Seers (38 page)

I think she realized what he was trying to do, because her arms suddenly fell to her sides, ending the earlier conversation. “I think that’s enough chit chat, Antonio—we’re boring your friends, I’m sure.” She turned back to me, but then focused on Patrick. “We won’t make this complicated. The twins are upstairs, waiting for two self-sacrificing Guardian angels. You may each take one, and then you may leave. Your Seer stays here. If you don’t leave with the sisters immediately, Romero’s men will be forced to . . . make this difficult. But first things first. If you Guardians would be so kind as to drop your weapons.”

Patrick released my hand slowly, and then he pulled his longest knife out of his belt.

Selena gestured flippantly for him to lie it on the floor, and he did so. I felt Toni doing the same thing beside me. But I didn’t move. I guess being considered a dog had its benefits—she didn’t think I had a weapon. Which, true, it’s not like I knew how to use it, but still. Any surprise we could pull on them would be a plus.

Selena waited for them to take out their hidden blades as well, which were strapped to their legs. As they straightened, she spoke. “You can pick them up on your way back out, if that’s not too much trouble.” Then she walked toward us, focusing on me for the first time.

I tried not to flinch as she extended a hand toward me, but as I felt Patrick and Toni stiffen I think some fear showed in my eyes.

Selena laughed at us. “Easy, I’m only waiting for her to touch me. After all, if she’s going to be staying, we need to be able to touch.”

Knowing it could be worse, I lifted my hand without further prompting. It hovered there in the air, and I waited for her to close the last of the distance.

It was a strange thing, her not being able to touch me. I held

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my hand stationary, and her open palm lowered until I could feel the heat of her skin, a breath from mine. But there was something in that thin breath of space that protected me from her touch. It wasn’t a visible shield, or one that I could feel. It was more like I could sense it. It was the first time I was aware of the protective shield, because it was the first time I’d actually had the choice to break it. Not that I really had a choice, of course. Even now, in this brief hesitation, I could feel Selena’s impatience.

I’d stopped breathing, I realized, so I hurriedly pulled in a breath. And then I lifted my hand just slightly, and the top of my hand brushed her skin.

With the barrier gone, Selena was free to grasp my hand.

Her nails bit into my flesh in a horrible handshake, and I winced.

“Thank you,” she murmured gently, her tone as mocking as her words.

She released my hand and stepped back, before Patrick could intervene. She looked away from us, turning around and walking quickly away, further into the room.

We didn’t follow immediately. Patrick reached silently for my hand, wanting to see the painful marks left by her nails, but I just shook my head, wiping my stinging hand against my leg. I’d shown enough weakness in Selena’s presence.

“Are you coming?” Selena called, not bothering to turn around.

Toni moved to follow her first, but I was right behind him.

Patrick took up the rear, staying very close behind me.

We followed her across the dirty floor, around the large piles of twisted metal and other pieces of junk that spotted the room. It took about a full minute to cross the huge factory floor, and then Selena was opening a single door, set against the back wall.

She stepped inside, and we filed in after her.

The room was an old office, with no furniture but an old chair, and a few metal filing cabinets set against a wall. But the room wasn’t empty.

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I counted eight Demons, Selena making nine. They all looked dangerous, and had impressive muscles. They were all Hispanic, and I imagined that they—like Selena—had been working for the same man for a very long time.

Romero was easy to pick out. He was dressed in an immacu-late dark suit, and he was sitting comfortably on the only chair.

He was against the back wall, but though there was quite a space between us, he was completely focused on us.

He looked like an accomplished gangster. He had gray streaks in his otherwise dark hair, and he had lines on his square face. I guessed his age to be fifty or so, though of course I knew appearances weren’t everything. He had thick lips, and a thin mustache.

The effect made him look a little weird, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t afraid of him.

Once we’d taken a few steps into the room Toni halted, and I took my place next to him. Patrick smoothly came up on my other side and we watched as Selena moved to stand in the back corner of the room—her part done for now.

Romero’s eyes brightened when they landed on me, and he stood from his chair, fixing his suit jacket as he straightened. “Ah, Kate! It is wonderful to finally meet you. I have learned so much about you from my sources—I feel I already know you.”

