Authors: Casey Wyatt
In total, Luca had two younger brothers, Dylon and Gaven. They were virtually identical, both with stunning red hair and green eyes, although they assured me they were two years apart. And he had one baby sister, Teagan. She was blond haired, blue eyed, and gorgeous. I’d imagine anyone man who got too close to her would get beaten.
One person who was absent was Luca’s father. The proverbial elephant in the room, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was an underlying tension between them all. But I couldn’t bring myself to ask. What if he’d died? Or left the family? One never knew, and I could sense Luca was at his breaking point. I’d seen him face down a Jiang Shi without a lick of fear, but being around his family seemed to unsettle his sense of balance.
“So how long are you planning to stay?” Teagan asked, pouring me a glass of white wine.
Lunch was chicken leek pot pie covered with a flaky crust and delicious Welsh cheese. I had to stop myself after two servings. I didn’t have an
Alkhari
metabolism and didn’t want to have to work-out any more than I already did.
“Not long.” Luca checked his phone under the table for the tenth time. I knocked him with the toe of my shoe and made a face. He shrugged and acted like he didn’t know what I meant.
“So were you born into your role as a Redeemer?” Dylan asked. Or maybe it was Gaven.
“No. She wasn’t,” Luca snapped. “Please don’t pester her. You know there are some things we’re not at liberty to discuss.”
Dylan and Gaven exchanged a mischievous glance, which told me that as soon as Luca was out of sight, they’d be peppering me with questions.
The rest of lunch was eaten with no more work-related inquires directed at me. Instead, the men debated the best Rugby team and the state of Welsh politics.
“Who’d like a cup of tea?” Luca’s mother bustled in with a plate of tasty-looking treats. “And I’ve made your favorite Welsh cakes.”
“Thank you, but you didn’t have to go through all the bother for me.”
The brothers burst out laughing. Probably because they knew what would happen next.
Carys narrowed her eyes. “Don’t you dare rob me of my pleasures in life. You are my first-born child. You know what I had to go through to have you.”
Gaven and Dylan made wide, sweeping motions behind her as if playing imaginary violins. Clearly, they’d done this routine before.
She rounded on them. “And don’t think I can’t see you two. Off with you both. You can do the dishes.” She put her hands on her hips and muttered after them, “I don’t know why I have to put up with such ungrateful children.”
“I would love to try a Welsh cake,” I said, holding up my plate, wearing my brightest smile.
Luca mouthed a relieved,
Thank you
.
I nearly swooned when the buttery treat hit my taste buds. “These are fantastic.”
Carys beamed and waved away the compliment. “They’re nothing special. I suspect you’ve had fancier and better elsewhere.”
I was about to protest when Luca’s phone chirped. He flashed his eyes down. His face paled and he stood. “We have to go.” He bent down and kissed his mother’s cheek. “Sorry, Mam, but duty calls.”
She nodded heavily, and I realized she really did understand. Her shoulders were set in a straight line. Resignation was on her face, the body language of a war wife. “Be safe, son. And you, too, my lovely new daughter.”
Luca hugged Teagan and waved goodbye to his brothers, then ushered me out the door.
“Would you mind filling me in?” I hurried to keep pace.
He stopped when we were outside the castle walls and showed me the text from Joanna.
More murders.
Same MO.
Soul Kitchen.
Chapter 14
Generosity provides a solid foundation for mindful practice.
I hustled to my room and gathered my weapons, anxiety cramping my gut. I hoped Gabriel and his ghosts were okay. It sickened me to learn that more innocent mortal lives had been taken.
“I don’t understand,” I said, meeting Luca in the hallway. I shouldered my new weapons bag. “That Jiang Shi is locked up. Could this be a copycat?” Did the supernatural world even experience such a thing?
“Unlikely, but anything’s possible.” Luca, expression grim, opened a portal.
We landed on the street across from Soul Kitchen. From the outside, it looked like nothing had occurred. The same old trash and clutter littered the pavement. But my skin tingled as if static electricity danced over it.
I rubbed my arms, brushing the sensation away. “Where is everyone?” There were no cars and none of the usual miscreants hanging around either.
“Stay alert.” Luca’s gaze roamed around before he opened the door.
I gagged and stumbled back. “No!”
The restaurant was unrecognizable. Tables and chairs were shattered like matchsticks. Broken metal and wooden shards protruded from the walls as if a tornado had rampaged through. Random body parts hung from the debris, squirming with maggots and buzzing flies.
I clutched my stomach and tried to breathe shallowly through my mouth. I tore my gaze off the walls only to be confronted with a worse sight.
