Requiem: A Montague & Strong Detective Novel (Montague & Strong Case Files Book 13)

by Orlando A. Sanchez

  “Yes,” she said. “What do you want?”

  “Shadow Company is finished as of tonight,” I said. “I’m going to end them. Douglas said you belonged to another agency; I suggest you forget Douglas and Shadow Company and either retire or go back to your previous agency.”

  “Sounds like…sounds like a solid plan,” she said. “You’re going to let me go?”

  “I am, but understand me. If you come after me again…” I materialized Ebonsoul, and that caused her to lose all pretense, the fear clear on her face. “I will kill you without thinking twice. We clear?”

  “Crystal,” Feelds said with a slight tremble in her voice. “Can you call off your demondog?”

  “Let her go, boy,” I said. “She’s going to behave.”

  Peaches stepped off her chest and Feelds got quickly to her feet. She stood still for a moment looking at us, and I wondered if she was considering throwing her life away by attacking. She shook her head and ran off the roof.

  I looked through the scope again and saw that Douglas and Carlos were gone. Monty still lay on the ground near the Duezy. I scanned up West Broadway and saw the devastation. Most of the street two blocks away was gone. The facade of the TINY was obliterated. Beyond that I could see first responders on their way.

 

 

  Peaches looked over the edge of the roof.

 

 

  I didn’t get to finish before my hellhound blinked us out. We reappeared next to Monty. He was still face down, and I dreaded turning him over.

  “Monty?” I said, reaching to turn him on his back. My hand passed through his body. “What the hell?”

  “Over here, Simon,” Monty called out from inside the Duezy. His face was pale and he spoke with a grimace. “That was…was an excellent shot. Thank you for not removing my head. I’m afraid I underestimated the force of the round. It appears I’m bleeding out.”

  “Shit, Monty!” I yelled, applying pressure to his wound. “I don’t know a healing finger wiggle!”

  “Ha…Haven,” he managed with effort. “Take…take Balfour, too. Can’t leave him here.”

  “He wants to kill me,” I argued. “It’s clear you’ve lost too much blood.”

  “We need him…need to take with us…take with us to Haven.”

  “There’s no one at Haven,” I said my voice grim. “Douglas gave the order…they’re all dead.”

  “No. I activated the Transporter as soon as you took the shot. Roxanne is still there, she’s in my room. Shadow Company sorcerers still there.”

  “How could you possibly know that? Haven is across town.”

  “Bond. Created a bond to monitor,” Monty said and coughed up blood. “We need to get to her before it’s too late. Before they kill her.”

  “We won’t all fit in the Duezy,” I said, looking around for a solution. “We don’t have time for two trips.”

  “Use…use your creature,”Monty said. “He can do it.”

  The next moment, Monty’s head fell back as he lost consciousness. I stepped away from the Duezy and crouched down next to Peaches.

 

 

 

  Peaches hunched down and let out a low rumble, followed by a eardrum-shattering bark. The next second they were gone. I jumped into the Duezy, started the engine and floored the gas.

  THIRTY

  I made it to Haven in record time.

  I parked the Duezy in front of Haven and got out. Douglas’ words came back to me: Imagine how many sorcerers it would take to wipe out the entire facility. I have twice that amount in there.

  I wasn’t going to take any chances.

  I pulled out the crow’s feather and held it in my hand as I whispered, “Ignisvitae.” The feather disintegrated in a violet flame. A second later, a presence of cold fear gripped me.

  “Marked of Kali,” Badb said from behind me. “I am here.”

  It took all I had not to run away from her screaming. I took a few deep breaths, stomped down on the irrational fear attempting to take over my mind, and turned.

  “Thank you for coming,” I said, measuring my words. “Monty, Roxanne, and Magnus are on the top floor. The rest of the place is empty except for the Shadow Company sorcerers, I think.”

  Badb closed her eyes for a second and smiled.

