Of Noble Chains (The Ventori Fables) (23 page)

“You were quite amazing in combat,” Mal went on, and he began to play with his fingers, “I had planned on helping…but…”

“If there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s how to beat up boys.  Been doing it ever since Hayden beat me in our fourth grade hundred meter race.” Zia laughed, and Mal managed a smile.  Somehow, she found it was easier to talk to him now.  But as soon as she noticed Aeryn watching her curiously, she cleared her throat, “Let’s get to Wraith, then.”

But she could tell he knew she was starting to trust Mal; starting to trust a Specter.

Win sat at her kitchen table, fidgeting while she waited for Iscah to arrive.  She had said they would make the arrangement this afternoon, and it was just past one o’clock.  The waiting was one of the worst things she had to do, but she had done plenty of it at the hospital.  At least now she wouldn’t have to wait anymore, not after Iscah made her a companion.  Win sighed, wondering how she would ever tell Cash the news.

She remembered when she had first seen him, in middle school.  He had just transferred from over the water, and was only beginning to become immersed in a dominantly human society.  He had scared her, since the only thing she knew of clan members were stories, and they sounded terrifying.  But when he sat next to her in science class, he was gentle.  He helped her through lessons she couldn’t figure out, and they became quick friends.  It wasn’t long before they started dating.

Win loved that he didn’t care that she was human, and that it was frowned upon for a clan member to be with one.  When she tried to break up with him after hearing about their extended life span, and her own shortened one he wouldn’t let her go.  He married her instead.

She smiled down at her wedding ring, remembering clearly when he had put it on her.  Now she would get to spend so much time with him, and Zia.

It had occurred to her, what being a companion would mean.  Iscah would have the ability to transfer her magic through Win’s body, use her as a conduit for more power.  But even though she still couldn’t wrap her mind around Iscah being a Specter, or how she had managed to hide it for so long, she knew she was in good hands.  Iscah would
never
do anything to hurt her, or anyone else for that matter.  The only problem would be if Zia found out, and she would, eventually.

A tentative tapping on the kitchen door took Win from her thoughts, and she turned to find Iscah there.  She immediately stood and opened the screen door, allowing the girl inside.  Being a Specter didn’t change Win’s love for her.  And Win was certain it wouldn’t change Zia’s.

“Are you ready?” Iscah asked, placing her book bag on the table.

“Yes,” Win said.  “It won’t…what will it feel like?  Being a companion?”

“Companion?” Cash was suddenly in the doorway, briefcase in hand as he watched the two.  He stepped inside.

“Honey,” Win’s eyes were wide, and she knew he must be able to tell what was going on.  The Medean were the most cunning, and he knew her too well.  “You’re home early.”

“You have an appointment at the hospital this afternoon,” he eyed them both, then the bag on the table.  He sighed, and added, “You’ve finally offered, have you Iscah?”

“Off-off-offered?” she stammered.

“It’s alright,” he held his hands up and came into the kitchen.  As he set his briefcase down he tried to give her a reassuring smile, “I’ve always known.”

Iscah let out a strange sort of squeal, and her face paled.  Win almost thought she would have to catch the poor girl as she passed out, but she managed to stay standing.  She mumbled, “How?”

“I am friends with your father,” Cash chuckled, “we play cards every week.  It was bound to come out.”

The girl nodded, but Win knew the real question she wanted to ask.  Did Zia know as well?

“She doesn’t know,” Cash answered their unasked question.  “It might be best to…ease her into this information.”

“I want to do it,” Win blurted, “please, Cash, let me do it.”

He looked at his wife, and slowly walked around the table.  He wrapped his arms around her, kissed the top of her head, and whispered, “I’m not going to stop you.  I’m sorry I never suggested it sooner…I just…”

“I know,” Win could feel the tears gathering in her eyes, and she closed them as she pressed her face against his shoulder.  That same shoulder that had protected her for so many years, the body of the man willing to love her even though she would die a century before him.

