Nation of the Sun (The Ancient Souls Series Book 1)

by HR Moore

  Raina's heart thundered. She couldn't believe this was happening. She couldn't believe Jamie would do this. Raina ran across the room, calling out her name.

  The guards moved to block her. She floored them without effort, dropping to her knees when she reached the terrified little girl.

  'Callie,' she said, pulling her in. The adorable little girl who'd lived next door. Her flower girl. The only child with whom she'd ever felt a connection. Raina held her close, and Callie's arms closed, vicelike, around her.

  Raina gently pulled back, looking into her eyes, which were … 'Are you …?'

  'Demon,' Callie whispered, tears streaming down her face.

  'Have they hurt you?'

  Callie shook her head. 'No. But they won't let me leave my room. I want Nana.'

  Raina pulled her in for another hug. 'It's okay. I'm here now,' she said, stroking Callie's hair.

  Jamie was suddenly behind them. 'The most perfect reunion, don't you think? Mother and long-lost child, together at last.'

  'What?' whispered Raina.

  'Our baby was almost at term when you died. She was a demon. Demons reincarnate. So here we all are: one big happy family.'

  Shock hit Raina like a wave, suffocating her. Her daughter?

  Emotions flooded her: rage, regret, longing, love. She felt like someone had reached into her chest and taken hold of her heart.

  She took a breath, blinking away tears, feeling the gaze of every person in the room upon her. Her heart raced, urging her to grab Callie and run, to fight their way out. But her head knew that was folly; there were too many Templars, and Callie didn't know how to fight.

  'How many lifetimes have you had?' asked Raina, stroking Callie's back.

  'This is my third,' whispered Callie, still clutching Raina. 'The first was okay, but I died of a disease when I was ten. I was the eighth child of a family with twelve kids, and we all had to work in a factory.

  'The second life was horrible. I was four when I woke up. I kept talking about my previous life and everyone thought I was mad. They gave me electric shocks. I'm not sure what happened, but somehow, I died.'

  Tears rolled down her cheeks. Raina brushed them away.

  'And now I'm here. These people keep saying I'm a demon, but I don't really understand. I just want to go home.' Callie burrowed into Raina's shoulder, her body shaking.

  They'd been together, for one brief moment, Caspar and Callie and Raina. How could the world be so cruel? How had they not realized … how had Caspar not recognized what Callie was …?

  'When did she wake?' asked Raina.

  'A week or so ago,' said Jamie. 'A friendly hunter sold us the lead. He thought this one would be of particular interest, given that she has your eyes.'

  Raina gasped … it was true.

  'It seems as though Caspar put the hunter onto her,' Jamie went on, 'so I guess we should thank him. And Dean helped too; he made the introduction. It's poetic, don't you think? All the men in your life working together to make you happy.'

  Chapter 25

  Rose sat at her desk, poring over every intelligence report they had on Jamie, going back lifetimes. It didn't make sense. He'd always put Raina on a pedestal, had worshiped the ground she'd walked on, had professed his love for her. Why the sudden, hostile, demanding shift?

  Caspar came hurtling in, not bothering to knock. 'I know what Jamie has on Raina.'

  Rose's heart gave a leap; knowledge was power, after all.

  'He has our daughter.'

  'What?' Rose stared at him, blank-faced. 'How?'

  'That little girl we put a hunter on … the one I met at Amari and Dean's house? It's her.'

  Dread dripped through Rose's veins. There was no move they could make. No wonder Jamie had been so bold.

  'Then he has her. Hook, line, and sinker,' said Rose, rubbing a hand across her face. 'There's nothing we can do; she's not coming back.'

  'We have to get them out.'

  Rose gave a small laugh. 'You're suggesting we go into the heart of Templar territory, and steal Jamie's most prized possessions? One of whom is a little girl?'

  'Then we lure them out.'

  'Jamie would never be so stupid as to bring them out in the open, especially not together. Certainly nowhere we could get to them.'

  'Then what do we do?'