  In that moment, I knew true fear. This was the kind of fear that rooted you to the spot while death came and snuffed you out. She turned away from me and headed for the entrance.

  “Marked of Kali,” Badb said as she approached the entrance, shattering all of the glass in the lobby. “Do not cross my path.”

  The black nimbus of energy spread out from her as she walked in. A few seconds later I heard the first screams. I stepped in and took the elevator to the top floor. Monty’s room was in restricted access, two levels above me. I ran for the stairwell and blasted the door with Grim Whisper.

  Nothing happened.

  I holstered my gun and formed Ebonsoul, black and red energy radiated out from my blade. I jammed the blade into the door jamb, then took a step back and slammed the door hard with my shoulder. The door exploded open. I ran up the two flights and shoved hard against the door. This one opened easily and I slid into the corridor. It was empty and I moved fast, taking the corner at speed until I slid to a stop.

  Right behind a group of three sorcerers.

  I looked down the corridor and saw Elias Paul Bunyan blocking the space in front of Monty’s door. He was barely standing; and bruises covered his face and arms. He had one vicious cut over an eye that bled freely, and the other eye had been swollen shut. One of his legs looked like it had been barbecued—the skin was an exposed, angry red.

  “Step aside, Elias,” one of the sorcerers said. “This has nothing to do with you.”

  “Layton, you plan on killing someone I swore to protect,” Elias answered, his voice grim. “I’d say it has everything to do with me.”

  Elias formed two large orbs of black energy.

  “You should’ve joined Shadow Company when you had the chance,” Layton said, forming a nasty black and red orb. “It’s too late now.”

  “Shadow Company is no longer hiring,” I said, absorbing Ebonsoul and drawing Grim Whisper before opening fire. “I’m closing them down.”

  I dove around the corner, avoiding the barrage of orbs they sent my way.

  “Who the hell was that?” one of the sorcerers asked.

  “Doesn’t matter. He dies, too,” Layton said. “Kill him. I’ll take care of Elias.”

  A scream filled the corridor a second later, followed by two sets of footsteps. I hoped the scream wasn’t Elias, but the odds were against him. I ducked into the nearest stairwell and closed my eyes, focusing my energy into Ebonsoul, hoping this would work; if not, I was about to get pummeled silly by sorcerous orbs of death.

  When I opened my eyes, my body was covered in a tight violet shield. I hoped it held as I stepped out of the stairwell and around the corner, opening fire with Grim Whisper. I caught one of the sorcerers by surprise, dropping him. The second one had better reflexes and threw up a shield while unleashing another barrage of orbs at me.

  I ran forward, slashing through the barrage with Ebonsoul as I closed the distance. He tried to backpedal, but it was too late—I had too much momentum, and slammed into him, blade first.

  I buried Ebonsoul into his chest and felt the siphon of energy a second later. It ripped the air from my lungs and nearly brought me to my knees. I staggered back and leaned against the wall.

  “What the hell?” I murm
ured to myself as I absorbed Ebonsoul. “That wasn’t like last time. Definitely higher on the creepy meter.”

  I turned the corner, leading with Grim Whisper.

  Layton lay on the floor…well, what was left of him. Elias had shredded most of Layton into a bloody smear. He didn’t look much better as he sat against a wall near Monty’s door.

  “You look like shit,” I said, crouching down to help him up. He groaned in pain as he stood shakily. “What the hell happened?”

  “Turns out they were confused,” Elias said, followed by a grunt as I propped him up against the wall. “I merely brought them clarity of thought.”

  I glanced over at what was left of Layton.

  “Remind me to never get confused around you.”

  Elias tried to laugh and ended up coughing up blood.

  “That isn’t good,” he said, looking at the blood. “You may as well leave me here. It’s not like I can face any more of them in this condition.”

  “You don’t have to,” I said. “I brought backup.”

  “You brought backup?” Elias asked, gripping my arm with a iron grip. “You’re not even a mage. How could you bring backup?”