“We should get started then,” Iscah cut in after a while.  And just like that, Win could see for the first time ever that she had her whole life ahead of her.

Hayden gripped the steering wheel of his car, feeling embarrassed and excited all at once.  Last night…Zia had kissed
him
.  Yes, he kissed her first, but before he dropped her off she had been the one to initiate it!  He smiled to himself, and wondered if he should call her.  But she had said she wanted time to think; that was both crushing and relieving to him.

He wondered though, about that blond Specter and about Zia’s brother.  She had said she found something out…but what?  And who was that Specter to her?

Hayden’s thoughts grew heavier by the second as he waited out front of the college for Cal to finish his interview.  He had thought Cal was a moron for throwing a party the night before such an important moment; but that was who he was.  And he had technically helped Hayden get alone with Zia, even though it didn’t turn exactly as he’d imagined.

He always wondered how far she had gone with Cal, his best friend.  One of the only reasons Cal had asked her out was because Hayden told him not to.  And she had said yes.  For the few months they had dated, Hayden never talked to him, unless she was there; and that look she always had around him just made everything feel worse.  During the time they weren’t talking Hayden always heard stories from guys about how good she was, how clan members were just so much better in bed than humans.  But as he pictured Zia in his mind he could easily imagine her in bed with Cal, maybe that was why she had reacted so strangely last night; he had taken her into Cal’s room of all places.

Hayden groaned and reclined his seat in a sudden movement.  Covering his eyes with his forearm, he wished he could know what she was doing then, or at least what she was thinking.

“Love problems, big boy?” a seductive voice rang in his car.  He uncovered his eyes and found a woman was sitting in his back seat, staring down at him with eerily light blue eyes.  Hayden shot upwards, and she laughed.  “Love it is.”

“Who the Light are you?” he shouted, trying to figure out how she could have gotten into his car without him noticing.  She just shrugged, flicking her raven hair over her shoulder.

“That can come later,” she said, her voice still sounding like silk across his skin, “but aren’t you wondering what the spunky Miss Noble is up to?”

“Zia?” Hayden breathed, his hand moving for the handle on the door.  He could see the ashes around her, and realized she must be a Caster…but what kind of Caster left ash behind?  He had no idea.

“She might need a hand where she’s going,” the woman told him, “she’s heading down to the club Wraith, and she’s…all alone.”  The woman leaned forward, draping her arms over the passenger seat.  “I wonder what a Specter might do to a pretty girl like that down in the South Quarter?”

“She’s in the South Quarter?” Hayden questioned, and she nodded.

It was like leading a cat into a wall with a flashlight, the woman thought.  This boy was a clan member, but he was naïve when it came to women, or at least one of them.  She laughed in his car, and vanished into her own realm, leaving the car completely.

She watched as he raced off down the street, no other thought than to save his little girlfriend.

The woman didn’t want to do what she had, and her expression turned to a scowl.  But she needed a better distraction than two Ventori and a Specter down at Wraith if she was going to get what she wanted.  And a lovesick teenager would do just the trick.

As Zia, Mal, and Aeryn approached the front door of Wraith, the bouncer stepped aside.  Aeryn nodded at him, and the man nodded back at Mal.  Zia just followed them inside with her head held high, acting as if she belonged.  She would not question why they got in so easily this time.  She would trust Aeryn.

The club was quiet now, since it was the afternoon, and it almost seemed sad that the lights were all on, and not flashing.  But as they walked through the hallway and came to the dance floor Zia was reminded of how close she had come to getting killed by Delmont, and how close she had gotten to Mal while dancing.  At least this time there was nobody drinking blood at the bar…

“Good afternoon,” a sleek voice came to the across the floor.  “I’ve been expecting you back here.”

Zia shifted her eyes to the stage where Achaicious stood, directing two of his employees as they moved around some equipment.  His hair was slicked back, and he wore a dark red shirt over black pants; he looked like a true professional.  Zia glared at him, and it was hard to repress the urge to strangle him with her cobalt chain.  This man had ordered her brother’s death and then covered it up.

