Shades of Blood

  “October!” Romany shouted, and she swung around to find her. The blonde Neith was standing over a decapitated soul eater, scarlet glinting on the steel blade of her katana. She nodded her head at the open doorway behind her and Tobe raced towards her. The plan was that while everyone else fought, she and Romany would search for her parents.

  Tobe held the katana in both hands, taking slow step after step behind Romany who moved in front of her in the exact same cautious manner, weapon drawn and ready to be used. It bugged the hell out of Tobe that she was stuck doing this with Romany. It felt as if she was betraying Eden somehow just by breathing in the same air as this woman who had killed Stellan. No one else seemed as bothered by her presence as Tobe did. Maybe because it was easy for her to forget Stellan had been a soul eater when you saw the grief in Eden’s eyes every time he was mentioned.

  Her thoughts and heart froze as a dark shadow moved in front of them. Not a shadow. Another damn soul eater in a tailored suit and chignon. Romany stopped before the obstruction and Tobe waited anxiously behind her. The hallways were narrow, dark and dank. Hardly any room to swing a sword.

  The soul eater cocked her head to the side and smiled slowly. A malicious, wicked smile, her blank, grey eyes bright in the darkness. Romany tensed before her, sensing what Tobe did.

  But it was too late.

  The soul eater lifted her right hand and pulled the trigger of the Glock 9mm before either of them could retaliate. Romany grunted in pain, her right shoulder kicking back with the impact of the bullet.

  Shooting an Ankh was futile. Shooting a Neith? Yeah, it could kill them if they weren’t lucky.

  Tobe moved to push Romany aside but the Neith was already on the move. Romany’s leg swung up, knocking the gun out of the soul eater’s hands, and then her katana was slicing through the monster’s stomach and back out again, the soul eater falling to her knees, the katana held high in an upward arc before flashing through the air and slicing through the soul eater’s neck. The head rolled from the body onto the ground, the body making a loud thump as it followed.

  It happened in seconds.

  Tobe gazed wide-eyed at Romany. Impressed despite herself.

  That was nothing compared to what she did next.

  “Crap,” Romany hissed, ripping at the sleeve on her right shoulder, a difficult endeavor considering the fabric was soaked with blood. Tobe winced at the sight of the wound and nearly died with awe as Romany plunged her fingers into it, jaw clenched, eyes bright with pain, silent agony working her throat as her nimble fingers worked the bullet out. “Aah,” she breathed, yanking the small, deadly piece of metal out. She slumped a little, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of her face as she dropped the bullet and proceeded to tear strips from the hem of her shirt. “Could you…?” she gestured to Tobe.

  Tobe blinked and moved quickly, grabbing the fabric and making a rough tourniquet out of it. As she worked, she cursed, and Romany arched an eyebrow. “Problem?”

  “Naw.” She shook her head. “That was just bloody cool.”

  Romany chuckled. “Thanks.”

  “I still hate you.”

  “You’re loyal to Eden. She’s lucky to have you.”

  “Hmmph.” Tobe gave her a tight nod. “The Neith are lucky to have you.”

  “I know, I’m kickass right?”

  Finished tying the wound, Tobe stepped back. “And modest to boot.”

  Romany grinned and brushed past Tobe. “Let’s find those parents of yours.”

  They didn’t need to look far. A door at the far end of the hallway burst open and a distinguished-looking soul eater stepped out, caught sight of the two of them from the corner of his eye, and dashed around the corner. Romany gave chase, but as she neared the doorway he’d come out of, another, taller, equally impressive older man collided with her. Romany stumbled back, the color leaching from her face as he hit her wound. She didn’t waste any time. Tobe skidded to halt as Romany kicked out, a powerful enough kick to send him staggering back into the room he’d been trying to escape from. Romany strode in after him and Tobe quickly followed, her eyes widening. He had backed up, his body tensing, ready to attack. She recognized him. It was the soul eater who’d taken Cameron’s soul!

  “This is Rice,” she told Romany.

  Romany nodded and Rice just smirked at Tobe. “I’d hoped to get young October here under better circumstances.”

  The room they were in was tiny, a door on the far wall. But most exciting for Tobe was the observation window and the sight of her parents on the other side of it, chained up in another small, dim room.

