Hell Bent

  “Thanks,” Allie said. “But we’re staying home. We’re close to the well of magic out there.” She nodded. “So we can access that pretty quickly if we need to.”

  I didn’t ask her if they were accessing it because it was a powerful deposit of magic or because there was something about the St. Johns well that seemed to make healing with magic even easier. If they were hurt, being near that well might be the best for them. The best for Allie.

  Zay was still busy serving pie, by looking at a person at the table, pointing the knife at one pie, then the other, and when the person nodded, cutting a generous slice and sliding it over to him.

  The Overseer and Terric both took cherry; Victor and Allie had apple; Zay didn’t serve himself a slice. When he looked at me, I pointed at the apple and he just pushed the rest of the pie my way.

  I didn’t bother with a plate. Picked up my fork and had at it, watching the others.

  The Overseer sipped his coffee and sat back. He was more tired than he was letting on, and I noticed a slight tremble in his hand.

  “So, what aren’t you telling us?” I asked around a mouthful. The new chef kicked ass when it came to desserts. Well, she kicked ass when it came to any of the food we were serving, though I’d go to my grave saying my mum made the best bread known to mankind.

  The Overseer considered me, picked up his coffee, and took another drink.

  “I could ask you the same question, Mr. Flynn, Mr. Conley, but time is short. Why didn’t you contact me about the Closer’s death?”

  Zay had been walking around the table to sit next to Allie. He paused, pivoting just a bit so he faced Victor.

  “Who?” he asked quietly.

  “Joshua,” Terric answered. “We found Joshua Romero a few hours ago. In a parking garage. Dead.”

  Allie put her fork on her plate. “Oh no,” she said. She pressed her fingers over her eyes, holding them there for a minute, then dropping her hands into her lap. When she looked up, she wasn’t crying yet. I could tell that would come later. Instead she had that take-no-prisoners glint in her eye.

  That glint always got us in trouble.

  Okay: more trouble than usual.

  “How?” she asked.

  The Overseer glanced at me. Zay took his seat but did not eat the pie. He was looking at me too.

  “You do realize I’m not in charge anymore,” I said.

  “Fine,” Allie said. “Terric, do you know how he died?”

  “Eli Collins,” I said. Allie held her breath and Zay’s eyes pooled with gold. Since Collins was also an ex-boyfriend of Allie’s, and a man who had worked on experimental magic and technology integrations with her very dead, very disturbed father, I understood their reactions. Plus, any memories we’d tried to take away from him had been returned when magic was healed.

  “Are you sure?” she asked.

  I had a mouthful of pie, so I nodded.

  Terric took over. “There are glyphs carved into Joshua. Death, Pain, Binding. It looked like Eli’s signature.”

  “I want to see him,” Allie said.

  “Allie,” Zay started.

  “Don’t need to, love,” I said. “It was Eli’s hand. Swear on it.”

  “Will this change your decision?” the Overseer asked.

  I didn’t know if he was asking me or them, but I answered, “Not a bit.”

  Terric shook his head. “We’re staying.”

  Victor was tapping his finger softly on the edge of the table. He might have lost most of his sight, but he had not lost his ability to read people. I figured he had Terric and me pegged. He probably even knew we weren’t planning to wait around for Eli to find us.

  Take the fire to the fire, as, really, no one says.

  “And you?” the Overseer asked Allie and Zay.

  “No,” they said simultaneously.

  “We’re staying here,” Zay finished.

  Since I was across the table, I think I was the only one who saw Allie’s lips moving ever so slightly with the words Zayvion was saying.

  They were probably thinking the same thoughts. Speaking to each other in their minds. Stuck together brain to brain with superelastic Soul Complement glue.

  It was creepy.

  But they were my friends. My creepy, creepy friends.

  “I advise otherwise,” the Overseer said. “I believe you both, well, all of you, would be much safer out of the area. Perhaps out of the United States.”

  None of us said anything. I ate another couple bites of pie, then sat back and drank coffee.

