Shades of Blood (7 page)

“If you tell us anything useful.” He nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. She stared up at him from her couch, the television muted in the background, the sound of her outraged gasp nearly drowned out by the noise of the Edinburgh traffic outside her living room window.

“You
’
re a cold bastard, Neil. Just like Dad.”

“And you
’
re a treacherous bitch.”

“OK,” Romany cleared her throat, stepping forward from her place by the living room door. “We
’
re on a tight schedule here… just tell us if Arcos ever mentioned anyone by name?”

Mary shook her head. “Arcos
’
only agenda is to kill Eden.”

Neil frowned. “So she has nothing to do with the rebellion?” He found his hands curling into fists as she stiffened, growing quiet. Bloody hell, she knew something. “Mary. If you tell us, I
’
ll let Cameron stay with you this weekend.”

Her eyes brightened immediately and he felt a momentary nip of guilt prick him. His sister and Cameron had grown so close since his brother-in-law
’
s death, and despite Cameron
’
s anger at his mother for betraying Eden, she was still his mum and he still loved her... still missed her. Neil winced at the thought.  “OK.” Mary nodded eagerly, seeming four years old instead of forty. “Arcos slipped up once. She told me her only agenda was to kill Eden, so if I had other things in mind, such as what
Adam
was up to, then I could piss off.”

Neil froze, his heart racing a little harder at the name.

Nah.

No way.

He cut an unsure look at Romany whose own eyes were wide, aghast. “Adam? Adam Lincoln?” she asked hoarsely.

If the Adam in question was in fact the Texas Councilman, the most influential and powerful Neith in the US, not to mention one of Cyrus
’
friends, then they were all in deep shit. “I bloody well hope not.”

His mobile rang, cutting through the tense air, making him jolt. He cursed inwardly at how jangled his nerves were as he answered it, “McLeish.”

He listened in growing horror as his second-in-command, Richard Liddle, explained a situation he
’
d hoped never to encounter again. “When?” he asked sharply.

“Could have been anytime today. The last time we saw Cameron was last night at yours.”

“They
’
re all gone?”

“Chris and Alison. Tobe and Cameron. The house is wrecked.”

“And… blood?”

“Some. Not a lot to indicate severe injury or death although there is one rank and very dead soul eater in their kitchen. The rest must have gotten away with the Douglas
’
and Cameron.”

“I
’
ll be there in five minutes.” He shut the phone off and met his sister
’
s terrified gaze, his head pounding and fury writhing in his veins.

Fuel for the Fire

Noah
’
s heartbeat throbbed beneath her ear, steady and strong. Reassuring. His long fingers brushed through her hair as he stroked her, soothing her. Eden inhaled his citrusy Noah scent, her palm pressed against his warm chest, her legs tangled with his. For once she didn
’
t care if she got caught in his room. On his bed.

With the way she
’
d stormed out of Cyrus
’
sitting room she doubted anybody would be coming to check on her until she
’
d cooled down.

When Noah had found her on his bed, he
’
d slipped in beside her and pulled her close and let her cry it all out without saying a word. Finally she
’
d fallen asleep, only to awaken to find it dark outside and Noah was still beside her.

Cyrus had tried to explain everything to him. Everything to her. Apparently Romany made a good double agent because of her strained history with Noah. People would believe she had an agenda against Eden and the Ankh. And apparently she
’
d done good work so far. Turns out McLeish was definitely on their side (who knew, right?) and now he, Romany, and Romany
’
s Councilman were working together to discover the traitor.

Eden had barely taken it in.

How could he? How could Cyrus bring that woman back into their lives? Especially now… especially now she knew that Stellan had had a future.

Another tear leaked out of her eye and Noah caught it. “Baby.” He sighed, squeezing her closer. “Tell me what to do. I can
’
t stand this.”

She shook her head, burying her face in his chest. “Did you hear?” she whispered. “About me, about Stellan?”

“I did.”

“He would have been alright, Noah. If she
’
d followed your orders… he would have been alright. Why is Cyrus doing this? I was OK… she was gone and I was OK. But I can
’
t…” the rage growled from deep within her and she gripped him tighter, trying to force the ugliness down.

Noah took the hand that had crumpled his shirt, his fingers smoothing it out of a fist and placing it palm down on his upper chest. He then shifted, tilting her head so she would look up at him. “I don
’
t think this is Cyrus. I think this is Darius.”

Eden stiffened. “Do you think… do you think this is a test?”

Anger swept fleetingly over his features before he smoothed them back out. “Possibly. Probably.”

“Why?”

“To see if you really will put your duty before anything else. And you just have to prove that you can.”

