The Time King Read online

  “Damn it, Darryl, just spit it out,” demanded Will. He moved away from the book case again, not only wanting to stand on his own two feet, but to put distance between himself and his cousin.

  “Wait,” said Liam. “If Cain’s in your head, he can hear us right now.”

  “Oh, don’t bother your pretty self over that,” said Darryl. “The First Vampire already knows about the spell. Information is important to him too.”

  “Then tell us,” said Will. “What kind of mark are you talking about?”

  Darryl pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut, as if monsters could suffer headaches. “You have to brand it into her with fire.”

  Chapter Eleven

  There was an intense silence in the library before Will made a disbelieving sound and Liam shook his head. “Like hell. No freaking way.”

  “Actually it’s the only way,” said Darryl softly. “If you want Cain to keep his distance,” he looked at Will, “and I know you do – then you need to perform this spell. And deal with the consequences when she comes back around.”

  They were all silent again after that. Until finally, Liam shook his head and cupped the back of his neck with a desperate hand. “She’s gonna try to kill us. Probably succeed.”

  “How long does this spell of yours last?” Will asked Darryl. He could feel Cain in the back of his mind now, loitering. Listening. He was no longer bothering to hide his presence in any way. So Will decided to ignore him. “And what about it makes Cain keep his distance?”

  Darryl fidgeted with his black tie as if struggling to loosen it a bit. “How long it lasts depends on how strong her will is. So probably not long. Two to three weeks, at best. Four or five days at worst. And it’ll keep the vampire away because that’s what the mark was intended for. Who it was intended for. Specifically.”

  “Someone created this spell just for Cain?” Liam asked.

  Darryl met his gaze and held it. “Yes.”

  “It was you, wasn’t it?” Will asked.

  “More or less,” Darryl said, clearly deciding honesty was the best policy. “I had help. And believe me, it didn’t come cheap.” He looked at his very expensive watch and pretended to care about the time. “We have less than two days before Helena turns thirty-nine. Her third round of thirteen years. At that point, if we haven’t acted, she will no longer be protected from Cain. He will be allowed out of his realm to track her down. That is the prophecy, and that’s how the cookie crumbles. Finding her and claiming her will be the only thing he is allowed to do – and the only thing he cares about. In other words, gentlemen,” he said as he rounded the table and approached the cousins. “There will be no stopping him. At that point, it will quite simply be too late.”

  Liam swallowed hard; Will could see a muscle tick in his tight jaw. “So we have two days to get to her ourselves.”

  Keep her from me Will, and I swear to you on all that is unholy, I will spend the rest of my existence making yours absolute misery.

  Will blinked. Again, dizziness struck him, and again he swayed. Cain was angered. Will could feel the vampire’s mounting desperation like sandpaper on the inside of his skin. He could see it in the flashes of intense blue and silver-ringed eyes in the back of his mind. And in that moment, Will realized that absolutely nothing had ever meant more to Cain than this right here. Not even his freedom.

  Will felt Liam’s eyes on him and knew his cousin was noticing things. He was sure to get an earful from him the next time they were alone. But there was no time right now, and he only prayed Liam realized this.

  “Then what are we waiting for?” Liam asked with finality. He strode with purpose to the bags on the counter against the wall, took them down, and plopped them unceremoniously on the library table. Then he unzipped the larger army green bag and began going through it. “What do we need for this spell, Darryl?”

  *****

  Two hours later, a 1966 Coronet Dodge deluxe hemi four-door in black and silver that Liam had affectionately named “Lilith” sat in the small parking lot across the street from a Chicago city studio advertising self defense classes. Liam sat in the driver’s seat and nervously kept watch on the studio door. “You sure she’s still in there?”

  “I watched her go in,” said Darryl from the back seat. “If she’d come out, my men would have told me.”

  Will turned to regard him from where he sat in the front passenger seat. “You’re stalking her?” And he had men? Of course he did. He was a powerful businessman, and that hadn’t changed, despite his unhealthy pallor and need of air fresheners.

