Unrepentant: The Reckoning - Book One, page 3
Exasperation sharpened her tone. “Yes; but if neither of us did anything, what happ—” her words cut off as the thought that had been hammering in the back of her mind finally surfaced.
Destined.
Somewhere, Fate was laughing at her and chugging a beer. The wench enjoyed it when her victims realized the disaster that had just happened to their lives.
Destined lover, destined enemy- either extreme would do, and there was only one for each of the children of the King and Queen, one who completed them. Hers was a lilim? Discarded and betrayed would be expected from one of the consuming kin, and she’d had more than enough of that from her own kind, who prided themselves on their honor.
An energy-stealing lover clad in darkness? Could she love a man whom she needed to defend? She had too many enemies gathered over a long life who required she fight them tooth and claw. How could he stand against any of them?
For the alternative, as a destined enemy, after one blow in tiger shape, he’d be dead, not memorable. She didn’t like the thought of him as an enemy, either. At some level beyond words, it felt wrong.
If she ever met Fate again, a butt-kicking was in order.
He raised his brows, expression patient, waiting for her to complete the sentence.
“Destined.” The succinct word dropped from her lips. Hope warred with uncertainty; a life entwined with yours made complete independence almost impossible.
He drew back as if she were made of red-hot iron. His reflexes were better than she thought.
A wry smile twisted her mouth, echoing the internal flicker of bitterness. She rose and walked away from him, toward the landline. “What are you, maybe a century old? Just fifty? Run along and come back when I’m not cradle robbing. Or stay for the boy.”
The withdrawal hurt, and that made her uneasy—she didn’t want to consider him as anything more than a temporary lover though it would be so nice to have a partner. It had been a long time. She flicked the thought away; it was a weakness she couldn’t afford right now. Best to take him, show him what she was, and then watch him run as if he were on fire.
She pressed speed dial one, and an irritated male voice answered on the third ring. “The answer is still no. Raw horse in ice cream is not on the menu for the foreseeable future. Order your own!”
“Hi, Johann. How are you? I need diapers for a baby. And food for a baby- do you know much about modern lastborn babies? I need all the baby things they use.” Johann dealt with humans all the time; he catered to humans as well as those from other dominions who settled here.
She heard a thump as of something heavy being dropped, then the click of a door shutting, before he answered. “What?!”
“I need all the things to take care of a human baby still in diapers, just a little short of three feet tall? Can you deliver them today? His diaper is full, and I don’t think just putting him naked in the tub is anything but the shortest-term solution. And dog food.”
Gaius glared at her and left the room, followed by the exterior door slamming.
“Lily.” Johann’s growl was almost as good as one of the changing kins’.
“I have a little boy in my house. I’m going to be taking care of him, and I need baby supplies. And maybe a human helper- an adult who signs on willingly- but that will have to wait until the dangerous time is over. There are bliss dealers in the area, Johann. I killed dregs hunting the child.”
“Confirmed?” The coldness of Johann’s tone could have cracked the phone. He took violations of his territory very seriously.
“That’s what they told me. They had done the initial marks on him; he’s ready for them to harvest.” A slow headache built behind Lily’s eyes.
“I’ll pick the supplies up and be there in the morning. You can use absorbent cloth for diapers, I suggest a towel. Wrap it around the pertinent areas, secure it, and don’t leave him on top of anything you care about getting wet.”
Gaius stalked back into the room, carrying a large bag covered with yellow ducks, and started unpacking it. Lily concealed her sigh of relief; he acted as if he knew what he was doing. She observed the process; diapers had changed greatly since she last encountered one. No pins!
She watched his long-fingered hands clean and change the child, unable to stop the small smile tugging at her lips. Wakened, the boy started crying.
Lily covered her ears on reflex; the noise hurt. Gaius picked him up and rocked him, staring at Lily. The wails rose and fell with the rocking and then finally quieted. After a contemplative pause, Gaius passed him to Lily. The slight loose-limbed weight of the boy rested in her arms.