  She felt tears of anger and relief prick her eyes and she gripped her katana harder. “The only circumstances optioned to you, you scumbag, is a) die by our hands or b) by The Tribunal’s.”

  He narrowed his eyes in confusion, their colorlessness flicking around covertly, searching for escape.

  “Oh yeah,” Romany added. “The Tribunal knows all about your activities. Who do you think told us where to find you?”

  Anger at the betrayal flashed across his fine features before he could quash the emotion.

  Romany smirked. “Hurts, doesn’t it?” She didn’t give him time to answer, stepping forward with an upward, slanted slice of her sword. Darwin slid back, his stomach concaving, hitting the wall in his effort to avoid her attack. At the feel of the obstruction behind him he unexpectedly launched himself at Romany, taking the two of them to the floor. He punched her hard, using her momentary confusion to grab the hand holding the katana and he smashed it repeatedly against the ground until she let it go. Her elbow cracked him in the face but with his weight holding her down he still had the upper hand. Tobe rushed him before he could get out of her way, her knee catching him hard in the face with an awful crunch of his nose. He fell back with a breath-choked grunt, blood dripping from his broken nose and she kicked him again, laying him out so Romany could get out from under him. The blade of her katana rested against his neck and he flinched at it, his chest heaving from his exertions.

  “Get Cameron,” Tobe said to Romany.

  “No way.” Romany’s steel whistled through the air coming to an abrupt halt on Rice’s forehead. The blade had touched skin and broken it, a fine line of red appearing as she lifted it less than an inch from contact. “You go get Cameron. I’ll watch the leech.”

  Shaking but somehow trusting the Neith (even though she really didn’t want to), Tobe hurried from the room, eyes searching every which way for a threat as she headed back the way she’d came. Her heart skittered in her chest as a figure came through the doorway, his face in shadow. Tobe stopped, preparing her sword.

  “Tobe,” Noah breathed, coming towards her and she relaxed as her eyes adjusted to the light. He had blood on his cheek and blood spatter across his grey top. She hoped none of it was his but didn’t have time to ask, her eyes widened when she realized he wasn’t alone. Her boyfriend was right behind him.

  “Cameron.” She stepped back. “Come on. We’ve got Rice.”

  The two warriors hurried at her back, tailing her into the observation room. Romany still stood over Rice, although it looked like the wound on his head was deeper. She frowned at Romany and the Neith shrugged. “He moved.”

  “Do it.” Tobe nodded at her, pulling Cameron further into the room. Her boyfriend gazed numbly at his attacker.

  With a satisfied smirk, Romany lifted her katana, ready to bring it back down.

  Rice moved.

  Fast.

  He blurred up from his sprawled position and knocked past Cameron. Blood sprayed Tobe, the wet crunch of steel through bone a mere note in the air the movement had been so quick. Rice’s headless body collapsed at Noah’s feet, his kaskara still held high from its fatal attack on The Tribunal member.

  Cameron yelled, drawing Tobe’s wide eyes from Noah’s amazing takedown.

  “Cam?” she reached for him, his face seeming strained, his whole body taut, his arms out, hands palm up, his body balancing
on the balls of his feet, his chin up and out, mouth open. It was as if he had wires attached to him and someone was pulling them tight. As this horrible gurgling noise sounded from the back of his throat, a familiar blue smoke drifted out from Darwin’s corpse and danced in the air towards Cameron. It wound its way around his head before tickling across his cheek and swooping down his throat.

  The last of it disappeared on down there and Cameron’s body gave way. He fell to his knees, choking, tears streaming down his cheeks.

  “Cam?” she whispered.

  He took a moment, clearing his throat. His head lifted slowly until he was gazing up into her face. His blue eyes were full of relief… and love.

  It wasn’t until that moment Tobe had realized how painful his attack had been. For a while there it really had been as if he’d died. With a cry of relief Tobe fell on him, her arms wrapping tight around him. Cameron’s strong arms came around her, holding her so close she could barely breathe. He ducked his head into the crook of her neck, his nose cold against her skin, his lips warm as they pressed a kiss there. Feeling tears choke her, Tobe pulled back just long enough to cover his mouth with hers, kissing him deeply, desperately, telling him how much she loved him.

