Guardians of Stone (The Relic Seekers) (10 page)

Kendall already felt chilled and night hadn’t even fallen.

“The bathroom is there.” He pointed to a door just inside the bedroom. “I apologize that it’s not better equipped.”

The door was cracked, so Kendall pushed it open and peeked inside. Her jaw dropped. It was a garderobe. There was no toilet or shower, only a porcelain basin tucked into a corner.

“I will bring water and soap for you to wash up, and something to eat,” Raphael said, and then he left.

“This is crazy,” Kendall said after the door closed. “First he tells us we have to leave—no women allowed—then he insists we stay, says he’s been expecting us and gives us a tour. It feels more like we’re prisoners than guests. Should we sneak out? He makes me uncomfortable.”

“I think you have the same effect on him.”

“There’s something about his eyes. I’ve never seen that color before.” She looked at Jake but he appeared unperturbed. “You seem awfully calm about this.”

“We’re where we wanted to be. Inside. Half an hour ago, that seemed impossible without breaking in, which is what we would have had to do if Raphael hadn’t seen that cross. Unless you’ve decided the box isn’t here.”

“It’s here. I can feel it.”

“Then we stay. He’s right about the trail. It’s too dangerous to travel at night.”

“Sorry. I know you wanted to go back earlier.”

“What’s done is done. And we’re in. Let’s make the most of it.” Jake moved around the room, examining everything without touching.

Kendall followed, touching everything she examined. “This is like something out of
Grimms’ Fairy Tales
. We’re in a tower without even a bathroom.” Or toilet paper. “Just a garderobe.” Thank goodness she’d brought tissues and disposable wipes.

“What exactly is a garderobe?”

“A castle’s version of an outhouse. Except this one dumps straight down the castle wall.”

“Well, Rapunzel, it’s a good thing we used the facilities outdoors.”

She didn’t know why she was making such a fuss. She’d made bathrooms out of desert and jungle floors all over the world. But she hadn’t had a hot man a few feet away, sharing the same space. “Maybe this isn’t as sinister as it feels. We know Nathan was still trying to find this secret group when we left. He probably beat us to it and told Raphael we were coming.”

“If that’s the case, it would have been nice if Nathan had told us,” Jake said.

“If he didn’t discover the location until after we hit the trail, he couldn’t have reached us. Cell phones don’t work here.”

“You’re quick to defend him.”

Kendall shrugged. “He’s a good man.”

“Is he? I thought you hadn’t read him?”

“I have five other senses and for the record, I can’t read anything on Nathan. He’s like a locked room.”

“That’s comforting. What about me? You read anything on me?”

“You’re angry, a rebel, and you like sex.”

He stared at her a minute, his expression unreadable, and she wondered if he was trying to block her. It was possible. She was almost certain Nathan had.

“I don’t think Nathan alerted Raphael we were coming. It seems more likely that Thomas or whoever is following us warned him. We have to remember we’re probably in enemy territory here. We’re here basically to steal a box that they believe belongs to them.”

“Then why is he being so accommodating?” Kendall asked.

“That’s obvious. He wants your necklace.”

“I wonder why he’s so intrigued by it.”

“Nathan said it was connected to the group. He must recognize it. And he probably wants it back.” Jake walked to the door and turned the old key that was in the lock.

“You think he might slip in and kill us in our sleep?”

“I’m not taking any chances.” He moved to the bed and pulled back the covers.

“What are you doing?”

“Looking for spiders and snakes.”

He was probably being sarcastic, but she knew spiders and snakes were no joke. A black mamba had almost bitten her when she was a girl. Kendall continued to check the room, trying to find something that might tell her about the place and trying not to look at the door to the garderobe, which she already needed. The long hike had made her thirsty. She’d drunk a lot of water.

“Are you going to sleep now?” she asked Jake, who was lying down.

“I’m testing the bed. I’ll take this side.”

She’d rather he take both sides. Sleeping in the same bed with Jake would be danger of an entirely different kind. She touched the iron headboard and a dark stain began oozing from the center of the bed. Blood. Then she heard a baby’s cry. She went hot and cold at the same time, feeling as if she was being pulled out of her skin. She thought she heard an echoing scream. A woman. She jumped in alarm, blinked and saw Jake still lying there with his feet crossed, arms over his chest. No blood, but he was staring at her as if she’d sprouted a tail. She hated it when the visions came without warning.