The luncheon countertop had been “decorated” with blood and gore. Stark red streaks soiled the formerly white surface.
Luca held me close. “I think that’s writing,” he said, his voice neutral.
I whispered hoarsely, “Please tell me that is not Gabriel.” Even though we’d only met twice, I liked him. He seemed like a good man.
The kitchen door swung open. “Good. You’re here,” Joanna said.
I opened my mouth to ask about Gabriel, when he appeared behind her. There was an ugly gash across the top of his forehand and his arm was in a sling. His clothing was a ragged mess, torn and bloodstained. Overall, he looked like something had dragged him behind a truck.
“Thank God. You’re okay.” I rushed over to him, stopping short of hugging him. “What happened here?”
“I’ll get to that in a moment,” Joanna said. “As you can see, Mr. Cross is fine. He’ll heal.”
Gabriel smiled, then winced. “I’m tougher than I look.” He frowned, gaze taking in the destruction. “All of the souls were unscathed. But it’ll take a while for them to feel safe enough to return.” Anger simmered under the surface of his words.
I couldn’t blame him for feeling that way. Soul Kitchen was supposed to be neutral ground. A safe haven. And something or someone wasn’t abiding by those rules.
I knew what the answer would be, but I had to ask again. “Are you sure that the Jiang Shi is really imprisoned?”
“I verified it myself. In person,” Joanna confirmed, her tone annoyed. Her expression said
, How dare you question me?
“We never did recover the vessel,” Luca said. “Some beings are tethered to physical objects.”
“Do we know whose body parts these are?” I asked. The longer I stood there, the queasier I grew. The stifling air wasn’t helping the smell any. I wasn’t about to run away. I’d owed it to, whoever this was, to stay.
“Not yet. We know they’re human. But based on the condition, they seem . . .” Joanna paused, as if choosing her words.
“Old?” Luca suggested.
“There were no humans here when the attack happened,” Gabriel added.
Joanna pursed her lips and nodded. “When I find out what the writing on the counter says, I’ll text you. In the meantime, you two need to find out what caused this.”
I knew what that meant. I was going to have to touch things. I inhaled and exhaled a few times to clear my head. I didn’t know where to start. Everything was smashed to bits. My attention landed on the countertop. We knew for sure the culprit had touched it. So had a thousand others.
With another fortifying breath, I walked over to the shiny surface and chose a spot near the blood. Without touching the remains, I tapped into my power. Numbness traveled from my palm, through my fingers, and up my arm. A second later, my senses were assaulted with loud shrieks, smashing objects, and rage. Whoever had done this was seriously pissed off.
A never-ending stream of hatred slammed into my brain. I staggered from the force but maintained contact. Luca and Gabriel stepped forward, but I gestured them away with my other hand.
I focused, concentrating on the images before me. The kitchen. Ghosts fled, helter skelter. Wind blasted and smashed tables and chairs. Gabriel emerged from the kitchen like an avenging angel. Blue light emanated from under his skin. Matching colored flames engulfed his hands. He grappled with the intruder. His resistance only angered it further.
Threads of a thought reached me.
Must avenge him
.
How dare they
—?
A white-hot burst exploded against the side of my head. I must have blacked out because when I opened my eyes, Luca’s worried face hung over me. Gabriel, looking equally concerned, stood over his shoulder.
“Are you okay?” Luca held a cloth against my nose.
Warm metallic liquid seeped into my mouth. Blood. My head throbbed like I’d been clubbed with a blunt object. “Maybe.” I pinched the bridge of my nose to stem the bleeding. “Did I hurt myself when I fell?”
Gabriel and Luca exchanged an uneasy look before Luca responded. “Not exactly.”
My eyes widened. “What does that mean?”
“You sprung a nosebleed,” Joanna said. “It means you’re probably empathic. A pity for you.”
“Joanna. Really? That was rude,” Gabriel said, glaring at her.
Luca looked worried and pissed at the same time. He helped me upright and spoke into my ear. “No worries,
annwyl
. It’s not fatal. We will have to work on your control more. That is all.”
“Well, what did you learn?” Joanna tapped her foot.
“This is not the same Jiang Shi.” I dabbed at my nose, happy to see the bleeding had stopped. My stomach rumbled. The lemon craving ignited and my nausea made me queasy. I needed fresh air.
Joanna nodded as if happy that she’d been correct all along.
I headed for the door. If I spent another minute inside, I’d hurl. I yanked the door open, the bright sunshine hurting my eyes.
