Autumn Moon (9 page)

“Grandfather, stop. I asked him to stay,” Autumn defended him.

“He’s right,” Jairec spoke up.

“What did you say?” Chin looked at him.

“You’re right, sir. I should have walked away, but I let my feelings for her override caution. But know this:  I would never hurt her.”

Chin stood there, his nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply. Then he released his breath in a whoosh. “Follow me,” he ordered

Autumn followed too, but her grandfather turned around, halting her. “Just the chiang-shih.”

Autumn didn’t understand why her grandfather wanted Jairec, but she knew by his stance that she should not question him.

She bowed. “As you wish, Grandfather.”

Jairec followed the old man to the back room where they had found the book. Chin eyed Jairec, making him feel like a bug under a microscope. “Why did you come here?”

“The Seer.”

“The Seer? Gladys, the old bat is still giving advice?”

“Aye.”

“And what did she tell you?”

“She told me Autumn Moon was my destiny and the end of the festival would be my demise if I didn’t drink from the elixir. She told me Jin would have …” He shook his head. “No, she said I would find the elixir of life at Moon’s Acupuncture. I assumed I would need to speak with Jin.”

“Leave it to Gladys to be so cryptic,” he mumbled under his breath. He looked at Jairec again. “There is gray in your hair. Is this new?”

“Aye, I noticed it this morning.”

“It’s one of the signs. How do you keep the hunger at bay?”

Jairec narrowed his eyes. “Am I one of your science projects?”

“I want to know if my granddaughter is safe with you,” Chin snapped.

“I told you, I would never hurt her.”

“You seem awfully sure of yourself.” He opened a draw, his hand curling around a knife.

Jairec held up his hands. “Hey, I don’t want any trouble.”

Chin held Jairec’s gaze as he sliced his own palm.

“What the hell.” Jairec backed up. His fangs lowered and his eyes glowed red. “You need to get out of here old man.”

Chin let the blood drip down his hand.

Jairec’s throat rumbled and a growl left his lips. He swiped away the sweat that dripped down his face. “Why are you doing this?”

“What if my granddaughter is injured in your quest to stop your brother? Can you resist taking her and draining her? You’ve already nibbled on her neck. Who’s to say you won’t take a little more next time?”

“I told you, I wouldn’t harm her.” The blood teased, rousing the tantalizing scent of prey. He wanted to rip the old man’s throat out and feast. He leaned down, gripping his knees and forcing himself not to react.

“Look at you. You’re pathetic. You can barely hold back.”

“Please stop.”

“No. You have to face what you’ve become. You aren’t human anymore.” With a wave of his other hand, he pinned Jairec to the wall.

Jairec wondered what other powers Chin possessed. He was stronger than The Seer. The way he pinned him as if he was a bug on a corkboard, forcing him to meet his gaze proved he was no match for Chin.

“Smell the blood,” Chin teased letting the precious droplets drip down his arm.

Jairec growled again. His fangs lengthened even more. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to fight the urge to sink his fangs into the old man.

“You’re a beast.”

“You don’t think I know this?” Jairec bit out.

“No, I don’t. I see the way you look at my granddaughter. I know you’ve slept with her and I don’t like it.”

He met the old man’s gaze. “Tell me what you dislike more: That I’m a chiang-shih or that I remind you of Autumn’s father?” He heard the way Chin sneered at the mention of Autumn’s father. Chin had not forgiven Quinn Moon for taking his daughter away. He most likely blamed the man for her death, too.

Chin’s face slacked in surprise that he had read him so easily, but then his lips thinned in a frown. “This has nothing to do with Quinn Moon. I want the best for Autumn.”

“Then we are in agreement. I love her.” He cleared his throat.

Chin stared at him for a blink of second. Then he released him.

Jairec slid to the floor.

Chin took a cloth out of one of the drawers and wrapped his hand. The smell of blood still filled Jairec’s nostrils, but it was tolerable. The urge to kill was not so pronounced now.

