Tearing The Shroud (44 page)

Her eyes opened. ‘I had the most amazing dream,’ Jolie said, her voice filled with awe. She sat up, looking around the room. Coleman lay in bed, unchanged, but the Matriarch sat in one of the chairs near the fire, sipping tea.

‘Yes, child, I know you did; now try to rest, dear.’ Sipping her tea, she looked thoughtfully at the half-empty cup on the small table nearby. ‘Most amazing.’

Vinni smothered her bloody lips and cheeks with kisses, holding her close, but tenderly, still careful with his movements.

‘I was what?’ Jule asked Knife over his shoulder.

‘Dead.’

‘D-E-D dead, as a doornail, gone, kaput — ’ Flea said.

Knife gently patted his friend’s arm. ‘Flea.’

‘Sorry.’ Flea fell silent and stared at Jule.

‘It wasn’t a dream?’ she asked Vinni.

‘I only know that you weren’t here and now you are.’

‘But how did I...you know?’

‘The butterflies brought you back,’ Flea said.

‘Butterflies?’ She pulled back to look down and the separation was almost more than he could take. Jule gently probed one of the dead monarchs then looked around her with wide eyes. ‘What happened to…whoever your were fighting?’

‘Jimmy brought men to kill me. After he hurt you, I...’ Vinni struggled to speak.

‘How many?’ Knife asked.

‘Five.’

‘You killed them?’ she asked softly.

‘Yes,’ he said quietly, Coleman’s lilting accent colored his voice more than usual. ‘Jule, dear, those people came to kill us and whoever stood in their way. Though a good man doesn’t enjoy it, sometimes enemies need killin’. It’s the same as war.’ He touched her arm softly. ‘Neither of us enjoyed having to do the task, and you’re not to worry, Vincent’s heart is as tender as it’s always been. Ya understand?’ He held her fearful look with one of reassurance.

After a moment, her features softened. She nodded and hugged him. ‘Thank you.’

‘If there are five dead men nearby, we better clear out before they’re found,’ Knife said.

Flea looked around. ‘Jule, do you have all your knives?’

She checked her sheaths. ‘Yes, except the two I threw. Both of them were sticking out of bad guys the last time I saw them.’

Knife shook his head. ‘You’re quite a woman. We’ll cut through the trees and take the path.’

They stood and Vinni offered a hand to her. She smiled and took it. ‘I’m going after him,’ he said.

‘But — ’ Jule said.

Vinni helped her to her feet, making sure she was steady. ‘I know who he is and where. I may see you at the house if I need the car. Right now, I need to go that way.’ He pointed toward the southeast.

‘How do you know?’ Flea asked.

‘Because Jimmy has been using power since he left.’ He kissed Jule once more, surreptitiously feeling the back of her head. It was completely normal.

I don’t know what I would have done if we’d lost her.

‘Are you sure this is the best choice?’ Jule said softly as they parted.

Vinni nodded. ‘He’s injured and on the run.’

She stared into his eyes and took a deep breath. ‘Be safe, sweetie.’

‘As I can be,’ he said.

Vinni watched as Jule followed Flea and Knife into the darkness; part of his heart went with her.

Chapter 44

Hunting

He followed the afterimage off campus, cautiously slowing near a house as it grew stronger. Vinni peered through the bushes to the street beyond. Unoccupied cars lined it, so he slipped into the front yard and jogged to a bright spot near the curb. Jule’s knives and two small bottles were in the gutter. He slipped the knives behind his belt and examined the bottles. They looked perfectly ordinary but gave off a strong afterimage. He smashed them, and the brightness disappeared, revealing the continuing signal as it moved toward the east, where he had first felt the power.

As he ran toward the house sirens approached so he bolted, becoming a blurred shadow up the side streets. He unlocked the gate and started toward the house. Knife opened the door before he reached it.

Vinni hurried into the kitchen.

‘Well?’ Knife asked without preamble.

‘I found these.’ He drew Jule’s knives and set them in the sink. ‘I also found a couple of bottles giving the afterimage. Where’s Jule?’

‘Shower,’ Flea said from the stove where he was cooking quesadillas. ‘Want one?’ He pointed to the pan.