  “I know people. Scary people in very scary places,” I said. “Now stop talking.”

  He nodded and rested his head back against the wall, closing his eyes.

  I pounded on the door.

  “It’s me,” I yelled, glancing behind me. “Open up!”

  The last thing I wanted was to be in the corridor when Badb’s black nimbus of energy filled it. The door opened a second later, and we stumbled in. I made sure to keep Elias from falling as I took in the scene. He swayed unsteadily as I held him up.

  Roxanne was covered in blood and for a second I thought she had been wounded. I saw Monty in the large industrial bed, and two more, smaller beds next to Monty’s. One held Magnus, who looked worse than Monty, the other bed was empty.

  I stood there in shock for a few seconds.

  “Put him over there,” Roxanne snapped, bringing me out of my shock. “Simon, move, now.”

  I placed Elias in the empty bed and stepped back. Roxanne gestured and Elias was immediately covered in a cocoon of red energy.

  “Why are you still here?” I asked. “You were supposed to have been shifted.”

  “I was in my office when it happened,” Roxanne answered. “By the time I realized what had occurred, we were under attack. Elias and a handful of others managed to hold them off while we made our way in here.”

  “They’re not going to be an issue for much longer,” I said, glancing at the door. “I don’t recommend going out there, though.”

  “There may be others who need help,” Roxanne protested. “I have to do a sweep of the floors to check.”

  “You may want to wait,” I said, my voice serious. “Badb is out there and she’s not exactly what I would call friendly right now.”

  “Badb? Badb Catha?” Roxanne asked. “You summoned Badb Catha? Are you mad? This facility is full of people.”

  I pointed at Monty.

  “Not at the moment,” Monty said, getting slowly out of bed. “They’ve been temporarily shifted away.”

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Roxanne demanded. “You’re in no condition to move, much less leave Haven.”

  “We need to go, and she’s going to help,” Monty said, making no sense. “Simon and I need to finish this.”

  “Who’s going to help?” Roxanne asked exasperated. “What are you going on about?”

  “Haven is empty,” Monty said. “But you need to remain in this room, at least until we return.”

  “I know that’s what you said, but it’s impossible,” Roxanne said. “Not even Dex could teleport the entire facility.”

  There was a soft knock at the door.

  “I’d open that, if I were you,” I said, quietly. “I doubt its one of the sorcerers.”

  Roxanne gestured with a hand and the door clicked ajar. It was gently pushed open the rest of the way, and Badb stepped in. She stepped over to Monty and rested a hand on his chest.

  Black tendrils shot out from her hand and entered Monty’s wound. He gasped with pain and grimaced as the wound healed. A few seconds later, he was completely healed. She moved over to the bed where Magnus lay and did the same thing.

  Magnus shot up in the bed a moment later.

  “You,” Magnus said, looking at Monty and gathering energy. “You will pay for this.”

  “He just saved your life,” I said, turning to Monty. “Maybe we should have left him on the street?”

  “He attacked me,” Magnus accused. “He will die.”

  “He saved you,” I said. “You were targeted by Shadow Company. They were going to retire you, permanently. If it wasn’t for Monty—”

  “And Simon, you’d be deceased,” Monty finished. “Your driver, Rott, betrayed you.”

  “Impossible,” Magnus scoffed. “He was my kind, a dragon.”

  “No, actually, he wasn’t,” I corrected. “He was Shadow Company. Slif killed his daughter and he wanted to make you pay for that.”

  “I cannot let this attack go unanswered,” Magnus said, finally. “You two have just forfeited your lives.”

  “All that power and still so dense,” I said, moving back. “Is that your final answer? We need to die?”

  “You attacked the leader of an enclave, you nearly killed me, and you expect me to what? Forgive and forget?”

  Badb Catha stepped closer to Magnus.

  “You will seek retribution against the Marked of Kali and Mage Montague?” she asked. “Are you certain?”

