Red River Song by A. R. Mummey
Chapter Sixteen
I awoke in Bast’s office, lying on her sofa. Freya sat, leaning forward, so her face was inches from mine.
“What happened tonight will never happen again.” Her
voice was calm, but she held her shaking hands in her lap.
“You did this. Bast could have died tonight. You do not go up against this thing. Do you understand that? She is more powerful than you will ever be. All we can do is run and hide and try to stay alive. We’re jokes to her. We’re pawns in a greater war between God and Man. Thea plays with people. She messes with them, and then she kills them. She will turn you cruel for sport. That’s her new angle.”
“Is Bast okay? I’m so sorry, Freya.” I reached forward to touch her hands in comfort, but she slammed back, her entire body suddenly engulfed in dark grey flames. The veins in her face shone black through her skin, and her eyes became silver.
“You walked my sister into a trap. She was already a target for Thea, being the leader of the Dark. You led her, our cousin, and our childhood friends to doom. Bast will live for now. But for how long? You have no idea what you’ve done. But you will. Nicole and Greta disappeared from the hospital. A cloud of mysterious red vapor that the police assume must be a chemical weapon was responsible for the deaths of several hospital employees, and a trail of blood led to Nicole’s and Greta’s rooms. It burned them like acid, killing them slowly, their skin cut up in ribbons like it had sloughed off.
“Word has spread through our communities of Dark and Gifted. Thea has sent a message for you. She wants you to meet her at this warehouse in one week, or she will tear Greta and Nicole apart, limb by limb. And she will do it, too, I promise you that.”
“Freya,” I gasped. “What’s happening? Why do you have Bast’s hue? I thought there was only one leader. You said Bast was okay. She’s okay, isn’t she?” The last came out like a prayer.
“Her heart stopped. She was dead for a full minute before we got it working again. When a leader dies, another is automatically chosen.”
“Is it permanent? Can there be two leaders?”
“Leave.” Her voice was firm.
“Freya, I need answers.”
Freya’s eyes shone with tears, her flames evaporating as she thrust a piece of paper in my hand and started for the door. “Leave here, Lorelei. And don’t ever return. I wish you luck, but if you come back or seek Bast out, I will have you killed. I’ve brought your car here and loaded it with some special materials, but I repeat: this is a fight we will not be a part of.”
“How dare you? You said she’s not Thea, right? She’s Eisheth, a succubus, an ex-angel. You told me to fight her like she was a succubus, not to focus on any other part. I’m sorry Bast got hurt, truly, but we have to work together. We can’t win this alone.”
“Leave, Lorelei. I was wrong. All wrong. She is my sister, and I can’t do this. The materials are in your car. Good luck helping your friends.”
“They’re already dead. I feel it, Freya. Greta came to me. She told me it wasn’t my fault. What do I do?” My voice cracked. I cleared my throat instinctively.
“You? You fight. Because you’re strong. Because she won’t expect it. And also because you will have a few special weapons.” Quickly, as if making a decision, she turned and came to me. She started speaking in a foreign tongue. Drawing a small knife from her skirt pocket, she slit the palm of her hand and then proceeded to grab my hand and do the same. Instinctively, I trusted her. She continued speaking, her eyes rolling into the back of her head, her body glowing in a silvery hue as she started to seizure. I watched in amazement as her body lifted from the ground and the lights flickered. I felt all the energy in the room rushing toward her. She grabbed me, linking our two bloodied hands, still chanting, and my body rose in tandem with hers. Freya reached over with her other hand, a silvery orb gathering there, full of all that extra energy. She aimed straight for my heart and let it loose.
The lights blew out. Our bodies fell. My heart stuttered. My body seized. Freya quickly exited. I waited for my breathing to slow before I sat up. I knew before I looked that my hand was completely healed. I felt heady from the energy. I had an idea of what she’d done, but I couldn’t be certain. There was only one way to be sure.
Tears rolled down my cheeks as my body continued to convulse. I tried to comprehend everything that Freya had just said and done, and everything that I had seen earlier, but my mind was blank. It was stuck on fear and the image of Bast slumped over, her head bleeding, and Thea’s laughter. And Nicole and Greta, what could I do for them? Greta’s dead eyes, once full of life, now devoid of color, haunted me. How many people had died tonight in my efforts to save them, and how many more was I willing to risk? What if there was still a chance they were alive? Even a slim chance meant I couldn’t give up. My mind rolled over to the voice that saved me. There was no doubt in my mind that it had been Detective Ash. He had saved me. I didn’t know whether or not to go for him to help. He’d given me his card, saved my life, told me what I was, but what if Thea hurt him? Could I have that on me as well?
Evil knows no bounds. But I was supposed to be good, wasn’t I? So, how could I let people die? And my friends? My friends, my friends … wait, my friends? Where were they? And Patrick? I jumped up, still shaking, but now for a new reason.
