Dark Star, page 24
Jackson had finally taken off his long coat, and just wore his jeans, t-shirt, and scuffed sneakers.
“I really don’t think they care. Look at them! They make me feel inadequate.”
Jackson grinned. “They make me feel safe.” He gestured to his regular-sized biceps. “I’m not really the workout kind. I have to rely on my wits.”
“I think we’ll need wits, luck, strength, and anything else we can use tonight.”
He heard a shout of greeting, and saw Gabe waving. In minutes, all of them were trooping back to the terrace, using towels to wipe the sweat off themselves.
“I gather you two have some things to share,” Gabe said, slinging the towel around his shoulders.
Harlan cast a sideways glance at Jackson. “Yeah, someone’s got some interesting connections.”
Jackson shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s just one of those things.” His gaze slid over the table, to the kitchen. “Shall I get drinks?”
Niel waved him off. “Sit, please. I’ll get everything.”
Despite their half-dressed, sweaty state, the Nephilim and the two women sat around the table, looking at Harlan and Jackson with interest.
“Have you met Estelle?” Nahum asked. He quickly made the introductions, and Estelle nodded briefly, her cool gaze sweeping over them.
Niel returned, handing out beers and placing down jugs of water, and as Shadow opened a bottle, she asked, “What’s with JD?”
Harlan grimaced. “We have a horrible feeling that he’s been kidnapped, him and Mason. He landed in Bordeaux, we know that for sure, but he’s since gone missing.”
“And still no response?”
“Nothing. Half of me wants to think he’s keeping his head down somewhere, but I believe that’s wishful thinking.”
Ash, Caldwell, and Aubrey joined the group, and Caldwell said, “We have all the cards right now. We have the astrolabe and will read it tonight, from here. Unless they’ve found out somehow where we are, they can’t follow us.” He looked triumphant. “They’ve lost. Tonight, we’ll go into the chamber.”
Ash shot an impatient look at Caldwell. “But if they have JD and his life is threatened, we’ll be forced to compromise. They’ll kill them if we don’t, and I will not have that on my conscience.”
Aubrey and Caldwell looked as if they might protest, but Jackson stepped in. “Actually, we want them there, so them having a bargaining chip works in our favour.”
A chorus of whats, hows, and whys rung out around the table, and Jackson raised his hand.
“Hear me out. I work for a division of the government on occasions—the Paranormal Interests Division—and ever since World War II they have been looking for Black Cronos, which we believe to be a small but well-funded group, dangerous, and often without scruples. You’ve seen that for yourself. This is our chance to catch the ringleader and hopefully stop them for good.”
“If he—or she—is there,” Gabe said.
“We think they will be. The Dark Star chamber is a big deal. It contains secrets hidden for centuries. He’ll be there.”
Aubrey looked pale. “Please don’t tell me it’s Stefan Hope-Robbins.”
Jackson shook his head. “No. We think it’s a man called Toto Dax. He comes from a long line of alchemists and occult dealers, but has a small group of alchemy experts as part of his group—Hope-Robbins being one of them.”
“Toto Dax!” Niel exclaimed. “Is that for real?”
Jackson laughed. “Maybe not. We suspect he has several names.”
Niel’s arms were crossed over his broad chest. “Is he a guy with white-blond hair?”
Jackson looked at him wide-eyed. “Yes, why?”
“Mouse saw him on our back lanes on the night we were attacked at home, supervising the few survivors.”
“He was in Cornwall? Wow!” Jackson ran his hands through his tangled hair, a gleam of excitement in his eyes. “For him to be so close shows how much this means to him. He’s hardly ever spotted. He must be here now, too.”
Nahum looked puzzled. “If you want to catch him, does this mean you have backup?”
“Of a sort.” Jackson looked shifty. “The PID doesn’t have any military support, not since the war. They are primarily an intelligence-gathering organisation. There’s a witch who has done work for them in the past, me of course, and they’ve used The Orphic Guild before too, JD included. They also access police paranormal divisions, so we’re more like the link for a few things.”
