“Well I’m discovering new things about the Ankh every day. Like, who knew compulsion worked on us?”
That was mean. He felt a pang of guilt as Emma’s features tightened at the reminder of what Eden had done to her.
“Mom, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought that up.”
“No, you shouldn’t. Ever again,” she warned him, her blue eyes flashing. “Cyrus and Valeria told you to shut up about that, OK. If the Neith find out there is a soul eater out there who can compel Ankh, then Eden’s even more of a target. Do you want that?”
He shook his head slowly, feeling contrite as any normal seventeen year old son might. “Sorry. Where are Cyrus and Val anyway?”
Emma rolled her eyes. “Noah, I’ve told you not to call her that. The woman is a two thousand year old warrior, for goodness sake, not some waitress at Denny’s.”
Noah grinned, crossing his arms over his chest as he snuggled deeper into the sofa. He thought of the tall, leggy brunette and that grin grew a little lascivious. “Hey, she just looks like a hot thirty year old to me.”
His mother snorted and shook her head. “She’d eat you alive, child.”
“True. But I might enjoy it.”
“Oh.” Emma grimaced and swatted at his head. “Don’t talk to your mother like that.”
Noah flashed her another wicked smile, glad she no longer had that guilty look on her face. She felt responsible for Eden escaping, shocked that the girl had managed to compel her. The compulsion itself had freaked her out because she said she’d known what was happening to her but couldn’t do anything about it. She had felt violated and yet at the same time she had felt some kind of connection with Eden. The depth of Eden’s despair had wrenched at Emma. His mother had never been able to turn away from the damaged and broken. She was a fixer. Despite Eden attacking her, Emma was even more determined that the girl get help.
“Noah’s right, Cyrus,” she had said, as she had relayed the details of Eden’s escape. “I felt the humanity in her. Fighting. She’s in so much pain.”
Noah had known that. And although he was nowhere near ready to give up on Eden, he wasn’t sure they would be in time when they finally tracked her down. There was something in her eyes when she’d stabbed him. They both couldn’t believe she had done it - he still couldn’t - but it was like that final act had toppled her over the edge.
“I’m a monster, Noah.”
He squeezed his eyes shut, unconsciously rubbing the healed over spot on his stomach where Eden had plunged the dagger in. “Have they found out anything yet?”
“No.” It wasn’t his mother who responded but Cyrus. Noah and Emma shifted around to watch Cyrus, Valeria and Alain saunter into the sitting room. Cyrus’ features were drawn with strain and worry and Valeria had a hand wrapped around his wrist as if offering strength and comfort. “I have spoken with Adam Lincoln. He has discovered the identity of the Neith Rebel leader.”
Adam Lincoln was the Neith Councilman of Texas. The Texas Council was the largest in America and Adam was one of the most powerful and authoritative figures among the Neith. “Who?” Noah asked, half dreading the answer.
“Cosmina Arcos, the Councilwoman of the Bucharest Neith.”
OK. Noah had never heard of her. How on earth had a Romanian Neith, with little authority or standing, found out about Eden? The question must have been written all over his face because Valeria exhaled heavily and said, “Ridiculous, we know.” She strode away from Cyrus and flopped down into an armchair, smoothing her dark hair out of her exotic black eyes. “But apparently in her bid to hunt down Eden she contacted Adam asking him for help. He tells us she was very rational and calm as she discussed Eden. She discovered Eden’s existence because of a soul eater she hunted. The man was a Romanian, once hired by Ryan Winslow to guard over Eden. Out of boredom and curiosity the bodyguard eavesdropped on a private conversation between Ryan and his wife. He discovered the truth about Eden and decided to see for himself. He was fired when Eden was fourteen for lifting the hem of her shirt.” Valeria smiled coldly. “Looking for the Ankh birthmark. He discovered it and kept the information to himself until it proved useful. He returned to Romania and eight months ago he was hunted by Cosmina Arcos. Hoping to exchange freedom for information, he told Cosmina what he knew. Cosmina comes from a long line of Neith. A long line. Long enough to have heard of the legends of the Unforeseen.” Valeria grew stiff. “She had Eden investigated, and discovered Noah’s involvement. Apparently she contacted Jack Schumacher, the Neith working with Cyrus. Along with the broken nose Eden gave him, I added a broken arm and threw him in the basement. We’ll need to move him soon to Cyrus’ cells.”
Noah frowned. “Wait, why? What did he do?”
Valeria scowled. “In exchange for fifty thousand dollars he told Cosmina what we were doing. Who Eden was and that we were trying to rescue her. It appears we cannot trust anyone at the moment,” she spat in disgust.
“So, Cosmina knows everything and still wants Eden dead?” Emma murmured softly.
Cyrus nodded. “Yes. She’s adept at hiding. After Adam turned down her request to join him in obliterating Eden-”
“Why would she chance letting Adam know who the hell she is?” Noah interrupted, confused.
