“I don’t.” Veronica nervously cleared her throat and turned to Ollie. “But I want to know why she took him and what this has to do with...What is it called again?”
“The Dark Curse,” Ollie replied. “It’s a tablet, broken in two pieces, but when put together, it contains rituals and spells and crazy shit like that. Supposedly it has the spell that created the very first Deamhan. It also has spells that made us, you know, burn in the sun and stuff.” Ollie shrugged. “I’ve never seen it but that’s the rumor around town.”
Veronica paused. “So they’re holding my father hostage until The Brotherhood gives them the piece of The Dark Curse that they have?”
“Yeah. Oh, and they want to release the Pure Ones from Limbo—”
“Pure Ones?” Remy interrupted him.
“Yup, all eight of them.”
“Wait a minute.” He raised his hand to halt their conversation. He stood quietly with his eyes closed in thought. “So you’re telling me that Lucius and Selene are looking for this curse that can free the very first Deamhan who’re in Limbo?”
Ollie nodded. “Yeah. Crazy, ain’t it?”
“That’s like letting loose a pack of wild dogs that you can’t kill...ever. Why would anyone in their right mind want to do that?”
“Now you know why I’m getting the hell out of this city.” Ollie nodded frantically. “You should leave too.”
“And Anastasia is helping them do this?”
“What about my father?” This time, Veronica raised her voice.
“I would forget about your father, darlin’,” Ollie said. “He’s probably dead already.”
“They’re looking for only one piece, right?” Remy thought. “Who has the other one?”
“They already have a piece. All they need is the other one and Kyra, the oldest Ramanga living, is the lock that connects it all together.” Ollie chuckled. “Man, you really don’t know what’s going on, do you?”
“And that’s why I have you, Ollie.” Remy smiled. “You keep me in the loop.”
“If they succeed in releasing those monsters, we’re all in deep shit.”
“Now it makes sense.” Remy looked at Veronica. “Your father is probably at the warehouse if he’s still alive. That’s where I’d keep him if I were Lucius.”
Veronica turned to walk away. “Well, let’s go.”
“No, you can’t just go there!” Ollie pleaded. “They’ll know I told you. They’ll kill me. At least wait until I leave the city before you go.”
Remy lifted Ollie off the ground and he threw him against the wooden fence surrounding the back yard. He fell and Remy quickly rushed over to him, lifting him up again. “If you’re lying to me, Ollie...”
“I swear, I swear. You can read my thoughts if you want.”
Veronica watched him staring deep into Ollie’s eyes.
“He isn’t lying this time.” Remy licked his lips and he removed his hands from Ollie’s shoulders. “Do you know where Selene’s sanctuary is?”
“Her place is near Lake Calhoun, on the corner of Pierce and Market. It’s a two story home, white, with plated glass windows. You can’t miss it.” He held up his hands in defense. “Can I go now?”
“There’s something else. This Kyra chick. Do you know where I can find her?”
“She’s in Chicago. That’s all I know.”
He closed his mouth and he shot Veronica a quick glance. They both were thinking the same thing. Nathan left Minneapolis to go to Chicago to visit a Deamhan. “Well I thank you for your time.” His eyes turned black.
“Can I go now?”
“Not just yet.” Remy grabbed the stick and plunged it into Ollie’s shoulder.
Ollie let out a terrifying scream.
“Now you can go.” Remy turned and walked toward the back door of the home.
“You can’t leave me like this!” He reached out to touch Remy’s leg.
Remy quickly avoided his grasp. “Oh don’t worry. You’ll find a way to free yourself in no time.” He waved and walked back to the house. “Nice knowing you, Ollie.”
Veronica and Hallie caught up to Remy.
“You’re just going to leave him there like that?”
“Yes, I am.” He entered the house and walked into the living room area. He scanned the floors, finally finding some old crumpled newspapers in the corner of the living room. He gathered them in a pile in the middle of the room. “Give me your lighter.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Just give me your lighter.”