“I’ve seen more than a century. A connection with me would do you more harm than good. I’m dangerous to know.” Quiet and serious, Gaius made the statement as he crouched next to them, resting a hand a whisper from Lily’s arm.
Her brow flicked up. A soft chuckle stirred her chest at his words. Soft hurried breaths fluttered against her arm as the boy slept.
“How old is he?” The words barely stirred her chest. She didn’t like it when he cried. It was loud, high-pitched, and irritating. At this point, she wanted a moment to consider Gaius’s words before she acted.
“Two.” A smug flicker flashed even through the headache. She’d been close in her estimate.
“Are you familiar with what he can eat?”
In answer, he rose and opened the refrigerator. After a pause, he opened the freezer. “Do you have anything to eat besides milk, meat, and ice cream?”
“Jam, bread, and honey in the pantry to your left. I assume you saw the eggs, butter, and cheese in the fridge. Tea leaves.”
“Scrambled eggs and toast, it is. Humans need vegetables, you know.”
She snorted then stilled as the boy stirred. “I watch television. Most human children don’t eat them.”
Keeping her movements smooth, she carried the boy to the rarely used guest room. The dog trotted by her, whining faintly. She could replace the mattress if need be. She settled him in, arranging a blanket around him, and the dog jumped up and lay next to him.
4
Back in the living room with Gaius, she swept a look up and down her uninvited guest. He’d settled on the couch, long legs on her ottoman. Still in their boots. She frowned at the sight. “Thank the King and Queen for small favors. I never expected Fate’s choice for me was a lilim; you’re a delicate lot. What you think of as dangerous wouldn’t ruffle my fur, Gaius. So, if we do walk together for a time, I can protect you. It’s very modern.”
“Just keep that thought in mind, then, you muscular brute. Or cease bullying me, give me Mark, and we’ll vanish from your sight for a century.” His tone went beyond desiccated.
She sat near him on the couch, undoing the belt on her robe. His eyes followed the motion, a speculative gleam appearing.
“You’re beyond confident you could take me in a fight, aren’t you?” His fingers brushed her cheek.
“Yes. And this is another type of fight, yes? Do you want to be taken?”
He laughed. “Beyond blunt, too.”
“Then try to take me, shadow-son.”
In one smooth motion, he rolled her onto her back and pinned her shoulders, using unexpected strength and speed.
“Good start.” She purred and bridged, arching with her shoulders and feet, and twisted, rolling them both down to the floor, herself on top this time.
A chill breeze whirled around her shoulders as the shadows parted to her left. “Slumming, Lily? You always tell me no.” Johann stepped into the room, carrying a wealth of packages. He wore his most common glamour, a man past his prime with long dark eyes and skin as wrinkled as a withered apple, his greasy light brown hair liberally greyed, and a slight paunch straining his jeans.
“Because you’d charge too much, Johann. And I thought you said morning.” She slanted an irritable glare at him. “Don’t make me regret granting you permission to enter, or you’ll be very sad.”
“I did but decided to help the poor child before it starved or died of cold in your tub.” He glanced at the kitchen island, his eyes stretching wide in feigned astonishment. “Wait…do I see vegetables in your kitchen?”
“You expect me to believe compassion motivated you?” Lily ignored the vegetable comment with dignity.
“Hey, I’m expecting an end of the world. You’re necking with a lilim. At least he’ll die with a smile on his face, right?” Johann placed the packages on the table, settling into a chair facing them. He pulled his phone out. “Feel free to carry on. I can wait. Or record it; this phone has a great camera. I’ll split the proceeds with you fifty-fifty. Or both of you could get twenty-five percent.”
“Or you could leave.” Gaius’s eyes remained on Lily’s face, shifting from her mouth to her eyes. They’d been mist grey. Now they were blue-grey, a shade darker. Neither of them had shifted from their position on the floor, her lying on top of him.
“Try not to take that tone with me, lilim.”
