest at Julianne’s feet. She bent to pick it up, and Sasha sprang into action, leaping across the five-foot distance to snatch the knife before Julianne was even halfway there. She turned to cut the ropes binding Amanda to the floor.

  “Stop it! Julianne, she’s ruining it!”

  “Shut up, Geek Girl. There’s no initiation. Brett and East just wanted to have some fun.” She weaved a bit while she walked toward Sasha. “I hated your guts the minute I laid eyes on you.”

  “I’ll cry about it later.” Sasha threw the knife toward the farthest wall, satisfied when it plunged deep inside. Bending, she grasped Amanda’s arm and hauled her to her feet. “You can get your clothes on before I take you home, or you can go naked. Take your pick.”

  “I’m not leaving!”

  “Okay, naked it is.” Dragging Amanda behind her, ignoring her useless attempts to break away, not caring when she whimpered that Sasha was hurting her, she headed for the front door.

  “My glasses! I need my glasses!”

  “Get some new ones.” She hauled her to the door with one hand and reached for the knob with the other, jerking it open so hard, it flew back and banged against the wall. She yanked Amanda’s arm and was about to step out onto the porch when Mr. Bruno appeared out of the darkness into the dim halo of light from within.

  “Good evening, Sasha,” he said with a pleasant smile. “Going somewhere?”

  She was about to shove past him when she noticed a small pistol in his hand.

  “Stay a while, won’t you?” Backing up, she kept hold of Amanda and tried to think of what to say, reminding herself, over and over, he didn’t know she was Anabo. “What’s with the gun? Are you so desperate for new members, you’ve started threatening to kill them if they won’t join?”

  He came inside and closed the door, forcing her to move backward, into the room where Brett and East were still laid out and Julianne was working on another bottle of vodka. His dark eyes traveled the room in a blink before he focused on her. “Strong enough to take down two eighteen-year-old boys. I wonder, Sasha, how did you get to be so strong?”

  “I was angry. Upset. Brett was torturing Amanda.”

  “That boy, Jack. I thought he was different, and now I know why. He’s turning you.” His gaze moved to Amanda, cowering behind Sasha. “Are you ready?”

  It was several heartbeats before she said hesitantly, “Yes, sir.” “Repeat after me. I forswear God and Heaven.” “Don’t do it, Amanda. Don’t say it.” “I . . . I . . . what was it, again?”

  “I forswear God and Heaven.” Sasha heard her swallow. “I forswear God and—oomph!” Sasha elbowed her, making her double over and clutch her stomach. The pistol was against her cheek. “Put your hands on your head and don’t say another word. I have no qualms about blowing your brains out.”

  Of course he didn’t. She prayed Amanda would cling to her hesitation, that she’d falter and lose sincerity. If she didn’t mean it, she couldn’t swear it.

  “I forswear . . .” Mr. Bruno began for her.

  She could move away from Sasha now, but she didn’t. Instead, she came closer. From behind her, just over her shoulder, she whispered, “I forswear God and Heaven.”

  “I pledge my soul to Eryx, now and forever.”

  “I pledge my . . .” She drew in a deep breath, but before she could finish, Brett stirred and lifted his head.

  “Jesus, what happened? Amanda, what’s going on? How did you get up?” He focused on Sasha and scowled. “I should have thrown you over that cliff with Reilly.”

  Amanda stiffened behind her. “You mean it was your fault Reilly died?”

  He blinked as if he was confused. “What? No, of course not.” Trying to get to his feet, he fell back against the wall and sat there, dazed. “Bitch ignored me, dissed me. I showed her, though, didn’t I, East?” He frowned. “East?” He swung his gaze to Julianne, who was sucking down vodka like it was water. “Did Sasha do that to him?”

  “Yep. She’s a regular Superwoman. Or part cat. Shoulda seen her move.”

  “Sasha?” Amanda grasped her sweater. “Can we go now?”

  “Leave if you like,” Mr. Bruno said, “but you’ll be going alone. Sasha and I are taking a little trip together.”

  With the pistol resting against her temple, she didn’t have much choice but to say, “Go on, Amanda. There are keys in my pocket.”

  “Th-thank you, Sasha. I’m so . . . sorry.” She reached into Sasha’s pocket for the keys, then slid around her, gathered up her clothes from the corner, and left. Moments later, there was the sound of an engine turning over.

  “She’ll go to the police.”

  “Maybe, but we’ll be long gone, so it’s no matter. Julianne, tie her up.”

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “To Eryx, of course. Special delivery. Nice work getting her here, Brett.”

  He already knew she was Anabo. She’d been baited. Dread washed over her. “Why would Eryx be interested in me?”

  “Oh, please, let’s not play the game. You’re Anabo, and I
have orders from Eryx to bring you to him.”

  “How do you know?”

  His shaded eyes were pure evil. “Your mother told him about your birthmark.”

  “Liar. My mother would never pledge her soul. Never.”

  He laughed then, like he was really amused. “Your naïveté is incredible. And misguided. Everyone is susceptible. Didn’t you know?”

  “She wouldn’t. I know you’re lying.”

  He shrugged. “Believe what you will.” He reached out and jerked her sweater up, peering at the skin below her breast, at the little A that was the mark of death. “There it is, just where she said it would be.”

  The only people alive who knew where her birthmark was located were her mother and Jax. Now she understood why Jax had been so upset this afternoon. He had paid a lot of money for the ring so Mom could bring Sasha to Russia, which meant she had no reason to sell the painting. Jax read between the lines and knew she wasn’t selling—she was giving the painting, and Sasha, to Eryx. That’s why her letter was so cold, why she said to bring only one bag. Sasha wouldn’t need clothes if she was dead.

  Breathless with grief, she swayed, afraid she’d pass out because the rush of blood to her head was so swift. Somewhere in Heaven, Dad was waiting for his wife, and she’d never arrive. Somewhere on the other side of the world, Mom was waiting for her to be delivered to Eryx. Had she been promised immortality in exchange for Sasha?

  Mother of God, she didn’t know anything could hurt this badly.

  Where was Jax? Would he go home, find her gone, and come looking for her? Would he be too late? She wasn’t marked, so he’d maybe never find her. At least he wouldn’t arrive just in time to see her die, like Phoenix had with Jane.

  Unless Eryx contacted him. Would he do that, just for the twisted pleasure of watching Jax witness her death?

  “Was Amanda worth it?” Bruno asked. “I’d do it again.”