“Holy, holy …” Chin tapped his lip. “You love her.”

Jairec stood, a smile tugging at his lips at Chin’s choice of words.

“Do you find something amusing?”

“I just realized where Autumn gets her spunk.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, chiang-shih.”

“It was worth a try. Aye?” He smiled but Chin’s face remained stoic.

“You do realize you cannot be with her.”

He sighed and nodded. “I’m aware. I will see her safe and then … I will rely on you to end my life.”

“With pleasure.”

Jairec would have preferred if he hadn’t seemed so pleased with the prospect.

Chapter Sixteen

Autumn wondered what her grandfather wished to tell Jairec. Why did he want her to wait out here when he said he needed to teach her how to ward off Heng?

“That’s it. I want to know what is going on.” She marched over to the door, as it swung open. Jairec’s right eyebrow rose as if he suspected she’d been eavesdropping. She wished she’d thought of it sooner. Her eyes caught sight of her grandfather’s wrapped hand.

“What happened?” She eyed Jairec then her grandfather.

“It is nothing, Autumn. I cut myself is all.”

She didn’t believe him. She looked at Jairec, but he wouldn’t meet her gaze.

“Fine, whatever.” She threw up her hands.

“You have other things to worry about,” Chin reprimanded. “You need to pack these.” He handed her two bottles, a box of bullets, and a wood stake.

“What are these for?”

“The wood stake through the heart will immobilize a chiang-shih and the copper dipped bullets will kill a white haired one.”

“And what’s in the bottles?”

“Lighter fluid and salt, of course.”

Autumn blinked thinking her grandfather had gone mad. “What do we need those for?”

“We must make sure Loann doesn’t rise. Heng will want an army behind him. He must have his strength back. If we don’t stop him, we’ll have a parade tonight all right only it will be a parade of the damned.”

“Grandfather, this is Loann we’re talking about.”

“Loann is gone. What will rise will be a minion with no more personality than a zombie bent on killing. Loann’s throat was ripped out insuring death of the human spirit. There will be no communicating with her. What will rise will be a puppet to do Heng’s bidding.”

“I don’t understand. Jairec isn’t like that. We could help her adjust—”

“Stop.” Her grandfather held up his hand. “I saw Loann. There isn’t a ritual to keep her one soul earth bound. The separation was complete, severed without a chance to change her fate. Heng will raise her and he will control her.”

She shook her head. “What are we suppose to do with the stake and the bottle. Am I to drench her then stake her?”

“We’re going to burn the body,” her grandfather told her as he swept past her.

Chapter Seventeen

They took the long way around, avoiding the traffic from the festival. San Francisco’s hills were brutal with its steep inclines. Chin and Autumn walked the hills with ease. Jairec was surprised he could keep up with them. A few days ago, he wasn’t so sure he could have, but in his preternatural state, he was much stronger.

Chin pointed out places of interest as they headed for Jackson Street. Jairec assumed it was a ploy to take their minds off what they intended to do.

“The Chinese Hospital was built in 1925 to replace the Tung Wah Dispensary that was destroyed in the earthquake. You know about the 1906 earthquake, don’t you?” He looked back at Jairec.

“I believe I’ve heard of the disaster.”

“Did you know the hospital is the first and only Chinese hospital in America?

“No, I don’t believe I knew that, sir.”

“Bruce Lee was born there, too.”

Autumn pulled on Chin’s arm. “Grandfather, we’re not on a tour of Chinatown or have you forgotten we’re on our way to burn Loann’s body?”

He shrugged. “Just making conversation.”

Jairec slipped his hand in Autumn’s. “It’s okay. I was on holiday before this all happened. I didn’t even have the chance to see the Golden Gate Bridge or Alcatraz.”

“Too bad, chiang-shih.” Chin shook his head. “They are both a sight to see, but being what you are, you can’t cross a body of water.”

