Grave Matters (6 page)

She’d told a few people in Atlanta, but those were friends. No one who would want to hurt her. Whoever had set her kidnapping in motion was close to the grand masters.
Close to Beck.

“I’m tired. I need to go back to the hotel,” Riley said, rising abruptly.

“You okay?” he asked, worried.

“Fine.”

I just need time to figure out who I can trust.

After Riley had taken a long nap, they’d wandered around for another couple of hours as Beck showed her hidden spots in the city — leave it to him to do a complete reconnaissance of a town. She’d been surprised the first time he’d paused to drop a few coins in the paper cup of a homeless person.

When he rejoined her, he murmured, “I got a lot to thankful for. Those guys remind me of that every day.” After that, she knew to slow down as he stopped by each of them, wishing them well and leaving behind a bit of money.

When Riley’s hunger had flared up Beck took her to the Mitre Bar on the Royal Mile, bought her a sandwich and some tomato soup. He’d settled for fish and chips and a beer. Then, to her surprise, he’d ordered a whisky.

“Do you like it over here?” she asked in between spoonfuls of soup.

“I really do,” he said. “It’s not home, but the folks are friendly and the place is so damned beautiful. Edinburgh’s nice, but wait ’til you see the Highlands. It’s like God’s own country.”

“You sound like Stewart now,” she joked.

“I see why he wants to move back here. I would if I was Scottish. Sure, some of the folks are kinda screwed up, but no more so than in Atlanta. I could live here, you know?”

That was a surprise. He’d always been a total Georgia boy.

It was like watching a moth spin a cocoon and then magically change into a butterfly. It was clear that by the time Beck returned to Atlanta, he’d be someone different.

What if that someone doesn’t want me anymore?

She studied him anew. What else hadn’t he told her about his training? How far would he go to become a grand master? Would he give her up just to make the cut?

Riley shook herself. Why would she ever think that Beck would leave her behind?

Because he could do just that.

After Beck shut the door to the hotel room behind them, the chain and deadbolt went in place. Then he tested each of them; apparently Riley wasn’t the only one who was spooked.

He took his shower first, mostly because she wanted to send an e-mail to Peter. He’d already written her twice and was getting edgy because she hadn’t replied. Once she was done telling him some of the gruesome details, she surfed for a while. There appeared to be nothing new happening in Atlanta and nothing in the way of news about a demon summoning in Edinburgh. She found Beck watching over her shoulder.

“Anythin’?” he asked.

“They claim some kids were caught vandalizing Old Calton Burial Ground,” she said. “They don’t mention the dead people at all.”

“MacTavish asked the cops to hold back for a bit, at least until he can figure out who did this.”

“The International Guild has that much power?”

“Yeah. Almost as much as the Vatican.”

Whoa.
That meant they could do whatever they wanted to news stories ... or to people who got in their way.
Like me?

She’d never really given it much thought, but now she wondered if the grand masters were happy about her and Beck being together. He’d never said anything, but he might not if he thought it would upset her.

A knock came at the door, startling her. Beck crossed quickly to the portal, checked through the peephole, then undid the locks. Brennan beckoned him outside and Beck complied, closing the door behind him. Tempting as it was to eavesdrop, Riley stayed put. The conversation was quiet, and though she didn’t hear the specifics, she suspected they weren’t discussing their favorite pubs or the best place to buy haggis.

Beck returned, securing the locks once again.

“What was that about?”

“Nothin’,” he said.

He was cutting her out of the loop, again.

You weren’t like this at home.
“Is this the way it’s going to be from now on? You keeping secrets from me?”

Beck sat on the end of the bed, looking more tired than she had seen him in a long time. “There will be things I can’t tell you, Riley. It has to be that way.”

“Or what? If you do they’ll kill me or something?”

His eyes widened, but he made no reply. His stunned expression made her regret suggesting such a thing.

Riley took a deep breath, trying to settle down. “Sorry. So ... what
can
you tell me?”