  “Admit it, Will. You would have too if you’d known where she was.”

  “Maybe she’s watching us,” suggested Liam. “Ever think of that?” He smiled at Darryl in the backseat. “She’s a warden, right? Maybe she saw Lilith. A woman like that with a car like hers notices one like Lilith.”

  Lilith… why was that name suddenly ringing strange bells in Will’s head?

  “A car like hers?” asked Darryl, interested.

  Liam nodded at the nearby alley, where one other vehicle was parked. It was a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, pitch black with white stripes down the hood and over the top of the car. They reminded Will of a skunk.

  “I was right,” said Will softly. “She is going to like you.” He hadn’t meant it to sound the way it sounded. He hadn’t meant it to come out sounding jealous.

  You don’t have to be jealous, said Cain.

  Will closed his eyes tight and turned to the window so the others wouldn’t see. But Cain wasn’t finished with him.

  Just let me talk to her through you. Just a few words. I can stop the rest of the world while I do. I have that much power.

  Stop the world, thought Will. That sounded familiar to him too, just like the other phrases or words that had echoed in his mind of late. And he had no idea why.

  Think about it, Will. In a way, you are literally the only man in the world I am willing to share her with.

  Share her? Thought Will with irate incredulity.

  Yep, said Cain matter-of-factly. That’s what it really is, right? You think therefore you are. You are only what you think. So right now, he said, chuckling, you’re kinda me. We’re sharing you. And when you talk to her, I’ll be sharing her with you.

  She isn’t yours to share, Will told him.

  So you say.

  Will decided to shut the hell up then. There was no arguing with crazy.

  And then, Why me? he asked, utterly blowing his plan of silence to bits. He desperately wanted to know why the vampire had chosen his mind, of all minds to infiltrate. Was it simply because taking Will out of the picture would be taking out one of the many threats facing Cain in his quest to obtain Helena? Or was there something else?

  Because you’re you, said Cain. You’re Will Slate. She’ll look at you and she’ll listen to you. Automatically. Cain sighed and tsked in his head, and Will gritted his teeth. You think your cousin has all the charms, Billy boy, but believe me, there’s something about you. Something I know Helena will be receptive to.

  Will felt a sharp pain behind his right eye, and he winced.

  Don’t think that doesn’t make me want to skin you alive. But it also makes me want to use your brain.

  Billy, thought Will. No one had ever called him that, ever. So why did it remind him of something? He saw flashes of a boy. Blond hair… leather shoes, old clothes….

  Behind them in the back seat, Darryl looked back up at the building. “Well, clock’s ticking boys.”

  Clock’s ticking, thought Will.

  He ran his hand over the back of his neck when he flushed a little too warm. Then he glanced over in time to see the undead warlock vanish without a trace from the back seat. Will had never known anyone better at transporting than Darryl Maelstrom. He’d narrowed the effort of the spell down to a single snap of his fingers.

  Will spun back around to face Liam. “We need to follow him,” he said. But Liam was already open
ing the driver’s side door.

  The two exited the car and together made their way across the intersecting alley. Will touched the inner pocket of his jacket, where the first component of Darryl’s spell lay nestled. “So, we slip the coin into something she’s wearing,” he whispered, just making certain he had everything straight. “That’s the first part of the spell.”

  The coin was the kind vampires had used as tender long, long ago, just after the first round of them had been created by the Storyteller. They were nearly non-existent now, but Darryl had managed to locate one, which came as no surprise to anyone. The coin was step one of his four-step spell.

  “Then we put the potion into something she drinks,” he continued softly. “That’s the second part. Then you kiss her. And that’s part three.”

  In front of him, Liam lowered his head, and Will knew he was closing his green eyes. Everything Will had said was theoretical, and much easier said than done. And what Will hadn’t mentioned was the branding. He wondered which of them was going to have the honor.

  “Here, take this,” said Will, handing him the coin. “You might as well do this part too.”