  “The marked of who?” Magnus asked, confused. “It doesn’t matter. Do you know who I am? I am Magnus M. Balfour, leader of the Balfour Enclave and these…these scum dared to lay a hand on me. I will eliminate you, everyone you know, and everyone they know. My wrath will be absolute.”

  “Will you not turn away from this path?” Badb asked with a small smile. “Will you extend these two clemency?”

  “Never,” Magnus seethed. “Their destruction will become my purpose. I will see them reduced to dust.”

  “That is some grudge,” I said under my breath. “Don’t say you weren’t given a chance.”

  Magnus gestured, ready to unleash some death spell in our direction. Badb Catha placed a hand on his cheek and all magic fled the room in an instant. One of Magnus’ eyes clouded over into a milky white, and then he sagged back into his bed.

  “Know that you still live because of the mercy extended to you by Mage Montague and the Marked of Kali,” Badb said, moving away. “You will not have access to your magical ability, and I have taken the sight from one eye to allow you a constant reminder of your blindness to see reason.”

  “Who…who are you?” Magnus asked, fear lacing his words. “What are you?”

  “I am war, violence, carnage, and rage. I am the one who will return to rip your life from your body should you seek to threaten them or any they hold dear. I am the last face you will see before you die. I am Death. I am Badb Catha. Remember my words.”

  Badb waved a hand and Magnus disappeared.

  “Did you?” I asked. “You didn’t?”

  “Our terms were clear,” Badb said. “Persuade, but not kill. I would think he is sufficiently persuaded, yes?”

  “Yes, but where did you send him?”

  “I have sent him home to nurse his wounded pride. His ability will return in a few centuries. Long enough to teach him some humility.”

  “Or really, really piss him off.”

  “Perhaps. We will see what, if anything, he learns over that time.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Do not thank me,” she said with a smile that chilled my blood. “We have…terms, Marked of Kali. I will call on you both, soon.”

  Badb Catha disappeared a moment later, leaving the room hovering around arctic temperatures. I exhaled and saw my breath.

  “I still need to stop Shadow Compa
ny,” I said. “They got away after everything with Magnus. Douglas managed to get injected with dragon blood.”

  “Dragon blood?” Roxanne asked. “He’s going to kill himself?”

  “He thinks it’s going to give him power to fix what he sees is wrong with the world. Basically, he’s a megalomaniacal xenophobe. For once, just once, I’d like to face an enemy that believes all humanity should be forced to drink coffee. I can deal with that kind of insane. Not, ‘Let’s wipe out everything that isn’t human,’ off-the-deep-end psychosis.”

  “The dragon’s blood won’t kill him,” Monty said. “Not immediately.”

  “He’s right,” Roxanne said. “It will give him power and access to energy manipulation, and then it will kill him.”

  “How long before he becomes a memory?”

  “Hard to say,” Roxanne said. “It depends on his physiology, whether he has a propensity for magic. It could be days, years, decades, or centuries. Dragon’s blood can extend his life if he refrains from using the power it gives him. There’s no real way of telling. Surprisingly there aren’t many candidates willing to take the chance of having dragon’s blood injected into their body.”

  “Centuries? I can’t wait that long,” I said. “Douglas isn’t going to refrain from using power. He’s going to wipe out anyone or anything that isn’t human.”

  “Do you know where he is?” Roxanne asked. “Your hellhound needs rest. You can’t have him search for this Douglas. He barely made it here with Tristan and that dragon. It seems like he made too many concurrent jumps.”

  “Will he be okay?” I asked, suddenly concerned about my hellhound. “The last jump was extreme.”

  “Nothing a large bowl of sausage can’t cure,” Roxanne said, glancing at my hellhound. Peaches’ ears perked up at the mention of sausage, but he didn’t move. “He’ll be fine.”

  “I know where we can find out,” Monty said after a few moments. “If she’s still alive.”

  “Who?”

  “The Auer.”

  THIRTY-ONE

  Monty formed a teleportation circle while I rubbed Peaches’ belly.