Chapter 15 #2
“That’s my last name. Don’t wear it out.” Her laughter tinkled in the air. “Oh, honey. Who am I kidding? You couldn’t even if you tried. I’m insatiable.”
“Kinda the reason we’re here,” I muttered.
“Is it a family business?” Cowboy asked.
She pondered us for a moment. “Normally I would say yes, but given that at least two of you are otherworldly, I’ll give you the honest answer—the business is mine and has been for about a century.”
“Has it always operated in Savannah?” I asked.
“No. I get bored, as we do.” Leanne flashed a conspiratorial smile at Cowboy. “I’ve been in Durham, Asheville, Augusta, Nashville, Lexington.” She splayed her hands. “Hard to remember them all, really.”
No doubt she’d left a trail of corpses in her wake, too. An auction house was a good cover for someone with eternal youth. Plenty of opportunities to buy and store goods until their value increases.
“I suppose all men look alike, too, after a while,” I said.
Vale pressed his foot on top of mine while maintaining eye contact with Leanne. “Are you familiar with the Coranians?” he asked.
Leanne shifted on the settee. A minor movement, but one that told me the answer was yes, although she responded with, “Doesn’t ring any bells. Should I know them?”
“They’re a group of seven sorcerers,” Vale said.
“And they’re fae, like you,” I added.
She laughed again, but the sound was less delighted tinkle and more anxious chuckle. “There are many types of fae, as I’m sure you’re aware. It’s offensive to suggest we all know each other.”
“These fae have a storied reputation,” I said. “I’m surprised you haven’t heard of them, especially given that they’re currently in town.”
“In Savannah?” Her attempt at shock was underwhelming. “They haven’t kicked up a fuss, have they? I do hate it when others give our kind a bad name.” She glanced at Cowboy. “Surely you understand that, Mr. Cowboy. Vampires suffer from a similar problem, do they not?”
“I do, ma’am. It’s unfortunate, but I’m used to it.”
She leaned forward, focusing all her attention on the vampire. “Tell me, what frustrates you the most?”
“The word bloodsucker,” he replied. “It makes us sound like leeches.”
“Leeches,” she said, nodding somberly. “Yes, I understand.”
I bet she did.
“Are you local, Mr. Cowboy? Perhaps I’ll pay you a visit one of these days—or nights.”
“A shame I don’t dream.”
“It seems I’ve been positively useless this morning, Protector. I do apologize.” She licked her plump lips. “I usually aim to please.”
I rolled my eyes.
“We appreciate your cooperation,” Vale said. “We won’t take up any more of your time.”
I stared at Vale as fury gathered strength inside me. What did he think he was doing?
Cowboy tugged on the rim of his hat. “A pleasure to meet you, Miss Loving. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
“I might enjoy it more if you come back later.”
Cowboy didn’t respond. He left the house first, followed by Vale, then me. I was relieved no one chose to linger, although I was confused and furious that we left without taking the faerie into custody.
“She’s lying about Ronald,” I said, the moment we stepped foot on the sidewalk.
The corner of Vale’s mouth twitched in amusement. “I’m aware.”
“Then why did you let her off the hook when she said Ronald was an elf? I thought the whole point of coming here was for me to ID her so you can take her into custody.”
He glanced back at the house. “Let’s have this conversation out of earshot. Those windows are single-paned.”
We made it halfway down the block when Vale decided to speak. “I chose to leave because, right now, I’d like her think I’m buying what she’s selling.”
“Then you might’ve taken her up on her offer to linger.”
He met my gaze. “I don’t work like that.”
“I considered it,” Cowboy interjected, “but I’ve seen the husks someone like her leaves behind.” He cringed. “That’s a hearty no thank you from me. I’ve worked too hard to build this body.”
I looked at the vampire. “Do you really not dream or were you trying to discourage her?”
“That was the truth.”
“Is it a vampire thing?” If so, I hadn’t heard that before.
“No, it’s a Cowboy thing. I drink a potion each night before bed that prevents them.”
My gaze sharpened. “You don’t want to have dreams?”