His nod said he accepted her apology. “Brennan was lettin’ me know that the woman they arrested, the one named Bess ... her daughter is gettin’ worse.”

All because they couldn’t summon an angel.

“Those guys were set up, Beck. None of them had that much power and they shouldn’t have been anywhere near that kind of spell. That’s way above their skill set.”

Before he could reply, his phone pinged and he checked the message. Then promptly blanked it as if it was a state secret.

She’d had enough. “I don’t like that you can’t tell me everything, like I can’t be trusted.”

Beck put on his stone face. “I’m not likin’ it anymore than you are,” he replied. “But it comes with the territory.”

Maybe not.
When they’d started dating there hadn’t been any of this “I can’t tell you” nonsense. There was just demon trapping, not some secret organization of grand masters who had their fingers in all sorts of pies.

Now it’s all about you and them. What happened to us?

~ - ~ - ~

Beck sat in bed, trying to read, but it was useless. Riley’s emotions were all over the map now — fine one minute, in his face the next.

Give her some time.

Still, she did have a point; there was stuff he couldn’t tell her, secret knowledge that had been passed down from century to century. He’d found it so amazing when he’d first started down this path, but now he saw how his job could hurt a relationship. MacTavish had warned him about that, but Beck had reassured him that Riley would be okay with it all.

Now he wasn’t so sure.

She exited the bathroom holding one of his tee shirts.

“Did you treat the wounds?” he asked.

“Yeah. They still hurt.”

After he reapplied the bandages, Beck turned off the light on the nightstand as she settled in next to him. If this had been at home, they’d forget the bad stuff, lose themselves in each other’s loving. But Riley didn’t turn to him now.

He ran his fingertips down her uninjured arm, savoring the scent of her.

“Night, Den,” she whispered, and then closed her eyes.

He sighed. It wasn’t going to be easy to sleep next to her and not want more, but he wouldn’t push it. In some ways, it felt as if they were starting all over again.

It’ll be better tomorrow.

Beck put his arm around her and she snuggled closer, laying her head on his chest.

“Sorry, I can’t tell you everythin’” he said. “But I can tell you some things.”

Riley shifted her head so she could see his face. “Like what??”

“You never asked what happened to me when I was in Hell,” he said.

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted to talk about it.”

“Well, it’s time you know.”

Riley listened in silence as he told her what had happened after he’d been wounded by Sartael’s blade. What he’d endured while she’d sat vigil over him. How he’d known he was dying, how much it hurt to realize that he’d never see her again.

“You’ve been to Hell, you know what it’s like,” he said.

“For me, maybe, but not for you. Ori said it was different for everyone, even a Fallen.”

Beck grew pensive at the mention of her first lover. “Lucifer said if I gave him my soul I’d live, I’d come back to you and no one would ever know what I’d done.”

Riley jerked in surprise. “God, you didn’t. You couldn’t...”

“No, I didn’t,” he admitted. “I love you more than anythin’ in this world, but I could not give up my soul. If I was dead, it was all I had left I could call my own.”

Riley bowed her head in relief. “Then how did you get out of Hell?”

“My momma. Sadie showed me the way out. Can you believe it?” he said, his voice catching at the end. “I thought she hated me.”

“No, I think she loved you in her own weird way.”

Perhaps now it was time to ask a question of his own. “Down at the hospital that day, when she was dyin’. What did she say to you?”

Riley looked up at him. “I’m surprised you haven’t asked me that before now.”

“Wasn’t sure if I’d like the answer.”

She nodded her understanding. “Your mother made me promise to keep you safe.”

It was his turn to bow his head. “I never understood that woman.”

“I don’t think she understood herself.”

As she fell asleep, Riley cuddled close to him. No matter how tired he was, Beck remained awake.

Somethin’s changed.
He wasn’t sure if it was between them, or something bigger on the horizon. One thing he did know; until he knew for sure, he’d keep his worries to himself.

~ - ~ - ~

When Riley woke, the room was in twilight, the heavy curtains pulled closed once again. For a moment she thought she’d slept the entire day. A glance at the clock proved it was closer to nine in the morning.

