Guild of Truth 01 - Silent as the Grave

by Mary K. Norris

  Collette drew back with a sneer. “There’s no way in hell you’re Vander’s soul mate. I saw the way Felix looked at you. How he protected you.” She sounded disgusted but Cali didn’t care.

  Holy shit.

  Collette knew she was Felix’s Mirror Mate!

  “Did you bond yet? Did your soul call out to his when you slept together?”

  Cali frowned. The bonding was supposed to happen when they had sex?

  No. She shook herself mentally. Collette had to be wrong.

  But she’s the only one who has bonded with her Mirror Mate.

  What did that mean, then?

  Was Felix truly not her … soul mate?

  Her throat closed up and her eyes burned with unshed tears. She held them back. There was no fucking way she was going to cry in front of Collette.

  Collette had been silently watching Cali, taking in every facial expression. “You haven’t bonded yet, have you?” she said thoughtfully. “Could it be you weren’t meant for him after all?” A malicious smile curled her lips.

  Cali forced calm disinterest into her voice. “You’ll never know. But what I do know is that Vander is not mine and never will be. I’m sure if you were the one to tell him, he’d reward you. Otherwise all this — ” She motioned around the room. “ — is nothing but a waste of his time.”

  “Is that right?” Collette hadn’t bought her act one bit. Cali should have known better. Hadn’t Felix told her that Collette had been a theater major? “You want to know what I think?” She was back to leaning in close to Cali’s face again. “I think that, for whatever reason, Vander believes you to be his soul mate. And considering the idea came from my dear unconscious Kevin, there is no reason for me to correct that little misconception. In fact, I rather like the idea of Vander trying his best to get your soul to call out for his. I think I might have a few suggestions to make.”

  Cali’s body went cold at the implication.

  Collette must have sensed her dread because she chuckled and said, “Oh, yes, Cali. I’m going to tell him anything and everything to make your soul cry out, so that by the time he’s done with you, your soul will weep.”

  Cali didn’t think. She lunged for Collette’s throat.

  The Illusionist screamed as Cali’s fingers wrapped tight around her windpipe. Her cry for help cut off as Cali squeezed.

  Footsteps came thundering up the stairs. The door to the bedroom burst open.

  Collette’s eyes were bloodshot and glazed by the time hands wrapped around Cali’s bare arms. Vander hauled her off Collette, and that was only because there was such a vicious pull on her energy that it momentarily had Cali blacking out. She’d barely even felt the pain through her blood rage.

  “What is the meaning of this?” Vander bellowed. He tucked Cali against his side protectively. She could hardly stand on her own two feet — otherwise she would have shoved away from him.

  Collette was too busy rubbing at her neck to speak.

  “Get out of my sight,” Vander ordered her.

  Collette didn’t wait to be asked twice. She shot one more scathing look at Cali before she disappeared, leaving Cali to her fate.

  Collette might have been her only chance to convince Vander she wasn’t who he thought she was, and now she had completely annihilated that possibility.

  Vander led Cali over to the hated canopy bed. He helped ease her down to the mattress despite her trying to push him away. He sat next to her, one of his hands brushing her hair out of her face. She jerked away. Vander never let her tie her hair back, which meant it was a wild mess.

  “What happened?” He trailed his finger down her arm. Cali’s stomach twisted. She was dressed in a white lace tank top Vander had picked out for her, along with black Bermuda shorts. She hated that he dressed her like a doll. She hated that he’d been in the bathroom with her when she’d showered and dressed. She hated him. Period.

  She cleared her throat. “I’m not your soul mate,” she croaked. She needed water and food.

  Vander ran his hand through her hair. She gritted her teeth. “Is that what Collette told you?”

  “Yes,” Cali lied, wanting Collette to hurt by any means possible. “But it’s true. I knew before Collette told me.”