“Wait!” Gabriel called to me. “You said it’s not the same one. There are more than one of those things?”
“Yup,” I said, before vomiting in the street. Oh yeah, there was another Jiang Shi out there. And if
she
was a volcano, she’d be Krakatoa and Vesuvius rolled into one.
“Better now?” Luca rubbed small circles into my aching back. He’d thoughtfully supplied me with lemon candy drops. While they made the craving go away, sickness roiled my insides. All his mother’s fine Welsh cooking wasted.
“Yeah,” I lied, popping another candy into my mouth. “Should I worry about the empathic thing?”
He took a long time answering. So not good. “I will think upon it.” Translation, he’d be lying awake at night. “You are not the first one. Barriers can be placed in your mind.”
That would suffice for now. We had bigger issues. I took his hand into mine. His face seemed fuller, less gaunt. Like he’d been recharged. That book on the
Alkhari
had been right. I wonder how long Luca would have gone before he collapsed.
“The forehead wrinkle is back.” He caught my gaze and smiled. I smiled back. “That’s better. I have some good news. I have a possible location for Allen Chen.” He tapped his cell phone.
“Ah. The eyes and ears found something.”
“Indeed, they did.”
Chapter 15
You will have a long, adventurous life.
When we arrived at the city museum, I snorted. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Why on earth would he come here?”
Luca shrugged. “Why don’t we go inside and find out.”
We walked up the wide stone stairs for what seemed like ten flights. When we reached the top, my lungs burned. Luca, as usual, hadn’t even broken a sweat. As we passed by the stone sphinxes guarding the entrance, he spoke soft words, then patted the foot.
“Those are your eyes and ears?” I gaped, half expecting the statue to wink at me.
“One of many,” he said, holding the door open for me.
A uniformed guard nodded as we went by. The lobby was filled with lines of noisy school children ready to depart onto the black and yellow buses we’d passed on the street. Every noise, from the squeak of sneakers on the marble floor to the hushed conversations of passing employees, was magnified by the high-domed ceiling’s acoustics.
Luca hustled us out of the lobby and away from the more popular exhibits like the mummies and Greek statues, past the Renaissance paintings, deep into the more neglected displays. The corridors grew more and more quiet. He stopped when we reached the Asian art displays.
I pivoted around, searching the area. My hands were buzzing with energy. I imagined if I unleashed my power here, the sheer number of objects in this room alone would blow my mind apart. The artifacts whispered their stories into my ears as if they had mouths to speak with. It was almost too much to handle.
“
Cariad
,” Luca called in a hushed voice and motioned for me to join him, his fingers to his lips for silence.
We peered around a set of Chinese Fu Dog statues to see a lone man sitting on a bench in front of glass case of jade objects. On display, row upon row of beautifully hand-carved pieces many of them lidded jars like funerary urns.
Low sobs carried across the room. His shoulders shook up and down, molded by despair.
Allen Chen was not a happy camper. And I didn’t blame him. He was about to become a lot more unhappy if he didn’t cooperate. Retrieving the stun gun, I crept around the statue as silent as possible. Luca circled around the other side to cut Allen off if he tried to run.
I approached the bench cautiously. He appeared not to notice my arrival, but it could’ve been an act. I fingered the gun’s trigger, ready to use it if required. As I entered the periphery of his vision, he seemed lost in his own thoughts. His lips moved silently as if uttering a prayer. In his fingers, thick beads clacked. I’d seen them before used by Buddhist monks.
“I know why you’re here,” he said flatly.
“Good, then help us.” My hand relaxed off the trigger button. Even though I couldn’t see him, I sensed Luca was nearby.
“I was too late.” He pointed to the case.
My heart sank. In the display case stood an empty spot where an object had been. The placard read ‘19
th
century jade vase.’
“Why don’t you start from the beginning?” I sat down sideways on the bench so I could see him.
He put his faces in hands and cried. “I never meant for Tien to get hurt. He was my friend.” Grief poured out of him. His shoulders racked with sobs. “This is my fault. I let my thirst for petty revenge rule me.”
“Allen, please. I need you to focus.” I tentatively touched his forearm. The air in the room grew markedly cooler. “We can end this together. Do you have any idea where the jar is now?”
Low throaty laughter interrupted his response. “I’d like to know the answer to that as well, Allen Chen.”
The glass display cases exploded, spraying glass shards. Luca appeared and absorbed the brunt of the blast. I tackled Allen and knocked us onto the ground.
“Where is it?” A lithe woman appeared before us.
“Lillian?” I blinked. How the hell had she gotten so close, so fast?