  Victor’s frown had gone from thoughtful to disappointed. I guess he’d hoped the Overseer could talk sense into Allie and Zay at least. He should know better than that. I’d never seen them do anything but stand their ground.

  “Well, that’s settled, then,” Victor said. “Mr. Moretti, I think we’ve heard their final decision on this matter.”

  The Overseer pushed away from the table and stood, his fingers resting on the back of his chair. “I wish you’d reconsider, Zayvion and Allison. You have made a very dangerous choice in staying.”

  Zay was already on his feet, his hand reaching down to help Allie up.

  A wave of hunger rolled through me, seeing them there, heartbeats joined, alive and burning. I wrapped my hand around my coffee cup and sucked the heat out of it.

  Control it, Flynn. Zay’s counting on you.

  “Thank you for your concern,” Allie said. “But this is our home. We aren’t going to leave it.”

  Said the woman who had stood on the front line of the apocalypse and kicked its ass.

  “I admire your courage,” the Overseer said. “And I wish you strength. If I can help, please contact me.”

  “We will, sir,” Zayvion said. “Thank you.”

  The Overseer started toward the door, and Victor followed a little more slowly.

  I wanted to talk to Victor. See if he knew how Dessa fit into all this, but my control was damn near exhausted. And Terric was right there, just a few seats away.

  Staring at me.

  Being around him usually dampened my need to feed. But it wasn’t enough to be in the same room with him right now. What I wanted was life. Allie’s life, Zayvion’s life. Terric’s life.

  Terric waited. He knew what I wanted. Knew he could give it to me.

  Knew I knew it too. And was waiting for me to ask.

  If I asked and triggered the monster in him, one of us would end up dead.

  Besides, I’d had enough of walking among the living for the day.

  “So that was fun,” I said as soon as the door closed behind Victor and the Overseer. “The four of us, holding out while our doom sets us in its sights. Just like old times. Unlike old times, I plan to be drunk for as much of this as possible. Who’s up for a bottle or two?”

  Terric just shook his head and pushed away from the table. “Has either of you talked to Davy lately?”

  Allie answered, “Not for a few days. Why? Is he okay?”

  “I saw him last night. We saw him,” Terric said. “And he saw Joshua’s body. He knows it’s Eli behind his death.”

  Zay took in a deep breath and did that stare-into-space thing for a second. Used to be he could sort of reach out and feel where people were in the city. Back when he was Guardian of the gates. Back when there was enough magic in the world to open and close magical gates. Back when magic was broken, but a hell of a lot easier to deal with. Except, you know, everyone was pretty damn good at using it to kill one another.

  Maybe now he was just trying to decide how to talk Allie into going away somewhere safe.

  “How did Davy take it?” Allie asked.

  Terric shrugged, then rubbed at one shoulder as if it had a kink there. “Pretty sure he wants to be a part of taking Eli down.”

  Zay nodded and so did Allie.

  “I want to see the glyphs,” Allie said. “Where is the . . . where is Joshua?”

  Terric stood, dug his phone out of his pocket. “I took a c
ouple pictures.” He thumbed through the selection, which appeared to be password protected, then handed the phone to Allie.

  Zay nodded just slightly in thanks and Terric nodded back.

  Allie frowned and adjusted the picture so she could see it the way she wanted.

  Let them be all sleuthy. I found a decent bourbon, filled a glass. Took a long, hard swallow.

  Burned all the way down.

  Eleanor was perched on the edge of the bar, swinging her feet. I was pretty sure she hadn’t taken her eyes off Zayvion since we’d walked in here.

  “He’s taken, love,” I said quietly to her. “Plus, he prefers his women breathing.”

  She rolled her eyes and very carefully and slowly mouthed the words fuck you.

  I shook my head. “I like them breathing too.”

  She jumped down off the bar. Then she pushed through it and slapped me across the back of the head. I winced and chuckled into the glass.

