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Teagan stiffened at the soft scuffling sound from inside the room. God dammit, he could have sworn the bitch was dead. Huffing at the inconvenience of having to touch her after having just showered, Teagan strode back into the dimly lit room and stopped in the centre of it. The hair on the back of his neck rose. Something wasn't right.
From his peripheral he caught the blur of movement and turned in time to catch the fist that flew at his face. Twisting the arm behind his attackers back, Teagan took satisfaction in the sound of it breaking, the Blessed falling to his knees before him with a muffled cry. Pain shot up Teagan's back as another opponent kicked him from behind. He pushed the one in front of him away and whirled around to crack the woman across the face with his backhanded slap. She soared off her feet and collapsed against the bedside cabinet.
“Stop,” a deep voice rumbled, and like demons from hell, ten members of the Blessed slithered out from the shadows of the room. Teagan schooled his features, refusing to show his surprise. How the hell did they get in? “Teagan Winslow, stand down. ” The voice was so full of authority, so sure that Teagan would acquiesce that he knew right away who they were.
“Effing Tribunal,” he cursed, standing up straight.
They'd found him.
In a way he shouldn't be surprised. Aunt Celine had been right. Maybe he was too bloody careless. He'd been killing guys and girls all over the city, leaving them in hotel rooms. The police had no clue what to do about a serial killer who killed indiscriminately and somehow managed to delete the hotel tapes and booking systems and get by all members of staff without being seen. The Phantom of Detroit they were calling him. He should have known he was bound to draw the Tribunal's attention with that one. He'd just been hoping he'd hear word back from his informant on Eden's whereabouts before The Tribunal found him.
“Language,” the voice stepped forward to reveal a tall, distinguished looking man with blank pale grey eyes just like Teagan's. “Show some respect for your betters. ” Betters my sweet white ass.
“You know why we're here, Teagan Winslow. ”
He nodded.
“Well, rumours were wrong. I heard you were a smart mouthed little prick who didn't know when to stop talking. ”
Teagan flinched at the insults. If anyone else had said that he would have ripped them apart. He eyed the group that had him surrounded and wondered if he could be fast enough to do so.
“Don't even think about it,” the man warned. “I am Darwin Rice and I am here to judge you for your crimes. ”
“I'm guessing the judging part is already over and you're more of the executor of the punishment. ”
Darwin smirked. “You'd guess right. ”
Teagan cursed inwardly and straightened his shoulders. He hadn't wanted to do this. He didn't know if he could trust them. But he had no other choice. “I'll make you a deal. ”
“We do not do deals. ”
“Even if I could promise you Cyrus of Persepolis on a platter?” The room grew hushed with the arrogant promise until Darwin narrowed his eyes. “And I am to believe a jumped up little turd like you can deliver such a promise?” Cracking his neck at the jibe, Teagan eyed Darwin dangerously and grew smug at the wary look that passed across the older man's eyes. Surely they could all feel the kind of power Teagan was emitting. “Eden Winslow is with him. He's her guardian. I've got an informant who's going to tell me where they are. If I find them, I bring you Cyrus and you let me and Eden go. ”
“Miss Winslow has crimes to pay for. ”
Teagan snorted. “Eden didn't do any of that stuff you found in the house. She's as pure as the driven snow. ”
“Does not matter. She is responsible for allowing it to occur without reporting the crimes to The Tribunal. ”
He snarled at the thought of these guys getting their hands on what was his. “Look, I bring you Cyrus, you let me have Eden. Take it or leave it. ”
“Then we'll leave it. ”
Fuck.
“OK, OK. What if I were to tell you I could get Cyrus and Valeria of Corsica. I hear she's pretty friendly with Darius of Mesopotamia. She might draw him out. ” Darwin grimaced. “I'm not impressed. ”
“It's the truth. Cyrus and Valeria were last seen with Eden. ” The older Blessed was silent for a moment and then he turned to gaze at one of his companions, who nodded. With a reluctant sigh, Darwin looked back at him. “Fine. We'll give you six weeks to fulfil this promise. Cyrus and Valeria for your and Eden's freedom. ” Teagan grinned. “No problem. ”
“We'll be putting a tracking device inside you to make sure you don't just run, boy. ”
“Hey, I'm not agreeing to that crap. ”
Darwin sighed wearily. “We stick the tracking device in you and when you bring us Cyrus and Valeria we'll take it out. To sweeten the deal we'll even turn a blind eye to the desires you can't see to keep under control. ” He flicked a disgusted look at the corpse on the bed.
Chewing on it, Teagan decided it was the best deal he'd ever receive. He nodded carefully. “Fine.
