Shiela Stewart - [Darkness 03]

by Embracing Darkness (epub)

  “I have a back up generator in the basement. You think a guy who works on computers and delicate programs would risk losing it all to a power loss.” Jonah shook his head. “Please.”

  “Then let’s do it,” Trinity agreed, slipping off the bed. “We’ll need supplies: blood, food, first aid, flashlights. Basil, take Dante and Gypsy and gather what we’ll need for a few weeks. Raven, can you and Cooper gather medical supplies?”

  “You bet.” Raven nodded then turned to Cooper who gave a nod.

  “Hey…not an invalid here. I can do some things,” Jonah pointed our snidely. The sooner he got up on his feet the better. He hated being treated delicately.

  “Help Raven and Cooper then. They can load you down.”

  “Gee, I feel so much better now.” He rolled his eyes.

  “We’ll meet back here in half an hour. Let’s get rolling people.”

  “Was that a pun in reference to me?” Jonah shot Trinity a wicked grin. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, making him smile. He wheeled himself out of the room, talking to Raven. “Guess getting me to walk is a bust.”

  “We can still do it, just in a different way. Hey, guys,” Raven called out to Basil and Dante. “If you find some crutches, grab them okay.”

  “You bet.” Dante saluted her as he went off on his way.

  “Crutches?” Jonah inquired. Cooper walked beside them in absolute silence. The guy was always so quiet.

  “For support. They’ll hold you up while you try to take a few steps.”

  “Brilliant idea,” Cooper finally spoke up.

  “Thanks. I’ll still be right there behind you in case you fall, but I think it’ll work.”

  “I can’t wait.” The sooner he got on his feet the better.

  ***

  Where did he have to go? Nowhere. And even if he wanted to go to Chaos and tell him where Trinity was hiding out, he couldn’t. He had no fucking idea where Chaos was staying now.

  Danny kicked a clump of rocks in his path, sending them skipping along the deserted street. Was it too much to ask that at least one person he loved actually cared for him back. The people he loved always deserted him. His family had been the first, and now Chaos.

  Was he not meant to be happy?

  Apparently not.

  He was pretty damn sure Dante had run right to his precious Trinity with the news that they were in danger. Oh, Dante pretended to care, but where was his loyalty when the house had been bombed? He certainly hadn’t come running to save his twin then had he? No, he’d left him in the cell he’d been locked in. Danny picked up a large rock and sent it hurling towards an abandoned house. Glass shattered, giving him a momentary high that was short lived.

  Then he saw a familiar face coming towards him. “Kyle.” He waved in the air, feeling uplifted for the first time in a long time. “Man, am I glad to see you.” Kyle was one of the few friends he’d made that he actually trusted.

  “I can’t be seen with you, man.”

  Danny frowned. “What? Why not?”

  “Chaos would kick my ass.”

  He hadn’t thought he could hurt any more, but he was wrong. “Listen, man, I know where Trinity and her gang are hiding out. I need to tell Chaos. Where’s he staying?”

  “I can’t tell you that.” Kyle scratched his head. “But if you tell me I’ll relay the message to Chaos.”

  Danny felt his already crumbling world sink a little further. “They’re at the hospital. Can you talk to Chaos, for me? Tell him I—”

  “I’ll see what I can do. Thanks for the tip, man.”

  Danny stood in the dark, alone as the one person he’d thought of as his friend hurried away from him.

  He really was alone now.

  ***

  There’d been silence between he and Fritz since the incident with the knife. It suited Chaos perfectly fine. He’d rather not talk to the man as long as he questioned everything Chaos did. Fritz needed to learn his place.

  He missed Magnus.

  Now there was a loyal subject. Magnus never questioned him and always did as he was told. Damn, he missed Magnus. He could only assume Magnus was dead.

  There was no other reason why the man would be absent all this time. And he figured Trinity had been responsible for that as well. He wanted her dead—but suffering first. A nice, slow death for Trinity Ford was just what she deserved.

  “Sir.”

  Chaos looked over his shoulder at Fritz and noticed he’d changed into an officer’s police shirt. He supposed it was because of the blood that had spilled on his other one. Hopefully the man had learned his lesson.

  He didn’t bother to stand from his spot behind the desk when he replied. “Yes, Fritz?”

  “One of the men, Kyle, has some valuable information for you.”

  “Show him in then.” He leaned back in his chair as a tall thin man was escorted in. He had such trouble remembering all of his minions’ names, but he did recognize the faces. As he did now with this young man. “What do you have for me, Kyle?”

  Entering the room nervously, Kyle spoke, “I know where Trinity and Basil are hiding out.”

  Chaos sat forward. The boy had his attention now. “Do you intend to tell me or keep it to yourself?”

  “They’re at the hospital.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “I…uh…saw them there,” he said quickly.

  “You’re sure about this?” Chaos stood.

  “Yes, sir.” Kyle’s head bobbed up and down.

  “Did they see you?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Gather the men.” Chaos stepped around the desk. “We go in full force.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  That was another thing he missed. Driving. Jonah had sat in the passenger’s seat while Dante drove, imagining himself pressing down on the accelerator, shifting gears and applying the brakes. He wished his damn legs would start working properly again.