  “Well,” I said as I refilled the tumbler. “Since you three seem to have some catching up to do, I am going to my room. Call me if you need me. Hold on.” I lifted one finger and navigated out from behind the bar, tumbler and bottle in one hand. “Better yet, don’t call me unless you absolutely must.”

  Zay folded his arms across his chest and gave me and my bottle a very disapproving glare as I walked out of the room. Allie just looked sad at my lack of . . . well, probably lack of everything.

  That hurt.

  I didn’t let it show. “Good night, all. See you on the morn.”

  “Shame,” Terric said. “It’s morn right now. It’s not even noon. And you have a date in a couple hours.”

  “A date?” Allie asked. “Who?”

  “Just a girl I met in a bar,” I said.

  “Ex-government,” Terric said. “I’d guess CIA or FBI.”

  “I don’t think so,” I interrupted. “She wouldn’t be asking us for information if she was in the intelligence community.”

  “There are things we’ve kept out of the government’s hands for years,” he said. “Even the CIA and FBI don’t have the records we have.”

  “True.”

  “That’s both interesting and worrisome,” Allie said, “but not as interesting as you wanting to date her. How long have you known her?”

  “A few hours.”

  “Hours?”

  “Yes. Which is why I’ll leave you creatures of the light to your day, and get some sleep while I can.” I strolled down the hall, Eleanor not far behind me. Listened to Zay and Allie and Terric. Talking. Talking about me. I tried to ignore their whispers. Shame wasn’t the same. Was worse than they’d ever seen. On the edge of losing control. Of becoming the monster.

  They didn’t know how right they were.

  Closed myself in my room. Kicked off my boots, while finishing off the tumbler in deep gulps. Trying to drown the hunger, the need. It helped, but not enough.

  Pulled off my coat, my shirt. Sat on the edge of my bed, hands and heart shaking.

  I was hungry. Hungry to kill.

  Eleanor stood across the room, her hands in her ghostly pockets. I lifted the bottle toward her in a toast. Then drank from it. Trying to burn away my need. Trying to dull my sorrow for Joshua. He was a good man. A decent guy. Husband. Father.

  Dead.

  We’d lost him. To Collins the Cutter. To that heartless bastard.

  When I found Eli—and I would—I was going to make him pay for every cut in Joshua’s flesh. For every moment of life he’d stolen from him.

  I tipped the bottle up, drank. And drank.

  Eleanor finally drifted over. Sat on the edge of my bed next to me. Pointed at the book that had fallen out of my coat pocket and onto the floor.

  “Ah, now. I promised, didn’t I?”

  She nodded.

  I pushed off the bed. Scooped up the book. Got myself sitting again, with my back against the headboard.

  I patted the blankets next to me. “Come on. I’m not going to read it to you.”

  She tipped her head, and for just a second, she gave me that hopeful glance. The one women tend to give men they think can be saved.

  I blinked, slowly, the alcohol taking some of the hard, hungry edges off the world. And waited for her.

  She finally drifted up, sat down next to me, her back against the headboard, knees curled up beneath her. She rested her hand on my shoulder and propped her chin there too so she could look down at the book I held. I opened it.

  We had a system, Eleanor and I. I’d drink. Hold up the book with one hand so she could see both pages. She’d tap me on the shoulder, and I’d turn the page. Drink again.

  We did this until the bottle was gone.

  Because the bottle was always gone before the pages were done.

  Chapter 13

  I’d be lying if I said I was completely sober by lunchtime. But just like the cigarettes that burned down too quickly in my hands, the edge-dulling effect of the bottle I’d drunk was fading fast.

  Zay and Allie and Terric had left the inn so the staff could open it up for the lunch and dinner crowd. I decided a cab was my best bet. I didn’t want to deal with the bus or light rail crowded with beating hearts.

  The pizza place was over on Mississippi Avenue, a two-story green-on-green stucco building with a clay tile awning stretched over white-framed windows and doors. I strolled in and helped myself to a booth by the window.

  Eleanor drifted between wooden tables and patrons, then paused to study the pizzas lined up along the counter behind glass.

