Burning Ember Page 3

  “Catnip for wolves.” He frowned, putting the green and navy uniform down on the desk.

  “But there is no such thing. So why the big response?” he asked himself.

  The door opened and Zane stuck his head in, one hand on the doorjamb, the other on the door handle.

  “You were talking to me?”

  “No, to myself.” Archer got up from behind the desk. He picked up the uniform and tore a swatch of fabric from it, stuffing it into the front pocket of his jeans.

  “Before you go any further, I’ve been watching some interesting news footage online. Seems a bus depot was burned down in Glen Falls. The police are looking for a young woman who they’d like to question.”

  Zane stepped into the room.

  Archer walked to the door shaking his head. “Seems like our pyro’s been busy. I didn’t think she’d make it so easy to track her.”

  “Yeah, burning buildings down is kind of a giveaway.” Zane moved out of the way as Archer passed him at the door.

  “I’m not going to bitch about it—makes my job a lot easier.” Archer turned towards the supply room so he could get what he’d need for the operation.

  “You aren’t leaving now, are you? It’s five A.M., and it’s going to be light soon,” Zane pointed out.

  Archer glanced at Zane, lifting an eyebrow. “Yes, that’s usually how mornings work. At some point, the sun comes up.”

  Zane rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but a tan doesn’t suit my pale goth-vampire look.”

  Archer turned back and walked into the supply room. He picked up a nondescript black duffel bag from the corner, then ran his gaze along the long shelves that lined the walls.

  Dimi had the Boy-Scout-like tendency to be prepared for anything, and it was something that had rubbed off on the rest of the group. So the supply room had everything and anything that could come in useful—provisions, weapons, and even a shelf of stacked spells and potions.

  There was a large underground network of immortals ejected from their castes for one reason or another—something The Outsiders used to their advantage. There was very little they couldn’t get their hands on.

  Archer walked to the first shelf and started to pack the duffel bag.

  “Are you even going to answer me?” Zane asked as he trailed Archer.

  Archer put a coil of rope into the bag. “Nope.”

  “I thought I was going to be part of this mission.” Zane stepped between Archer and the shelf.

  Archer turned to the opposite shelf. “You are, just not this part of it.”

  “Oh, for f—”

  “I need you to call Trinity and get me an anti-burn spell, and I need it before I leave.” Archer moved on to pack some rations in the bag, cutting off Zane’s cursing.

  “Fine.” Zane left, and Archer hid a small smile. That had been easy, but only because Zane was attracted to the outcast witch. He’d use any excuse to talk to Trinity.

  The witch liked Zane, but not the way Zane wanted. He’d never get anywhere with her. It didn’t stop him from talking to her every chance he got.

  Archer continued packing the bag. He was confident he could find and retrieve the pyro. Bagged and hogtied if necessary, but he did not intend to hand the pyro over to Jasmine. He didn’t trust the fallen angel, and with good reason. He could have saved himself the argument last night if he’d told Dimi he wasn’t planning to give the pyro to Jasmine, but the rub of the confidence Dimi had broken was still raw. He’d let the chaos demon stew in his own obsession for a while.

  Archer moved over to the weapons shelf and looked for one of his favorite weapons. He reached for the spine sheath and strapped it over his shoulders, then tested the draw of the Katana blade it held. He smiled as it slid free in one smooth motion.

  He slid the blade back, then picked up a hidden wrist sheath with a small but deadly dagger in it.

  Archer contemplated taking a semi-automatic pistol, but changed his mind at the last second. He picked up the sawed-off shotgun instead and grabbed a handful of rock-salt filled cartridges, shoving them into his pockets. He had learned long ago to go with his instincts, and they were screaming that he’d be facing more than a fire starter on this trip. So he wasn’t going to debate his need to take the shotgun, he’d just go with it.

  “You are packing a bit heavy aren’t you? I mean you’re only going to retrieve one little pyro,” Zane said from the doorway.

  “When was the last time you tangled with a pyro?” Archer bent to pick up the duffel then started walking towards the door.