  “You’ve been misled,” Vander soothed. He leaned in closer and Cali’s whole body froze in terror. He cupped her face and pulled it toward his. She resisted for as long as she could, but Vander didn’t take kindly to her reluctance. A small pain slid from her body to his hands as he slowly took her energy until he could pull her face to his and kiss her.

  Her stomach revolted.

  His tongue pushed into her mouth, and she squeezed her eyes shut tight.

  “Surrender to me, Cali,” he breathed against her lips.

  She imagined that was what the devil sounded like before he took someone’s soul back to hell.

  He pushed her back into the mattress, his body atop hers. Terror made her heart beat wildly, but when she pushed against his shoulders nothing happened.

  He was so close she could see the darkness lurking in the depths of his eyes. It swirled there, not quite the madness that overtook Collette’s, but a different kind of desperation.

  “Just think, Cali. Once you and I are together, you will never want for anything in your entire life. I’ll take care of you. I’ve had a long time to wait but now I’ve found you.”

  She stared up at his face. A face that, if possible, looked younger than when she’d first met him all those months ago. His words echoed in her brain.

  “How old are you?”

  He couldn’t have looked more pleased that she was engaging a conversation with him. Hell, at this point she’d do anything to keep his lips away from hers. “I was born November 16, 1894, in London.”

  “No fucking way,” Cali blurted.

  Vander rolled off her and propped his head up on one of his hands. He smiled. “Yes fucking way. Would you like to hear about all the wars I’ve fought in? About how I was nicknamed ‘The Plague’ because I’d be sent in to scout out enemy camps, but when my troop arrived there were no more enemies?”

  Vander told her the tales of his past. He told her the story of a young man who grew up to value power over everything else. He was a man that fancied himself friends with Death and despite the horrific stories Vander spoke of, after a while Cali could hardly keep her eyes open. His accent got stronger the longer he talked of his home, and Cali fell asleep to dream of battle trenches and famine.

  She woke to the sensation of fingertips tracing the contours of her face. She smelled hot soup and warm bread.

  “I thought you might be hungry,” Vander said right next to her ear.

  The nap had helped rejuvenate her but she was still famished. Vander helped her sit up, and she allowed him so he wouldn’t be able to guess how much stronger she felt.

  There was a tray next to the bed. It had hot soup, fresh buttered bread, a tall glass of water and milk, a fruit bowl, and some kind of deli wrap cut into bite-sizes.

  It was a feast in Cali’s opinion, and she inhaled every bit she could.

  “Feel better?”

  She carefully wiped her mouth on the napkin he provided for her. She took her time to carefully consider how she was going to answer. She felt better than she had in days. Stronger. But was it strong enough?

  “Much better, thank you.”

  He tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear. “You’re very welcome.” He leaned in to kiss her and this time she didn’t pull away. She could feel his surprise at her behavior. He kissed her harder. Deeper. She still didn’t resist.

  Let him think he has me cowed.

  Desire burned bright in his eyes when he pulled away. He got up from the bed to gather all the dishes on the tray, his back to her.

  It was her only chance.

  She raced for the door. She wasn’t as fast as she wished, but it wouldn’t have mattered. Vander was faster. He cleared the bed like a hurdle. He loomed in front of h
er, face purple with rage. “You think to trick me?” he roared. She tried to backpedal but it was too late. His hands reached for her face. She knew what was coming.

  She screamed.

  She thrashed beneath his force as the pain enveloped her body. The fight didn’t last long. She gave out much faster now that her body could never fully recharge. Everything went black within seconds.

  Chapter 21

  The hospital room was cold and smelled of antibacterial soap. Felix hadn’t been by in years, though it always nagged at his conscience.

  The room was well kept; large for only one patient, but when Felix factored in just who had to be funding the care it didn’t really surprise him Kevin would have the most luxurious living space. Not that he counted Kevin’s current state as living.

  Felix rubbed at his hollow chest. Was what he was experiencing being separated from Cali like what Collette felt every day? Was this why Collette acted like she did? Did the restlessness, the on-edge feeling eventually lead to madness? It was as if no matter how much sleep Felix got he was never rested. He was irritable. All the time.

