Thief: X (9 page)

My skin was on fire and all I could do was laugh. The heat fuelled my power multiplying it beyond my imagination. The demon inside me revelled in the power. It recognised its home. I was in Hell. The deepest, darkest level of Hell,

“Mine!” The voice echoed through me and I tried to find the face. There was only darkness until a laugh broke the silence,

“Cain?” I choked out his name as I fell to my knees,

“Stop fighting me. Surrender yourself and realise your true power.”

“N…never!” My body cramped and I screamed in pain.

“Xan!” I felt my body spasm, “Xan?” The voice was questioning this time but my body was burning from the inside out, “Xan!”

“I’ll never…never…give in!” I spat through gritted teeth,

“Xan, wake up!” I felt someone trying to shake me.

The darkness started to fade and I felt arms around me. I tried to kick and break free but they held me steady,

“Shhhhhh Xan, I think you’ve had a nightmare.” The voice was clearer this time and my eyes began to focus.

I was lying on my bedroom floor in my Eeyore onesie with Marshall’s arms wrapped around me. For a second I considered staying there all day. I’d never felt safe in a man’s arms but Marshall felt different. There was a vibration of power in his chest that welcomed me.

“Xan?” I felt him brush my hair from my face,

“I’m ok.” I pushed him away and got to my feet.

“Nice onesie.” He smiled and I felt myself blush. I’d never thought he would see me in it,

“I need a drink.” And with that I pushed past him and headed for the kitchen, my Eeyore tail swinging behind me.

I heard him following behind me but I didn’t want to talk to him. There was a reason I didn’t like men in my home and why I was always gone the next morning after an energetic evening. I didn’t want anyone to see me vulnerable. The dreams were getting worse; I was running out of time. I’d come to terms with being Cain’s play thing a long time ago. No one could help me. No demon, angel or mortal could stop Cain. He was the original immortal after all and I had no chance. Eventually I would have to take my place and I had a nasty feeling it would be soon.

I was crashing around my kitchen like a bear with a sore head and all I could feel was Marshall watching me from the door. I wanted to scream because I didn’t have any tomato juice and I really, really needed a drink. I yanked a bottle of milk from the fridge door and rummaged in my freezer for my vodka. A White Russian it would have to be.

“Why do you drink?” Marshall’s voice was low as he walked towards me and pulled out a chair for me,

“How very chivalrous of you.” I rolled my eyes and sat. He took the seat opposite and glared,

“So?”

“None of your business.” Yep, I was in grumpy bitch mode thanks to Cain,

“Is it anything to do with the scars?” Damn it all, he must have seen them while I was rolling around the floor in my Cain nightmare,

“Like I said, none of your business.” I pulled at the sleeves of my onesie knowing full well I had two long scars across both of my wrists,

“Not many people see you like this do they?” I was clutching the glass so hard I could feel it starting to crack,

“What’s with the twenty questions?” I hated nosey men!

“Eggs?” He got up and pulled eggs out of the fridge,

“Eggs?”

“Now who’s asking questions?” The grin on his face made me smile and I couldn’t help but laugh. I know he wanted me to answer his questions but he wasn’t pushing.

“I’m sorry. I’m just not used to having guests…well someone other than my mom and brother.” He flicked on the stove and started on the eggs,

“I’m not used to being a guest. I never expected you to be like this…”

“Like what?” There was my defence mechanism flaring up again,

“A file can tell you only so much. Yours was informative but that was it.”

“Believe it or not, before you walked into my life I was good at this sort of stuff. I must look like a complete fraud to you now?”

“You’re more of a person to me now rather than a thief and murderer. If we were back in the States you’d probably have a warrant on your head and I’d be chasing you down. Yet here I am cooking you eggs.”

“It’s not by choice that I do those things.”

“Then why?” He piled two plates with eggs and slid one in front of me. For the first time in my life, I could feel he was asking more out of concern than judgement,

“You saw what happens to me when I over exert myself. Sin fuels my abilities and I didn’t always have Madam Cassandra. My own sins can give me just as much in return. I’m good at being a thief and the assassin side of things was just something I fell into.” I stuffed my mouth and moaned. How could he make eggs taste this good?

“Not everyone just falls into being an assassin.” He was watching me now. His green eyes lighting up with the need to know,

“Truth be told the first time was a complete accident. I
accidently
blew up an illegal arms dealer. As there was a bounty already on his head, I simply claimed it. After that, word kinda got out. I’m gathering you know who I’ve taken out?” He nodded, “Then you know they all deserved it.” I was stating fact.