“I don’t want to have nightmares, but since I can’t control them, I choose not to experience either one.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. I couldn’t imagine how bad the vampire’s nightmares were that he opted to bypass the dream state altogether.
Cowboy shrugged. “No big deal. It’s been so long, I hardly miss ’em.”
My nightmares weren’t as bad as they used to be. I still had them on a fairly regular basis, but not as incessantly as when I first arrived on the island five years ago. Adapting to life on Evermore had helped smooth some of my rougher edges.
Vale gave me an appraising look. “Are you telling me you would’ve lingered if you’d been asked?”
“No, but I wouldn’t have let her off the hook so easily. Ronald is in bad shape, and Leanne is the only one who can stop it.”
“She isn’t off the hook,” Vale countered, as we continued along the sidewalk toward Cowboy’s truck. “I’m lulling her into a false sense of security so we can assess her next move.”
“Her next move is to suck the last remaining drop of life from poor Ronald.”
Cowboy chuckled. “You two are fun. It’s like watching oil and water trying to blend.”
I thought of his unexpected question in the parlor. “You think she has information about the Coranians.”
“I took a shot in the dark that might actually pay off.”
“And you’re willing to sacrifice Ronald for that possibility?”
“You told me Ronald can’t die.”
“Maybe not, but he can suffer. The longer this drags on, the more pain he experiences.”
“Could be why she was so hell-bent on getting his address,” Cowboy said. “So she can finish him off—and not in the good way.”
I stopped at the familiar truck. “She tried to get that information out of Ronald in the dream too. It is odd, isn’t it? Especially if she can drain him dry from the comfort of her own home.”
“Maybe it’s the fact that she can’t kill him,” Vale said. “She wants to visit him in person to see what’s keeping him alive.”
“Comfort is the key word,” Cowboy agreed. “I’ve been in my share of fancy homes, but I’ve never seen so many antiques in one space. She doesn’t need a separate auction house. She could host one right from her living room.”
Another idea pushed its way to the surface. “What if their life force isn’t the only thing she’s after?”
“You think she uses these men to scout antiques?” Vale sounded skeptical.
“Think about it. She preys on elderly victims who live alone. She sucks them dry, then steals their valuables before any heirs show up. There’d be no way to know whether any items had been sold or given away prior to their deaths.
That’s why she wants Ronald’s location. She probably doesn’t mind that he’s hanging on because she’s missing that important piece of information. ” Leanne was a killer and a thief.
“Guess she can’t find him using her usual methods because your island is cloaked,” Cowboy said.
“I’d argue she found him there,” Vale said. “Otherwise, he wouldn’t be wasting away before your eyes.”
“She can find him in that in-between space,” I said, “but she can’t find him in the physical world, and that’s what she wants.”
“That could be her connection to the Coranians,” Vale said.
He made a good point. “Yes. They’re searching for ancient stones that might be kept as heirlooms, right? Who better to help them locally than a woman already entrenched in that market?”
Vale glanced back at the house. “Cowboy, I want you to check out those other cities she mentioned. See if you can find a record of mysterious deaths connected to missing heirlooms.”
“Got it, boss.”
“And tell Gage to have eyes on her house at all times. If she meets with any other fae, I want to know about it immediately.”
“On it.” Cowboy hopped into his truck and pulled away.
“You were very kind to Cowboy back there,” Vale said.
“What? The dream thing?” I shrugged it off. “The guy has to drink a potion every night before he falls asleep to stave them off. Those are hardcore nightmares. Is he a veteran?”
“Not of the military.”
“Then who?”
“My brother.”
“Oh.” I debated whether to wade any deeper. Personal questions for thee usually resulted in personal questions for me, which I did my best to avoid. Despite my policy, curiosity got the better of me. “He wasn’t very popular, I assume. Your brother.”
“Popular? No. Revered? Yes.”
“Well, your father was basically a cult figure, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”
“My brother wanted very much to be cut from the same cloth as our father. His nickname among his own people was Caligula, if that gives you any indication of his character.”
“I’m familiar with ancient Roman history,” I said.
Vale gave me a meaningful look. “Then you understand.”
“What happened to him?”
“He died,” Vale said simply.