  A throat cleared. Bloody loudly. Tobe cursed inwardly at Romany but pulled back. Cameron smiled at her, a sad, uneasy smile. She wondered how he felt now, knowing what it was like to live with a piece of your soul missing. Not good. But he had it back now. They could move on from this. Together.

  “Canoodle after,” Romany said to them. “Your parents are waiting.”

  The thought of her mum and dad had Tobe jumping to her feet, her hands tugging Cameron up. He staggered, weak from the repossession of his soul, and Noah stepped forward to help him. “Go,” Cam whispered hoarsely. “Get Chris and Alison. I’m fine. I swear.”

  She nodded and, with one last squeeze of his hand, hurried after Romany.

  I could kill that bastard all over again, Tobe cursed inwardly as she ushered her mum and dad into the car. They moved weakly, their skin pale and drawn, huge dark circles under their eyes. Their reunion had been tear-filled and exhausting; the relief of having them there in front of her, where she could see, touch and smell them was overwhelming. She kept swatting at tears that adamantly rolled down her cheeks without her compliance.

  “Are you sure you’re comfortable?” Tobe twisted around in the passenger seat, her blue eyes boring into her parents who were snuggled together in the back.

  “We’re fine, Sweetheart,” Alison replied softly, her eyelids drooping.

  Anxious to get them back to the estate, Tobe was about to tell Val to drive when a loud rap on the back window nearest her dad had them all flinching. Val must have pressed a button because the window rolled down to reveal Cyrus. “How are you holding up?”

  Cyrus and the others had done a quick and violent job of eradicating every last one of the soul eaters who hadn’t run off. His clean-up crew was on their way to take care of the evidence. Tobe held back the suggestion that they burn the evil place down to the ground.

  “We’ll be fine, Princeps,” Chris replied.

  The Princeps’ expression changed. He looked apologetic and suddenly Tobe felt annoyance rush through her. No, no. They were supposed to let her parent’s rest up before dragging them into the rebel mess! “I am afraid I have a favor to ask of you both.”

  She bit her tongue, not wanting to insult the Princeps but dying to all the same.

  “Of course.” Her father… ever the devoted Neith.

  And then Cyrus laid out his plan to her parents. That Adam Lincoln was the Neith responsible for the attempt at rebellion against the Ankh. That he’d just had word that they had confirmation of telephone calls made between him and Cosmina Arcos. Telephone calls made between him and other Councilmen and women. Data retrieved from coded emails. All evidence that Adam had been trying to build a rebel council to counter The Circle, the Ankh Council. If he were successful… it would mean a war. No way could the Ankh allow the Neith to control them, to control what happened with the rare immortal children born into their families. A war between Ankh and Neith would mean a lack of concentration on the soul eaters. It would be defeating the purpose of all of their existence. Cyrus explained that the only way to take Adam down was to set him up – to make the other Neith think he’d hurt his own to lure in Cyrus and Darius. That they planned, with Chris and Alison’s permission, to lock Tobe’s parents in a large shipping container in Houston owned by Adam Lincoln. From there they would be rescued by Sandy Meikles of the Chicago Council and Jake Lelander of the New York Council.

  “We would need you to lie. To say he was your kidnapper. Councilman McLeish has been working with us and has given his assent. We just need yours.”

  Her parents were quiet a moment and then her dad nodded wearily. “These are murky waters, Princeps, but for the good of the relationship between Ankh and Neith, I agree. Alison?”

  Tobe’s mum looked sad but she nodded her agreement.

  “Thank you.” Cyrus looked relieved. “We will return to the mansion, feed you, check you over, but it would be best if we didn’t let you rest too much. We need you to have an authentic appearance of having been held captive.”

  “Let’s do it.” Chris nodded.

  Tobe sighed and twisted back around in her seat, staring at the building where her parents had been held. It looked like she didn’t have them back just quite yet. As Val pulled away, Tobe took out her mobile phone. Eden would want to know they were safe.

  “They’re OK,” Eden said to Jack.

  He was sitting on her armchair, flipping through a copy of Shonen Jump she’d left lying out. He looked up and smiled. “That’s good news.”