Lily didn’t need to look to know Johann smiled, the toothy grin of his kind surfacing in the illusion. Or it was another illusion; she didn’t deceive herself she’d ever seen Johann’s true appearance. What she had seen was the results of his bite in flesh after a fight, similar to a shark’s.
Gaius rolled his eyes. “You can’t afford what I’d charge for a performance, fé. I have a name; it’s Gaius. Use it.”
Lily rose. In spite of his bold words, Johann never looked at her as a woman or relaxed in her presence; his caution ingrained from the years he’d spent as the unofficial go-between for the different races that gathered in the area. Some got violent if he refused to provide their requests. His decisions often seemed capricious though, over the years, she’d found he always had a reason. It just might not be a reason that benefitted anyone but him.
He was the default ruler of this territory though he’d never declared himself as being in charge. She counted him among her handful of remaining friends. Once bought, Johann stayed bought. He owed her a favor from years back that he’d never been able to repay. One that went beyond money.
His gaze assessed her. Then he smiled again, lips closed. “You know your clan will have a collective apoplexy if they hear you shacked up with a lilim even for a night, right?”
“Feel free to tell them if you’re bored.” She retied the sash of her robe. “Maybe that will buy me some quiet.”
“What’s he got that I don’t, Lily-flower?”
She started the inspection at his feet, letting her eyes wander up until she met his. A twinkle met her gaze. “The ability to maintain an erection in my presence? It makes up for a lot.”
Johann whooped with laughter. “Point. Brave, brave man.”
Crying started from the guestroom at the loud noise. Johann’s appearance shifted to the face he presented to Humans he wanted to like him; older, white-bearded with a kindly face, a bit like the winter gift-giving spirit. He liked young Humans, and they responded well to that guise.
Gaius beat her into the room, and Mark grabbed at him when he sat on the bed. “Mama! Papa! Want!”
“Are they alive?” Johann murmured into her ear. Lily shook her head.
He whispered something in his native language, and the tears slowed on the boy’s cheeks, the sobs lightening. “Well, well. Isn’t that interesting.”
“What? What did you do?” Lily murmured, not wanting to disturb Mark as the crying transitioned to occasional hiccups.
Johann shrugged. “Gave him a cushion; less fear, moved the memory back a bit. He’ll still be afraid for a long time. They sunk the ritual in him deep.”
“And who will you charge for it?” Lily knew he did nothing for free. Fé didn’t. They couldn’t.
“I started a tab for him. He has a credit since he’s the reason I know someone is selling bliss in my territory. There’s going to be some house cleaning.” His soft voice chilled like a rusalka’s fog. Johann was slow to rage and even slower to let it go. That, combined with his acknowledging a debt to Mark, meant the boy would be safe with him.
“Kee?” Mark’s hands reached for her from the safety of Gaius’s side. Large eyes pleaded with her.
“I also suggested you could be trusted and transferred some of his memory of his mother to you. Since she’s dead and I assume she’d want it easier on him. I wonder if your new interest is aware the boy’s mageborn, Lily.” Johann’s quiet voice followed her to the bed as she settled by Mark.
Gaius did not acknowledge the stare Lily sent in his direction. It stiffened her decision to send him on his way and to hold onto Mark, both for the boy’s safety and as a lesson to Gaius on telling the whole truth. Fate could stuff her ‘destined’ idea in a selection of indelicate places. This was not a man Lily wanted to care for. She didn’t care if the feeling was unfair; she’d made a step toward trusting him, and he had not done the same.
Resolute, she ignored the niggling sense she was being unfair. Him gone made life smooth and simple again. Mark crawled into her lap, smelling of salt and fear.
Lily wrapped her arms around him. “Would you like some milk? I like milk.”
He stuffed his fist in his mouth and nodded.
Gaius shifted Mark off her lap to straddle his hip. “Why don’t you get dressed while I get him the milk, in case we need to leave quickly?”
“Why would we?” Lily kept her voice soft despite the anger.
“Because the people who stand to make money off him likely know where the dregs lost him.” His reply was equally soft.