  Liam took the coin without argument and slipped it into his pocket. “We need to get in there,” he said, changing the subject. “Darryl can’t be trusted.”

  “Agreed.” Will was already walking along the outside of the building, searching for a vent or fire escape. When he found what he needed, he gripped the window tight with both hands and shoved it against its lock, ramming the pane open. Then he and Liam stepped back and waited to see whether anyone had noticed the noise. When nothing happened, he nodded, and Liam ducked down, slipping expertly through the window.

  Will followed suit. Within seconds, the Slate cousins were in the basement of the studio, and Liam was flicking on the flashlight. Neither of them reached for their guns like they normally would. It was perhaps an unspoken and unconscious agreement, as neither of them wanted to chance seriously hurting anyone.

  The basement was unfinished, but relatively clean for a basement. Dehumidifiers had been placed throughout it, and shelves neatly stacked things like body armor padding, punching bags, boxing gloves, and padded weapons. At the far end of the basement was a closed metal door. They headed toward it – but stopped when Darryl appeared before them as if they’d simply blinked him into existence.

  Liam closed his eyes and let out a relieved whoosh of air. “Damn it Darryl, stop doing that,” he whispered, annoyed.

  “Took you two long enough to get in here.”

  “If you were so impatient, why’d you leave without us?” asked Liam pointedly. Darryl could have easily transported the three of them into the building.

  Darryl shrugged. “I didn’t want to waste the magic. Might need it later. Besides, it’s fun watching the two of you scramble like mice in a maze.”

  Will and Liam glared at him.

  But he ignored their ire. “Now that you’re inside, you boys can’t go traipsing around the building as you are. If she sees you here where you were uninvited, all bets are off. Allow me,” he told them matter-of-factly. Then he snapped his fingers.

  Nothing happened.

  “Follow me. And don’t worry about being stealthy. You fail miserably at it anyway.” He turned and made his way to the metal door, using a wave of his hand to flick the lock open. It swung free without a sound.

  Darryl the undead warlock had become very powerful, indeed. He stepped out into the walkway beyond the door and waited for them. Will was looking at Darryl’s shoes, which had leather soles, and were therefore loud.

  “Please,” Darryl said, shaking his head. “What do you think I was doing when I snapped? To everyone else, the three of us will be invisible, inaudible, and we’ll lack scent for a few hours,” he told them as he began making his way up the stone stairwell. “It’s something I had to learn to perfect for my own personal use. But I can’t use it all the time, obviously, or I wouldn’t have need of these little beauties.” He patted his pocket, pulled the top of a dark green pine tree out for them to see, then slid it back in. “While under the spell the one thing you’re not is intangible, and your bodies can still take damage. So keep a safe distance.”

  The cousins processed that, nodded, and followed Darryl up the stairs.

  Chapter Twelve

  Years of B&E in the name of warden jobs had made them well acquainted with this routine. They were headed up the stairs from the basement levels, most likely to a second-floor studio two stories up, where they would probably find their targets.

  He was right. The occupied studio was on the second floor. When the three of them neared the top-floor room, they could at last hear the sound of people talking. One woman – one man.

  Will recognized Helena’s voice immediately. He’d only seen a water bowl scry of her so far, but that small glimpse had been enough to imprint her permanently on his mind. It wouldn’t be until later that he realized he’d never heard her voice before, and hence had no idea how he “recognized” it. But Cain apparently recognized the sound as well; Will could feel the ancient vampire go still inside his head, listening more intently than ever.

  “Plans for the night?” the man asked.

  Will and Liam rounded the corner to find themselves facing a large, open room with mirrors paneling one wall, and hardwood for the flooring. Two people were inside, a man and a woman, resting on a pile of mats. They wore workout gear, and the woman had a zip-up hoodie over hers for extra warmth. The man was someone they’d never seen before, tall and somewhat scrawny, big nose and ears, but piercing eyes and an easy grace. He was busy helping the woman unwrap the boxing tape from her hands and wrists.

