The Sin Collector (14 page)

“Is little sister gone to bed?” He asked with a bit too much acid in his voice.

I sat up, wary of all the hostility my new life had come with.

“
Julia is in bed. Why don’t you come in instead of blocking an exit?”

The tension seemed to leave his body and he came and plopped down with me on the bed. I tried to remember this was new to both of us. Traveling together, running from something, it could bond people just as easy as it could breed resentment. He stared at me playing idly with a piece of my hair.

“
Do you regret coming with us Billy? If you do, we can get you back to Dublin. All you have to do is say so.”

He looked at me, and I realized he appeared just as weary as I had.

“
I don’t want to leave LiLi. I just want to be sure we are doing the right thing. Rebecca is a hermit in her room. Olexander hates me. Thomas is somewhat kind but I have no doubt where his allegiances lie, and then there is the girl.”

“
What is your problem with Julia?” I couldn’t place where his negativity was coming from. To me it made no sense.

“
She shouldn’t be here Lily. It’s an abomination. These people are stealing her life away from her. You can pretend to be a big sister all you want, but do you really think this is how it should be. Would you raise a child like this?”

I felt the heat behind my eyes, threatening a torrent of tears. Billy sighed heavily.

“
I didn’t mean to attack you LiLi, it is just frustrating for me to be around her. The way she worships the monster that raised you.”

“Olexander is not a monster. He only ever did what he thought was best.”

“What gave him the right to decide? Come on Lil, you’ve been alive long enough to know that some of the most terrible things in the world started out with the best of intentions. I know you like her but one day she will wake up alone, just as you did. We can stop this if we can stop Collecting, stop running from the Castus, and live life like normal people.”

I had to admit the thought sounded nice, living in one place, making friends, going to boring block parties and watching Julia act in a school play. I knew I looked as bewildered as I felt, which is probably why he eased off the bed standing awkwardly next to me.

His voice softened, and he suddenly was speaking very gently.

“
Just think about it LiLi, this doesn’t have to be our lives. I know you love Olexander. He was your Mentor, your friend, but that might not be all he is. He could be involved in things we don’t know about. One-hundred years is a long time. Just think about it ok?”

With that he kissed the top of my head and headed for the door.

“
Wait.” I called after him, and he stopped with his hand on the doorknob. I wasn’t sure why I felt the sudden urge to concentrate, to see his aura. Billy was being calm and unbelievably understanding, but I focused all my energy on him. Slowly the air around him took on a very distinct color, light at first and growing more intense by the instant. A bright pulsating crimson red with the faintest black outline oozed from his body.

“
Was there something else you needed LiLi?”

“
I just wanted to say thank you, and have a good night.” I gave him a reassuring smile and he let himself out. There was one thing I needed to know, above all else. An aura with that color did not come from simple jealousy and pure intentions. Something else was going on. I just needed to figure out what.

Chapter 12

I sat anxiously at the massive table waiting for everyone to gather for our meeting. I had declared myself officially paranoid and was watching both Billy and Olexander as a hawk studies its prey. Olexander had gone to tuck Julia in and Billy was leisurely walking the deck talking to Clara on his cell phone. Thomas was waiting patiently across from me doing a crossword puzzle. I studied him as well. It was hard not to feel relaxed around him. He always seemed to be comfortable no matter the situation. He looked up and gave me a warm smile before idly returning to his puzzle. The sudden movement to my left startled me, and I was even more surprised to see Rebecca take a seat next to me. I had barely ever spoken to her, but I had always taken note that she was never physically close to anyone, human or Collector alike. Now she was very close to me, almost uncomfortably close. I gave her a quick smile and returned my hawk-vision to Billy.

“Do you watch him because he is handsome, or because he cannot be trusted?” Rebecca asked, staring into my eyes, impatiently waiting for an answer. It was amazing how despite her look of youth, Rebecca seemed quite old. Her voice for instance came out coarse and gravelly. She had the remnants of an accent I couldn’t place. Probably the accent of a culture long since died out. She wore very modest clothing, high necks and long skirts, in dull muted colors. The color of her hair, almost white, hinted at her true age as well. I looked at her confused by her sudden interest.

“Why would you think Billy cannot be trusted?” I asked. I could feel my heart racing.

“You are not the only one who sees the true color of people my darling.”

Her tone was harsh, almost, chiding. She got up and moved across the table a few seats down from Thomas. I wanted to ask her more. I wanted to drag her inside and make her tell me exactly what that particularly cryptic comment meant, and why she thought Billy could not be trusted. However, Olexander took her place in the chair to my left. Billy took note that we were all waiting and clicked his cell phone shut, before he quickly took the seat to my right. Both of them inched their chairs closer to mine. I felt like the baby in the Judgment of Solomon. I wondered who would have me cut in half.

The whole thing was ironic, and downright hilarious, considering I slightly suspected each one could be a murderer. Of course, I wasn’t sure since the only evidence I had was an overactive imagination and office supplies. Olexander began the meeting by first explaining why exactly we had gone to Madrid. He had been in contact with his Mystic friend in Prague, Nela. Nela or as I liked to think of her, ‘the woman who predicted my untimely demise’. Nevertheless, I suppose Nela was shorter. She had seen a group of five Collectors hiding in the outskirts of Madrid. They were trying to blend in, but apparently failing miserably at it because three of the five had already been killed. His proposed plan was to find the remaining two, bring them to safety, and find out as much as we could about the Castus who had killed their kin. Rebecca was to stay behind with Julia so she didn’t accidently anesthetize the Collectors we would be bringing back with us. That meant Thomas, Billy, Olexander and I formed the search and rescue, try not to get dead, party. After laying out his plan, he sat quietly waiting for our responses. Rebecca simply shook her head before getting up and leaving the table. I took that as a no to the plan. Thomas was the first to speak up in his friendly calming voice.