I knew that much. “They must’ve thrown a parade when you agreed to take over his seat.”
“I had to persuade many good people to stay. They assumed I’d be just another of Enmesharra’s horrible sons.”
“Your brother must’ve had enablers, or he wouldn’t have controlled the city for as long as he did. Did you keep them too?”
“They were given a choice to leave the territory.”
“Or?” I prompted.
“Or die by the sword. My father’s sword, to be exact.”
That got my attention. “You have Mesharu?” “Mesharu” was the Akkadian word for justice or righteousness, although it was arguable whether Enmesharra was either of those. In certain circles, the enchanted sword was considered one of the great losses of the modern age.
Now it was Vale’s turn to show surprise. “You know the sword?”
“Of course. It’s legendary. It was believed lost for almost a century. The last known sighting was in 1924, carried by a Turkish antiquities dealer through the streets of Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. They say everyone who searched for it there left empty-handed.”
“It wasn’t Istanbul then. It was Constantinople. Anyway, it wasn’t there. The sword was in Marrakesh.”
A puzzle piece slid into place. Vale once mentioned he was in Marrakesh when his brother died, and he was forced to claim the seat in Savannah.
“Is that why you were there? You were searching for the sword?”
“Many people were hunting for the sword. I managed to find it first.”
“I’m surprised one of your brothers didn’t have it in their possession.”
“One of them did, until the sword turned against him. Once it refused his commands, he abandoned it.”
“Why did it turn against him?”
“Because he broke an oath. Mesharu remembers every oath sworn in its presence and will turn against any bearer who breaks their word.”
“Is it true you can use the sword to walk between realms?”
“For a price, yes.”
“What’s the price?”
“A memory.”
Wouldn’t be so bad if you could choose the memory. “May I see it?”
“I didn’t realize you had such an interest in enchanted swords.”
“Not all of them, but Mesharu holds a special place in my heart.”
“And here I thought you found my father abhorrent.”
“Your father was a monster, but his sword…From what I’ve learned, it’s a thing of power and beauty.”
His gaze lingered on me. “Yes, it certainly is.”
As much as I wanted to flee the mainland and return to the safety of Evermore, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to see the famous sword. “Will you show me?”
“Not today,” he said.
“That’s what you tell a child when the answer is no.”
“Would it make you feel better if I said no?”
“What’s the problem? You don’t trust me?”
“It isn’t about you, Maya. The sword is dangerous. I didn’t hunt it down so I could use it. I hunted it down so I could hide it.”
“Then why didn’t you lie when I asked about it? You could’ve just said you had no idea where it was, and I would’ve believed you.”
My response seemed to have stumped him. He scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t know. I guess I should’ve done that.”
I laughed. “I’m no genius, but maybe you shouldn’t be the one in charge of hiding the sword if you’re going to be so quick to acknowledge possession.”
“It isn’t like I’m walking up to people on the streets and telling them. You and I were having a civil conversation for once. I was going with the flow.”
I stared at him. “Going with the flow? Since when?”
“Since I met you, it seems.”
“I should get back to Evermore.”
“I’d hang around a bit longer if I were you. I have a feeling your friend Leanne will act quickly now that we’ve paid her a visit.”
“You want her to lead you to the Coranians.”
“Isn’t that what you want too?”
“Of course, but first I want her to release her hold on Ronald.”
“Didn’t anyone ever tell you patience is a virtue?”
“No, because I cut them off before they can finish.”
Vale laughed. “Come back to headquarters and have lunch with me. I guarantee we’ll be back on Jones Street before the day is over. Ronald will be free. Leanne and the Coranians will be caught.”
“All our problems tied up in a pretty bow, huh? Nice fantasy world you inhabit.”
He held out his hand. “Trust me, Maya. Just this once. Give it a chance and see what happens.”
I contemplated his hand, strong and calloused. It wasn’t like the hand of other gods and demigods I’d encountered. Theirs had been smooth, slick even. Pristine.
Not to be trusted.
But I didn’t want to live my life in a constant state of fear and end up like Stephen, too busy ignoring and stifling my feelings to process them.
“I could eat,” I said, and placed my hand in his.