She grabbed her bag and went into the garderobe. At least it had a door. There were only two windows—open, no glass—high in the wall. In olden days, these would have helped with the smell. It looked like it hadn’t been used in ages. She hoped it hadn’t, but it didn’t make sense that Raphael had given them this room when she’d seen others that looked more up to date. They must have occasional guests, no matter how private this foundation was.

After making sure there was no one below, she made use of the garderobe. She’d admired a few of these from afar. Sitting on one dulled the appreciation. She brushed her teeth with the emergency toothbrush she always carried, using the last of the water from the bottle Jake had given her. As she put the items back, she noticed another bottle in the bottom of her backpack, the one from the inn. Good. They would need it.

When she got back to the bedroom, Jake was opening the door to admit Raphael. He glanced at the key in the lock as he entered the room. Kendall wondered if he realized Jake had locked him out. Raphael carried a tray with cheese, bread, and wine, and he had a basket slung over his shoulder. He set the tray down and dropped the basket near the door. It held a roll of toilet paper, a bar of soap, two towels, and two bottles of water. “For you. Food and supplies. I apologize that we aren’t better prepared. We do have good wine. And the water is bottled from a
local spring.” The water had the same label as the bottles they had bought in town and the ones provided at the inn.

Raphael opened the bottle of wine and poured two glasses, setting them on the tray. This was the best opportunity she’d had to study him. His hair was braided on each side, keeping it out of his face. He was striking, his face fierce and beautiful at the same time. Those tattoos and amber-colored eyes that watched her every move gave him a feral look.

“Has a woman been in this room?”

Raphael’s eyes widened then narrowed to slits, making them look sinister. “No women.”

He was wrong or lying. There had been a woman. She’d given birth in that bed. “Those are interesting tattoos,” she said, looking at the little dots and lines patterned across his cheek.

He took a couple of steps back. “This should be all you need. Sleep well. I will see you tomorrow.” He hurried to the door.

She turned to find Jake studying her over a glass of wine. “You definitely make him nervous. Why were you grilling him about his tattoos?”

“I wanted to see his reaction. His tattoos have something to do with this place.”

“’Course they do. Secret orders usually have some kind of identifying mark.”

“He said the place belongs to a foundation, not a secret order.”

Jake cocked an eyebrow. “He’s not gonna admit it’s a secret order. That’s the secret part.”

“He’s unusual, to say the least. And did you notice he knew we spoke English before we opened our mouths?”

“Probably heard you talking from the other side of the bridge.”

“You seem particularly crabby.”

“Chasing reckless women through the woods has that effect on me.”

“I’m not reckless. I know what I’m doing.”

“Then why did Nathan send me?”

“Because two heads are better than one.” But he was right, Nathan expected Jake to protect her. This job was far more dangerous than any other she had done for Nathan. She didn’t just know this because he’d sent a big badass bodyguard with a gun to accompany her. She could sense it. “I want to look inside the library.”

Jake raised both brows this time. “I assure you, Raphael does
not
want you in his library.”

“I think there’s something inside that’s connected to the box.”

“This one of your feelings?”

She nodded. “I don’t know if it’s the box itself or a clue, but I need to see. If we don’t find this box, something bad is going to happen.”

“If Raphael catches you in his library, something bad is going to happen. All the more reason to wait until he thinks we’re asleep.” Jake set down the glass of wine, which he hadn’t drunk, and picked up the basket Raphael left. “Since we’ll be sleeping together, I’m going to attempt washing off. I’d hate to get you sweaty.”

“Sleeping together?”

“Unless you want the floor. Lock the door, will you? And I wouldn’t touch the food or wine.”

“You think it’s poisoned?”

“I wouldn’t put it past him.”

As soon as the garderobe door shut, she grabbed a flashlight. She understood that he was just doing his job, but she was just doing hers. Some risks had to be taken, and Raphael hadn’t forbidden them to leave the room.

