JAVIER (22 page)

“So you drew me out. Well done. Things seem to have
fallen apart a bit after that Dion Erebus.” said Javier. Where the hell was
Gabriel?  Harry Marshal had definitely moved again.

“I misjudged the skill of my operatives. You were not
meant to escape and the Mathrafal sisters were not meant to live. I would have
ransomed you for the daggers and then killed you. Retribution, Javier, pure and
simple. Payback for both you and your father.”

“Well, you were doomed to failure from the start then.
We never ever pay ransoms. How futile, all this for nothing; if you hadn’t gone
down this road you would still have your drug empire, your whole operation.
Instead, all your men are dead and Chronus is busy confiscating the contents of
your many bank accounts.”

Javier deliberately relaxed his body as his keen
hearing caught the sound in the hall. Then he caught their scents. Gabriel was
here as was Max and Rafe. He had left the door to this room ajar when he
entered, Gabriel would have a clear line of sight. He wouldn’t miss; he never
did. Looking up quickly he caught Cassia’s eye briefly before looking away; she
had heard them as well. Dion was oblivious as he circled behind Cassia then
suddenly yanked her head back by her hair and aimed for her throat with the
deadly black dagger.

“No!” Javier cried out as he launched himself from his
chair.

There was a sudden flurry of movement as Harry Marshal
lunged across the table, grabbed Cassia’s gun and fired. Dion Erebus spun round
and returned fire then dropped to the ground as a third shot rang out from the
doorway.

“Looks like we were just in time.” Gabriel said calmly
as he lowered his gun. The room seemed suddenly full to overflowing as he
entered with Max and Rafe right behind him. Javier was acutely aware of the
slightly acrid smell in the room following the gunshots and the warmth of
Cassia as he held her tightly in his arms; whole, safe.

“Harry?” she whispered suddenly as she pulled away.

It would take years for Javier to forget the rawness
of Cassia’s long keening cry as she knelt by Harry Marshal and gathered him
into her arms;

“Harry? Harry! Oh no you don’t…don’t you dare…Harry!”

Javier watched as the Human smiled slightly, his blood
pooling on the floor.

“My lovely girl…” Harry Marshal coughed as blood
spilled from the corner of his mouth. Then his eyes, fixed on Cassia’s face,
slowly lost their light.

“No! Oh no! Oh please…please Gabriel, let me take him
back to the Island. Hera…Hera could save him. Javier…please…help him…please.”
Cassia pleaded as her eyes flicked desperately from face to face.

It was Gabriel who knelt down and touched her shoulder
before speaking with infinite gentleness;

“It is too late Cassia. Your friend is dead. I am
sorry.”

CHAPTER 19

Javier sighed and checked the time again; Cassia was
late and he couldn’t sit still. Across the room Gabriel threw him a quick
glance then carried on cleaning his gun with his usual intense concentration.
Over three weeks had passed since Harry Marshal’s death. Their clean-up team
had conveyed Harry’s body to his home and cleverly manipulated the scene. So
far the police had come up with nothing; an inquest had been held and the
Coroner’s verdict had been homicide. Harry’s death was an open case.

He had attended the funeral with Cassia. It had been
held after sunset in accordance with the strict instructions Harry had left
with his solicitor. The Human had wanted Cassia there. The church had been full
and many people had made the assumption that Cassia was Harry Marshal’s
daughter. One extremely elderly man had even referred to meeting Cassia’s
mother back in nineteen seventy- seven and had commented on how much Cassia
resembled her. It had all made Javier extremely nervous but he had not had the
heart to forbid Cassia from attending this final rite for her friend.
Especially as he blamed himself for the Human’s death.

Absentmindedly he clicked the pen he held in his hand
and checked his watch; she should have finished at the solicitor’s in London
ages ago, why had he let her go on her own? What was keeping her?

“Alright, alright Javier, if you click that pen one
more time I will shoot you!” Gabriel sounded exasperated as he carefully put
everything down and leaned forward in his chair, elbows on knees, hands clasped
tightly together;

“What’s up? What is troubling you?”

“What makes you think something’s troubling me?”
Javier put the pen down hastily before he clicked it again.

“Oh, I don’t know Javier…is it the fidgeting, the
sighs, the pen clicking, the constant time checks or is it the look you have
had in your eyes ever since Cassia’s friend was killed? We have lived and
worked together for ten decades Javier; believe me, I know when something is on
your mind.”

Javier looked up; trust Gabriel to have noticed. He
had even managed to hide it from Cassia who had been so lost in her own grief
that she hadn’t realized how subdued he had been or the many days he had lain
awake staring at the ceiling as she held on to him tightly in her sleep.

“Are Hera’s empathic powers rubbing off on you or
something?” Javier asked brusquely.