“That doesn’t seem very fair,” I said, sounding a lot braver than I felt. “I know hardly anything about you.” He smiled, and wagged a dark finger in my direction. “I like you,” he said happily. “You are not like other Seers I have met in the past. They are all like, ‘please, please, don’t hurt me,’ and that gets old very fast, no?” His mimicking voice was sickening, but somehow I kept my face straight.

He began to walk slowly toward us, his gait easy and unhurried. He looked first at Patrick and then at Toni. His eyes narrowed, and his small brow furrowed as he tried to recognize the Guardian in front of him.

“Haven’t I met you?” He asked at last, stopping two steps

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away from us.

Toni smiled thinly. “You killed me once.” Romero chuckled. “I’m afraid you will have to be a bit more specific, my friend. I have killed many people.” Selena spoke from her corner. “It is Antonio Alvarez. Surely you remember him?”

Romero turned back to Toni, sudden understanding in his eyes. “Ah! The little thief, yes. The one you favored, if I remember right?” He questioned, glancing back toward her.

Selena tilted her head, causing her already flirtatious eyes to become all-out smoldering. “You know I favor only you, my love.” Toni made a light gagging sound beside me, but Romero was grinning as he turned back to us—or rather, to me.

“Well Kate, I don’t mean to take all day. I’m sure your Guardians have other things to do.”

“I want to see my sisters,” I said.

Romero’s head bobbed. “Yes, yes, all in good time. But first, would you do me the honor of shaking my hand? And all of my men, of course. Just a precaution, you understand. I don’t foresee the need for any unpleasantness though, do you?” He stuck out his hand, and I had little choice. I willingly touched him, and he shook my hand slowly, his skin pampered and soft.

He released my fingers after a moment that was just a little too long, and then he stepped aside, silently ordering his men to follow his lead.

One by one, each of the other Demons present waited for my touch. Usually it was a quick handshake, sometimes it wasn’t even that much. Patrick seemed to stiffen at every new touch, and I worried that he was going to do something stupid. Luckily, Romero was talking the whole time, so Patrick had something else he could focus on. I know it helped me.

“It’s truly amazing how long plans slowly come together. Imagine the beauty of placing my lovely Selena in your sisters’ school, 296 K • • •

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where she could watch them, and find the perfect opportunity to use them. All my close watching, and patient waiting has finally borne fruit. Here you are, ready and willing to do whatever I ask.” I finished tapping my fingers against the last Demon’s fist, and I straightened and focused on Romero. “What do you want from me?”

“Ah, a tricky question, my dear.” Romero turned away from us, and began to pace the room slowly. “What I want and what I need are completely different things, unfortunately. My sources informed me that you are young to this life. Is this true?”

“Yes.”

“But you have heard of the Demon Lord?” Though I didn’t know much about the evil Demon that had proclaimed himself king, I knew he couldn’t be a nice guy. Patrick had mentioned him once, but had made it sound like I’d never hear of him again.

I guess that was a false assumption.

“Yes,” I told him, still sounding brave despite my hammering heart. “I know a little.”

“Hmm, I sense your fear of him. That is good—it means you know enough.” Romero looked toward Selena. “Since my death, in the year 1854—on my fiftieth birthday, no less—I have served the Demon Lord loyally. Selena, my love who preceded me in death, said many nice things about me to him. He gave me a noble position as soon as I returned as a Demon—A place near his right hand.” He shrugged a little, turning back to face me. “But someone spoke lies of me. Lies the Demon Lord believed. Now, I am a hunted man. He will kill me unless I bring him some gift. And so I waited—watched. And when I heard of Far Darrig’s new hunt, I decided I would get there first. Beat the Demon Lord’s most loyal servant. What better way to prove my loyalty?” I could feel the hairs on my body rising, and I struggled to keep my face smooth. “Far Darrig? What does he have to do with me? What does any of this . . .” my words died as understanding

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flickered in the back of my mind.

Patrick spoke lowly, more anger and fear in his voice than I’d ever heard before, though he was still perfectly controlled. “Far Darrig is after Kate.”