  “Well… never,” the vampire admitted with a shrug, “but then neither have you.”

  “This is true, but the difference is, I know how deadly a fire starter can be. You obviously have no clue.” Archer moved past Zane at the doorway, down the short passage, and into the reception area. “And, you are forgetting that our little pyro…” Archer threw Zane’s description back at him, “is one of the rarest castes of Eternals? Do you really think we are going to be the only Eternals after her?”

  “Crap.” Zane followed Archer. “I didn’t think that far.”

  “Learn to think that far, vampire-boy, or you will find yourself staked, decapitated, and in a body bag tossed into running water before you finish your first gig.” Archer dumped the duffel on the reception desk without ceremony. “About that spell?”

  “Trinity said it’s going to cost you, and you better have the check book ready.”

  “Yeah, and when does one of her wonderful spells not cost us a small fortune?” Archer complained as Zane went back to the supplies room.

  “What are you doing?” Archer crossed his arms over his chest and watched Zane return and walk over to a small table. He started putting things down on the table, preparing for the spell that Trinity would need to cast.

  “Setting up.” Zane lit a long round candle and put it down in the center of the table, then lit a stick of rose scented incense from the candle. He blew out the flame until the incense started smoking and balanced the incense stick into a long flat wooden holder behind the candle, so the smoke would waft over the candle and mingle with the heat of the flame.

  “For what?” he asked, going to stand next to Zane, and looked at the arranged candle and incense as if it was something strange and unique.

  “The last time Trinity came to do a spell for Dimi, she told me that she likes to spell with this type of candle, and the rose incense is her favorite.”

  Archer tried to hide the small smile that was playing around his lips by forcing a serious expression. “She told you that?”

  “No.” Zane looked down with a small blush. “The perfume she wears smells like roses.”

  Archer was about to give up the front of being serious and start teasing Zane without mercy, when the elevator engaged and both men looked towards the shaft.

  “I was sleeping, for once, Archer, so this had better be good.” Trinity’s voice floated up the elevator shaft as the elevator rose, and she appeared behind the wooden grate.

  Zane rushed forward and lifted the gate so the tall blonde witch could step into the room. She gave the vampire a small smile, but then turned a glower at Archer. “Do you have any idea how hectic my schedule is for today?”

  “You sleep at night?” Archer raised an eyebrow. Most of the castes of Eternals were nocturnal.

  “I make my living in the human world, Archer, so how am I going to convince a board of elderly directors that the ideal time for a meeting is two A.M.?”

  Trinity was the CEO of her own clothing design company, a company she’d built with the earnings she made selling her spells. Despite being a successful business woman, she was a powerful three-element witch who had been thrown out of the witches caste of the Eternals.

  Archer could only speculate why Trinity had become an outcast. It wasn’t a question one asked. He knew he didn’t want anyone knowing why he’d been cast out of the lycanthrope caste, so he would never ask another outcast.

  “Weave a sp
ell and have your meeting in their dreams?” he suggested with a cheeky smile.

  “Oh, shut up.” Trinity rolled her eyes, but couldn’t quite hide her smile. “Now, what is the urgency, and why do you need such a potent spell? Were you planning on going after a flame warlock?”

  “No. A pyro.” Archer leaned back against the reception desk and waited for her reaction.

  Trinity’s eyes widened as she took the last few steps to stand in front of Archer with Zane trailing her. “This is a prank, right?”

  “No, no prank. So I’m going to need your strongest anti-burn spell.”

  “Sure, not a problem,” she mumbled, staring at Archer as if he’d done something stupid, yet amazing. “Let’s get the spell started, shall we?” She moved over to the table, and didn’t seem to notice the preparations Zane had made for her. Closing her eyes, she wafted the incense smoke toward her with her left hand, breathing in through her nose, and out through her mouth. She opened her eyes and looked at Archer. “I’ll give you my strongest spell, and we both know I’m powerful, but I don’t believe that I’m powerful enough to spare you burns from a pyro, untrained or trained.”