  He stared down at the Dreamer’s face. He looked peaceful. His limp brown hair had grown out a bit, and his eyes were closed. But behind those lids, Felix knew, was a pair of sad, blue eyes.

  He’d felt sorry for Kevin all those years ago. Blinded by his love for Collette, Kevin let her tear him down inside. He didn’t really know Kevin, but from the small glimpse he’d been given he seemed like a good man, though weak willed.

  “You were lucky enough to have found your Mirror Mate.” Felix spoke softly. “And now you’re going to help me get back mine.”

  Right on time, the clipped sound of high heels echoed down the hall, stopping just inside the doorway. “What are you doing here?”

  Collette stood in the doorway holding a handful of white roses. Felix had been lurking around the hospital for a few days now, asking nurses about visitors and visiting hours. He’d found out Collette visited almost every other day, always after dinnertime.

  “I’ve been waiting for you, Collette.” Felix could feel the anger in him swelling, that restlessness trying his already shortened patience. He wanted to throttle Collette and drag the answer he was searching for out of her. But this operation called for a gentler hand. He had to play by Collette’s rules, which meant he had to be ruthless. Callous. He had to hit her where she would hurt.

  “What do you want?” She stood frozen in the doorway, fingers white around the stems of her flowers.

  He stared down at the helpless Kevin. “I was overdue for a visit.” He pinned her with his eyes. “Don’t you think?”

  She swallowed visibly and glanced behind her, but Felix already knew there would be no one she could call. The one good thing about the extravagant care they were giving Kevin was the privacy factor. The nurse on duty wouldn’t be checking in on this floor for another twenty-eight minutes.

  He ran his hand along the edge of Kevin’s bed. “Tell me, Collette, do you still feel Kevin? Is the bond between you still there? Would you be able to tell if he died?”

  She licked her lips and lifted her chin stubbornly, but he’d already seen the flash of fear in her eyes. “You can’t threaten me with him,” she lied boldly.

  He fingered the cord clipped to Kevin’s finger to monitor his heartbeat. “Because you don’t think you love him.” He dropped the cord and waved his hand carelessly. “But you do.”

  The heart-rate monitor vanished along with the cord and the finger clip.

  Collette stopped breathing momentarily.

  Felix could feel the anger burning through his eyes. “Where’s Cali?”

  “I don’t know,” she said smoothly. Too smoothly.

  He gave a tense smile, saw the color drain from her face. “You’re lying.” He flicked his hand, and the IV connected to Kevin’s arm disappeared. “How long do you think he can last without that? Or without that?” He looked pointedly to the life support on the other side of the bed.

  Collette’s whole body was shaking.

  He took two steps to the end of the bed and then paced back up. “Do you remember me telling you I had no idea where things went when I Erased them?” He spared a fleeting glance at her. “What do you think would happen if I Erased Kevin?” He stopped his pacing to give her a questioning look. “I know you still feel the bond between you. It wasn’t severed completely when I knocked him out, but what would happen if he died? What would happen to you? Just think, whatever it is you feel connecting him to you, gone.” He shrugged. “He might live. I’ve never Erased a person before. You could tell me whether he lives or dies once he vanishes. You can put to rest the one question I’ve been plagued with for years.”

  Collette finally found her voice. “You wouldn’t.”

  Fury took root in his gut and spread like a deadly virus through his blood stream. He held his hand out above Kevin’s chest. “Where’s Vander holding Cali?” He didn’t recognize his own voice, but he was beyond caring.

  It looked as if it took everything Collette had to stay where she was. “She can rot in hell for all I care — No!”

  Felix waved his hand.

  Collette dove across the room to cover Kevin’s body with her own. Felix stared down at her with dead eyes.

  She stared up at him with a mixture of horror and hate, her eyes rimmed with red. “You’ve always accused me of being capable of horrible deeds,” he whispered to her as he knelt. “How does it feel to be the one to bring it out of me?”