Harlan listened, noting the word ‘we’ was used a lot, and a few things Jackson had already told him dropped into place. They were the link to the paranormal SOCO team and their results, Maggie’s findings, Newton’s, and probably other police divisions he’d never heard of. Harlan knew the occult world ran far and wide, but he’d still never really considered a government agency existed, which was stupid.
Jackson was continuing, “We only get really involved if we determine there’s a big risk—and this is one. We’d like to utilise your skills, and want you to catch him for us.”
Gabe gave a dry laugh. “Will you pay us?”
“Of course. I have a small unit on standby that can transport him, or anyone else you capture, out of the country. But, as I say, we’re not military and don’t want to involve them, either.” He sighed. “They have a tendency to take over things.”
“But we get to keep access to the chamber?” Aubrey asked, frowning.
Jackson’s gaze swung to him. “It depends on what you want to do with it. I’m hoping you’re not planning on making your own super-humans or monsters?”
Caldwell spluttered. “No! This is about transmutation of the soul for a higher purpose!”
“Potentially yes, then. You get to keep access.”
Harlan watched Jackson’s coolly measured response, but knew from the conversations he’d had that it wouldn’t be that easy. Jackson had already told him that if the place looked too dangerous, they were going to destroy it. Or seize it for PID. Right now, Harlan wasn’t sure which way it was going to go.
Caldwell was now bristling with annoyance. “This is not on! This is our origin. Our find! Aubrey did all the hard work in locating the astrolabe, and I don’t see why someone should be swooping in and taking it from us! Our order has plans.”
“I appreciate that,” Jackson said smoothly, “but don’t forget that a monster is rumoured to be lurking in this chamber. Safety is paramount.”
Harlan realised Jackson had all the smooth, calm, competent assuredness of a man used to getting his own way. He had a quiet strength about him, Harlan had always known that, but now cast in this new light of working with the government, Harlan decided that he was probably far more involved than he was letting on. He hadn’t elaborated on his grandfather’s disappearance, but had intimated it was a family business. In which case, where did his parents fit into this?
Harlan sipped his beer, watching the interactions between everyone sitting around the table, and thought that the next twenty-four were going to prove very interesting indeed.
Shadow took a deep breath, inhaling the scented, balmy air. She looked up at the rising, waxing moon and the night sky that was blanketed with stars, the planets lined up amongst them. She tried to remember which was which after Ash’s explanations, but all she could think of were the stars back home which looked completely different to here.
She turned to watch Aubrey and Caldwell’s preparations. The time was approaching, and Aubrey was currently looking through the telescope and then at the astrolabe that Caldwell was shining a torch onto.
The Nephilim were in the house, finalising weapons and discussing tactics with Harlan and Jackson, but Shadow had left them to it. She would fight the same way she always had, and if they managed to capture Toto or Hope-Robbins that was fine, but she wouldn’t worry about killing them, either.
Shadow also wanted to keep her distance from Gabe. She found that she wanted to keep touching him; he was like a magnet. All day he had been glancing at her, touching her arm and the small of her back, and her body had yearned for him. His touch had branded her skin, and now, closing her eyes, she remembered every moment of their night together, like some glorious, drug-addled dream. And this afternoon, of course, when they had managed to sneak off to shower and find some time alone.
She knew her brothers had found out. They all looked at them both in that knowing way. None of them had commented yet, but that was just a matter of time. And that was okay. She had nothing to be ashamed of. As Gabe had whispered last night—it was inevitable.
An excited burst of chatter made her look back at Caldwell and Aubrey. They were lining up the astrolabe, referring to their notes as they did so. Aubrey made a few final adjustments as Caldwell gesticulated. They seemed to be bickering. Shadow could not understand what they were doing, but after several minutes, Aubrey emitted a small whoop and high-fived Caldwell.
“You’ve done it?” she asked, strolling to their side.
Aubrey was beaming. “Yes. For good measure we read from all the planets, but this Mithras link makes Mars seem the perfect match.” He tapped the astrolabe. “We have the coordinates.”