We've got a deal. ”
Chapter Nine
All in a Day
Oh crap, Cyrus and Val were going to kill her. Eden frantically scanned the crowds of pedestrians for October but there was still no sign of her.
Cyrus had decided to leave Eden in Val's capable hands since he wasn't really into the whole shopping thing. It had been determined that Eden would not go anywhere without one or the other as a precautionary measure, in case Arcos and her people somehow miraculously discovered Eden's whereabouts. That morning Cyrus had headed out after Noah, who was apparently checking out the Neith training centre (built under that cool old art deco theatre they had passed), and Val and October had led Eden outside for the first time in days. It was a warmish day, and they had done quite a lot of walking from Morningside into Old Town, but Eden enjoyed it. She was surprised by how much she liked the hustle and bustle, the hissing of buses (they were everywhere!) stopping and taking off, the millions of accents that floated past her ears, the smells of coffee and exhaust fumes in the otherwise crisp air. She gazed wide-eyed as she passed people, no longer consumed by the urge to eat their souls. God, she'd forgotten how free she had once been before Noah had awoken her hunger.
They had just made it into Old Town when Val's cell rang. She'd gone all serious when she answered and then covered the phone telling them she needed to take the call. They were standing outside The National Museum of Scotland. After deciding she didn't really want to be stuck inside on a day with clear skies, Eden had shaken her head at Tobe's suggestion they go in. Instead October had told Valeria to catch up with them on The Royal Mile outside of a place called The Filling Station. Val had nodded tightly and disappeared around the corner, leaving Eden watching after her with a tight knot in her chest. She hoped there wasn't anything serious going on.
October had tugged on her sleeve and Eden had begun following her but they both drew to an abrupt halt at the sound of someone shouting October's name. A tall, cute guy was heading towards them.
“Oh gawd,” October had mumbled. “This is a friend from school. Completely human. Be cool. ” Eden had thrown her a look as if to say, ‘ Moi? How could I be anything but cool? '
October had introduced the guy but Eden hadn't really been listening, she was too busy worrying about Val's telephone conversation. Anyway, the guy was going on about some book they were supposed to pick up for English class and how he couldn't find it in store, so Tobe had offered to help out and Eden had followed along quietly as they crossed the street to a bookstore.
“I'll wait out here,” she had said and October, kind of flustered, had merely nodded.
Tobe flustered? Eden had wondered if she had a crush on this guy or something.
Patiently waiting had never been Eden's forte and everything had kind of gone downhill from there. Tobe and her friend seemed to be taking an awfully
long time. It hadn't been her fault. Really.
She was bored. Eden had begun to wander in kind of daze, heading north down the street. Cyrus had driven up this way and she was pretty sure they had passed a Forbidden Planet store. Finding it, Eden was stupidly excited, breathing in the smell of glossy comics as she headed inside. It was weird, but being here, in a foreign country, without her parents dragging her down, without this ‘thing' inside of her, she felt a little on the side of normal for the first time. She wandered around looking for the latest Shonen Jump and eyeing kitschy dolls and backpacks and stuff. To her bemusement she could not find a single copy of Shonen. For a minute she was almost so distracted by the store assistant's clear bell of an accent she had almost missed her advising her that they didn't have it in stock. A little disheartened Eden had headed back outside and headed up towards the bookstore. After fifteen minutes of scouring the place from top to bottom, she realised she had lost October.
Crap, crap, crap. She bit her lip and glanced around. Nope. There was definitely no sign of her.
OK. Val was supposed to be meeting them at The Filling Station on The Royal Mile… sooo she'd just go there. Eden patted her jeans for her cell only to discover she had left it back at Tobe's. Oh hell. She needed to get to The Filling Station before Val got there first and flipped out.
“Excuse me. ” Eden stopped a couple walking nonchalantly up the street. “Could you tell me how to get to The Filling Station on The Royal Mile?” The guy grimaced apologetically. “Aw sorry am no' fae aroond here, a dinnae ken whorr The Fillin' Station is but ah kin tell ye whorr The Royal Mile is. ” Eden stared at him blankly. “Was that a no?”
He laughed and turned around, pointing back down the street. “If ye go doon that way ye'll find yersel own The Royal Mile. If ye ask somebody, they'll be able tae tell ye whorr The Fillin' Station is. ”
She got the pointing and stuff but she still didn't understand a word he had said so she just nodded gratefully and thanked him, before heading back the way she'd just come. As she walked down the street she passed a group of girls who were talking about classes, an American accent ringing out among them. Students! Surely, they'd know and she'd actually understand them.