“And they were all men.” Another fact,

“What can I say? Men seem to be more violent than women are. What probably wasn’t in the file was that they were all supernatural in one way another.” By the look on Marshall’s face, I was right.

“How much more weird stuff will I actually see now?”

“All of it. Once you start believing, you can’t go back. Glamour works on most people, so what you see still might not be the truth. It takes a lot of power and most supernaturals can’t be bothered, unless they’re really ugly.” I smiled and winked,

“Adram does it a lot.”

“Adram looks like the Grinch in a suit.” I laughed,

“I do not!” The smell of sulphur drifted towards me and I sneezed,

“Actually you do.” I smiled,

“Says the woman dressed in an Eeyore onesie!”

“Urgh…I’ll go change then!” I knocked my White Russian back and stormed off to my bedroom to change. I could hear Adram and Marshall talking about me and it pissed me off.

Everyone wanted to know about what made Xan ‘tick’ and it was annoying. Hell even I didn’t know! No one could give me answers not even Adram and he was sent by the devil. I was a freak of nature thanks to Cain.

I huffed and puffed around my room throwing clothes on my bed. Today was the day I introduced the Elk to Marshall. It was common knowledge in the ‘underworld’ that the Elk had an unhealthy obsession with me. I never knew whether he wanted to shoot me in the face or hump my leg. Did I flash my legs or strap a shotgun on my back. I smiled.

“What the hell are you wearing?” That was Adram’s greeting when I walked in my living room.

“I looked down at myself and smiled.” I was wearing my favourite black, layered vest, black shorts, black boots and a leather belt that held a variety of knives.

“Are you going to sleep with him or stab him?” Adram shook his head,

“Says the man in glitter heels!” He spun around in them,

“Aren’t they just fabulous?”

“No wonder the devil punishes you.” I was shaking my head,

“Are you sure you’re not a vanity demon?”

“I take it those are real too?” Marshall shrugged his shoulders,

“And to say they’re vanity demons, they’re fugly. Like baboon butt, ugly, fugly!” Adram pulled his ‘disgusted’ face that looked like a bulldog sucking a wasp. “So what’s the plan?”

“I'll go and talk to the Elk alone.” I sat down and propped my legs on the coffee table,

“No way Xan. He’s temperamental at the best of times.”

“So, exactly who is the Elf?”

“He’s a pain in the arse!” Adram sighed,

“Actually he’s the King of the elves and he’s a tiny bit of a psychopath. It’s part and parcel of dealing with all the Fae shit. Unfortunately the Librarian was right when she said he would know about Clockwork if he’s an elf.”

“More strange stuff that’s real.”

“Yep. The stories have to come from somewhere. It’s just that people forgot and the old ways were lost.”

“Fae should stay lost, just like that thing!” Adram pointed at Smidge, my black cat, who chose that moment to rub against his leg. “Keep your flea bitten self away from me!” Smidge meowed and completely ignored him

“I didn’t know you had a cat.” Smidge went over to Marshall and jumped on his lap,

“Technically I don’t. She turned up one day and I’ve had her ever since.” She’d turned up a few years ago and I knew immediately she wasn’t a normal cat. I tended to attract the weirdos. She kept my mice problem at bay and I fed her. Adram wouldn’t tell me where she came from but he knew. Sometimes he was exhausting.

“She gave me fleas!” Adram fluffed out his peacock tail, knocking over a vase,

“Stop overreacting.”

“And don’t think you’re going on your own to see the Elk either!” Smidge and Adram were having a staring contest,

“You do know cats don’t blink until they actually want to?”

“Not the point.” He hissed and then stood in my way, knocking a painting off the wall and blocking my way,

“Look, you know the Elf is fickle and old fashioned. He hates you with a passion because you’re a demon and he likes me even less because of my ‘basterdised blood’” Yes I did little air quotes because the Elf tells me the same thing every I see him. He changed his mind about me like the weather. Kill me, shag me, it was all a day in the life of Xan.

“I’m still coming and I’m guessing the human will want to too.” He glared at Marshall who nodded, “Love, you need to let us help. Stop being stubborn!”

Adram may be the ever-throbbing pain in my arse but he was right. I sighed and together we all left. I couldn’t help but wonder what Marshall would think of the Elk because he wasn’t a normal King.

