The Sin Collector (10 page)

“Billy isn’t human. It’s William, from so many years ago. His Mentor Clara, surely you remember her…”

I saw the spark of recognition in his eyes. He was a blinding pulsating red and I was ready to scream from the cloak and dagger routine. I heard the click in the door and sighed in relief, finally Billy was home. The next click I heard wasn’t as familiar, but I did recognize it. I turned around to see Billy pointing a large silver gun at Olexander. My eyes widened in fear, not that a bullet would kill anyone in this room, but it was stupid and unnecessary and would seriously ruin the décor. I jumped between them holding my hands up in front of me to stop the onslaught. We would all sit down and figure this out as rational adults. We’d been adults for a century at least, and it should not be a problem.

It appeared to be a problem.

Billy finally lowered his gun when I explained Olexander was here to help, but it never left his hand. It also didn’t escape my notice that over his tight grey t-shirt and concealed under his jacket was a shoulder holster. They now sat across from each other, one on either side of the coffee table. Both of them were ready to lunge at the other’s throat and they glared at one another.

“So this is the man running all over the world trying to find out everything there is to know about Collectors, I am at least pleased to know you aren’t human, although I’d hardly call you a Collector.” He stared at Billy disgusted.

“So this is the man who raised LiLi and then abandoned her, never seeking her out to give her any answers. I’m disappointed to see the Castus hasn’t gotten you yet.” He stared at Olexander smug.

Billy’s words hung in the air.

“You knew about the Castus?” I said as I walked back to the front of the room. However, I was conscious of my body gravitating toward Olexander. “How could you keep that from me?”

“I only just found out from Clara this morning, I
was
coming to tell you right away of course.”

Olexander’s eyes narrowed even more and his words came out laced in accusation, “
Of course you were.”

“Both of you stop it. Act your ages for once will you,” I hissed. They both jumped slightly, as if they had forgotten my presence all together.

“Billy I thought you were meeting with Anthony?”

“He never showed, so I went back to Clara. It seems from her further research he may not have existed at all.”

“Then who attacked her?” Olexander said snidely.

“I
wasn’t attacked,
another Collector stumbled into the same bar as us, it happens, stop overreacting both of you.”

“Liliana, don’t you find it strange that 5, well really 4 ½ Collectors are possibly in Dublin at the same time?” He shot the evil eye at Billy.

I was pleased that Billy let the rub go and spoke now with more intensity for the situation instead of just hatred for Olexander. “Just because some descendants have the Castus ritual, that doesn’t mean we should go into hiding.”

“You’ve got it all wrong” Olexander slammed his fist down on the glass table and I was happy it didn’t break. “The mystic she predicted exactly this. She said Collectors would try to hide, but they would try to hide in the open. There are more of us walking the streets at one time than ever before. Our kind is coming to large cities where they can blend in. We
must
get Liliana hidden away.”

“Lily isn’t going anywhere with anyone until she regains the ability to think straight,” I screamed. I stormed into the bedroom slamming the door and locking it behind me. I sat on the edge of the bed. I reasoned with myself that both Billy and Olexander cared, and they were both overreacting. I had so many questions, and I sat there until I had the
right
question. I walked back out into the living room to see neither party had moved an inch in my absence. I sat on the other armchair and faced Olexander.

“I understand the threat of the Castus, and I’m not taking it lightly, but why are you so scared? There is information the mystic gave you that you are not giving me, I can see it in your eyes.” His chocolate brown eyes, with just a few amber flecks, softened and were overwhelmed with new emotion.

“The mystic said she’d seen you die,
you
specifically. It was hard for her to be sure of when. I was terrified I was already too late. This quest you are on with
him
is dangerous and attracting too much attention.”

My voice was barely a whisper now. “She saw the Castus ritual being performed on me?”

“She was only receiving flashes, but she saw the dagger being shoved into your side, and your eyes close.” His eyes welled up with emotion at the words.

Billy was shaking his head the entire time Olexander spoke. “Mystics are hacks, you know this as well as I, there was no need to come here and frighten her. “

Olexander glared at him with new animosity. “Oh so I am supposed to entrust her safety to you. Can you even sense another Collector?”

“Of course.” Billy sounded indignant, which was stupid because I knew what was coming next.

“
If that’s true, then how was she attacked last night?”

Billy’s face dropped. I couldn’t let this go on any further.

“Olexander I think you should go now.”

He looked at me annoyed but not surprised. He smoothed out his shirt, refastening the four buttons and picked his hat off the table.

“Liliana I am not leaving you here unprotected. I am staying down the hall. Come see me when you are ready.”

He nodded at me once and didn’t even bother looking at Billy as he left the hotel room. I expected Billy to have a deep red glow and I was surprised when he emanated a soft purple.

“He’s right LiLi, I should have been able to help you last night. I wasn’t looking for any danger. It was so stupid.”

“It’s not your job to protect me Billy, and I’m still not convinced there is some horrific danger. Olexander was always prone to overreaction.”