Flea, always the pragmatist
. Vinni shook his head. ‘I need to get moving. She okay?’

‘Yep, she’s a tough one,’ Flea said.

‘Any more power use?’ Knife asked as he leaned on the counter.

‘Yeah, back where it started.’ He grabbed the car keys and headed into the garage. ‘Give her my love.’ He started to leave then turned to Flea. ‘Hey, where is the overcoat?’

‘On the couch.’

Vinni pulled off the blood-soaked shirt and considered changing pants but didn’t.
Just no time.
He walked to the fireplace and tossed the shirt in then went to the kitchen to wash his hands. ‘Burn that please; we can’t have any evidence in the trash.’ Knife tossed him the coat, and he dug a dark t-shirt out of the laundry. He checked his pocket for the little die.
Good to go.
He waved.

The clock on the Celica’s dash read 10:23; only two hours had passed since this started. He didn’t know how that could be; it felt like two weeks.

Negotiation

Sebastian parked in front of the house, got out stiffly and opened the door for Justus.

‘This arm is killing me. Let’s get inside; I have better potions in my lab.’

As he passed, Sebastian asked, ‘Sir?’

‘Yes?’

‘I’m not complaining, but this is a lot more than I bargained for when I took this job.’

‘Did you think guarding me wouldn’t involve violence?’

‘I thought it might, but not this much — with the sorcery and all.’ Sebastian shrugged.

Justus nodded. ‘I do forget that this place isn’t used to such things.’ He pursed his lips. ‘We have a few choices. I could place a compulsion on you, but that’s inconvenient and only works for short periods. I could kill you, and your family in Los Angeles, then find another servant. Or, I could quadruple your salary, and you can remain in my employ. Which would you prefer?’

Sebastian’s voice grew quiet. ‘My family?’

‘Or a bit over twenty thousand dollars a week.’ Justus shrugged. ‘The latter sounds like a better choice to me.’

Sebastian nodded. ‘Looks like I’m your man.’

‘And the sorcery?’

‘Bring it on, sir.’

‘See how easy that was? And a lesson learned as well.’

‘Sir?’

‘Everything has a price. The key is finding it. Since we’ve strengthened our relationship, I must show you something. Come.’ He walked through the house to the private rooms where Sebastian had not yet been, coming to a stop at an open door. ‘This is my current laboratory.’ He indicated the desk covered in vials and herbs. ‘Your first project is to properly outfit it with beakers, burners, tables and the like. I’ll provide a shopping list.’ Justus opened two bottles on the desk, passed his hand above them, and said, ‘
Oowdefnoi
.’ The red glow appeared and sucked into each as before.

‘Same word, sir?’

‘Astute observation.’ He held up the bottle. ‘Stronger solution — this will heal wounds within a few minutes.’ He handed the bottle to him, took one for himself, and they drank.

Justus winced and shuddered, as did Sebastian. ‘I wish there was a way around the sour taste.’ He walked out of the lab, continuing down the hall to the end. ‘Now, to another important item. This.’ He set his hand on the wall.

Sebastian looked into the nearby room. ‘The workout room, sir?’

Justus spoke a word of power under his breath, arching his hands, and the portal to the stairs opened. ‘At one time this was all the wealth I had in this world.’ He walked down the stairs into the storage room; Sebastian followed. ‘There is still a large sum here.’ He gestured to the shelves. ‘But with what I have now, it’s just petty cash. Additionally, this is where we keep the weapons. Since we’ve strengthened our relationship, I’ll leave this open so you’ll have access.’

Sebastian gazed around the large room. ‘I’ve never seen so much wealth in one place.’

Now he really had the man. ‘Be a faithful servant and this is just the start.’

Chapter 45

An Encounter

Vinni drove straight to Mission Hills, led unerringly by Jimmy’s continued use of power. Near the end of a cul-de-sac he pulled a U-turn and parked. He grabbed the swords from the trunk. Fighting the urge to rush the house with weapons drawn, he strolled casually to the end of the street.

