Awakening - Book of Fire (Blood Heritage #1) (38 page)

"
Thank you,
James replies in utter surprise. Perhaps this is the news he has been waiting for today, the reason for his stress and anticipation. Someone is out there who wants Amber dead. He thinks about it realizing this is probably only the beginning, he is still wound as tightly as a jack-in-the-box, ready to explode. He doesn't have to wait long for the final turn of the handle.

James realizes what happened that night, Amber healed the dog, had taken the poison and dealt with it herself. That's why she had gotten so dizzy, had such a hard time breathing, and had thrown up on the way. She was so worried about the dog she hadn't even realized she had done it. She saved her little darling's life and didn't even known it. She has some serious ability, that woman is amazing. He is kind of freaked out by it, and kind of thrilled at the prospect of it. She healed him, and now she saved her little Allie. Is there anything she can't handle when she puts her mind to it? He can't wait to tell her how amazing her abilities are, to let her know she is special and wonderful, but this is not a decision he wants to have over the phone.

He decides it is best if he goes to see her, The dreary afternoon needs some brightening and he knows seeing her smile will set him back at ease. He feels the desire to head out on a slow patrol of the community, just to keep himself busy. His partner is working on some catch-up paperwork, so he leaves him behind in his impatience. He says he will call if he needs anything. Sometimes James feels the best place for him when he needs to relax is behind the wheel. There is something about the sound of tires on pavement and the constant rumble of the engine that soothes his weary soul. The isolation is a welcome escape when he needs to think.

He sees her walking along the main street, her dark heels clacking on the sidewalk, the black umbrella shielding her from the tiny drizzle that darkens the sky. It is an eerie combination, this creepy woman and the unfriendly weather that suits her so well. She seems plastic, her face void of emotion. Though her expressions play at it, they are contrived and the ice behind them glistens through the cracks in her facade. She is not what she appears. She is something different entirely. He can sense in her the tension, the readiness to pounce. That is it, she behaves like a cat, a crouching tiger just watching its prey. She is not human, at least not entirely. He pulls up alongside her stopping the car. He has to know what it is she is after. Who is she? What does she know about everything that's going on. There is no doubt in his mind that she is somehow connected to his case.

The terror that has been bubbling within him all day wells into a geyser of realization. He finally feels the impact of overwhelming truth. He understands...no he BELIEVES.. everything Amber has been telling him, the bloodlines, the book, the circle, must all be real. They live among monsters and Gods and he is nothing compared to them. He is terrified of this woman, he doesn't know what she is capable of. With men, criminals, humans... he can predict their next move. But this is a whole new game and someone has forgotten to give him the rule book. He realizes how impulsive he is being. He was so wrong leaving the supernatural part of the puzzle in the hands of the women. He hadn't been ready to fully accept what was so obvious. James didn't want to admit that a world other than what he understood could possibly exist let alone become such a major part of where his life is going. Though he has been unable to deny it, it has not until this moment actually sunk in. James begins to feel a dark and penetrating fear that crawls over his spine and disrupts his ability to think clearly. His heart races, his breathing quickens and his hands begin to sweat profusely.

The realities that are consuming him don't marry well with his strict and admittedly forced Catholic upbringing. Despite his repeated professions that he doesn't believe a word of what was shoved down his throat, he can't help but feel guilt and fear at anything that challenges those beliefs. He was, he guesses, a little brainwashed despite his attempts to disavow the entire experience. It is a part of him and this new information is a complete and direct contradiction to everything he feels comfortable falling back on. He feels the sting on his knuckles and the tugging on his hair the reminders of his youth that God is watching with a heavy hand ready to fall on his head. He doesn't feel like himself, his thoughts swarming around in circles he hasn't thought of in many years. He can't focus, and each time he tries the world becomes more out of sorts. He struggles to break free of his limiting beliefs and the demons of his past. We are all products of our environment in one way or another.

He pushes the religious bindings aside, he will have to free himself of those handcuffs thoroughly, otherwise he will be useless to Amber. He has to be strong and open minded to help her through all of this. He has to become her soldier, not a servant to a God that long ago abandoned them to face whatever this is alone. James can't seem to find a single thought to hold onto, the chaos continues to disrupt each strand he grasps. He watches her walking and senses in her a great purpose. She knows who she is.. what she has to do; it seems unfair to him. He isn't sure why she is the enemy, but he is absolutely convinced she is. If she is like Amber isn't it possible that they are on the same team? No... He doesn't have a strictly logical reason to be so sure, but he is positive, without a doubt she has no intention of being friends.

Why is he so unsure of himself. This is not like him at all, he is not one to second guess his every move, even his deepest thoughts don't seem his own. He senses without fully grasping what he feels there is an outside influence on his mind. James is stronger than this, he knows what he lives for, what he fights for: Amber. He feels cold fingers tying knots of doubt within his mind. He has to regain control; he visualizes a flame, like the fire she fills him with, encouraging it to burn inside his head, guiding it toward each knot and blasting it to cinder within a few moments. He pushes at the cold touch inside his head and with a flash of blinding light she loses her grip on him. Taking a measure of him, she momentarily drops her icy facade and shows a glimpse of fear and absolute disbelief. She has never been discovered before let alone shut out of someone's mind. "No, it can't be, you’re one of them. The ones that should not be." She laughs, a cold and joyless sound saying, "
He will be very interested to have that information, Oh well, guess I'll have to destroy you the old-fashioned way."