Hallie pulled her lighter from her pocket and she tossed it to him. “You’re going to burn the house down?”
He bent down and he lit the corner of the newspaper on fire. “I’m just giving Ollie some incentive to free himself in time.” He stood back, watching the fire grow in size. Soon the fire had engulfing the entire room in a terrifying glow. The heat pushed them back to the front door until they left the house.
“Curses, Limbo, Pure Ones.” Remy whistled. “Sounds like a load of fun.” He watched the fire reach the second story of the home. Just hearing about what Selene and Lucius had planned to do made no sense. They couldn’t release the Pure Ones. In doing so they brought hell upon not only their kind but humans and vampires included.
“I need to find where they took my father,” Veronica replied.
“No, you need to go back to the Manor. This isn’t any place for a human.” He looked to Hallie. “Or a baby Deamhan for that matter.”
“I’m old enough to take care of myself,” Hallie retorted. “Besides, what about Nathan? We need to warn him.”
“I need to find Anastasia first,” Remy replied. “Then we can worry about warning Nathan.”
“Why?” Veronica asked. “Didn’t you hear Ollie? She’s with them.”
“No offense but you don’t know Anastasia like I do. She’s bonded with Lucius but even this notion of freeing the Pure Ones from Limbo goes way over her head. If anything he’s probably ordering her and she can’t say no, unless she wants to die.”
“Even if you manage to drag her away, what then?” Veronica asked.
The sound of police sirens in the distance grabbed Remy’s attention and interrupted their conversation. “We should go.” They hurried down the street, crossed the intersection and before taking a step any further, Remy placed his arm in front of Veronica, stopping her stride.
“Hallie, would you be a good little Deamhan and take Veronica back home,” he said as he stared straight ahead.
Veronica removed his arm. “I’m coming with.” She didn’t move in her attempt to show her firm stance against him. “I have to find my father.”
He loved seeing this side of her, but now wasn’t the time. “No, you’re going back to the manor.” He stood face to face with her, feeling her warm breath stirring on his skin. “Your father’s well-being isn’t the main problem here.”
“It is for me.” Veronica sneered at his remark.
“You’re going back.” He straightened his shirt. “I’m going to try and find Anasatsia and steal her from their party.” He pointed at Hallie. “Watch her and make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid.”
He took off in an uncanny blur down the street and around the corner, disappearing from their view.
1
DARK CURSE. DEAMHAN CHRONICLES #2
CHAPTER fourteen
For days the researchers checked their Archives from head to toe, searching for anything they could find on the Dark Curse. Still recovering from the attack, they closed their at the request of their Head Master, Marcel Alvaro who also ordered researchers from all over the world to stay off the streets pending further notice.
Kenneth did the best he could but it wasn’t good enough. After Selene left with Mr. Austin, he contacted the president of the West Division, Kurt Luzier, who immediately took over all operations. He knew of Mr. Austin’s previous plans to have Kenneth relieved of his command but with JoAnne’s death, Mr. Luzier decided
to hold off. Kenneth still wasn’t allowed to go back to Minneapolis; not yet anyway. However, Kenneth found himself promoted as temporary president of the Midwest Division and in charge of finding the pieces of the Dark Curse, a promotion that Kenneth decided to use to his advantage.
It took only a day for a researcher to find an old metal box, scarred by fire, that once contained the piece of the Dark Curse. The now empty box that once held and protected the piece from decay proved to be no use. By the end of the day they were no closer to finding what Selene wanted.
Kenneth sat in his office, staring at his phone. In a few hours it’d ring and he would have to explain to the presidents of the American Divisions and possibly the Head Master himself how he failed in the simplest task of searching their Archives. He was sure that Mr. Austin was a dead man, but when another researcher, a young woman in her early twenties, handed an old piece of paper to him, Kenneth realized that the search wasn’t over.