  They arrived at the Digital Domain and Jonah cringed as he was wheeled inside. Basil’s tantrum was still evident by the destruction of desks and computers that lay scattered on the ground. The front window was busted open but the door was still locked. That said something.

  “You’re paying to rebuild this,” Jonah informed Basil as he picked up a mangled computer case.

  “Yeah, yeah. We have more important things to deal with at the moment.” And with only a passing glance at the shambles he’d caused, Basil carried his box of supplies up the back stairs.

  “This is your shop?” Raven asked in awe.

  “Yeah.” Or at least it had been at one time. He really missed working, missed turning a fried computer into something useful. He wondered if his office was still intact. He had a lot of valuable information on it.

  “I came in here last summer for a computer,” Raven began. “I’d finally decided to join the human race and become computer literate. This tall woman with brown hair helped me out and showed me what I needed. I ended up buying a notebook. She said it was the best thing to get me started.”

  Jonah looked to where the front desk had once been and now all that remained was a pile of rubble. “That would have been Ariel.” And he could picture her behind that desk. He really did miss her.

  Raven laid her hand on his shoulder comfortingly. “She seemed like a nice woman.”

  “She was.” But that was past and this was now. He didn’t love Ariel any less, but he couldn’t dwell on what had been because it would only bring him down. “We’ll need to find something to board up that window.”

  “We’ll get to that after we unload. So how do you want to do this? I could carry you up the stairs.”

  Jonah shook his head at Raven. “I think not.” He was not letting her carry him up the long flight of sta
irs. That was too hard-on her back. On her in general even if she didn’t think so.

  “Then we’ll get Basil or Dante to do it.”

  He wasn’t too pleased with either of them doing it, but he supposed he needed someone’s help. “Dante has a bum knee. Best to get Basil to do it. Guess I need to look into putting in a wheelchair ramp of some sort outside. I never thought about it before. I wonder how many disabled people I pissed off.” He’d never questioned the two steps up to his front entrance. But that was before his legs were taken out from under him.

  “Most people don’t until they need to. I’ll get Basil.”

  He wheeled himself into his office and was grateful that was at least intact. And there on the table by his desk was the scope he’d been so eager to get, the scope that had cost him his wife and child, and his legs. The reason he was now a vampire.

  It occurred to him now that he hadn’t looked at himself since he’d been turned.

  Wheeling to his desk he pushed his rolling chair aside, then stopped in front of his monitor. He tilted the screen until he saw his reflection.

  His eyes were yellow.

  Opening his mouth, he touched the tip of his index finger to his incisors. He had fangs.

  His eyes were yellow and he had fangs. And he looked like hell. How had he not noticed the stubble on his face had turned into a beard? And his hair was way past unruly. It needed a trim but, mostly, it needed to be brushed. Why hadn’t anyone told him how crappy he looked? And he really didn’t like the yellow eyes.

  “Raven tells me you need your sorry ass hauled upstairs. Are you working?”

  “I look like shit.”

  Basil sauntered into the room, passing a look at the rows of computer parts on the floor. “What else is new? I’ve never been back here before. What do you do with all this crap?”

  “It’s not crap, it’s valuable computer parts. I need a shave and something other than these puke green hospital clothes. Any chance we could run by the house and grab some of my stuff?”

  “Trinity and I plan on getting some of our stuff later on. We’ll just grab your stuff while we’re at it. Come on, let’s get you upstairs so I can finish hauling in the supplies.”

  Pushing himself forward, Jonah scowled at Basil. “I want to go along and get my own things.”

  “It’ll go faster without you.”

  Jonah put up his hand to stop Basil before he could pick him up out of the chair. “So because I’m in a chair and can’t walk you’re gonna treat me like an invalid? That’s just bullshit. I can do things, you know. I’m just as fucking valuable now as I was before.”

  “Jonah—”

  “Fuck off.” He pushed himself to the stairs. “I don’t need your help.” Grabbing hold of the railing along the right side of the wall, he hoisted himself out of the chair. His legs wobbled and when Basil moved towards him all Jonah did was hold up his middle finger. Looking up, the stairs seemed to go on forever. With his chin held high, he fought to control his limbs.

  He leaned to his right and dragged his left leg up the first step. Now came the hard part. Putting pressure on his bum leg, Jonah hoped it held him. When the railing snapped, he fell forward and managed to prevent hitting his face on the next step by bracing his fall with his hands.

  Basil was right there willing to help him.

  “Do not touch me,” Jonah growled, baring his fangs. He’d rip the guy’s throat out if he tried.

  “Keeping my hands to myself.” Basil stepped back.

  Well, what the fuck was he going to do now? Crawl? Was there any other choice?

  On his knees, he took the next step. Not so bad. It could be worse. He could be slithering up the steps. But thank God he didn’t have to. Apparently his knees worked just fine. Great, so he’d crawl from now on. Just fucking dandy!

  He took the next step up, then the next, and the next, and before, he knew it he was at the top. Sweat drenched his face and his body but he’d done it himself. Planting himself on his butt, he glared down at Basil with a, “take that, bastard”

  “You want to come down and get your chair now?”