“Because one of her own was already on a plane to tell me. They hoped to get her at Logan International Airport but she slipped by them. The Neith was wily enough to get to my gates but my guards arrested her and were keeping her prisoner for when I came back. After I spoke with Adam I called the house and they confirmed they had a Neith in custody. I asked to speak with her. Her name is Adela. She confirmed Cosmina is the leader of the rebel faction. Adam has had contacts in Romania looking for her but she’s not at home or at any of her usual haunts which leads us both to conclude she is in the U.S. We already know she has recruited American Neith to her cause. I gave your description of the Neith you fought that night in Salton and Adam suspected he knew who they were. Seems he was right. They’re from Canada.”
“Christ, how many people know about Eden now?” Noah snapped, fear and panic bubbling under his surface. They had to get to her. This was getting out of control.
“A few.” Cyrus didn’t blink but Noah could see his hands curl into tight fists. “Adam has kindly sent in one of his own as a spy among the group. He’ll call when he hears word of her.”
Noah grimaced, his body screaming for action. “So we just have to wait?”
Valeria nodded. “I’m afraid so.”
They didn’t have to wait long. Five hours later, Cyrus burst into the kitchen where Noah was sitting eating takeout with Alain and Emma. His eyes were bright with energy. “The Neith have spotted Eden.”
“Where?” Noah shoved up from the table, already reaching for the long coat that would hide his sword.
“They’ve spotted her in Detroit. They’ve lost her position but they know she’s still there somewhere.”
Relief flooded Noah as they gathered their gear.
I’m coming, Eden.
Chapter Twenty Two
Some Legends are True
She was running out of money. Eden huffed and squeezed the brown bag full of snacks closer to her chest. Having never had to worry about the green stuff before, Eden was discovering she was terrible at economy. Her second day in the warehouse she bought two throws and a pillow for sleeping on the sofa. The rest of her money she’d blown on junk food, Shonen Jump and a J.R. Ward paperback.
It was her fifth night in the warehouse. It wasn’t the greatest sleep but it wasn’t like she was frightened of a human breaking in and attacking her. In fact sometimes her need kind of made her wish one of them would be stupid enough to do that. There wasn’t much going on in her brain right now anyway. She was losing energy and focus, and was pretty much just trying to get by without killing anyone. In order to distance herself from temptation she had taken to venturing out at night to the late night market near the mall off Elmwood. She had bought the throws at the mall during daylight hours and had to high tail it out of the plaza before she killed some innocent person. Heading into a mall had kind of defeated the purpose of hiding out in a warehouse to stay away from people, but she had to use the bathroom and had tried to clean up a little. It was a mistake. One she was trying not to repeat. She was beginning to smell, though, and her hair was passed icky.
At the market she would put her money on the counter and refuse to touch the cashier. The guy behind the counter probably thought she had some weird mental/social disorder.
She kind of did.
I am going to have to mug someone.
It was true. She barely had any money so she was going to have to steal a wallet (again) and learn to pick crappy food that cost, like, nothing. Eden tripped on a jutting sidewalk and frowned back at it, shaking her head. She was getting weak and uncoordinated. Not good.
Maybe you shouldn’t have left. Maybe Cyrus really was going to help you.
She grunted. It wasn’t the first time she wondered if she had made a mistake. But then again what could Cyrus possibly do? She was starving and dying for a soul. What other option did he have but to kill her? Eden knew she could try and do it herself. It would take some inventiveness but she was pretty sure she could pull it off. But… she was just too damn stubborn. There had to be a way out this. There had to be.
Holing up in a warehouse doesn’t really count as brainstorming.
Shut up.
Eden was perhaps two or three minutes from her warehouse when she sensed she was being followed. At first she thought she heard the pad of footsteps and had stopped in the middle of the street to turn around. She heard a skittering noise but there was no one there. However, her skin prickled and her heartbeat picked up speed. She was sure she felt the heat of someone’s gaze. Tensing for a fight, Eden turned and hurried towards her destination. If the Neith had come for her, at least she could fight them in the warehouse, in her own territory, where no one would get hurt.
Well. Except for the Neith.
Her leg dragged a little.
OK. Maybe her too.
Slipping into the warehouse, Eden hurried to her little den and dumped the food, swiping up the steel pipe she had placed by her ‘bed’ in case she was attacked. She shrugged out of her coat and headed back out into the center of the warehouse, just as the four Neith exploded through the door. There was no time for conversation. They attacked as one.
Eden slid back onto the balls of her feet, her stomach concaving to avoid the slice of the first Neith’s blade. In the same motion she cracked the pipe off the Neith’s nose, and kicked out at his colleague whose own blade cut through Eden’s sweater and scratched the surface of her arm. The kick forced him from his feet, his broad shoulders clipping the only female, who staggered, giving Eden the opportunity to knock her over with a round house kick as she swung the pipe at the fourth Neith, the blade of his sword slicing through the rusted instrument. She cursed and lost her footing with the impact and the kick, hitting the floor and rolling out of the way just as his blade zinged off the concrete ground where she’d fallen milliseconds before. As she drew to her feet, forcing as much energy into her body as possible, hard arms tightened around her from behind and a blade pressed into her throat. It was the first Neith with the now broken nose.