She’d woken up once overnight, and out of habit had treated her deepest wounds and bandaged them. Beck had slumbered on, without knowing she’d gotten out of bed.

Now she heard a faint voice through the door to the bathroom; he was talking to Stewart about her.

Reporting back to your masters?

“Don’t worry,” Beck said, his voice louder now. “I’ll keep her safe. I give you my word on that.”

And just like that the distrust faded. If Beck gave his word, it was solid gold.

He does love me. And I love him.

So why did she feel so unsure about him now?

Riley flopped back on the bed and stared at the ceiling, confused. Other than a few kisses he’d not tried to rekindle what they’d shared in Atlanta. It was like he didn’t care for her anymore, at least not in that way.

She thumped her forehead with the palm of her hand.

Stop it!

The bathroom door opened and Beck paused when he saw she was awake. Instead of looking guilty, he seemed pleased. “Did I wake you?”

She shook her head.

“I was talking to Stewart, letting him know how you were doing. He sends his love.”

“Is he freaking out?”

“A little. His cough is better.”

“That’s good news.”

With a big smile, Beck sat on the side of the bed. “Happy Birthday!” he said. “How’s it feel to be eighteen?”

Birthday?
Riley had totally forgotten it, which was major weird.

Wow, the jet lag is seriously kicking my butt.

“It
is
my birthday. So why I don’t feel any different?”

“I never do. It’s just a number thing.” He kissed her forehead and she inhaled the scent of soap and aftershave.

“So Princess, you wanna go see a castle?”

Part of her did and other part just wanted to lay here and stare at the ceiling.
What is up with that?
She was in Scotland with her guy. She could chill at home.

“Sure,” Riley said, trying to sound excited. “Let me do the Holy Water thing and get dressed.”

~ - ~ - ~

In his own way, Beck made sure her birthday was as special as he could make it. They had lunch at the castle, visited more bookshops, then as the afternoon wore away he suggested they make a trip to Arthur’s Seat right before sunset. He insisted it was a grand view of Edinburgh eight hundred and some feet above the city.

Riley studied the massive rock. “We’re climbing that?”

Beck laughed. “No. I wouldn’t do that to you. I want you in good shape once we get to the top.”

She heard something in his voice that told this was more than a mere hiking expedition.

A few minutes later, Beck flagged down a cab and the driver took them as far up the hill as was possible. After he’d arranged for the guy to return in an hour, they began the ascent. Riley kept her eyes on the path, and soon was rewarded with labored breathing and a dripping nose.

Will he ask me to marry him up here?

That would be just like him.

Though she tried, Riley couldn’t get a handle on her feelings. She loved him. He loved her. Why was she so uneasy?

I’m just nervous.

Once they reached the top she knew it’d been worth all the effort. Edinburgh lay below them like a complex quilt: Old Town, New Town, the Balmoral Hotel, Sir Walter Scott’s memorial, and the castle. In the distance the estuary, the Firth of Forth, sparkled in the waning light.

“This is amazing, Den,” she said, searching and then failing to find the Old Calton graveyard where it was hidden among the maze of buildings.

“I love it,” he said as he settled on a broad rock that offered a commanding view of the city below. When she shivered in the brisk wind, Beck pulled her closer. “It’s even better now that yer here.”

That made her smile. “Any Scots in your family?”

“Some, at least on my momma’s side. My gran was a Macpherson. Beck is German, so I’m a mutt.”

“My family was all English,” Riley replied.

She laid her head on his shoulder, content for the moment, though in some ways this peace felt fragile, like hand-blown glass.

In the distance, the sun gradually vanished behind a sea of clouds, creating a deep purple glow. Below, lights began to come on one by one.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” he whispered.

“Yes, it is.” The passage of time marked by sun and stars.

“I wouldn’t want to share this with anyone else,” he said, turning toward her. A soft kiss brushed her cheek. She shivered and he tucked her coat collar closer around her neck.