He bustled over to the table where the detailed map of the area was secured with candles, and Caldwell shone the torch on it while Aubrey measured. He jammed his finger on the spot. “Here, next to the sea.”
Shadow squinted at the map. “And we are where?”
Caldwell pointed, “Here. So about half an hour’s drive.” He too was frowning at the map. “It’s on the grounds of an old estate, Château de Porge.”
He pulled out his phone and tapped it while Shadow studied the map. The building was situated on a rise in an area of green, but it was impossible to see how big it was.
“As I thought,” Caldwell said. “It’s a ruin, a shell of a building with extensive grounds.” He was already heading indoors, saying, “I’ll tell the others.”
“We’ll need to search,” Aubrey said. “The chamber could be anywhere.”
Shadow huffed. “Another bloody search for an underground room. Great.”
He looked at her, confused. “Another?”
“Just our last two jobs, but I guess that’s the nature of this business, isn’t it?” She straightened up. “We need to leave. Is there anything else you must take?”
“We have our bags prepared.” Aubrey swallowed, looking nervous. “We have our ritual equipment, as well as torches, our reference books, and we’ll take the astrolabe, of course.”
She watched him dispassionately. He was an odd man, full of bluster, large, pompous, undeniably intelligent, and willing to risk everything for the Dark Star, including stealing for it. And his near miss with death—twice—hadn’t fazed him, either. Very curious.
Everyone followed Caldwell outside, and while most clustered around the map, Ash headed to the telescope with Caldwell to look at the planets.
“Are you sure of the coordinates?” Harlan asked, a frown creasing his brow.
“Very sure. It’s not some random place on the map—it’s an old château. It could well have been owned by one of the members back then!” He looked uncertain. “I can of course check the other coordinates…we read from all the planets, but they’ll be close.”
Jackson nodded, his shaggy hair falling around his eyes. “Do it anyway.”
Gabe glanced at her, but before he could speak his phone rang, and everyone froze. He answered it quickly. “Gabe here.”
He grimaced and mouthed, Black Cronos. “What do you want?”
Shadow could hear a tinny voice but not what was said, especially when Gabe paced, his shoulders hunching. They had already discussed their options, so what Gabe said wasn’t a surprise.
“I need to speak to him and Mason first… JD, keep a cool head, we’ll meet soon—Mason, I’m afraid it’s true.” Gabe’s lips tightened, and Shadow heard the tinny voice again. “We will meet you there, and go in together… Okay, then kill them and you will find nothing.” Gabe’s voice was hard, unyielding, and there was a pause as the person he spoke to considered his words. Shadow wouldn’t doubt him. Gabe sounded as mean as a warrior sylph, and they would cut your throat just as soon as look at you. He continued, “I’ve met him a few times, and he was prepared to let me die last time. I’m returning the favour… It’s called compromise, and I guess a question of faith—in your men and mine… No. I’ll text it when I know we’re close… Because I don’t trust you.”
He ended the call, his lips twisting in a crooked smile. “Mason and JD are alive, and both are furious—especially Mason when he heard that Robert was dead.”
“You spoke to Toto?” Jackson asked.
“That’s who he said he was. Smooth and oily.” Gabe checked his watch and then the map. “We can be out of here in five minutes. We’ll fly, obviously, and I’ll take Shadow. Flight should take us ten minutes or so. I want to do some homework and check the site before we call them. The rest will follow in the car. Agreed?” He looked at Estelle, who seemed as if she might complain, and Shadow couldn’t help but feel pleased she wouldn’t fly with them. “I want someone with strong magic to protect the humans. Okay?”
Estelle had changed out of her yoga clothes and was now dressed in jeans and dark outerwear like everyone else. She lifted her chin. “Okay.”
“I still don’t like it!” Aubrey said, and it was clear he thought victory was about to be snatched from him.
“Nobody likes it,” Harlan drawled, obviously impatient. “But we play with the cards we’re dealt. Let’s get out of here.”