“What if this is a trap? I don’t distrust your friend Olexander, but Mystics are not as infallible as you would like to believe.” Thomas spoke with a genuine concern for everyone’s safety. Somehow, his sweet Australian accent calmed my nerves.

Olexander seemed to consider his words before speaking again. “Of course I understand the threat Thomas, but those are our people out there. We cannot leave them to die. Also I believe the risk is outweighed by the reward if we can find out everything there is to know about those looking to harm us.”

Suddenly Billy let out a long hard sigh, as if he was already exasperated with the topic at hand.

“I agree with Olexander. We cannot hide like scared little mice.”

We all turned to look at him, all three of us with the same confused expression. Billy was agreeing with Olexander now? Somehow, that fact made me feel loads worse instead of much better.

“Let us take a vote,” Olexander said calmly. “Everyone in favor of going ahead with the original plan please raise your hand.”

Olexander and Billy had their hands up instantly, Thomas raised his more hesitantly, and then they all turned their focus on me. Truth was, I didn’t really want to die today. I was in the middle of a really good book, and being alive had always worked out for me, not to mention I couldn’t imagine what it would do to Julia. Yes, dying wasn’t something I was in the mood for today, but I raised my hand nonetheless. I had a duty, no matter how obscure, and a loyalty, no matter how one sided, to the other Collectors. They were my people, and if there was one belief I held to be true, it was that you defend your people at all costs.

“When do we leave?” Was all I could ask without annoyance coloring my voice. I found it funny
that
being the emotion I had settled on. I wasn’t scared, or even angry, I was simply annoyed with the inconvenient timing that might be my own death. I let out a small giggle despite myself, which made me look completely nuts. Olexander studied my face for a brief moment before answering me.

“We will leave at midnight, and begin at the motel where Nela believes the survivors may still be hiding. Until then watch out for one another.” We all stared at Olexander as if we were all waiting to be dismissed from class.

“Well I suppose I will see you all at midnight.” said Thomas, as he got up and leisurely walked off the dock toward the busy waterfront. Olexander coughed loudly and excused himself as well, leaving the dock headed toward town. For a group supposed to watch out for one another, everyone seemed to be wandering off. I looked at Billy, still seated.

“
How do you plan to pass the next four hours?” I asked.

“Well I could think of a few things we could do together to pass the time,” He said with a smirk. I blushed and threw one of the throw pillows at him. He was suddenly very serious.

“LiLi this could be our last night on earth. Don’t you think we should enjoy it?”

I eyed him, trying to figure out if he was seriously suggesting a quick torrid night of passion before our possible demise. I didn’t have to think long before he yanked me out of my chair and on to his lap, kissing me wildly. We stumbled back to my room, making enough noise to wake the dead. I had never been happier that my room was somewhat secluded from the others. I didn’t need Olexander to get an eyeful, any more than I wanted to have to explain this to a twelve year old. We fumbled into the dark room unbuttoning each other’s shirts as quickly as possible when we both tripped backwards over the ottoman falling onto the bed. I wanted him, more than I thought I would. The intensity of him reminded me of the first time I saw him standing at the library door and how I’d imagined this exact moment before I even knew who he was. His chiseled chest pressed against me as he kissed me forcefully. I could feel his heart beating rhythmically with mine. He stopped just long enough to whisper in my ear.

“It was always you LiLi. Always.”

I smiled at that as I felt him kiss down my chest, his lips grazing the locket that still held the remnants of Lilacs. He tore at my clothes as if he physically hungered to feel every inch of me. For the moment, my suspicion of him, and my curiosity for Rebecca all became gauzy and unfocused. At that moment, all I wanted was to feel him and nothing else. The way I saw it, maybe we would die tonight, maybe we wouldn’t. Either way, this sure as hell beat finishing my book.

Chapter 13

It was eleven-thirty, and Billy and I were both still wrapped around each other under the soft down duvet. I would have given anything to stay there forever, but we had a job to do and we both knew it.

“I think I am going to grab a quick shower before we go,” he said as he kissed my head and walked toward the bathroom. My annoyance with my possible demise was quickly turning into fear as the minutes crept closer to midnight. Due to recent developments, I was especially not ready to die. The sound of the shower was calming and I closed my eyes trying to focus on relaxation instead of the pure terror that was creeping along my spine. A soft buzzing caught my attention and I tried to ignore it. After a minute however the sound was starting to ruin the peaceful place I’d been creating in my brain, and I got up to see who would be calling me at this hour. I retrieved my phone from my pants, which were strewn on the floor only to see it wasn’t making a sound. I listened harder and realized the sound was coming from Billy’s jean pocket. I slowly took the glossy silver cell phone out and stared at it, as if it was going to bite me if I made any quick movements. I didn’t recognize the number, nor did I recognize the exchange. However, the gnawing paranoia was surfacing, so I carefully opened the phone and put it to my ear. The woman on the other end was angry and rambling, but even with her thick Italian accent you could hear every word loud and clear

“
Billy, you son of a bitch how dare you hang up on me. Have you made port yet? When will I be meeting you? Answer me you useless traitor or I swear I will kill you myself.”