Autumn frowned and gripped Jairec’s hand tighter. He patted her hand. He’d come to terms with what he was, but he feared she hadn’t.

They entered the hospital through the front. Sometimes hiding in plain sight was the best course. They looked like they knew what they were doing and where they were headed. No one asked any questions.

They entered the room where Loann had been placed; awaiting an autopsy as if the ripped out throat wasn’t enough evidence as to why she had died. A sheet covered Loann up to her chin, hiding the ravaged marks that killed her. Her dark hair fanned around her, making her skin look snow white.

“She looks like she’s sleeping,” Autumn commented.

Jairec gripped her shoulder. “Why don’t you wait outside and let your grandfather and I take care of this.”

“No.” She took a ragged breath. “I’ll stay.”

Chin opened the bag he brought with him. He pulled out supplies and ritual items Jairec didn’t recognize, but Chin explained as he worked. “The Taoist priests used to perform exorcisms to remove the negative energy.” Chin pulled out yellow strips of paper with red writing.

Jairec’s sense of smell told him it was written in blood. “What are those for?”

“The talismans will absorb the evil.” He placed the strips on Loann’s forehead. “Autumn, sprinkle the salt around the table Loann is laid out on. It will keep her from leaping from it and attacking us.” He looked at Jairec. “You might want to step back chiang-shih. It’ll also bind you.”

He didn’t have to be told twice. He stood to the side as Chin and Autumn worked. Autumn handed her grandfather the other bottle she’d been carrying. Chin doused the sheet that covered Loann. The sulfuric smell of the accelerant filled their nostrils.

Autumn strode over to Jairec, linking her arm through his.

Chin spoke the ancient words to purify the unclean spirit from Loann’s body. Jairec could feel the power radiating in the room, pressing in on him even though it wasn’t directed at him. Then Loann sat up as if she’d been kissed awake. Autumn gasped and took a step forward, but Jairec held her back. “Remember it isn’t her.”

Loann with the flesh ripped at her neck turned to look at Autumn. She reached her hands toward her. “Save me, Autumn. I’m your friend.” Her voice sounded heartfelt but her eyes were soulless orbs glazed with death.

“Don’t listen to her,” Jairec told her, pulling her against him.

Chin’s voice rose over Loann’s as he continued his chant to eliminate what possessed Loann’s body.

Stop old man, Loann hissed as she threw back the sheet, revealing her bloodstained and torn clothes. She stepped down only to jump back onto the table with a hiss.  She screeched in frustration like a trapped animal searching for a way out.

Chin lit a match and Loann shrieked again, an unearthly shrill that made them cover their ears. Chin threw the match and the sheets caught on fire rising, swirling around Loann until she became a screaming torch of light.

Autumn hid her face in Jairec’s chest. He held onto her, his gaze transfixed on the blaze, knowing he would most likely end up like this. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he found Chin staring at him.

With his keen audible range, Jairec heard the commotion first—angry voices. “They’re coming,” he warned. “We have to get out of here.”

“Let’s move then.” Chin swung open the door and ran out into the hall. Autumn and Jairec were close behind.

“Stop!” One of the two orderlies yelled. One was tall and the other buff. He looked more like a bouncer for a pub than a caretaker at a hospital.

Chin slammed through the emergency doors at the end of the hall. Alarms blared and the sprinklers went off, the smoke finally triggering them. The men behind them cursed as they slid on the wet tiled floor. Jairec slammed the emergency door shut. Chin raised his hands. “Move aside, chiang-shih.”

Jairec pulled his hood over his head and ran over to Autumn. She grabbed his hand, squeezing tight.

Chin summoned his power swinging it toward the doors, stopping anyone from exiting. “That’ll hold them for only few minutes. So move!” He ran past them. For an old man, he was fast on his feet.

“We’ll split up and meet back at Autumn’s shop,” Chin ordered.