Now wasn’t the time to let fear stop me, to eat away at my soul. Anabel answered on the first ring as I fled Bast’s home.
“Lorelei,” Anabel hiccupped through tears.
“Oh, thank God. Is everyone all right? Where are you?”
“Heath, Theo, and I are at our apartment. Jo just left to meet up with Patrick and Aidan. But listen, I know you were at Bast’s and that Thea’s trying to draw you out, but you can’t go. You can’t fight her alone. We need a plan. At the hospital tonight … something happened…. I—”
“I know, Anabel. Freya told me. Stay where you are. I need to find Jo. Jo and Aidan are in danger. Patrick is under Thea’s control. He has been for a long time.”
“No!” she cried out.
“Yes.” My voice cracked. “Just stay where you are. Promise me. And keep Theo and Heath there with you. I’m going to track down Jo and Aidan and send them to you for tonight.”
“You’re coming too, right?”
“There’s something I have to do first.”
“You can’t get them back. Nicole and Greta, you can’t save them.”
“I have to try. And I can’t risk anyone else. Just let me do this. Please.” I wiped the tears away furiously as I continued to drive.
“I love you, Lorelei. Come back to us.” Hanging up, I tried to assuage my guilt. No response was the best response. I still loved my friends. I had always tried to keep them at at a distance, but they’d wiggled their way into my heart. I would die for them, but that didn’t mean I was ready to forgive them. Maybe it was cruel to not respond to Anabel but I was on a mission, so instead I shoved the guilt aside.
Next I tried Jo, but it went straight to voicemail. Knowing which way my luck was going, I hit Patrick’s number without hesitation.
“Hello,” a voice sing-songed at me.
“Thea,” I muttered, hatred in my voice.
“Oh, darling, don’t be bitter. It’s not my fault I bested you. You really couldn’t have expected to beat me now, could you?” I could hear her pout over the distance.
“Where’s Patrick, Thea?”
“Around. Don’t you worry, darling. More importantly, I miss you. But I’ll see you soon. You and your friends hurt me. I daresay your time is almost up. Wouldn’t want anything to happen to dear Nicole and Greta, now would we?”
“I’ll be there, but this is important. I need to know where he is.”
“I said not to worry, Lorelei. If I were you, I’d be more concerned with the precious cargo I have here with me. After all, you heard about my trip to the hospital. You know when you try to turn the tables on me, it ends badly. I’ll text you the address the night
Parking in my complex, I looked at the assortment of nonsense Freya had put in my passenger’s seat and on the floor in front of it. There was a bundle of letters, some books, a small box containing several vials of assorted liquids with a piece of parchment describing what each vial held, and a second box that held a pure silver folding knife. I flicked my wrist, and the knife clicked into place. I briefly examined the ornate silver and blue-encrusted handle. Shaking my head, I carefully folded the knife shut, taken aback by the feeling of calm that washed over me with it in my hand. I turned and smiled at one vial in particular, knowing it was why Freya had fried me with energy earlier.
I considered my options. Patrick was in the wind. Theo, Heath, and Anabel were safe, for now. That just left Jo and Aidan. Shit. I was exhausted and on the verge of a breakdown, but I needed to check on them. Throwing the car in drive, I headed back to the only place I knew they’d end up, the James estate. The guard post was empty, so I punched in the security code I’d been given and pulled through, slightly surprised since the last time the Estate hadn’t been locked up. One. Two. Three. Breathe. I kicked myself in gear.
Browsing quickly, I pocketed the blade and a handful of vials, committing their uses to memory. The rest I’d have to discover another day—if I had another day, that is. I walked quickly, nervousness flooding through me. It was just after four in the morning, and my body was running on anxiety and adrenaline.
I entered quietly, going first to Patrick’s study to investigate. Nothing unusual struck me, but I wanted to take a closer look at his financials. Any buildings or properties he owned were potential places he could be hiding out.
“What are you doing here?” Jo’s voice was quiet, materializing from the shadows in the corner, her eyes red and swollen. I yelped, clutching my heart, frightened. My fear only increased when I saw her face, bitter, menacing.
“Looking for Patrick.” I forced myself to say calmly.
“In his desk at four in the morning? He’s gone. Long gone,” Jo spat out moving closer to me.
“And Aidan?” I braced myself. There was no way I could out run her if she came at me.
“Patrick snapped his neck. He hasn’t woken yet, but when he does, he’ll be pissed.” Her face cracked a little at the mention of Aidan and I realized that this was all an act, for me. She didn’t want me to see her weak over Aidan.
“She has him. She’s had him under her control for who knows how long.”
“I know. Anabel called.” I felt like I’d been slapped. Anabel called her. Their closeness was really starting to piss me off. Damnit!
“I’m so—”
“Save it! I don’t need your bullshit,” she snarled. “We’re going to get him back. When are you meeting them?”
“We’ve got a week.”
“Well then, I suggest you get some rest. Tomorrow, we start training.”