A long, tree-lined driveway angled down to the house where the signal pulsed. He slipped between the bushes and wound downhill to the terraced gardens, checking the area beyond for movement. Nearly every room from the center, southward blazed with light, except those facing the south lawn. He darted to the corner of the house, past a bay-windowed exercise room. The back yard was unoccupied, so he moved past several windows, keeping low, to a lighted room with French doors. A surreptitious peek revealed Jimmy, wearing loose khakis and a white shirt, seated in a chair reading the paper. Vincent flashed to the door and stepped inside.

He thought he’d be ahead of Jimmy’s time, but as the door closed, Jimmy looked up from his paper, muttered something, and a flash of blinding light appeared. Vinni drew his blades and thrust defensively in front of him.

‘Sebastian, drink the blue bottle,’ Jimmy called out. When Vinni’s eyes recovered, Jimmy had gone. He moved to the other side of the room in pursuit, and a steamroller of flesh hit him.

Sebastian drove him across the room, slamming him into the wall. The impact left a man-sized hole in the plaster and drove the air from Vinni’s lungs. Stars blossomed in his vision, but he managed to keep his blades. A huge hand seized his throat, yanking him aloft. His vision cleared as Sebastian’s fist barreled toward his nose, so Vinni thrust his head down and heard the snap of knuckles breaking as the blow connected with his hairline. The big man dropped him to clutch his shattered hand, grunting in pain.

Vinni scurried away and stood. He heard a meaty popping sound and saw Sebastian flex his hand, the bones completely healed. Still staggering, Vinni came at the man, but Sebastian picked up a large armchair and threw it at him. He turned his shoulder to take the blow, driven yet again into the wall.

He dove to the left, toward the floor length French doors and heard a crunch. Glancing back, Vinni saw Sebastian pull his head from the wall, grunting like a bull. Vinni shot across the room and through the doorway into the living room. The big man came after him at nearly the same speed. Beyond Sebastian, Jimmy stepped into the hall with a gun. Vinni slid out of sight into the living room as Sebastian came around the door.

Staggering backward, he sheathed a blade and clutched his side, holding the second blade high, wobbling as if injured. The ruse worked, and as Sebastian came within range, Vinni lashed out with a sidekick to the man’s knee and felt it give. Sebastian lurched to one side as Vinni thrust the
wakizashi
at his chest, and it entered near his shoulder. Instead of attempting to avoid the thrust, he pushed forward and grabbed Vinni as the sharp blade came out his back. Using his massive weight to full advantage, he took them to the ground and attempted to crush Vinni’s neck with his forearm.

With only a moment to react, Vinni drove his thumbs into the corners of Sebastian’s eyes, rupturing one and popping the other out with an audible sound. It bounced off Vinni’s hand still dangling by the optic cord and Sebastian screamed, rolling to one side, grasping at his face.

Vinni sprang up, put his foot on the big man and yanked his sword free, then quickly peeked into the long hall. The top of the doorframe splintered as a silenced gun spit out bullets. His glance revealed Jimmy at the far end of the hall, gun in hand, pointing it awkwardly. Hearing movement behind him, Vinni turned to find that Sebastian had somehow shoved his eye back in its socket and lumbered toward him like a cyclops.

He leapt above the huge man, driving the blade down behind the man’s collarbone and into his torso as he descended. The strike pierced his heart, and organs beyond, as Vinni landed on his broad shoulder and rode him to the polished wooden floor.

Vinni dashed through the opening and put his foot on the wall, using it to ricochet off into the family room. A mechanical
pfft
sounded repeatedly as bullets pinged off the slate hallway and drilled holes in the walls. He heard a
buuuzzzzip
near the left side of his head, but managed to land safely in the family room.

‘Bah, I never could use these things,’ Jimmy said. He stepped through the doorway, his hands already emitting power. Vinni felt the familiar tingle as Jimmy thrust them forward saying, ‘
Soonjarr
.’ A soundless blast of putrid yellow shot forth, caught him in the chest, and blew him through the plate-glass window onto the patio beyond. He rolled backward and came to his feet as sharp pain coursed through his leg, making standing difficult. He glanced back and saw a large shard of glass sticking through his right butt cheek at an angle. He pulled it out, gasping with pain.