  'We sit and wait,' said Rose, folding her hands on the desk. 'You know as well as I do, the only viable path is to do nothing. Raina will find a way to communicate with us eventually. She's behind enemy lines. She's the one who must gather intelligence, identify their weaknesses, and come up with a plan to escape.'

  Caspar buried his face in his hands. 'I've got to do something.'

  Rose's features set hard. If there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was old demons acting like kids.

  'Then help me scour the intelligence reports. Help me recruit informants. Help me map out Templar movements and hold meetings with other nations. Help me by spreading what we know about the Slayers and Templars working together. Help me find out what Janet's doing at the Registerium. There's no shortage of work.'

  Caspar sat, then immediately stood, wincing at the pain from the dagger wound. 'Fine, you're right. But I need to punch something first.'

  'Might I suggest sparing with Jon? He could do with being punched.'

  Rose's words pierced a tiny hole in his frustration. He gave a small, knowing smile. 'Teenagers …' he said.

  'Be careful of that shoulder. And Caspar,' said Rose, as he walked to the door. 'Remember Raina's the very best we have. If anyone can find a way out, it's her.'

  Raina cradled Callie in her lap. Callie clung to her like a limpet.

  'They brought another girl to play with me, but she didn't want to play. She was mean.'

  'She's a little older than you, that's all,' said Jamie.

  Raina scowled at Jamie, but didn't say anything. Trying to get an old demon, who happened to be inside a kid's body, to play with someone who'd never made it past the age of ten, was ludicrous.

  'Jamie, she's scared.'

  'I'm not very good with kids,' he said, shrugging. 'Not like I've had any experience.'

  A statement true of most demons.

  Raina had told Jamie to send his guests home. She'd said they had no right to witness their reunion as a family. Jamie had perked up at the word family, obviously assuming he was included too.

  Now only the three of them remained, along with a couple of demons by the door, out of earshot. Raina and Callie sat on the loveseat, while Jamie paced nearby.

  'What's your plan?' Raina asked Jamie, stroking Callie's hair. 'How do you see this working?'

  'You'll both stay here with me, of course. We'll be a proper family, the likes of which most demons never are.'

  'Here? In this apartment?' said Raina.

  'Yes. This is my home.'

  'She'll need space for toys, and to learn.'

  'Of course. We can change one of the bedrooms into a playroom.'

  'What about school?'

  Jamie laughed. 'She's not going to school; it's too dangerous. But we can find a tutor to come and teach here.'

  'What about friends? People her own age?'

  'She doesn't need them,' said Jamie. 'She's got her family. That's all she needs.'

  'No,' said Raina, firmly. 'Our daughter needs friends. She needs people she can run around with and make forts with. She needs to be a kid.'

  'But she's not a kid! She's had two lives already.'

  'Short, gruesome lives, where she experienced nothing but hardship and torture. She's still a child.'

  'Okay, fine. What do you suggest?'

  'I don't know. Maybe there are afterschool activities she could join. Or classes for homeschooled kids we could take her to.'

  'I guess that could work,' said Jamie. 'But no play dates here, or at other people's houses. It would be too easy for our enemies to target you. She can only go to neutral, third-party sites. And our security team have to check the
m out first.'

  'Okay,' said Raina. 'She's going to need demon education as well. We need the best tutors—in everything—even if we have to travel.'

  'Out of the question. It's too dangerous.'

  'Jamie, we are going to provide our daughter with the best possible education. If that means we have to travel, find a way. I will not keep her cooped up in New York for all time.'

  Jamie looked fondly at Raina. 'Okay, if you insist. We can work out what she needs and go from there.'

  'Thank you,' said Raina.

  'And, of course, you'll need to change nations. Our daughter must have a proper Templar family. Callie's already been registered.'

  'I didn't see a public notice for anyone called Callie,' said Raina, confused. 'What's your demon name?'

  'I don't like my other names. I want to be called Callie.'

  'The Registerium agreed to hold off on the announcement until I'd delivered the news to you in person,' said Jamie.

  'That's unprecedented,' said Raina.

  'So is our situation,' Jamie said with a smile.