  Her hold tightened around Kevin’s thin shoulders.

  “Where. Is. Cali?”

  A tear leaked from her eye, but she didn’t release her hold on her Mirror Mate. She glared for all she was worth and finally in a broken voice said, “She’s being kept at Vander’s home.”

  He stood and pulled out his phone. “What’s the address?”

  She rattled it off. He started to make his way to the door when her voice followed him, threatening. “You better watch that you don’t bring my wrath down upon you.”

  He turned on his heel and made it to the bed in two easy strides. He dropped down so he could stare into her face, close enough he could see the flecks of gray and blue swirling together in her eyes. “No, Collette,” he hissed softly. “It’s you that should watch out so you don’t bring my wrath down upon yourself.”

  • • •

  The bread was stale when Cali bit into it. She had no idea how long it had been sitting out, or how long she’d been unconscious. All she knew was that when she woke up she was blessedly alone. There had been food next to her bed, and she’d eaten as much as she could. She felt better after she finished eating.

  She experimentally got to her feet. Her legs shook slightly, but she was able to hold herself up. She wasn’t back to full health by any means, but she had enough strength to try another escape. She made her way over to the door and leaned her ear close to it. She inhaled deeply and felt the familiar prickling at the back of her neck. She reached out carefully with her powers, searching for any sound throughout the house, but she couldn’t stretch her powers very far. A headache was already making itself known, and she needed as few distractions as possible. She’d just have to take it on blind faith she wouldn’t run into anyone.

  The door was unlocked.

  She peeked out into the hall and, like everything inside her room, everything she saw in the hall was made of wood: the floor, the banister directly across from her room, the walls, and even the decorative tables that lined the hallway. Sconces in the shape of faux candles were the only light besides the few rays of sunlight that spilled in through the half moon window facing her. She crept out to the banister to scope out the bottom floor. The thick curtains did a good job of blotting out a majority of the light, but a few stubborn rays pierced through, adding a hallowed feel.

  There wasn’t a soul in sight.

  Where was Vander?

  She closed the door to her room so that if anyone walked by they wou
ldn’t know she was missing. Over the banister, she kept an eye out for any movement and her ears open for any sounds. She was tempted to open some of the closed doors she passed on her way to the stairs, but the risk of running into Vander was too high.

  The stairway was lined with original eighteenth century oil paintings that looked to be framed in pure gold. Cali stood there in astonishment before slowly making her way down step by step. The paintings got older the farther down she went, but halfway down was when she heard the footsteps.

  She turned and tripped, falling hard on one of her knees and hissing silently in pain. She scrambled the rest of the way up the stairs and barely made it when Vander appeared from a room on the right. He looked tired as he ran a hand down his face. He passed the stairs and Cali exhaled in relief. He went through a doorless threshold and disappeared from sight.

  She strained her ears to hear where he’d gone. There was a creak from a door, a brief moment of silence, and then the soft clip of a door being closed.

  Cali didn’t waste any more time. She took the stairs down two at a time, nearly jumping down the last four. The landing jarred her knee, which was already throbbing from her fall. She nearly lost her footing as a wave of dizziness hit her. She was pushing her body too hard, too fast, but it was better than the alternative. Being stuck here.

  When she reached the solid mass of wood that posed as the front door she cursed. There, mounted on the wall next to it, was a keypad.

  Son of a bitch.

  She could try messing with the pin and risk sounding an alarm, or she could check for other exits.

  She went with the second option and followed Vander’s path through the arched threshold. It opened up into a formal dining room. Straight ahead was a door in the corner, a brilliant white beacon in a home of despair. Vander must have disappeared through there.

  Did the door lead to a garage? Was this her only way out?

  There were more rooms branching off from the dining room but she didn’t see any backdoors. If she followed Vander she’d be able to study what he was doing and gauge how much time she’d have to look for an alternate escape.