03 Saints (25 page)

She stopped breathing, the pain leaving her face as she took her last breath.

“That’s it,” he said quietly closing her eyes.

“But…” I started to protest.

“She’s gone,” he said.

I backed away from the girl, feeling stunned. Daniel didn’t have time to feel stunned. He moved over to the man, taking over for River, who had managed to get one bullet out of the man and was working on another. Alex backed away as he approached, the blood on her hands a gruesome tribute to the violence of the attack. Reaper stopped pacing and approached the girl.

“I’m sorry,” Reaper said to her, taking her hand gently.

When he took her hand I saw that the girl had painted her nails an ice blue. It was a color I had at the house; a color I loved. For some reason, it made me feel connected to her. Alex approached the girl as well, her eyes sad at the death. She stepped beside Reaper and put her hand on the girl’s arm. Reaper dropped the girl’s hand, when he felt Alex next to him, and backed away. His eyes full of sorrow – and darker, purposeful thoughts of what the attack meant – he left the room to tell his people the news.

It was clear that Reaper’s world was a lot more dangerous than I had thought. I had known danger lurked everywhere, but this was the first death I had witnessed, without it being the heat of battle. Even this haven was not immune to the brutal nature of our existence.

“What do you think that girl meant that it was an ambush?” Alex asked me after a moment.

“Exactly what it sounds like,” I said, not taking my eyes off the girl.

“You think someone-”

“Don’t talk about this here,” River said abruptly, cutting Alex’s words short.

Alex nodded, and we watched as they pulled another bullet out of the man.

“That’s the last one. He got lucky, nothing hit his heart. The silver will make his healing slower, but I think he’ll be okay,” Daniel said.

River’s relief was tainted by her sadness at losing the girl. Daniel glanced at the dead girl then looked at River again.

“I’ve got this, if you want to let Reaper know this man is going to live,” he told her gently.

She nodded and started toward the door, wiping her hands on a white rag as she went. Daniel brought the man’s skin together and placed a row of sticky strips across the wound, sealing it, so it could heal itself. When he was done, he sat on a chair as far away from the girl as he could get.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had to operate like that,” Daniel admitted. “Not since I worked days in an ER in Chicago.”

“When was that?” I asked.

“The eighties. I got bored sitting around all day. It helped me keep an eye out for unusual happenings in the city…then I’d go take care of those things at night.” He looked down at his slender, blood-soaked hands. “I’d forgotten how it felt.”

“Good or bad?” I asked him.

He looked up and dropped his hands. “Both.” He pointed at the man. “He needs to be moved. Do you mind getting someone to help me, Alex? He shouldn’t be jostled too much.”

“Sure,” she agreed, heading for the door.

When she came back, she had Preacher with her. Preacher went to the girl on the table first, and bent his head for a moment; his lips moved over a silent prayer. When he was done, he turned to help Daniel move the man. They picked his up and left in silence. Alex followed after them. I stayed with the girl. I didn’t want to leave her alone; it felt too sad. She deserved company after everything she had been through. Elizabeth found me sitting there moments later. She cursed when she saw the girl, and her eyes filled with dark fire.

“This is wrong!” she fumed, taking up her pacing again.

“Yes,” I agreed.

“I don’t care if we all know this is the risk we take. She had just turned seventeen. She was so young!”

“Yeah,” I agreed.

Elizabeth continued on, all but ignoring me. “If I had been more careful, made them wait downstairs, while I checked out the area…”

“You’d be here instead of her. Wouldn’t change the fact that the Saints have a problem to deal with,” I said. “Or that you have the power to fix it.”

Elizabeth looked at me, her hands on her hips. She had stopped pacing to stare at me. “You’re right…Who are you?”

“Clare.”

“You just join?” she asked.

“I guess,” I said.

“Does Reaper have you stealing cars and causing mischief?” she asked lightly.

She seemed ready to write me off as inexperienced and young.

“No. Not until I get better,” I said.

“Better?”

“I was shot…in the shoulder,” I admitted.

I touched the shoulder in question. She looked at my shoulder then focused on my face. She remembered me around her anger.

“Oh…you’re the one everyone has been talking about. The girl King is friendly with.”

“That’s how people are describing me?” I asked.

“He’s got a reputation here…you don’t yet,” she said with a shrug.

“I’m not sure if that’s good or bad,” I said.

Elizabeth was done with chatting. “I’ve got to report to Reaper,” she said.

“Okay.”

She looked at the girl one last time. “Bye.”

I wasn’t sure which one of us she was saying ‘goodbye’ to.

Daniel found me in the same spot a couple of minutes later. He had cleaned his hands off, though there was still blood on his shirt. He avoided looking at the girl.

“Reaper is having a meeting downstairs. He wants you there.”

“Oh…okay…” I said reluctantly.

He helped me stand and led me out of the room. From our touch, I knew my sadness was shared.

The rug covering the hole in the floor was already pushed back when we got there. I followed Daniel down the hole, to the silver room. Most of Reaper’s ‘generals’ were waiting. The room wasn’t large enough for all the people that were there, but we managed to squeeze in. Alex was squished in the far corner between Preacher and River, doing her best to look comfortable. Margaret and Jackson were near the door. Margaret touched Daniel on the arm, communicating with him silently. She lowered her hand as Reaper shut the door behind us.

“Tell them,” Reaper ordered Elizabeth.

Elizabeth repeated the same thing she had told me, her words passionate with the possibility of a spy in the organization. Reaper let her talk, motionless as her words flowed around the room. I thought he was just being polite, but then I noticed that he was watching the room; watching for reactions. Daniel’s eyes also scanned the crowd. I didn’t know what they thought they would find. Everyone’s expression was stoic as they listened. They were all good at hiding their thoughts.