Creeping to the door, she made sure Raphael wasn’t lurking outside, and then hurried down the stairs to the second floor. The castle was deadly quiet except for those whispers tugging at her ears. If only she understood what they were saying. She didn’t
encounter Raphael. He must have been busy standing watch. As difficult as it was to find the place, she couldn’t imagine Raphael ran into too many trespassers like her and Jake.
Trespassers.
The word made her head swim, but she didn’t have time to sort through it now.

Most of the pieces of artwork in the hallway were copies of famous paintings, many of them of Christ, his birth, his baptism, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Crucifixion, and the Last Supper. They were amazingly authentic looking. It was frustrating trying to examine them so quickly and with only a flashlight, but she had to get back before Jake discovered her missing. And she still needed to see the library. She slipped down to the first floor. The door to the library was closed but not locked. Looking over her shoulder, she turned the handle and slipped inside, closing the door behind her. Her skin began to tingle as she approached the tapestry. The scene was vivid. Blood and water ran from the spear wound in Christ’s side, and the Roman soldier was looking up at him as Mary knelt at her son’s feet. Kendall let her fingers brush the tapestry. A sharp pain struck her side and she doubled over, unable to breathe.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

She jumped and her flashlight catapulted into the air. She knew immediately that it was Jake by the masculine scent that said, “I’m in charge and I’m pissed.” He caught the flashlight with one hand and stepped closer, his body taut with anger.

“Are you insane?” he hissed. “I told you to wait until tonight.”

“I couldn’t,” she said, holding one hand against her side.

“What if Raphael had found you?”

“I would have made up some excuse,” she gritted between her teeth. “And he didn’t tell us we weren’t allowed to leave the room.”

“He didn’t have to. Have you seen the way he looks at you? He would have that cross off your neck the minute your head left your body.” He jabbed his finger at her for effect.

Kendall gulped and put a hand to her throat. “Get your finger out of my face.”

He did but replaced it with his nose. “This is your last warning. You don’t go anywhere alone, do you understand? You don’t even take a crap without telling me. I’ll be damned if I’ll explain to Nathan that you’re dead. If I have to, I’ll tie you to the damn bed. You can do your divining from there.” He looked down at her hand, and his frown softened. “Why are you holding your side? Are you hurt?”

“I picked up something from the tapestry.”

Jake turned his light on the tapestry and then looked down at her side again, his brows lifted in surprise. The embrace caught her off guard.

“I appreciate the hug,” she wheezed, “but really, the pain is almost gone.”

“Be quiet,” he breathed in her ear. “We have company.” She felt him reach around and pull out his gun. Footsteps sounded in the hall, slowing outside the library door. A second later, the door opened.

She leaned her forehead against Jake’s shoulder and concentrated on the mesmerizing thump of his heartbeat, trying to steady her own. Dum dum. Dum dum. Dum dum. Strong, warm, vivid colors...then dark, gray, and cold. She lifted her head, disturbed at what she’d sensed. The figure left, closing the door behind him.

“I don’t think that was Raphael,” she whispered.

“Whoever he was, he’s gone. Hurry. If we get caught, he’ll try to throw us out. I’d hate to have to kill someone just so we can find a box.”

“I hope you’re being sarcastic.”

He didn’t answer. He left their hiding place and checked the hallway. “It’s clear, stay close.” Jake led the way, stopping near a small door on the third floor. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“Sounded like someone singing.” He frowned and put his ear to the door.

“I don’t see Raphael as a singer.” Kendall joined him, listening at the door. “I hear it. You sure it’s singing? Maybe it’s crying. Someone could be in trouble. We should investigate.”

“No.”

She grabbed his shirt as he started to walk away. “Someone could be hurt. Raphael could be keeping prisoners here.”

She felt something dark settle over him, an emotion so thick she didn’t need lights or any paranormal abilities to feel it grip him. And just as strongly, she felt it leave. He had pushed it away. Fear, memory, whatever it was.

“We’ll check it out later, after Raphael’s asleep,” Jake said.

“What if Raphael doesn’t sleep?”

“Everyone sleeps.”

“Vampires don’t.”

“If he’s a vampire we’ll definitely kill him. Come on. I’m not letting you foul up this assignment.” He took her arm and pulled her down the hall. Walking quietly—he more so than she, since he moved like a ghost—they hurried to their room. He opened the door and they went inside. He locked the door, and then stuck the key in his pocket. “That’s so you don’t leave again.”