  The woman was Helena.

  Will felt his throat tighten at the sight of her. She looked absolutely stunning, even in gym wear and a ponytail. Beside him, Liam went as still as Cain had when he’d heard her. Will glanced at his cousin, not at all surprised to find that Liam’s expression was one of hard focus and determination. But Will could see that it was softened at its edges by emotion he was trying very hard not to show.

  “Plans, huh…” she said slowly, “well, I got this car from the junkyard.” She smiled a beautiful smile. “Thinking of fixing it up.”

  The man grinned and shook his head, still looking down at the bandages he was unwrapping. “Traditionally or Helena-style?”

  “What do you think?” she asked with a laugh. God, what a beautiful laugh. “I’m not one for wasting precious time.”

  The man chuckled. “What kind of car?”

  “It’s a ’67 Shelby,” said Helena. “Like Eleanor.”

  Will felt a buzzing in his head. The man with Helena stopped unwrapping her hands, and together, he and Liam both whistled low. Will shook off the strange sensation of familiarity that had been hitting him over and over again, and looked over at his cousin.

  Liam straightened at once, realizing what he’d done. He’d whistled, of all things, and if Darryl’s spell wasn’t fool-proof, the couple in the room would hear them. He glanced at Will nervously, and Will shook his head. Idiot.

  “Don’t worry lads,” said Darryl with plenty of volume. “Like I said, she can’t hear you.”

  Liam exhaled in relief. “And like I said,” he added, turning back to watch her some more. “She’s got great taste in cars.”

  Darryl stepped around them and moved further into the room, gesturing for the boys to follow him. “She has great taste in a lot of things,” he told the cousins.

  “I’m frankly surprised you found one of those at the junkyard,” said the man who was wrapping her knuckles.

  “Well to be fair, it’s not in the best shape,” admitted Helena. She stood up, and her male friend stood with her. “And I only found most of it.”

  “I haven’t finished with those yet,” he said, nodding at her hands.

  “It’s okay,” she told him. “I got the rest of it now. You go on ahead and go home already. You’ve been here since early this morning.
I’ll lock up.” She moved away from him, crossing the studio in long strides to head straight toward the Slate cousins. Will felt that tightness in his throat again, and he swallowed hard against it. His muscles were going rigid, preparing for a fight. To his left, Liam began to move out, like a shark circling something heading its way.

  But the man behind Helena stood still, and when she turned her back on him, he lifted his chin. Will watched his nostrils flare for a moment. He was scenting the air? “You’re injured.”

  Helena closed her eyes and dropped her hands. The bandages around them hung all the way to the floor. Now that he was close enough, Will could see there was blood on the tape. He turned his gaze on her hands and found cuts and bruises across her knuckles. That wasn’t anything new, though. Wardens were often bruised up like that. Their job was not easy on the body. Wardens were hired by powerful people in the factions of the different realms to track down rogues and trouble makers. Not to throw birthday parties.

  “It’ll heal,” she said, her voice tight. “And I hate that about you, Ethan. Goddamn werewolves.”

  Will and Liam looked at each other, brows raised.

  Darryl laughed at their expressions. He’d moved, and Will hadn’t even noticed it. Now the warlock sat across the room on a window seat, his legs crossed at the ankles, his stance utterly relaxed.

  “You hate that I can smell your blood?” asked Ethan. “Or that I can tell there’s more of it escaping your body than what you’ve got on the scrapes across your knuckles?”

  Helena’s head lowered now too. Her glorious black hair framed her face in thick, shining layers, hiding her luminous maroon eyes. “Crap,” she whispered. But Will heard it all the same, and he was sure Liam had too.

  Ethan made his way toward Helena, and Will and Liam found themselves moving closer too. Will’s alarms were going off. Helena was hurt.

  “Where’s the wound?” Ethan asked. It was something they all wanted to know.

  Helena spun to face him, and Ethan stopped in his tracks. “It’s none of your business.”