Twenty-Four
Gabe circled over the Château de Porge ruins, Shadow in his arms, dropping lower and lower. Gabe’s brothers were close, checking out the lanes below the ridge and the sprawl of lightly wooded grounds.
“See anyone?” he asked her.
She squirmed in his arms. “No one. It’s isolated, isn’t it?”
“Good. It needs to be, considering what may happen here later.”
From the air they could see broken towers that were set into the steep ground that fell away to the sea, the fallen stones silvered in the moonlight. A rudimentary path ran up from the road below, and the remnants of other buildings were visible, long lines of stone crossing back and forth over the flat part of the grounds. He landed on the highest point, next to the remains of an old wall, the arched window framing the starlight. Before releasing Shadow he kissed her, pressing her back against the stone wall before letting her go reluctantly. She looked amused but pleased, and within seconds she’d drawn both her swords, and he followed suit. Her long bow was across her back too, which had made her more difficult to carry, but he didn’t care. She’d faced him this time, wrapping her legs around his waist, her cheek pressed to his chest. It was gloriously distracting, but now he banished those thoughts from his mind and focussed on the task at hand.
Gabe stared over the low wall, noting the steep sides of the grassy hill that became more acute as it reached the cliff edge. Below, the surf roared against the rocks. A fall here would kill a mortal, and it was unlikely anyone could sneak up that way. He wondered how close Black Cronos was. They could take up to an hour to get there, but he doubted they’d be so lucky.
Within minutes his brothers landed next to him, all similarly dressed in military-style combat clothing, including protective vests strapped around their chests. None of them liked wearing them, but Black Cronos was too formidable not to take every precaution around. Barak had seemed none the worse for his injuries as the day progressed, and had looked annoyed at the suggestion of being left behind. They couldn’t afford to anyway; he needed them all.
Barak was already surveilling the grounds. “It’s impressive…and big. Did Caldwell and Aubrey narrow down the area here?”
“Of course they bloody didn’t,” Niel grumbled, swinging his axe to limber up. “But if it’s a chamber, then it should be beneath a tower, surely?”
“Not necessarily,” Ash said. “Mithraic chambers were often in the countryside, in natural caves or old tombs.”
“Are there any clues at all?” Niel asked.
Ash smirked. “I have been researching châteaus in this area with Aubrey and Caldwell, as I’m sure Black Cronos has, too. A château, ruined or not, was always the most likely location when you considered the members of the group. They were rich landowners, for the most part. Unfortunately, this area has lots of crumbling châteaus, but this one caught our eye because of its great age and the grounds. It is one of only a few that are this old. I have an idea where to look.”
“Lead the way, then,” Nahum said, sweeping his arm out.
“I suppose I should call Toto,” Gabe grumbled, pulling his phone free as he followed Ash. “I don’t want him to get too upset and trigger-happy.”
“Did JD and Mason sound okay?” Shadow asked, eyes narrowing.
“Mad as hell. I think JD’s ego is bruised, but Mason,” Gabe recalled the shake in his voice. “He was very upset about Smythe. And upset means unpredictable, which I don’t like.”
“It’s Mason,” she said scathingly as she fell into step beside him. “He’s hardly a gun-toting, axe-wielding murderer.”
“Nothing wrong with axe-wielding,” Niel said, swinging his own through the air with a whoosh once more.
Gabe fell back a pace while he dialled, and Toto answered quickly. He didn’t even let Gabe speak. “The address?”
“Château de Porge. It’s on the coast.”
“I know exactly where it is. Do not go into the chamber without us,” he said, ringing off abruptly.
“Arrogant prick! We haven’t even found it yet,” Gabe muttered as he caught up to the others who were now some distance away from the main buildings, standing in the remnants of a stone tower.
“I think it’s either beneath us, or in one of the other stone towers,” Ash was explaining. “Or over there.” He pointed to a stand of trees. “There is a stone circle in the centre. I checked when I flew over. It’s almost completely overgrown now, but a stone circle suggests a place of worship.”