Gabriel just carried on looking at him calmly and
Javier could suddenly see why his fellow warrior was such a successful
interrogator; those intense dark eyes seemed to see right inside him. He sighed
again and raked his hands through his hair.

“I couldn’t take the shot Gabriel. I had two perfect
opportunities and I couldn’t take the shot. All I could see was Cassia. All I
could think of was Cassia and what would happen if I missed. I could have ended
it with one bullet in his head but my emotions got in the way. I didn’t save
Charlotte and I couldn’t save Cass. Harry Marshal died because of me.”

“I think you are being a bit hard on…” Gabriel began;
Javier cut him off fiercely.

“No! No I am not. I failed Gabriel, I failed. You
would have done it, taken the shot and not missed. That’s how I was so easy to
lure in the first place. They all know, somehow they all know…Javier of Seville
wears his heart on his sleeve. What kind of warrior does that make me? You
would have done it. You didn’t hesitate when Hera was taken this summer; she
was yours and you saved her…yes, don’t shake your head at me, you saved her.”

Gabriel stopped shaking his head slowly and stared
down at the floor for a moment; when he spoke again his voice was quiet and his
eyes brilliant with emotion;

“All these years…when are you going to stop Javier?
There is nothing, nothing at all you could have done to save Charlotte. She
died, you avenged her death, you have to live your life. End of story. As for
me, well you did not see me at the moment I realized Ferenc had captured Hera.
I was completely…terrified. I could not stand up straight or speak or take a
breath. My whole body went into complete panic. All I could see was him hurting
her and then killing her because he would have known she was mine.”

Javier stared; this was news to him. He hadn’t been
there when Gabriel and LaSalle had discovered Hera missing.

“But…when you and LaSalle came back to the house you
were so controlled, so focused. You had a plan…” Javier tailed off as he
remembered.

Gabriel gave a brief smile;

“That was after LaSalle snapped me out of it, before
he got me to think clearly and stopped me spiralling any further into total
panic. If it hadn’t been for him I would have been literally paralyzed with
fear. Fear for Hera.”

“What did LaSalle do?”

Gabriel laughed out loud;

“Oh you know LaSalle. First he slammed me against a
tree and landed me with a sharp right hook then he lectured me sternly and
finally he gave me the pep talk. It worked.”

Javier shook his head as he smiled;

“Typical LaSalle then. I never guessed Gabriel; I have
always admired your cool head, your ruthlessness and your control.”

“The thing is Javier, if it had been Hera in that room
I would have reacted the same way. Harry Marshal made his own decision and he
paid the price. He did it for Cassia, do not take that away from him. You asked
me what kind of warrior you are, well the answer is a damn fine one; I have
never doubted you. You are the kindest of us, the most compassionate. Ditch the
guilt Javier, it is pointless and it will consume you.”

There was a long silence then Javier asked;

“Has Cass been to see you yet?”

Gabriel nodded;

“Yes. I told her to give herself a few more weeks.” he
cleared his throat;

“It is none of my business Javier but I think you two
need to talk. She is carrying just as big a burden of guilt as you are.”

He was right, thought Javier. He and Cassia had both
retreated into themselves; one of them needed to make a move.

The door flew open and Javier started to get up but it
was only Rafe who stuck his head into the room;

“Have you seen Andreas? I’ve been hunting for him
everywhere. Why isn’t he answering his bloody phone?”

Javier narrowed his eyes; what on earth was the matter
with Rafe?

“He asked for a couple of days leave and I granted
them. He’s probably in his quarters or maybe he’s gone over into Nice. Why?
What do…” Javier stopped as Rafe ducked out, slamming the door behind him.

“What’s up with Rafe?” Javier asked.

Gabriel started on his gun again;

“Hmm, I get the feeling that something is wrong and
that, as usual, Deverill senior is the cause of it. There are some strange
rumours flying around at the High Council if my informants are to be believed.”

“You have spies at the High Council Gabriel?” Javier
asked incredulously.

“I certainly do and it’s just as well.” Gabriel paused
as he re-assembled his gun with practised precision;

“I do not want to say anything more at present.”

Javier nodded. He was quite aware of the shadowy world
that Gabriel sometimes inhabited.

“When I was checking on Andreas at Sutton Place I
found out that he was bonded. Guess who the girl is.” said Javier then stared
in astonishment as Gabriel murmured;

“Artemisia Deverill, only daughter of Amund. Don’t
stare Javier, it is my business to know these things. If Rafe’s father has
found out all hell could break loose. We had better keep an eye on Rafe; that
father son relationship is toxic.”

“And Andreas,” said Javier, “We do not want Deverill
senior accusing him of corrupting and seducing his daughter. I cannot think
LaSalle would be amused to have Councillor Amund Deverill turning up on our
doorstep breathing fire. That bastard has been looking for an excuse to stick
his nose into the affairs of the Warrior’s Council for years.”