It made sense. She nodded, not looking at him, trying to master her anger, then turned on her heel and headed for her room. Being dressed didn’t really affect the shift other than her reluctance to lose favored clothing, but she’d take the moment to compose herself.
Johann made a sad face as she passed. “It’s such a great view in the robe.”
Pulling jeans, buttoned shirt, and tennis shoes out of her closet, she paused and sniffed. An unfamiliar scent. Her nose wasn’t spectacular in this shape, and she couldn’t identify it. Carrying the clothes, she hurried out.
The dog had awakened and sat in Johann’s lap while his hand smoothed its fur. “Do you want the canine? And do you smell that?” she asked.
“Smoke.” Gaius snatched up Mark.
“Efreeti. Someone’s hired elementals. The only reason this place isn’t on fire is that a water elemental’s laid layers of protections- Anastasia, probably. Rusalki are good with keeping things wet.” Johann rose, setting the dog down. It ran to Gaius’s side. “Get out; it’s hard to stop them or get their notice once they’ve started. I’ll have a talk with them later.”
“My house?” Lily frowned.
“Sorry, Lily. Grab anything you want, but you don’t have much time. It’ll be a roaring fire in minutes even with the protections.”
She grabbed her bag, stuffing the clothes and laptop within. “They’ll be waiting outside. Gaius, since you’re the weakest in a fight, hold onto Mark while I deal with them.”
Johann cocked his head to the side. “And I?”
“Do as you see fit, but I’m not hiring you. Though they are disrespecting you since they didn’t use you as a go-between for the arson…” She let the sentence trail off into implications.
“I’m hurt, Lily. I would’ve given you notice and the chance for a counterbid. So, I’ll help this time just to give a lesson about taking jobs in my place without notifying me. Also, there’s a car seat already set up in the SUV if you want to prep the kid for a quick exit.” Johann grinned again, no humor in his eyes, black as pitch in the kind old face.
She let the tiger flow over her, her claws scratching on the wood as he opened the door.
5
A rush of heat rolled over them as Johann leaped straight out the open door. He rolled into a crouch, facing the stranger standing in the middle of her driveway.
Johann’s pearl-toned red pickup truck seemed dwarfed by the stranger’s bulk.
Lily sprang to the left. Flames danced and soared on the exterior of the house, living art that she did not appreciate in the least.
Bare-chested and barefoot, the intruder was over seven feet tall. Tattoos spiraled over his flushed skin, torso and arms the background for an intricate network of interlocking blue curves. His teeth flashed white in a predatory grimace.
“Took you long enough.” The rumble of his voice rattled like a small earthquake. His red eyes matched the color of the sky to the east where the first hint of dawn was unfolding. The night had passed by swifter than she’d noticed.
Sun would make Johann and Gaius weaker, their abilities less accessible.
Lily growled at the stranger as she padded forward. The tattoos focused his power, giving him better defenses. She’d seen them on others, inscribed in the flesh of assassins and warriors near the time of the Reckoning.
Johann produced twin combat knives, King only knew from where, and interposed himself between Gaius holding Mark and the stranger.
“You got one chance. Gimme the brat. The tiger comes with me without a fight, and I let you and the pretty boy live. Fight, and I get to kill you all.” He stared at Johann, eyes gleaming, reflecting the firelight with yellow glints.
“Who hired you?” Johann’s blades glittered in the pale dawn light. Darkness ran along their edges, elusive shadows that tricked the eye.
“The House of Mists. You can run now, little fé. I’ll give you a head start.” The mercenary spread his hands, licking his lips.
Lily growled. The House of Mists was legendary, hard facts in short supply. Rumor said they took people, mortal and not, to serve the Queen in the Reckoning. Legend painted it as both a place stuffed full of mighty warriors with lots of money to buy more and a family whose powers were terrifying.
Rumor also said only silver could harm Lily; if only her scars knew that ‘fact’.
“Any proof you serve that house?” Gaius asked, his voice cool. “You don’t look to be of the quality I’ve heard they hire.”