He rose up to give me a tight hug around the waist.

I smiled but I was far from content. Despite my best efforts, every part of my soul felt pulled to the room down the hall.

Chapter 8

The night passed by slowly. Billy was pretending to watch TV but he hardly took his eyes off of me as I lazily surfed the internet. I leisurely showered and got dressed. It’s amazing how a death threat will change your wardrobe outlook. I made sure to wear heavy jeans and a dark green turtle neck and sturdy black boots. Not that I expected to have to run away from anyone, but just in case, I wasn’t betting my life on wedge sandals. I was milling around the hotel room, peeking at Billy every few minutes. We didn’t speak but the tension was excruciating. Finally, I squared my shoulders and walked back into the living room.

“I am going to talk to Olexander.” I stated matter-of-factly. Billy jumped up. This had been what he was waiting for all night.

“I’ll go with you.”

He moved for the door but I didn’t budge.

“I’m going alone. I will only be down the hall.” He opened his mouth to protest but something in my eyes made him bite his tongue. I walked slowly down the hall and tapped gently on Olexanders door.

“Come in Liliana.”

I felt my eyes tighten. Naturally, he was expecting me; he knew all along that I would come here. I opened the door and walked into the living room. His room was exactly like mine only everything was in shades of red. I didn’t see him and I walked toward the bedroom when he popped out of the kitchen door.

“Good morning.”

I jumped about ten feet in the air at the sound of his voice coming from behind me. I turned to look at him. His appearance still caught me off guard. He was wearing a pair of dark jeans and white button down collared shirt. He looked so much different in his casual clothing. However, something about his hair being almost the same as the last time I saw him a hundred years ago filled me with warmth.

“Honestly Olexander, you cannot just sneak up on people. It’s rude and you’re bound to give a human a heart attack one day.”

He chuckled. “My apologies Liliana please join me at the table. I have to show you something.”

“I go by Lily now, if you don’t mind, and you can lose the old world charm.” For some reason his polite tempered way of speaking to me was driving me nuts. Was it so hard to assimilate to this century’s vernacular? I took a seat next to him at the table where today’s newspaper was open and waiting.

“I think you will see the article of importance.”

I scanned the page. There was a political comic strip that wasn’t particularly funny, in my opinion. There was an article about a new water main installation in town, and then I saw it. The article was very small and quite short.

“The body of a young man was found stabbed early this morning on St. Andrews Street. Papers found in the vicinity indentify the body as Anthony Tenney. Anyone with information on this crime or the victim is asked to please come forward immediately.”

I felt my mouth fall open and my arms go limp as I read and reread the article five times.

“You know what this means, don’t you Lily? Your man William went to speak to a man named Anthony last night did he not?”

All I could do was nod. Part of my brain was certain this was all a coincidence and Billy had never even met Anthony. The other part of my brain screamed with doubt. Either way I was going to get some answers today. I decided to tell Olexander all about Jimmy. He should be just as aware of the situation as I was. He listened intently but had nothing to add. More hesitantly, I told him about the auras. This seemed to pique his interest, but he chose to stay silent if he had any theories.

“I don’t trust William, Lily.” He spoke the words tenderly and gently placed his hand on my shoulder. I needed answers and I knew this man, Anthony, was the place to start. I got up and walked to the window, an idea forming.

“Do you think we could get into the morgue, to see this man?”

Olexander looked surprised by my question. He sat his coffee cup down on the table, as if he needed two free hands to think. “I’m sure we could get in one way or another, but what do you think you will find out? If he was a Collector he will appear as a normal person now that he is dead.”

“Well I wasn’t going to cut him in half and count his rings Olexander,” I snapped. “If we can get a picture of his face, I can take it to
the Pub,
and see if anyone saw him on the night I was attacked. If they did, then he was most likely the culprit. It’s a place to start.”

I expected him to seem annoyed by my mood, or angry by my tone, but when I turned around he was wearing a wide grin.

“What?” I asked my anger subsiding. The beaming look coming from his face coupled with the golden light that came from every inch of him was filling me with warmth.

“Would it sound very patronizing if I said I was quite proud of you right now?”

“Yes it would, and thank you.” Now I was grinning. “When should we go?”

“After dark is our best bet I think, can you get away?”

“I don’t have to get away,” I snapped, “Billy is not my warden.”

His eyes narrowed but he didn’t respond.

“I better get back” I said. Billy wants to show me around Dublin. He once again opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off.

“Of course I will be careful and not trust anyone.”

He smiled wide and walked over to give me a kiss on the cheek. “I’ve missed you Lily.”

I wasn’t used to Olexander showing much emotion, but I gave him a tight hug anyway, “I’ve missed you too.”

He held the door open, and watched me until I was back in my own room where Billy was sitting on the edge of the bed going out of his skin.

“LiLi. I was two minutes from coming after you. What happened?”

I was really getting sick of reporting to everyone in my life these days.