Marshall was looking puzzled. Who knew a cowboy could scrunch his face up quite so much. He looked like a Pug with chronic diarrhoea and the thought made me snort. I
was
going to explain where we were going in Betty but I couldn’t resist seeing his face.

“Is it that thing you told me about…that glamour thing?” Adram was literally rolling around the ground laughing,

“Nope.” I said trying desperately not to laugh at his face, “What were you expecting? A castle?”

“He has one of those in the back.” Adram laughed getting to his feet.

“You have to leave your gun here.” Now he looked at me as if I had grown a second head. One of these days, I think I actually might,

“No. That place is creepy as shit.” He nodded at the entrance,

“You can’t get in with guns. Just behave and put it in the glove box, we won’t be long.”

“Am I the only one here that remembers the Librarian? You’re all deluded.”

“No, I’m a realist and if I remember correctly I was coming here alone!” He stormed off and I heard him slam Betty’s glove box. “Don’t take it out on Betty!”

He mumbled something under his breath that sounded remarkably like I’d be the death of him and I had to agree. The sign in front of us blinked and I snorted again. Who knew the Elk would take up residence in an amusement park? It wasn’t even the abandoned kind that was all eerie and shit your pants scary. This was a fully functioning amusement park with rollercoasters, amusement arcades and an ultimate mini golf course with a model castle and moat. Adram meant it when he said the Elk had a castle, it was just in miniature. Kids were screaming, parents were yelling and we got in line behind them.

When we finally got to the front, the host was filing her nails and glaring at Adram. Looked like we had ourselves an elf. Gone was the polite host the second she saw us,

“What yer want?” Lovely,

“Two tickets please.” I smiled,

“Demons are extra.” She rolled her eyes at Adram as he smiled and waved. He’d be strutting his stuff in a minute, “And we both know you’ve not come for the amusements.” She winked at Adram and that made him puff his tail out. I swear it was a good job he was cloaking himself or the line of families behind us would be running and screaming,

“Ok then, two adult tickets and one demon!” She held her finger up to shush me as her phone started to ring. If there wasn’t glass between us I would have ripped her finger off. She picked it up and started to randomly nod. I realised she was nodding at the CCTV behind my head,

“Yes sir. No sir. I’ll tell them.” She hung up and then looked at us, “He says that he’ll see you. He’s in his office.” We went to walk through the turn stiles and I nearly took out my woohoo in the process.

“Hey, I like having all my parts in working order!” I yelled after I could stand straight. I gave Marshall the stink eye because I could see how hard he was trying to hold his laugh.

“That’s three hundred and twenty six pounds and twelve pence.” The host said cheerily at me,

“What the hell?”

“The Elk will see you but you still have to pay!”

“It’s twenty pound a ticket…”

“I told you demons were extra.”

“Let me guess you can’t afford me again?” Adram sighed. I crumpled my money from my hiding place in my bra and joined in on his sigh,

“I’ve enough to cover two tickets. I didn’t expect
you
to be seen. You need to up your glamour to include other supernaturals.”

“Then no-one would ever see me. Sometimes I think it’s better if I stayed in Hell!”

“Maybe you should!” I didn’t mean to yell, but my woohoo was still throbbing and not in a good way,

“Come on.”

“What?” Adram and I shouted at the same time at Marshall,

“I’ve paid, so get inside before you create even more of a scene.” Marshall was stuffing a card back into his wallet, “Did you really believe I thought you had pockets in that ensemble of yours?” He pointed at me and smiled,

“So you’ve given up being a Texas Ranger and joined the fashion police?”

“Well luckily for you I’m a member of the American Express team.” I snorted at the thought of him in tight spandex with his underwear on the outside and a cape, when I realised that sight might just be a little too appealing to me.

I felt myself blush at the same time Adram pushed me through the turnstiles and towards thousands of screaming children.
And
they still wondered why I had knives strapped to me!

I didn’t need directions to his office but it had changed since the last time I’d been. Probably because I’d blown it up. I admit things tended to explode on me by accident but if I didn’t need to be around to press the button even better. I’d gone in as a tourist with Cam and found the Elk was trading in illegal weaponry. It wasn’t my fault that I hadn’t spotted the C4 and things exploded a little more than they should have. Last time I heard the Elk was looking for me, so this could turn out very bad for me.

“Are you sure this leads to his office?” Marshall looked at the line to the Ghost Train,

“Yep, so come on.” I dragged them both into line and waited. I hated queuing at the best of times but queuing for my own death was making me feel a little prickly.