  Archer dipped his head in a nod. “She’s not trained.”

  “I thought as much,” Trinity admitted. “I’ll put all the punch I have behind the spell.” She looked at Zane. “Are you still on your veggie vampire kick?”

  “If you mean, am I still living off blood from the butcher rather than human blood—yes.”

  “It can’t be helped.” Trinity reached out, took the startled Zane’s right hand, and wove the fingers of her left hand through his fingers. “I need to borrow energy.”

  “Okay,” he agreed, and stepped closer to her.

  “Any excuse.” Archer winked at Zane.

  “Oh, stuff it, I’m helping you here.” Zane’s boyish face heated as Archer teased him.

  “Ah huh, if you say so.”

  “Could you both be quiet?” Trinity opened an eye to glare at them both. “I’m trying to concentrate here.”

  Zane blushed harder, and Archer shrugged an if you say so.

  Trinity closed both eyes again and reached for the candle. She held her right hand over it until the smell of burning flesh permeated the room and then started chanting in a low voice that made the hairs on the nape of Archer’s neck stand up.

  “Burn begun, burn be gone. Burn begun now, be undone.” Her words flowed into each other, becoming a long string of syllables as she recited the chant repeatedly, her voice an eerie monotone.

  Archer heard a soft gasp, and his gaze locked onto Zane’s. The vampire had paled significantly, drops of sweat beaded his brow, and his sea-blue eyes started to take on the dark red glow of a vampire in blood lust. Archer could see that Zane was clenching his teeth together from the way Zane’s jaw muscles were bunching. A tremor started in Zane’s hand, and soon, he was shaking like a drug addict in detox.

  Trinity’s voice climbed an octave, her chant becoming more intense. Then the chant stopped, with startling abruptness.

  Trinity sucked in a deep breath, pausing for a moment before releasing it. Her eyes snapped open, and Archer could see flames dancing in her irises. She let go of Zane’s hand and stepped up to Archer, her hands reaching up to cup his cheeks. She looked deep into his eyes, and the dancing flames in her own eyes hypnotized Archer. He couldn’t draw his gaze from hers, no matter how much he struggled.

  “My will be done.” She emphasized the last word, and with it, Archer felt an almost painful rushing heat enter his body where her hands met his skin.

  He didn’t have time to examine the heat because Trinity stumbled back a step, and Archer’s first instinct was to reach for her and steady her. His big hand clasped around her upper arm as he helped her retain her balance.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “I’m fine. You should be asking the vampire instead. I had to steal way more juice than I thought I’d need.” She turned her head to look over at Zane.

  Archer followed Trinity’s gaze.

  The vampire stood motionless, his legs spread as if he was keeping his balance on the deck of a ship. He had bowed his head, and his left hand clasped his right wrist in a death grip. The veins in his right hand and forearm were black, and etched like a dark tattoo, in stark contrast to his paper pale skin. He looked up at the others, his glowing red eyes wide and panic-stricken. “What’s happening?”

  “You need to feed,” Trinity told him bluntly, “and it will take you ten times as much animal blood to make up for what I just burned out of your system.”

  Zane was shaking his head in denial. “I won’t drink from a human.”

  “Zane…” Archer was about to try to convince Zane that he didn’t have much choice.

  The vampire’s cheeks were sunken and he looked like he’d lost a lot of weight.

  “Oh, please, stop being such a whiner,” Trinity spat out, her expression belying the ferocity of her words.

  Archer saw the guilt etched in her features.

  “You can take from me.”

  Zane’s eyes widened in shock, and he paled even further.

  “No thank you,” his tone glacial. “I won’t drink from Eternals, either.”

  His words were emphatic. He pushed past Archer and down the passage, almost stumbling in his weakened state.

  “Where is he going?” Trinity asked Archer.

  Archer watched Zane lurch off and felt pity. Archer knew he had issues, but his were nothing compared to the mental demons Zane battled.