“Yes he has and recent events have not helped. LaSalle
now has great standing and popularity amongst our people. That can be
dangerous.” Gabriel said, lost in thought.

“Are you seriously suggesting someone would make a
move against LaSalle? Against us?” Javier asked, alarmed. He could scarcely
believe such a thing was possible.

He never got an answer because at that very moment he
heard Cassia’s familiar footsteps then the door opened and he caught her scent
before he saw her.

“Sorry I’ve been gone so long.” she said as Javier
rose to greet her and took her hands in his. Gabriel jumped to his feet
scooping up his gun and cleaning materials as he made a hasty exit;

“I’ll leave you both to it. See you at dinner.”

“I finished the business with the solicitor then went
to a little wine bar down the road and sat there for an hour or so. I just
needed to think.” Cassia said.

“Have you eaten?” Javier asked anxiously. She had
hardly eaten for the last few weeks and when she did he had to practically
force food into her. He was sure she had dropped over ten pounds in weight and
her features had taken on some of Flavia’s fragility.

Cassia smiled wryly;

“You are beginning to sound like a stereotypical
Jewish mother Javier of Seville. I had some nuts and only one glass of wine;
I’m not about to take to drink.”

“Come and sit down.” Javier made to steer her to a
chair but Cassia pulled away.

“I want to talk to you. I want us to talk, properly.
I’ll just go and change out of this outfit then can we go for a walk? I could
do with the fresh air. I’ll meet you outside the main doors in fifteen
minutes.”

“Alright, fifteen minutes.” Javier watched as Cassia
turned and left. She looked beautiful and elegant in her severe grey business
suit with her hair up but he hankered after the tall black clad biker girl with
her curtain of long glossy raven hair. He suddenly recalled the purchase he had
made in Nice two days ago and raced up to his room to fetch it. As he stuffed
the item into his pocket he had a moment of extreme anxiety. What did she mean
when she said she wanted to talk properly? My god, was she going to leave him?

They were bonded, bound together by blood. He couldn’t
imagine being without her yet, in the last few weeks they had tiptoed round
each other. When she had needed blood he had offered her his wrist and she had
done likewise. Their wrists, for god’s sake.  How polite they had been with
each other, how distant, how careful. Even their lovemaking had been gentle,
comforting, almost dreamlike, both of them holding back. He was beginning to
believe he had imagined that day of fire and passion in Rafe’s London
apartment.  She hadn’t even moved out of the guestroom and he hadn’t asked her
to move in with him because he wanted to give her space to grieve. Yes, Gabriel
was right, they needed to talk properly. He loved her, he loved her desperately
yet somehow, in all the trauma and sadness of the last three weeks, he still
hadn’t told her. The timing had not seemed right. Javier ran downstairs. The
time had come.

He smiled as he saw her in exactly the clothes he had
imagined. His Cass; tall, bold and dressed in black. Her hair swirled round her
in the autumn breeze as they fell into step beside each other down the path
towards the beach. Reaching out he touched her hand and his heart leapt as she
slipped it into his and squeezed hard.

Cassia held onto Javier’s hand as tightly as she
could. Ever since that awful day in Dion Erebus’s house he had treated her as
though she was made of the most delicate bone china. He had looked after her
with a tenderness and care she had not experienced since the days before her
father had fallen into the hands of Draco Erebus. She had clung to him as
though she had been drowning and he was her life raft. How selfish she had
been.

The silence between them was comfortable and soothing
as they walked along the beach heading for a small rocky outcrop that jutted
into the sea. Javier had brought her here once before; it was a favourite spot
of his. They sat side by side on the rocks as the sea pounded choppily around
them.

“It was all my fault Javier.” Cassia said at last then
grasped Javier’s wrist as he started to protest;

“No, please listen…I’ve run through it so many times
in my head. If only I had trusted you, if only I had listened to you, if only I
had waited instead of charging off by myself. I wanted you safe you see; I was
so afraid of losing you when I’d just found you. I asked Gabriel how you got
out of Rafe’s apartment. My god, I never knew that was possible; you could have
been smashed to pieces. All my fault, all a result of my stupid decisions. And
what was it all for? Nothing noble, nothing heroic or epic; just a deranged
criminal’s petty need for revenge. Is that what Harry died for? Is that what I
nearly got you killed for?”

Javier took both her hands in his and held them firmly
as he shook his head;

“Oh Cass, what a pair we are. I’ve spent almost every
waking moment since thinking it was my fault. If only I had taken the shot, if
only I had not hesitated, if only I had not let my heart rule my head…I suppose
we could both go on and on. Perhaps we need to accept that sometimes bad things
just happen. Harry did not die for nothing, he died to save you. He did a brave
thing for the woman he loved. You are alive because he fired that gun and I’ll
never forget that. Gabriel killed Dion but it was Harry’s shot that deflected
that cursed dagger away from your throat.”