  I glanced out the window and watched Dessa walk across the street. She’d pulled her hair back in a clip that allowed most of it to fall down around her shoulders, and had put on a gray formfitting dress that showed a kick of orange at each step where the skirt hit her knees. She wasn’t wearing a jacket, or carrying a purse big enough for a handgun.

  She was poised, confident, strong. And beautiful.

  Eleanor floated back over toward me and put her hand on my shoulder, pointing a finger out the window.

  “I see her,” I said.

  Dessa stepped into the room and strolled right over to me. She’d probably staked out the place and had watched me walk in.

  “Didn’t think you’d come,” she said as she took the bench opposite me.

  “Why not?” I asked.

  “You don’t seem like the kind of man who likes to be inconvenienced.”

  “Who says this is an inconvenience?”

  She stopped, studied me. “Do you ever take those sunglasses off?”

  “Only when there’s something worth seeing.” I reached up, pulled them off, and gave her a smile.

  She blushed just a bit, which was cute. “I see you brought your charm.”

  “What did you bring, Dessa?”

  “I do have information you want.”

  “That’s true,” I said. “Should we pretend to like each other over pizza and a beer?”

  “What if I already like you, Shame Flynn?”

  My turn to pause. “Naw, you just like what I can do.” I leaned forward a bit. “How I can kill.”

  “That’s why I found you,” she said, her gaze holding mine. “That’s not why I’m on a date with you.”

  “Mmm,” I said. “Then how about I buy us a beer?”

  “Let’s make it two.”

  We ordered pizza and a couple pints. Talking took a backseat while we made a dent in our slices. She’d gone for a mix of veggies and meat, while I’d opted for the full-on carnivore. She ate her pizza the right way—with her fingers.

  “Dating me, yeah, sure, I can understand the draw,” I said after I’d demolished my lunch. “How could you resist tall, dark, and dangerous?”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Tall?”

  “Hush. What I don’t understand is why you want to give me any information at all.”

  She shrugged and wiped her mouth on a napkin. “My brother was a part of your organization. He was the most honest, caring man I knew. H
e wouldn’t have gotten involved with the Authority if he didn’t agree with what it stood for.”

  “That’s a lot of blind faith you have there.”

  “Just faith. I know you people have done illegal things. But from what I can tell, he believed the Authority was dedicated to doing the right thing, even if that meant making some hard choices.”

  I nodded. “That was the idea. But like all ideas, once people are added to the mix, there are bound to be problems.”

  “Problems like the man who killed my brother.”

  I took a drink of my beer. I wasn’t going to give her information on Eli, didn’t want her in the way of whatever he was planning on doing to people. “Did you grow up in the area?”

  “My dad was in the army. I grew up everywhere.”

  “And when you got out on your own, where did you settled down?”

  “San Francisco.”

  “What did you do there?”

  “Officially?” She smiled. “I was a national account manager for a bioscience division of a tech company.”

  “Unofficially?”

  She sipped her beer. “I spied on people.”

  “CIA? FBI?”

  “I wasn’t offered details,” she said. “Just money in exchange for being reliable and discreet.”

  “Is that what you’re doing now? Gathering intel?”

  “Not for them. I said I was ex-government. I meant that. The only intel I want is who killed my brother.” She held up her hand. “I know. You’re not going to give it to me. But I said I had a few things to tell you, and I’m going to.”

  “Why?”

  “We started off on the wrong foot,” she said. Her eyes slid away to the window and the people moving about out there, then back to me. “I misjudged you.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “I thought you didn’t care about anything. I thought you’d like the deal, the hunt, the payoff.”

  “Maybe I do.”

  “Maybe. But it’s not what you care about.”

  “It’s fascinating how you think you know me and we’ve barely met.”

  “You’ve seen me naked.”

  “Not quite.”

  “You care about Terric, Dash, and Clyde,” she went on. “You care about Zayvion Jones and Allison Beckstrom and Cody Miller.”