“Achaicious,” Aeryn called out but stopped midway to the stage, “glad you could make time to see us.”

“It’s not all of you I’m interested in,” he replied, and his eyes flicked towards Zia and Mal.  “Delmont told me you two came to visit the other day, I’m so sorry I missed you.”  He stepped down from the stage and closed the distance between them.  When he was close enough to touch, Zia kept her hands at her sides, in fists.

“Hello, Achaicious,” Mal greeted.  The Specter waved his hand at him, but his eyes never left Zia.

“You look angry,” he told her, “would you like a drink to settle your nerves?”

“I’d like the turn away charm to be taken off, thanks,” Zia spat.  The charm had been affecting her ever since she entered the building, urging her to run and do something else.

“That shouldn’t have any effect on you,” Achaicious rolled his eyes towards Mal, “since you’re his companion.  Unless…that was a lie?”

“She is mine,” Mal spoke quietly, moving closer to Zia.  She stared down the man, and he stared right back.

“I think we’re off topic, here,” Aeryn cut in, “we just want to know if you’ve seen this man here.  Supposedly this was his last known location.”

He held up a photograph of Trenton’s father.  Achaicious bent over to get a closer look, and brushed his fingers over his mustache as he said, “Sorry, don’t recognize him.”

“You sure about that?” Zia said.  “Maybe Delmont does, since he—“

Mal covered her mouth before she could finish her sentence, but the werewolf had already heard his name and came over.  Zia threw Mal’s hands from her, and glowered at him, and then Delmont.

“Problem, Ventori?” the werewolf spat.

“Yeah, there—“

“We’re just looking into a suicide,” Aeryn cut her off.  “Trying to piece together his last day.”

“Was he a friend of yours?” Delmont asked, glancing at the photo; but he turned to Zia, a wicked smile on his face, “Family, maybe?”

Nobody had even seen Zia move as she raised her fist beneath Delmont’s chin, an uppercut strong enough to hit back even a werewolf.  She ignored the dull pain it gave her, and reveled as he fell backwards.  He quickly straightened himself and growled, already starting to change.

Aeryn grabbed onto Zia before she could do any more damage, and she thrashed against him to get away.  She wanted to hurt both those Specters so badly, make them feel the same pain she had to suffer.  Mal held his hands up to her, as if trying to decide whether or not he would be allowed to touch her again.  But Aeryn was doing well enough keeping her at bay.

The woman raised one small eyebrow, realizing that apparently she didn’t have to trick that other boy into getting down to the club; Kehzia was distraction enough.  She tried not to enjoy the look on Delmont’s face as the girl hit him, a complete surprise to everyone in the room.  Well, everyone but Achaicious.

She shook herself back to her real goal and slipped past the employees on stage to get to the backrooms.  There, she found what she needed, and entered the realm, ensuring she left behind no dust.  In Achaicious’ office, she went right for the safe, and easily guessed his combination.

“Oh, Achaicious,” she whispered to herself, brushing her hair back, “so predictable.”

She grabbed the papers she needed, and closed the door, listening as it locked.  Before anyone was the wiser, she vanished.

“Brother, dear,” she said as she moved past Achaicious being sure to tickle her fingers across his neck, “this is revenge.”

Zia was already being dragged away from Delmont and his boss when Hayden arrived.  The three of them were being kicked out, after what she had done.  She knew it was a mistake, and a mistake that would surely come back to bite her.  Maybe literally.  But it felt good to see how surprised that werewolf had looked when she decked him.  And he had been surprised, and most likely ashamed that she managed to knock him back, even if it was just a couple of feet.

“Zia!” Hayden called to her as he burst past the front guard.  Aeryn was dragging her out, keeping a tight grip on her arms, and Mal just trailed behind.  The guard grabbed onto Hayden, and tossed him out with the others.