“Why?” Toni demanded. “What could the Demon Lord want with a new, inexperienced Seer?”

Selena answered before Romero could. “Not all the details are clear. But he wants her nonetheless. And the Demon Lord always gets what he wants.”

Romero cleared his throat, pulling all eyes back to him, where he wanted them. “Perhaps Kate can ask these questions of the Demon Lord personally, when she meets him.”

“You’re taking me to him?” I asked, struggling with the thought that I was being kidnapped. “You don’t even want me?

You did all of this—spied on me, killed your spy—all to give me away?”

Selena nodded. “More or less.”

Romero glanced at his gold watch, feigning surprise. “My, my, look at the time. We have a private plane waiting for us.” He leveled a look at me that I assumed was supposed to look caring.

“Besides, your sisters will be waking up soon, and it would be a shame for them to realize they’ve been kidnapped. What a horrible thing for a child to endure.” I swallowed hard, trying to focus on my anger and not my fear. “You’ll let them go?” I asked.

The Demon smiled reassuringly. “Of course.” He turned, waving abruptly for two Demons to step forward. “Bring them down. Quickly.”

The two Demons left, and there was a short silence. I wondered how I was going to get through this. My hope that somehow Patrick and the others could save me after getting my sisters safely out was fading rapidly. A plane? How were they supposed to compete with that?

Toni spoke, breaking the tense air. “So Selena, would you 298 K • • •

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be offended if I asked how you died? Just for old time’s sake, of course.”

Selena smiled slowly, and then walked sinuously to Romero’s side. She was almost a head taller than the short man, and the sight was almost comical. “If you must know, it was in a fire. Do you know what fire feels like, Antonio?”

“I enjoy a S’more now and then, but my experience with fire ends there.”

She laughed, but without mirth. “It was very painful. But do you know what the worst part was? The pain of knowing that all of my beauty would be gone. So imagine my elation when I realized that life doesn’t end at death. That I could live forever, my immortal beauty forever a part of me. Prison was miserable, but I never have to go back. I will live in this perfect body forever.”

“You know, interesting fact about Heaven—I hear you get to be twenty-five forever. Doesn’t that sound great? That’s how old you were when we met, wasn’t it?” He shrugged. “Oh well—thirty isn’t a bad look for you, either. Better than forty, anyway.” Selena’s smile was like ice.

Romero chuckled, and took her smooth hand. “Now, my dear, let’s not get angry. He’s not worth it.” He craned his head around us, and we naturally turned to follow his gaze. I nearly gasped in relief at the sight of Jenna and Josie, looking sound asleep and completely unharmed, each cradled in the arms of a Demon.

“Ah, bless them. They were a little annoying when conscious, but drugs are my business and I knew what to do.” I rushed back to the Demons, who were just stepping into the room, and I ran my hands over both my sisters—feeling their shoulders, touching their sleeping faces, rubbing their arms.

Romero continued to speak. “They’ll probably wake up in the next hour or so. They won’t remember a thing. Consider it my gift to you.”

I could feel Patrick behind me, and I knew what had to happen next. I glanced up at him, trying to push back the tears in

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my eyes. “Please take them,” I whispered, though I knew everyone would still hear my words. “Keep them safe.” He stared into my eyes and I knew he had a hundred things he wanted to say. Most would probably be excuses not to leave me, knowing him—but he didn’t say anything. He only nodded, and then looked over his shoulder. “Toni.” I heard Toni move toward us, and I mouthed a thank you to Patrick.

His mouth drew into a tight line, and his eyes burned with some unfathomable emotion. And then he stepped past me and carefully shifted the sleeping body of Jenna out of the Demon’s arms, and into his own.

Toni carefully took Josie, grunting just a little under her dead weight.

Patrick turned around to face Romero, holding Jenna tightly.

“You will regret this, Romero. You have my personal word.” The Demon merely smiled.

I felt one of Romero’s stooges come up behind me, and then I became a literal prisoner as two strong arms wrapped tightly around my shoulders, pinning my arms to my sides.