She cannot access his mind anymore, he is staring at her, seeing her for what she is. He senses her animal spirit and with his mind’s visualization sees himself hunting her and taking her down. She feels the threat in his gaze but has little real reason to fear him. She reacts with the kind of aggression reserved for those who feel they have nothing left to lose. She has no desire to run and so she attacks. She collapses the umbrella ramming the pointed end through the car window, he moves out of harms way just in time, realizing it holds a jagged and deadly spear point. She is a cat with reflexes and claws and he feels fear chewing away inside his gut again.. he has no time to think about it.

He darts out the car door tackling her on the sidewalk, She is extraordinarily quick and he can't hold her. She has him on the ground and he is vulnerable. She pulls tiny silver blades from her jacket sending one bouncing off the pavement near his head. The second nicks his hand as he pushes himself to his feet, she will not get a third chance. He has his gun on her and she relaxes into a passive position accepting his dominance for the time being.

She allows him to take her, pulling her hands tightly behind her back. She hisses at him, and the evil behind her words gives him chills. She is a frigid creature, this cat woman, he takes her back to the station, and though he isn't sure he should even actually book her, he goes through the system he understands. He asks them to process her as he types up his report, carefully avoiding any mention of the weird cat-like characteristics that flash across her features. When she is searched, they find nearly forty of the tiny blades she threw at him well hidden all over her body. No one doubts she is some kind of trouble. James has the two blades she managed to let fly and is intrigued by the silken quality of the metal, the impeccably smooth surface and the razor sharp edge. this could cut as cleanly through his flesh as the spear had the windshield. He feels an overwhelming realization that he might be up against forces that he alone can't even fathom let alone defeat. The cut on his hand begins to burn and he feels the ache of his near miss deeply. The fear and adrenaline coursing through his body fading enough for the nausea to set in. James feels vulnerable, fearing he doesn't have what it takes to protect Amber through an attack like this. One he barely handled, what if there were an army of such creatures?

Now that James has her in custody she will spend at least a few days out of their way, giving him time to figure out what to do next. He has her interrogated, and she easily confesses to following the couple, leaving the note on the car and the snake on the doorstep. She claims "
it is my job to make her presence known. To test the ability of the chosen one, and to keep others from helping her."
She laughs
. "She is being underestimated, they don't know what true power is, they don't know her secret, they will never understand. She can defeat them if she wants too but that's not why I'm here. I want her out in the open so we can destroy her. If the chosen one dies, the dark times will never come. You will all be sorry you stand in my way, now leave me alone so I can rest."

James patches up his hand aimlessly wandering around the precinct watching and waiting. They place her in a holding cell and call for a psychological evaluation, under the impression she is stark raving mad. This suspicion is confirmed when one of the officers checks on her an hour later finding her lying in a heap in the corner of the room. She is clawing her wrists open and tearing at the flesh of her throat. There are copious amounts of blood pooling on the floor and even spattered up the walls. He rushes in to stop her, but there is no hope. She has killed herself with her bare hands. The scene is tremendously shocking, no one has ever seen anything like it before. The officer concludes she must be on some kind of powerful drug to have the ability to do such a thing. The nonsensical interview combined with the strange weapons, and evil agenda leave them with no other impression than crazy bitch on some serious candy. The body is transported down to Joanna, thank goodness he can tell her what's really going on. The guys have opened wagers guessing what the toxicology report will say. They always try to joke around when something gets to them. James sees through the defense mechanism; he joins in anyway throwing ten bucks on a case of road rage.

James reviews the interview tape, it's a bit cryptic but he figures he will discuss what she is saying with Amber. It seems to him she has confirmed there is a major threat on the horizon, and not only the creeper she is already hiding from. He is a positive person, so he also caught the part about Amber having the power to destroy him. But which him, he does not know. How many of these people.. things.. are there out in the world, and are they going to come for his girl? The thought seems insurmountable. What hope do we have of defeating such a threat?

Her fingerprints have gotten a hit and her information lights up the screen. She is such a contradiction from the woman he experienced. James is forced to see her for what she is, something of both worlds, something that doesn't belong completely in either. Her name was Katrina, this strikes him as a bit ironic. She was not just a monster with no ties in this world, she has a family and people that will miss her. She was a mother, and a sister and was on the PTA. She drove a minivan and coached a children's soft ball team. Now that it is all over, as he reads the information they have on her, she seems so normal..so harmless. The thought of it all is nauseating. She attacked him, he had no choice but to arrest her, he didn't kill her, she had done that herself; why then is he feeling so guilty? Perhaps he is over-reacting to this whole situation. Maybe it isn't all as bad as it seems. What am I thinking...this only makes it worse, we have no idea who might be dangerous, everyone is a suspect, everyone is a potential enemy. Shit, this is a complete nightmare!

"It's time to process the car, James." Jackson says, breaking him out of his deep contemplation. "You can't assist, but you can watch if you want. Come out and keep me company." Jackson walks around the car with him. "That is one hell of a weapon, unexpected and to the point, no pun intended."

Wow, that was a close one
,
James realizes as he crawls into the car for a photo. The blade penetrating the seat just a few inches above his right shoulder. The windshield hadn't shattered because the blade is so sharp it penetrated the glass and the seat back as if they were made of butter. After marking and taking the requisite photos, Jackson pulls the weapon free, it slides out easily and the men stare at it in absolute awe. "
I have to send this off to the lab for analysis, but I would sure love to see what it can do."

"
That's awesome"!
James says, still ogling in manly appreciation of the shining metal edge that could easily have taken his life. "what is that made of?"