Eden snapped up away from him, her long hair hanging down past her face, brushing his t-shirt. She glared into his wide, violet eyes. “Prove that I can? Noah… I want to rip her effing head off!”

He flinched at her tone and they stared at each other for an unbearable few seconds. Finally his jaw clenched, and she saw some kind of resolve in his eyes. “No, you don
’
t.”

How could he not get this?! A rush of flaming heat crashed into her chest and she wanted to scream at him, pummel him, anything to make him understand. “Yes, I do.”

What was that look in his eye? Was that disappointment? Disbelief. Eden choked on the thought and turned to leave him. Just as his hand wrapped tight around her upper arm, holding her in place, a knock sounded on his door. They both glanced up as Noah
’
s mom came into the room, her features tight with anxiety. “Guys,” she said quietly, “I
’
m sorry to intrude but… we need you downstairs and ready to roll.”

“What happened?” Noah asked as he got up, his hands tight around Eden
’
s waist, helping her off the bed whether she wanted him to or not. Even when they were standing he didn
’
t let go and Eden felt a familiar ache in her chest.

He was worried.

He was worried Romany
’
s return would put up a wall between them.

Eden was worried too.

She caught his hand in hers and he squeezed it tight as they walked towards his mom.

Emma
’
s features were drawn and tense. “There
’
s a disturbance in a warehouse in China Town. One of our PD guys intercepted a call to the police. A witness described the people involved as unnaturally fast, organized… and one of them had distinguishing features - pale grey eyes. Soul eaters. At least eight.”

“What are they doing?” Eden asked, throwing everything else that had happened behind her as they rushed down three flights of stairs.

“Witnesses think they were after something. Sounds of a disturbance could be heard from the warehouse adjoined to the store.”

In the entrance hall they met up with Alain, Cyrus and Val. Everyone was strapping up. Noah passed Eden her katana from the closet and she belted her scabbard around her hips, the sword sliding into it, as ready to be used as Eden was to use it. The disturbance couldn
’
t have come at a better time as far as she was concerned. She needed an outlet for all her hurt and fury.

Someone was soooo going to get it.

They drove in
Cyrus
’
van, speeding when they could and sticking to the limit when they should. The tension and air of anticipation was thick, almost suffocating. Eden
’
s knee kept bouncing up and down, desperate to flex and kick some douchebag in his good-for-nothing places. The forty minute drive into Boston was cut down to twenty by Cyrus
’
amazing driving skills. They whipped into a parking space behind the warehouse and were out of the van, blurring across the lot to the building that immersed them in shadow away from prying eyes.

“The plan?” Alain asked Cyrus softly.

Val answered instead, “Kill them all.”

At that succinct response Cyrus yanked on the locked door, the metal crunching under his strength as the door gave way. Immediately the sounds of heavy breathing and grunts reached their ears and they flooded inside, Eden last in line behind Noah. As soon as she could see passed her fellow warriors her eyes widened in disbelief. Three soul eaters lay incapacitated, not dead. Ugh, Eden wrinkled her nose involuntarily. One of them was kind of almost dead
–
it looked like his head had been sawn at with a small knife. Her gaze swept the room, coming to a stop on the two Neith fighting five soul eaters, their movements weary, their faces blooded, small knives in each of their hands. What were they doing with such crappy weapons? The soul eaters paused at the Ankhs
’
sudden appearance, their grey eyes bright in the dark.

Like true asshats, three of the five turned tail and ran. The Ankh gave chase.

Not Eden and Noah. They each flew at one of the remaining soul eaters. Eden
’
s was a woman, a tall, well-built, seriously-looked-like-a-dude female soul eater. She spun on Eden, somewhat out of breath but eyes flashing with hunger. She kicked out with a long, strong leg and Eden barely dodged it, swiping back on her feet, the rush of adrenaline wiping everything else from her mind. She could easily reach for her katana. End it quick.

But she needed the fight.

The female stepped into Eden
’
s space, her fist coming up in a charging uppercut that caught Eden on the chin. She barely felt the flare of pain vibrating through her face, making her eyes water. Instead, she jerked back from the soul eater
’
s other fist as it slammed towards her, grabbing her wrist between two hands, dancing away from her with a twist, cracking the female
’
s arm back behind her with a snap of bone.

The soul eater screamed and Eden growled in triumph, forcing the arm from the socket with a strong kick to the base of the female
’
s spine that stretched her in opposite directions. She howled and wrenched herself from Eden
’
s grip, turning on her, her eyes bright with pained tears as she grabbed her arm and fixed the dislocation.