Reg’s girlfriend smiled at me with her signature feline grin. “Tell your handsome man to move away from me, Radiance.” She pressed the muzzle of a gun against my forehead. “I don’t think you want to find out how long it will take to heal from a bullet to the brain.”
Luca roared behind us, “Do not think it, foul spirit!”
Then it clicked. She was the second Jiang Shi. Cripes, I was dense.
Allen whimpered under me and chanted prayers in a rapid-fire burst.
She laughed. “There is nothing that will appease me except the return of the jar and my beloved brother.” The gun’s muzzled pressed harder into my forehead. This was a lose/lose situation because I was pretty sure that Allen didn’t know where the other jar was.
Lillian gripped my hair and dragged me onto my feet, gun in my face. “Find out where my jar is. Or I will take more drastic action, against you personally. You have twenty-four—”
Luca’s fist emerged from between her breasts, his arm speared through her torso. Lillian’s unholy scream was like a spike driving through my skull. I dropped to the floor. The gun went off. Allen scrambled to his feet and ran from the room. Half a dozen alarms rang at the same time. Metal security doors slammed down, trapping us in the room.
“You will pay for that,
Alkhari
.” Her human form dissolved. A big-ass, half-rotted demon tigress with a curved barb tipped tail stood in her place. She reversed Luca’s hold, then flipped him onto the ground. Massive claws extended from her blackened paws, each talon tearing into Luca’s abdomen and shoulder.
“Get off him, you bitch!” I unleashed the full charge of the stun gun into her back. She thrashed and convulsed but didn’t let go of Luca.
She laughed instead. “She doesn’t know about your little secret. Does she, Luca? Let’s enlighten her, shall we?”
Pain exploded in my stomach. All the air in my lungs whooshed out. I looked down to see the barb-tipped tail impaling my abdomen. Numbness radiated from my torso. The tip must have had paralyzing poison because I could barely move.
Luca howled, part anger, part pain. His skin turned gray, then silver. The pupils of his eyes burned deep black until no white was left. A loud animal roar ripped from his chest.
He transformed into the winged guardian that had saved me from the other Jiang Shi. I backed away, narrowly avoiding his extended wings. He tore Lillian off his chest, leaving chunks of flesh behind in her mouth.
She swallowed them down. “Yummy. I want more of you.” In a blur, she lunged toward him.
Luca and Lillian traded body blows, ripping flesh, and cracking bones. Ever so slowly, my body’s healing ability kicked in. First the gaping stomach wound knitted back together, then the feeling in my legs and arms returned. I half-crawled, half-dragged myself behind the Fu Dog statues, otherwise I risked being crushed by debris.
Bile and anger burned my throat. There had to be something I could do to help Luca. At the very least I could figure out an escape plan. It wouldn’t be long before the human authorities opened the doors. Once they did, they’d receive the shock of a lifetime.
I spotted Lillian’s handgun an arm’s length away. I rolled over, snagged it, then checked the clip. Fully loaded. Time to find out how she liked bullets. Before I fired, for maximum effectiveness, I needed to upgrade the ammo – supernatural style. Placing my brand over the barrel I spoke the sincerest blessing I could think of. The metal glowed white. I then thought of some nasty curses. The barrel turned black. I knew I wasn’t officially ordained but it was good enough for me.
I moved as close to her as I could and aimed carefully. Luca nodded once and stepped sideways. I squeezed the trigger. Blue muzzle flash popped. There was a meaty
thwack
. Lillian’s head whipped around to face me.
I fired again and again, until the clip was spent. Lillian dropped like a stone to the ground. Luca rushed forward, vortex opening in his chest.
Lillian laughed, her mouth bloody. “This isn’t over.” The Fu Dog statue behind me tipped forward. Luca swept me out of the way. When we turned around, she was gone.
“We need to leave,” he said as the security doors raised.
Lord knows what the police and security guards saw. Luca transported us away before I could find out. Joanna could deal with the cleanup and cover story. I turned my attention to Luca.
We exited the portal, flying high in the sky. The lights of the city glistened underneath like a bed of sparkly jewels. If I wanted to let go of Luca long enough, I’d slap myself in the head. All the pieces had been there staring me in the face. The shadowy wings, my sudden savior, and the Jiang Shi playing on my fears.
All this time, Luca had another side. One he had chosen not to reveal to me.
I studied his newly revealed visage. Pointed ears peeked from his windswept hair. For the most part, the face was familiar, the body more immense, and the wings magnificent. Dark black pupils peered down at me. Worry lines wrinkled his brow.