His phone rang and Kenneth, flabbergasted at the piece of paper, didn’t hear it at first. It was an inventory list dated years ago with the name ‘B. Tiernan’ written in cursive writing next to the inventory number 38006; ‘The Curse Tablet.’ Kenneth flipped the paper again and it was another inventory list dated a few years after. This time there was no mention of inventory number 38006.
“Sir, are you going to answer the phone?” the female researcher asked.
Kenneth nodded. “Have you told anyone about this?”
“No, I brought it here as soon as I found it.”
“Good. This isn’t something to go around bragging about. You need to remain tight—lipped about this,” he ordered. “Thank you.”
The female researcher nodded and left the office, closing the door behind her.
The phone continued to ring and finally Kenneth picked it up.
“This is Kenneth speaking.”
“Have you found it?” The voice on the other end was deep and to the point. Kenneth stared at the inventory list. He wanted to tell them his findings but something stalled him. He wondered what The Brotherhood would do if he told them that Nathan’s father, Butch Tiernan, was the last name written on the inventory list. Would they go after Nathan? The thought pleased Kenneth for a moment but it still wasn’t enough for The Brotherhood to lose track of getting Mr. Austin back, safe and sound while Kenneth didn’t want Mr. Austin to come back at all. They wouldn’t allow someone as important as him to meet his demise at the hands of Deamhan. It was possible that the Head Master would reopen their partnership that they had cut off years ago with the Dorvo Coven of vampires.
“We have a slight problem,” Kenneth replied back. His response was followed by seconds of silence and deep breathing. It was Kenneth’s first time speaking to the Head Master. Mr. Alvaro’s position was what researchers strived for—to be the most important individual in the entire organization. Kenneth knew he had to be cautious. Mr. Alvaro wasn’t any ordinary researcher he could fool or lie to. Just like the Austin family, the Alvaro family had a history with The Brotherhood. With Mr. Austin not standing in his way of speaking to the higher authority in the organization, Kenneth saw this as his chance to move up in rank.
“Problem?” Mr. Alvaro’s voice hung in the wind.
Kenneth swallowed. “We located where the piece was kept but the metal container was empty.” He waited patiently, thinking that Mr. Alvaro would raise his voice, calling him and the others imbeciles or something along that line for not being able to locate a simple piece of stone. He also waited to be blamed for allowing Selene to walk in and take Mr. Austin without so much as a fight.
Instead Mr. Alvaro replied calmly, “We must prepare for the worst.”
“I understand, sir.”
“This attack on our headquarters will not go unpunished. You do understand the complications of what’s to come, Mr. Dearhorn?”
“Yes I do,” Kenneth replied. “Sir, I understand that I’m to remain here, but I can do more good back where I’m needed, with my Chapter in Minneapolis.”
“Mr. Austin requested that you remain in San Diego and I agree.”
“Yes, but what’s occurring in Minneapolis is directly related to what’s happening here,” Kenneth replied. “Plus Selene made it clear that I was the one to bring her the piece when I found it.”
A moment of silence from Mr. Alvaro followed Kenneth’s explanation. He gritted his teeth and he felt the corner of his lips curl into a half smile. He knew the Head Master rethought Mr. Austin’s orders. If he allowed Kenneth to leave, it would give him enough room to do what he felt needed to be done. He’d track down Nathan, find out where his father had hidden the piece, and take it. He wanted the release the Pure Ones, but not to save Deamhan. He wanted to release them to kill them, ending the Deamhan problem once and for all.
“We will handle Selene,” Mr. Alvaro replied.
“Sir, with all due respect, you didn’t see what she did to Mr. Austin. I did. I want to be there when we kill her and rescue him—”
“Kill her?”
Kenneth paused. “Yes sir. That is what we have to do.”
“And how do you think we should kill her, Kenneth?”
He heard rustling papers in the background and the sound of an office chair squeaking in movement. “Sir, maybe it’s time that we set aside our differences with the Dorvo Coven.”
“That is not an option.”