  “Jonah? What are you doing?” Raven hurried to his side, plopping down beside him. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m dandy.” He was exhausted but he felt damn good. He’d accomplished something even if it hadn’t been walking up the steps.

  “The idiot decided he didn’t need my help up the stairs.” With a passing glance, Basil moved between them both, lifting the wheelchair above their heads as he took the last step up.

  “You walked up here by yourself?” Raven gaped.

  “He crawled,” Basil supplied, then disappeared into the room to the left.

  “You crawled? What is wrong with you? I sent Basil to help you. My God, Jonah, you could have—”

  “I did just fine and I’m no worse for wear. Now help me to my feet.” He was tired and wanted to collapse but it was going to have to wait until he was in the apartment.

  “What? You’re joking, right?”

  “Never mind, I’ll do it myself.” It wasn’t going to be easy but he’d manage. Swiveling his body he got on all fours then crawled to the corner. He figured it would be easier if he had two walls to pull himself up with.

  “You are not going to do it yourself. What has gotten into you?” She grabbed his left arm, swung it over her shoulder and helped him to his feet. “Stupid fool.”

  “I am neither stupid nor a fool and hey, look, I can walk.” Hot damn! He could walk. Okay, he could slide his feet while supported but he was on his feet and he was moving.

  Raven laughed, shaking her head. “You’re crazy. Utterly crazy.”

  “There are worse things to be. Why didn’t you tell me I looked like crap?” They entered the apartment to see Basil standing by the wheelchair, a sly grin on his face. “What is so funny?”

  “I’m just reliving you crawling up the stairs. Should have seen it,” he said to Raven with a huge grin on his face.

  “Get bent! Now get out of my apartment before I off you.”

  Basil ignored his response. “What I meant when I said it would go faster without you is that Trinity and I plan on using our transportation abilities to get in and get out. It had nothing to do with you being in a chair, but I sure did enjoy watching you crawl up the steps to prove your worth. That’ll give me a happy for years to come.”

  Jonah grabbed the first thing in his sight—a vase with artificial flowers—and hurled it at Basil. Unfortunately, the bastard vanished before it hit him. “Chicken!” he cried out and heard Basil laughing in the hall. “I hate his cocky attitude.”

  “Black kettle talking.” Raven plopped him down into his chair and left the room.

  “Are you calling me cocky?”

  She came back with a hand towel. “Yes, I am. Here, you might want to mop your face.”

  He looked up at her and saw the distinct scowl on her face. “Are you angry at me?”

  “Yes.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  “For what?”

  “For being a butthead—a stubborn butthead.”

  He wiped his face dry, glaring up at her. “How am I stubborn?”

  “Instead of letting Basil carry you up the stairs, you had to prove you could do it yourself.”

  “Well…yeah. Man here, not too eager to have another man carry me up a flight of stairs especially when that man is a cocky bastard.”

  “Black is not a good color for you, Mr. Kettle.”

  “Stop that.” He tossed the towel aside then spun himself around and wheeled to the washroom.

  She followed him. “By pulling such a stupid stunt you could have pushed your recovery back. Did you think of that as you were ‘proving’ yourself?”

  He planted his palms on the v
anity then stood. “I seem to be just fine.”

  “Sit down before you hurt yourself further.”

  “I’m not going to hurt myself.” Holding himself up with one hand, he pushed his wheelchair aside.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m going to take a shower.”

  She jumped in front of him as he turned to take a step. “I’ll help you.”

  “I can do this on my own.”

  “Why are you being so stubborn?”

  “Because I’m sick of people treating me like an invalid. That is why I didn’t want Trinity and the others to know that I was paralyzed,” Jonah shouted at her. He wobbled, she grabbed him by the waist but they both lost their footing and fell down onto the floor. Jonah on top.

  “Are you okay?”

  She blinked rapidly, then nodded. “Yeah. Just knocked the wind out me for a bit. How about you?”

  “Jesus, you two. The least you could do is close the door.”

  They both began to laugh when Dante shut the bathroom door.

  “You should lie down for a while. You’ve had a long day.” Raven stroked his face.

  “What I need is shower and shave. Then I’ll consider lying down.” But he couldn’t resist kissing her first. “Have I mentioned how attractive your eyes are?”

  “I don’t believe so.”

  “They’re such a dark blue. It’s like sinking into the ocean when I look at you.”

  “Hm, that’s a good thing, right?”

  He was never good with the romance. “Yeah, it’s a good thing. I need a shave.”

  “I like your beard. It makes you look tough.”

  “Yeah? Still…I’d feel better if I could shave. But I’m thinking I might need a chair. I’m not sure how long my legs will hold me.”

  “I’ll grab one for you. Jonah?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I really like the way you feel on top of me.”

  Smiling, he leaned down and caressed her lips with his own. “And that is one of the reasons why I’m so eager to get back on my feet.” He rolled off of her, then sat up and pushed his way to the tub. Getting up on his knees, he lifted himself up and onto the edge of the tub. “You think you could check if there’s a razor in the cabinet?”