I buried my face into his neck and whispered, “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”
We dipped suddenly, in a free dive. I clung to him until my hands cramped. We landed on the grassy lawn of Ashworth Mansion yards away from my practice rink. Luca’s knees buckled, but he didn’t drop me. Strain etched hard lines on his face. The deep gouges in his chest and neck looked raw and painful.
“Radiance,” he said, his voice deeper and fuller. “I never meant to deceive you.” He shuddered and buckled over. Then I saw them. The jagged edges of two claws buried at the base of his neck. A third one had penetrated under his shoulder blade where his wing connected with his back.
“Oh my God! Don’t move.” How could he stand the pain?
“Leave them,” he growled, spine rigid. Beads of sweat trickled down his temple.
“I don’t think so, buddy.” I put my hands on my hips. “Let’s overlook the fact that you failed to mention this rather significant detail. I’m not leaving you in pain. These things are coming out whether you like it or not.”
He flinched at my sharp tone, but remained silent. Good.
“Can you get yourself over to the rink? ‘Cause I’m pretty sure I can’t lift you without a forklift.”
A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. With a wheeze, he got to his feet and made his way to the rink where he barely fit through the doors. I made him sit in the center, while I rummaged around my toolbox sifting through the assorted tools I used to repair my skates.
Armed with a pair of pliers, I found a crate and climbed on top. “This is going to hurt.” I gripped the claw’s edge, tightened the pliers, and tugged. The freed claw clinked into the toolbox below.
The muscles on his back quivered, yet Luca remained stoic. Not a grunt or a whimper. I repeated the same swift extraction process with the other claw in his neck. His skin felt cold and clammy to the touch. His breathing turned ragged.
I rubbed his broad back and kissed between his shoulder blades. “I’m sorry, it’s almost over.” I leaned across and touched the remaining embedded claw and his wing shuddered. “You know it’s okay if you need to cry.”
He shook his head. “Smartass.” He heaved a deep breath. “Do it.”
With a single motion, I positioned the pliers over the claw. His back muscles clenched. I kissed his skin, tracing my tongue along his salty flesh. When his muscles unbunched, I yanked.
Luca fell forward, collapsing facedown. I leapt down and knelt next to him. Once the last claw had been removed, the healing process kicked in ever so slowly.
Too slowly for my liking. I propped Luca on his side and stroked his cheek.
His eyelids fluttered open. “You don’t find me repulsive?”
I licked my bottom lip. “You are damn sexy.” My body warmed all over. But he didn’t get off the hook that easy. “I’m not happy that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me.”
He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. “It wasn’t a matter of trust.” He traced my cheek with the tip of his sharp nail, lightly grazing it. Shudders rippled over me. “I was afraid.”
“Oh, Luca.” I leaned in and kissed his cool silvery lips. They were petal soft, as always. The tips of his fangs didn’t bother me. I kind of liked the way they scraped my lips. “I love you no matter what.”
His arms curled around me. “I’m sorry. I should have had more faith in you.”
I cupped his face in my palms. “No, you’re wrong. You should have had more faith in yourself.” I scanned the injuries on his shoulders. They had barely healed. All my cuts and abrasions were gone already. I pulled my shirt off and unclipped my bra.
Luca hissed through his fangs. “
Annwyl
. . .”
“Shhh.” I pressed my fingertips to his lips. “Let me help you heal.”
“No.” He held me back. “I love you too much to hurt you again.” Tears glimmered in his eyes. Distress poured off of him.
“You won’t. How about you change forms when you’re ready?” I rubbed the tips of my aching nipples against his bare chest. “I like the big silver version of you.” Before he could change his mind, I kissed him again, careful not to touch his neck injuries.
His resistance melted and his tongue pressed into my mouth. Our tongues in a tangle, I buried my fingers in his hair. The tips of his nails trailed along my spine. I tilted my head, exposing my throat. My nipples ached for his mouth.
“Luca, I need you.”
He rolled me onto my back. The shadow of his wings fell over us. This time, I wasn’t afraid. He was beautiful to me. I touched his cheek. He leaned into my hand and smiled. Light bathed his skin and his wounds knitted together.
The light faded and my Luca, in human form, smiled over me. “I’d better not keep you waiting then.”
The following morning’s newspaper headlines screamed—”Mash-up at the Museum.” Television coverage wasn’t much better. The local news crews salivated over the alleged break-in and subsequent destruction of the Asian Heritage exhibition. It didn’t take long for them to drag the “Misfortune Cookie” murders into the mix.