“I just assume that this type of problem requires those who are just as strong as Deamhan. We need to regain our foothold in the city again and to strike fear in Ancients as old as Lucius. To do this, we need their help.”
“Your assumption is understandable,” Mr. Alvaro replied, “and your request to go back to your Chapter is respected but we no longer need the help from those vampires. We’ve learned that lesson long ago.”
“Sir, at least send me back to Minneapolis. I promise you,” Kenneth’s voice dropped in a low whisper, “I’ll personally handle this Deamhan problem. All I need is the right tools and support from you and the organization. Things are a bit messy now and I’m sorry to say, sir, but Mr. Austin is partially to blame.”
“Mr. Austin?”
“Yes. He made a deal with Selene to free Lucius from Limbo in exchange to reopen the Chapter in the city of Minneapolis.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“Yes, I’m a hundred percent sure, sir.” Kenneth’s lips pulled back into a mischievous smile as he fumbled a pen between his fingertips. “I believe he was in contact with Nathan Tiernan, ex member of The Brotherhood.”
“Nathan did call our office earlier, warning us about this attack.”
Perfect.
“I will discuss your return to the Minneapolis Chapter with the remaining presidents,” Mr. Alvaro replied. “I do agree we still need a strong presence in Minneapolis. That means you.”
Kenneth nodded. Step one complete. Now he had to make sure Mr. Austin would never come back to The Brotherhood. He would find the piece of the Dark Curse and he wouldn’t hand it over to Selene. In return she’d kill Mr. Austin and with his martyred death, The Brotherhood would retaliate.
“I can do that,” Kenneth replied. “All I need is the opportunity.” He licked his lips. “Selene is going to kill Mr. Austin regardless if we had the piece to give her.”
“You need to track it down immediately, Mr. Dearhorn.”
“I think I know where it might be.” Kenneth stared at the inventory list. “I have to go to Minneapolis to find it.”
“When you arrive in Minneapolis, we’ll give you further instructions. Until then we will assign you as many mercenaries as you need to accomplish the task.”
“And what about the Dorvo Coven?”
A long pause on the other end interrupted their conversation. Finally Mr. Alvaro spoke up. “I’ll bring that up to the other presidents. But for now, stay in touch.”
“Thank you sir, thank you.” Kenneth smiled to himself. “I promise you. You will not be disappointed.”
****
Nathan felt the rough edges of the brown paper slip through his fingers. The book he held in his palm was old, dating before the time of his own father, but it was filled with valuable information thought long lost among the researchers of The Brotherhood.
The archaic writing revealed words strung together in a cursive nightmare. He saw a name, barely legible, written on the inside parchment cover. The book exuded a smell of saturated paper.
Nathan tolerated the annoying smell. He had no other choice but to read up on the Dark Curse if he wanted to help Kyra. What he read so far boggled his mind yet peaked his interest at the same time.
The book revealed the story behind the Pure Ones, the very first Deamhan to exist, and those they sired who avoided being placed into Limbo along with them. The Dark Curse was just one among the many writings explaining the origins of the Deamhan. But the tablet existing in two pieces proved difficult to find. If anyone managed to put them together, it would spell disaster for all Deamhan, new and old.
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts and he turned to watch Ayden and Kyra walk through the door, cradling a stack of weathered books.
Ayden placed the books on the coffee table. “These should tell you a little more about the Curse.”
Nathan nodded. He hoped that this stack contained what he needed regarding his father as well. His mind still raged through scenarios, different times in his youth and his young adulthood, when his father studied and researched Deamhan religiously. Still he believed that being back in his manor was the best way to find out the secrets his father kept from him.
“I hope you’re well today,” Kyra slowly said.
Nathan smiled. She looked more beautiful than ever, wearing a sleek, long black dress with a short jacket to match. Her hair was pinned up and settled in a bun on top of her head. She walked toward the couch and sat down slowly.
Dark Curse (Deamhan Chronicles Book 2) Page 16