Finally, a carriage came our way and we were pushed inside. Half way around I rummaged in my bra and pulled out a small bottle. It’s amazing how useful a padded bra could be.

“Quick, stick this down your pants.” I thrust it into Marshall’s hands and he looked at me like I’d finally lost my marbles. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d lost those years ago.

“Why?”

“Just do it and make sure it’s tucked right in there with your happys.”

“Happys?” I heard Adram snort behind us,

“He knows what I mean. Shut up!” I swatted at him as the carriage stopped and a red neon arrow shone overhead. I took that as the cue to get out, “Just stick it in your boxers!” For once he did as I said. “Adram if things turn bad, poof out. The Elk wards to stop things getting in but not out.” Adram silently nodded because he knew the odds were against us.

Two elves stepped out of the shadows and pushed us through the doors. The Elk had definitely gone upmarket in his new office. It screamed opulent, in a dark and depressing way, with its dark oak covered walls. A large ornate desk sat at one end with a large, red chair sat with its back to us. Other than that there was nothing else, well nothing other than four elven guards. Apparently, he wasn’t taking any risks with me.

“I would offer you a seat but I don’t suffer fools.”

“Oh come on Elk, how many times do I have to tell you it was an accident?”

“You cost me a lot of money X!” His voice boomed around the room and I cringed.

“Well, you shouldn’t be dealing in weapons should you?” Sometimes I have no control over my mouth and it opened at the most inappropriate of moments,

“How dare you!” His chair spun around and the sight of him made me laugh to the point I was snorting and couldn’t breathe.

“What…wh…what?” Yep, I couldn’t breathe. The Elf was sat in a massive Elk costume, antlers and all,

“The guy called in sick at the last minute and as Edward the Elk is a top act here I didn’t have much choice. Why the hell am I explaining this to you?” He ripped off the plush head and threw it on the floor.

There was no doubt he was a King of Elves. His jet black hair was tied back from his face making his cheekbones even more prominent but his emerald green eyes could cut straight into your soul. There was nothing human about his eyes as their green depths swirled in anger.

“What do you want X? I owe you no favours.”

“Women are being kidnapped…”

“And how is that my problem?” He was trying to kick off an Edward the Elk foot but it got stuck and one of his guards was trying to pull it,

“The Librarian’s census says the perpetrator is an unknown elf.”

“I’ve heard of your escapades with the Librarian. She’s extremely pissed by the way.” Damn she wasn’t dead, “The fact he’s
supposedly
an elf makes it my problem too. But you already knew this didn’t you?”

“I’m not an idiot.” The guard was now helping the Elk unzip the remainder of the suit,

“Have you considered that I already know about Clockwork and maybe, just maybe, the best way to find you was to get you to come to me voluntarily?” Shit! “You owe me X and it wasn’t difficult to get the Librarian on my side. You and your followers should be kneeling and asking for forgiveness instead of demanding anything.” The Elk was now standing in his pin-striped suit glaring at us,

“If you know where he is you have to tell us.” Marshall grunted,

“And why would I want to do that?” He said, straightening his tie and rolling his eyes at Marshall,

“He has my daughter and I’ll beat the information out of you if I have to!” Marshall was marching forward when the Elk bashed his fist on his table,

“You will kneel!” He yelled and I felt magic tingle across my arms, “Kneel!” I heard Adram fall to his knees first. Marshall was trying to resist but he was soon on his knees. I was still standing biting my nails,

“Yeah about that, your thrall doesn’t work on me.” I laughed and regretted it when two of his guards bounded towards me. I whipped a couple of knives out and threw them into their shoulders. I was trying not to kill them and get on the Elks even worse side,

“Prffft, your silver knives don’t work on us.” One of them laughed and then I smelled the burning. The guard dropped to his knees screaming, with the other following suit,

“That would be my silver dipped, iron knives. It’s amazing what you can get metals to do when you can see them at a microscopic level.” Before I could take pride in my little masquerade, the Elk decided to charge towards me.

“You will kneel before me or die!”

Things seemed to happen quickly after his little outburst. First, his hands were around my neck, secondly I saw Marshall struggling with a guard, thirdly I heard shots, and fourthly I was on the carpet not breathing as Marshall was being jumped on by four more guards. The Elk looked down at me with two gunshot wounds in his chest and then I smelled sulphur as his boot came down on my face. Who knew elves could move that fast and how in the hell had they not sensed Marshall’s gun?