When Elizabeth finished talking, the others started. Preacher overrode the others. He had words of caution.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Preacher said. “One mission gone wrong doesn’t mean there’s a spy.”

“No one knew I was there!” Elizabeth said.

“That reinforces Preacher’s point,” River said. “If no one here knew, how could they have told anyone?”

“Someone found out!” Elizabeth was adamant.

“Maybe one of your people talked,” Jackson suggested. “The other two with you…They might have said something to the wrong person.”

Elizabeth glared at Jackson, but I knew it was only because the death of the girl was still fresh in her mind. “Don’t talk about things you don’t know about,” she said.

“I’m with Liz,” Grace said. “We should look into the possibility. To be safe, at least.”

“We will be cautious,” Reaper said. “In the meantime, I do not want the others to panic. Suspicion between us makes us weak. Preacher, I think we need to have the girl’s funeral soon. Sara, Shawn, gather those who aren’t on important missions and bring them back. Let’s honor our friend.”

“Right,” Sara agreed.

She disappeared. A second later, Shawn did as well.

“We will meet in the morning to discuss our options,” Reaper said dismissing the group.

I started to leave, but Daniel stopped me. He and Reaper had exchanged a meaningful glance I hadn’t noticed. After everyone was gone, with many curious looks from Reaper’s people as to why Daniel and I were even there to begin with, Reaper shut the door again.

“I can’t neglect Elizabeth’s concerns,” Reaper said. “I can’t afford to. We’ve managed to keep our real purpose buried from the others, but it’s possible we have been discovered and a spy placed here. But I also can’t look like I am accusing my people of anything. I wasn’t lying when I said suspicion makes us weak.”

“What are you suggesting?” Daniel asked.

“I was hoping you would keep your eyes open,” Reaper said.

“And here I thought this place was going to be peaceful,” I said dryly.

“I understand…” Reaper said, taking my words as a refusal.

“Clare’s just being a smart ass,” Daniel said. “We’ll keep our eyes open.”

Reaper nodded. “That’s all I ask…I wanted to talk about your parents before you left.”

“Did you find something out?” Daniel asked eagerly.

“No, I had a thought, though,” Reaper said.

“Yay,” I said dryly.

“I have a guy who might know something. He’s a creep and a bottom-feeder, but if you’re looking for information, he’s your man,” Reaper said.

“Sounds like a great place to get information,” I said.

“It’s not the best, but he will know where Marcus has taken two elite scientists. Trust me,” Reaper said.

“How will he know?” I asked.

“He’s a supplier. Deals weapons, information, whatever you need. He knows everyone in our world,” Reaper said.

“Not Sevier?” Daniel asked.

“You know him?” Reaper asked.

“Yeah, I know him…He probably wouldn’t be happy to talk with me. We had a slight…disagreement, and I may or may not have stuck a knife into his side at one point,” Daniel replied. His boyish smile was tainted with a hint of naughtiness.

“I’ll go,” Reaper said.

“Can I come, too?” I asked.

Reaper eyed me carefully then turned his eyes to Daniel for an answer. Daniel was thoughtful. His eyes weren’t happy, but he was thinking beyond his own emotions on the subject.

“Actually, you should probably take Clare and Alex. Sevier likes certain types of girls.”

“Types?” I asked. “Like AB negative?”

“Humans,” Reaper said. “Young ones.”

“Oh…” I said.

“Jackson goes,” Daniel said. “Margaret, too. And I wait in the car in case of emergency.”

“Alright,” Reaper said.

Reaper went to the door and opened it. Alex was waiting just outside, her face expectant. Reaper took a step back when he saw her, something about her expression throwing him off guard. She raised an eyebrow, annoyed she had been left out. I stepped around Reaper and grabbed her arm, to make her walk with me.

“I’ll fill you in,” I told her.

Daniel and Reaper followed us much slower, talking in low tones. As we walked, I shared Reaper’s words with Alex. She listened carefully to my thoughts, but didn’t have much to say. I knew she would keep her eyes open as well.

The halls had filled with people during our talk with Reaper. There was a buzz of quiet conversation, conversation that questioned what had happened and how it had happened. They were conversations that mirrored my thoughts – only I was weighted down by the blood that drenched my shirt. The memory of the girl. We passed a large group on the ground floor and went upstairs. The kids were waiting for us.

“What’s all the fuss?” Ethan asked.

“A girl died during a mission,” Alex said.

“Oh…” Ethan said.

“That’s awful,” Cora added.

“Did Reaper talk to you guys yet?” I asked the kids, putting my arm around Twitch’s shoulders.

“Yeah. He said he wants us to start going out and stealing tomorrow,” Spider said.

“Great…” I said feeling even more worried than normal. The risks felt like they were higher now. “Just be careful.”

“Always,” Spider said with a grin.

“Who’s hungry?” Alex asked the group.

All of the kids raised their hands as one.

Alex put her arm around Sprint’s waist, herding them downstairs to the kitchen, to fix them food. It was obvious she wanted a distraction from the darkness we had just witnessed. Daniel pulled me into our room and shut the door again. He paused for a moment, his hand on the door. Then he turned to me, his green eyes flashing in the dark.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up,” he said quietly. “I didn’t think you’d be up for a while.”

“It’s fine,” I said.

“No, it’s not…it will never happen again,” he promised.

I smiled and tucked my hands into my pockets, to keep them from where they wanted to be. Why was it so hard to keep my hands to myself? The tension of my attraction had only increased with the awareness of how sweet being with him could be.

“If you say so,” I said.