  It wasn't, but no good would come from arguing.

  Raina put Callie to bed in the huge double bedroom Jamie had given her, right next to his room. There were virtually no toys, only antiques and beautiful fabrics. That would need to change.

  Callie's head was in Raina's lap. Her hands clutched the fabric of Raina's dress, her knuckles white.

  'It's all going to be okay,' said Raina, running her hand across Callie's back in soothing strokes.

  'They … they …' Callie broke down. Her tears soaked Raina's dress.

  'Shhh,' said Raina, 'it's going to be okay now. I'm here.'

  'They killed my Nana,' Callie choked.

  Raina went still. 'What makes you think that?'

  Callie lifted her head and looked Raina straight in the eye, tears streaming down her face. 'I saw it. They came to our house and took me. Nana tried to stop them … they … they had a knife …'

  Raina pulled Callie onto her lap. Callie rested her head on Raina's shoulder, her little body shaking with grief.

  'It's all going to be okay. No one will hurt you now.'

  Rage boiled white hot in Raina's gut. She might have to bide her time, to gather allies, to plan. But that was her forte: strategy. Jamie had won the first battle, but Raina knew how to win wars.

  Callie finally slept. Raina stroked her hair, even after Callie's breathing became light and even. She still couldn't believe her little girl was right here … after everything she and Caspar had gone through.

  She eventually pulled herself away, going back to the living room, now occupied by Jamie, Tamsin, and Dean. She curled up inside.

  'Ah, darling,' said Jamie, beckoning her to him, putting his hand on her back.

  Raina fought the urge to shrug him off, but caught the daggers Tamsin threw her way; it made the contact a little easier to bear.

  'We were just discussing what to do with Dean.'

  'What do you mean?' said Raina. 'He's nobody. Throw him out on the street and never think of him again.'

  'He knows too much for that,' said Jamie, rubbing circles on her back.

  'He knows nothing,' said Raina. 'Look at him; he's scared half to death.'

  'He's my brother,' said Tamsin. 'I should decide.'

  Dean looked relieved, until Tamsin pulled out a knife.

  'Jade,' Dean said, 'what are you doing?'

  Tamsin advanced towards him.

  'Jade, stop joking around. I'm not going to say anything to anyone. I don't even understand what's going on.'

  'You've always been a patronizing pain in my ass. I'm tired of it,' said Tamsin.

  'You're going to let her do this?' Raina asked Jamie.

  He didn't reply, watching Tamsin instead.

  'Oh, please,' Tamsin said to her. 'I'd be doing Jamie a favor. My brother obviously still has feelings for you. And if I'm not much mistaken, you have feelings for him too.'

  'I've heard enough,' said Dean, puffing himself up to his full height. 'Jade, I don't know what the hell is going on here … what Amari's got you into … but I will come back for you.' He turned and strode for the exit.

  They let him get all the way to the steps, let his confidence in escape grow, before one of Jamie's guards appeared. With a small incline of Jamie's head, the guard stepped into Dean's path.

  Dean laughed, still not comprehending the danger he was in. 'I'm going to sue you people for everything you've got. When I'm done with you …'

  The guard sprang forward, and a loud, sickening crack reverberated around the room. Dean went down, clutching the arm now hanging limp by his side.

  'Bring him here,' said Tamsin, the picture of calm.

  The guard immediately obeyed, forcing Dean to his knees in front of Tamsin.

  'I think we've all had enough of you, brother.'

  'Oh, I see,' said Raina, smiling a wicked smile.

  She stepped toward Tamsin, out of Jamie's grasp. She no longer loved Dean, but she had, as Amari. She owed it to him to at least try …

  'You think by eliminating Dean, Jamie's going to see what you're made of, and choose you over me? Or maybe you're jealous, and want to take your anger at me out on your brother. You know you can't fight me and win, so you're going to kill an innocent human instead.'

  Tamsin turned slowly to face Raina. 'You are irrelevant to me,' she said.

  'Young demons are so disappointingly transparent, don't you think, Jamie?' said Raina.