  “He’s gone to the tunnels. Just leave him. He’ll be okay.”

  “But what is wrong with my blood?” Trinity frowned putting her hands on her hips.

  It was obvious to Archer that she felt insulted at Zane’s flat-out refusal to drink her blood. An Eternal’s blood was, after all, far more potent and sought after than human blood.

  “It’s not personal, so don’t take it that way. How much do I owe you?” Archer walked into the horseshoe-shaped reception desk and found the check book in the drawer. He leaned down and, picking up a pen, started filling in the check. He wanted to get her off the subject before she asked any more questions he couldn’t, and didn’t, want to answer.

  “Ten thousand.” Trinity muttered, but her eyes were still on the passage that Zane had disappeared down.

  “Whoa.” Archer snapped his body up straight. “Trinity, that’s a bit excessive don’t you think?”

  “I just sucked most of the life out of the vampire and gave myself a nice badge of honor.” She held up the hand she’d hovered over the candle, blisters covering it from the burn. “All so I could give you an epic spell, and besides…” She shrugged. “A woman’s got to eat.”

  Archer rolled his eyes, but didn’t argue with her as he filled in the rest of the check. “Dimi’s going to have an aneurism,” he muttered as he tore off the check and held it out for Trinity. “Thanks. I do appreciate you dropping everything to come and help out.”

  “You’re welcome, but…” She glanced back down the passage again.

  “He’ll be fine, don’t worry. I’ll call you if I need more help.”

  “Okay, you do that.” She took the check. “And, Archer?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Be careful with that pyro, I’m kinda fond of your furry butt, and I don’t like losing my friends.” Trinity tucked the check into her coat pocket and walked to the elevator without another word.

  Chapter Four

  Scarlet stumbled over an exposed tree root and fell hard, skinning her hands and tearing the knees of her jeans. She didn’t have time to stop and cry in frustration as she wanted to. She had to keep moving. Somewhere in the depths of this forest, something was hunting her.

  She gasped for breath and straightened. Ignoring the sting in her palms and knees, she started running again. She was beginning to wish that whatever was toying with her would kill her and end her misery. It had been chasing her since the night before, and Scarlet was sur
e she was being herded, or at least, made to run in circles.

  Every time she decided to head in a different direction, bone chilling laughter would start up around her and not stop until she’d gone in the direction it wanted her to go in.

  “Run, little Pyro. Run to die.” The disembodied voice wrapped itself around her, causing Scarlet to stifle a scream and run faster. She ducked right around an old oak tree she was sure she’d run past several times already. The repetition made anger and frustration surge in her chest.

  Scarlet didn’t know how she was still moving. Fatigue should have put her down a long time ago. “Just let me rest.” She stopped and pressed her hands on her thighs as she bent forward gasping for breath.

  Her only consolation was that despite the pitch dark of the forest, she could see very well. For some reason, her night vision had improved exponentially, and it wasn’t the only one of her senses to improve. Her sense of smell was sharper. She could taste the mulch from the fallen leaves in each breath she sucked in, but she didn’t understand why this was happening, because she was developing abilities she’d never had before.

  “No. If you stop, we will kill you.”

  This time the voice was right in front of her, and Scarlet was startled. Her head snapped up, and a small squeal of fright escaped her lips. She saw a tall blond man, leaning against a tree. He seemed completely comfortable, as if he was standing in the middle of someone’s living room instead of a dark forest at night.

  He was watching her like she was fascinating, but then he lost interest in her, and dropped his head to inspect his nails. “But we are going to kill you anyway. The only reason you are still alive is that Luke likes to play with his prey.” He had an upper-class British accent when he spoke, each word enunciated to perfection

  “Why?” Scarlet managed to gasp through ragged breaths, fear cloaking her thoughts in a miasma.

  “You…”

  He looked up at her, and she was shocked to see his eyes start to glow a deep green.

  “Have been careless and caused us some effort to cover up your mistakes. If left to your own devices, you will give away the secrets of the Eternal. For that offence, you will die.”