  “Yeah.” It was. But there had been something in Tobe’s voice as she told her about what Romany had did, how she’d been shot (boohoo), pulled out her own bullet (what the eff!), and pretty much kicked Darwin Rice’s ass and helped save the day. Tobe was impressed with her fellow Neith. She’d tried to hide it but… she was impressed. And grateful.

  “So are you heading to Houston too?” Jack asked casually. He’d come to her room when the others had left. Cyrus had suspended him from his duties for letting Eden out of the estate without permission. Eden felt terrible but Jack would have none of her apologies.

  “I’m a big boy, Eden. You didn’t make me do anything I didn’t want to do.”

  “Um…” Eden shook her head, trying to clear it of the spiteful hate filling it as she replayed Tobe’s tale of Romany: Neith Extraordinaire.

  “Houston?”

  “Oh yeah.” She nodded. Indeed, she would be going to Houston to compel a few of Adam Lincoln’s Neith into admitting to kidnapping the Douglas’. Not the most moral thing she would ever do as an Ankh but as everyone kept reminding her it was for the greater good. “Cyrus wants me along so I can see how the operation works.” Lies, lies, lies. But Eden didn’t think even Jack would be too cool about discovering Eden still had powers of compulsion.

  “You seem out of it.” Jack frowned, leaning over to pick up the remote that would turn down the volume on her iDock. The Smiths dimmed to a whisper. “What did Tobe say?”

  Eden shrugged, suddenly feeling like a spoiled, petulant child with an ugly black mass of hate in her chest. “Something about Romany saving the day.”

  He was quiet a moment and then he sighed. “You made up your mind yet?”

  “About what?”

  “Whether having vengeance, taking her out, is worth your life or not? You know that’s why Darius is sticking around, right? It’s not just about this whole rebel business. He’s waiting for you to make your move. So what will it be?”

  “I can’t just let it go, Jack. I have Stellan in my head and all this anger inside… I need…” she shook her head, tired of trying to explain something no one seemed to understand. Not even Jack.

  “You know what my mom used to say to me after the whole thing with my dad… when I couldn’t seem t
o move on from it?”

  Eden arched an eyebrow, waiting for his inevitable words of wisdom.

  “She said, ‘anger hurts more than that which caused it’. Until you can let the anger go, you have no idea how true those words are.”

  Considering the advice, Eden shrugged, wrapping her arms around her knees and drawing them up to her chest. “So how do I let go, Yoda?”

  He smirked. “You make the right choice.”

  “And here I was thinking you were going to be helpful.”

  Grunting, Jack stood up, readying to leave. “Think about how much you love that jackass, Noah. If you two lovebirds have what I think you have… you’ll make the right choice.”

  Just as he was about to step out the door, Eden called his name.

  “Yeah?” he turned back.

  “You know if Cyrus fires you, you have a great future as an inspirational speaker.” She threw him a quick, wicked smile.

  He shook his head, pulling the door shut behind him. “Always yanking on someone’s chain. It’s going to get you punched, MacDouglas.”

  She thought of Tobe. “Already has.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  The Battle Between Me and Me

  “Are we going to talk or…?” Noah asked softly, his breath whispering across her neck.

  Eden shifted, feeling the tingle of his nearness all the way through her body. She longed to lean into him, to pretend.

  To let go.

  Eden had been exhausted until her, Noah, and Val had gotten on the plane and she realized she’d be sitting next to Noah. His proximity was like a live wire on her skin.

  For 48 hours they’d barely said a word to one another, sharing long looks, unspoken conversations passing between them. The last few days had been insane. She’d flown to Houston with Noah, Val, Cyrus, Darius, Alison, Chris, McLeish and Romany. Tobe and Cameron had stayed behind at the estate in Weston, recuperating. As soon as they’d landed in a private airfield in Texas, Alison and Chris were ushered to be locked up in Adam’s shipping container. The rest of them had executed their plan to kidnap four of Adam’s Neith. They’d taken them to one of Cyrus’ safe houses where she and Cyrus had disappeared into a room with them. Eden had compelled them to believe that they had indeed helped Adam Lincoln kidnap Christopher and Alison Douglas, to use them to bait Cyrus and Darius, who Adam was planning on killing. If the others had questioned how easily persuaded the four Neith had been, or why they had a glazed, dopey look in their eyes, no one said a thing. They were all nervous. Antsy. Ready for this to be over. So was Eden.