  Jamie smirked. 'That they are, my dear. But sometimes they're diverting.'

  'You find this diverting?' said Raina. 'You haven't seen enough pointless executions for them all to blend together into a tedious mass?'

  'Execution?' Dean rasped.

  The word finally woke him to the gravity of his situation. He cast wildly around for an escape, but the guard's grip was firm.

  Tamsin chuckled. 'There's the reaction I wanted to see.'

  'Some stand out,' said Jamie. 'I think this'll be one of them.'

  Bitter cold swept through Raina; there was nothing she could do. Callie was her priority, and trying to save Dean would not only result in failure, but jeopardize her chances of escape.

  She looked at Dean one final time, then flicked her gaze to Jamie, her eyes full of scorn. 'Do what you want, but I'm bored; I'm going to bed.'

  She made it five paces before she heard the knife go in, the suction as it came out, the thud of something heavy hitting the floor. She halted, closed her eyes, then resumed, making a point of not looking back. She couldn't show weakness; Callie was all that mattered now.

  Caspar lay in Raina's bed in Cloister Cottage. The sheets had long since been changed, all trace of her gone, but he could still see her next to him if he closed his eyes.

  The first rays of sunlight punctured the room, casting in shadow the towering London skyscrapers beyond. It was the middle of the night in New York. Was Raina asleep? Had she seen their daughter? Was she in bed with Jamie …?

  Caspar had unwittingly led the Templars right to Callie … his daughter. Did Raina know that? Did she hate him for it?

  A sudden impact hit Caspar in the chest, winding him, panic crashing over him. What the hell?

  He was being crushed, the pressure intensifying, the air and his life being squeezed from his lungs. And then, a surge of … something else, pulling the pressure wave that pinned him back to sea. A voice followed—Raina's voice—inside his head.

  I'm okay. I'm with our daughter. I love you.

  The words repeated, again and again, growing louder, then gradually fading away.

  Caspar tried to hold onto the sound, willed it to come back. He concentrated on listening as hard as he could. He tried to send magic after it, to let Raina know he'd received her message, that he loved her too. But his grasp of magic was a pathetic thing, useless and inadequate.

  He hoped that somehow, she knew.

  Two days later, Raina sat in a park near Jamie's house, watching
Callie play. She couldn't help but smile as her daughter chased the other kids, and was chased in return. This was all she'd wanted, for lifetimes. She had to remind herself of that as she mourned her loss of Caspar.

  At least the sending had worked. Her magic was rusty at best, and even that small use had left her drained, but it had worked.

  Jamie sat beside her, handing her a coffee.

  'There are things we should discuss,' he said.

  'Like what?' asked Raina, her tone neutral, conveying none of the hate she felt towards him.

  'Like how we solidify our family by your joining the Templars. You never know … maybe we could have more kids.'

  Raina nearly threw her coffee at him. The thought made her skin crawl.

  'What about Tamsin?'

  Jamie laughed. 'She's a natural Templar; awoke just in time. So strange, the Powers That Be, putting you all together.'

  'What could possibly make you think I'd have a relationship with you, while you're screwing her, and who knows who else? And if I become a Templar …'

  '… when you become a Templar,' said Jamie.

  'You'll promise not to go to war?'

  'For the time being.'

  'I'm a Pagan. I always have been. Forcing my hand isn't an act of love.'

  'It's an act of love from you, for our family.' He turned to face her, agitated, his façade finally coming down, casting light on the vulnerable man beneath. 'Are you loyal to me? You told me, in the last life, that you loved me … wanted me. That you just needed time to move on from Caspar.'

  'Do you love me?' said Raina. 'From the way you draped Tamsin across your lap, it would seem not. I thought we had something meaningful, exclusive. And now, what am I supposed to think? That you want me to be one of many women?'

  'I wanted you to join in,' he said, with a smirk.

  'Jamie.'

  'Okay,' he said, facing forward, his eyes tracking Callie. 'No other women, unless you tell me I can.'

  Raina huffed out a disbelieving breath. 'You think it's going to be that easy? I need proof before anything happens between us.'