Remus (10 page)

He closed his eyes and pictured the pretty curly-haired girl that seemed to always haunt his thoughts.

Being with Jenna had been good. Though he had desperately tried to deny it before, he felt more alive when she was near, and that was enough to keep him going.

His heart pulled a little at the thought of not seeing her again, but it was for her own good. For everyone’s good.

The world around him faded away as he drifted to sleep with thoughts of Jenna on his mind.

Chapter Ten

“So that’s it?”

Jenna’s uncle stared at her as she packed a few things in her bag. It didn’t matter today. Rem wasn’t going to be there. She knew it. All night long she’d tossed and turned, trying not to think about things, but the more she tried, the more she thought about him.

There was something in his kiss that felt so final. It made her want to cry just thinking about it.

Jenna snapped her attention to her uncle.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She frowned at him.

He scrubbed a hand over his now clean-shaven face.

“I’m going to give you some advice that I’m pretty sure would piss off your mother,” he said to her and then looked up to the sky as if he were saying an apology. “You’re a damn fool.”

“What?” She gaped at him. Those certainly weren’t the words she’d been expecting.

“Are you weak?” he asked and looked at her pointedly.

Jenna frowned. She’d never really thought of herself as weak. People underestimated her because she was quiet, but she didn’t make that mistake herself.

She shook her head.

“Do you know how to shoot a damn gun?” her uncle asked, stepping a little closer, his voice commanding and strong.

She rolled her eyes and nodded.

He cleared his throat. “That man is going to die if you don’t do something about it,” he said. “Now, I don’t know about you, but if that were the person I loved, I’d make damn sure that didn’t happen.”

Jenna swallowed. He was right. She’d been so caught up in the spooky-boo aspect of the place she hadn’t even considered her own skills. Sure, she wasn’t some big hybrid, but that was almost better in this case. She could use people’s tendency to underestimate her to her advantage. The more they underestimated her, the better it would be for her.

“So what do you suggest?” she said. He was the strategy man after all.

“Well, it seems to me that Titus is the only one with the plans,” he said. “I think I’d call and find out what that is.”

Jenna tightened her fist. Titus was the man with the plan, and he might be the leader of Luna Lodge, but she still was the niece of Major Carter.

She pulled out her phone and hit Titus’s name on her auto-dial.

“Jenna?” he said on the other end.

“Now you listen here, Titus. I’ve had just about enough of this bullshit,” she said. She glanced over at her uncle, who raised a brow. “I’m not letting him die. Do you understand that? I don’t care what I have to do. But I’m just going to make one thing perfectly clear. You’re going to tell me what his plan is, or I’m going to show you the true meaning of a woman on a war path.”

Titus sighed on the other line. “I told him this wouldn’t work and that you would get involved. He should have just listened to me, but he’s as stubborn as you.”

Jenna frowned.

“What?”

“The plan is for him to burn it down and free the ones helping him.”

She let his words sink in.

“Burn it down?”

“We’re going to meet him in the woods tomorrow and pick everyone up,” he continued.

Jenna shook her head and sat hard in the chair.

“No,” she said quietly. “Something’s not right. He’s changed things.”

“Why would you say that?” Titus asked, his voice tight.

“Yesterday,” she said quietly. “He was so different. Things have gotten worse. He said that it had all changed. I didn’t know what he meant,” she babbled on. “He was talking about the plan. The note for you, I read it.”

She pulled it out of her pocket. She’d read it over and over, his words far more precious than she could have ever thought.

“Jenna,” her uncle said, pulling her out of her thoughts.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

“Take good care of her,” she said, reading the note. “That’s all it says. Tell me that doesn’t mean what I think it does.”

“Shit!” Titus growled in the phone.

“I’ve got to go to him,” she said.

“I don’t think—” Titus started.

“I’m going,” she said, interrupting. “You just be ready to go tomorrow night. I’m getting him out of there.”

Jenna hit the off button and tossed her phone on the table.

“This is crazy,” her uncle said from the table and gave a small smile.

“You’re the one who just gave me the big talk.”

“Just wanted to make sure you realize it’s crazy.” He nodded.

“Yes, I do. But I’m still going.” Jenna hurriedly raced around the kitchen, gathering the things she might need.

“I’m coming with you,” he said and walked toward his room.

Jenna placed a hand on his shoulder before he could get far.

“They would smell you a mile away,” she said quietly. “It’s got to be me. The group wants a Vestal. Especially Rem’s Vestal. I know I have to be one. He wouldn’t have been that way with just anyone.”

Her uncle turned and watched her with such sad eyes that, for a moment, she worried he might seriously try and talk her out of it. He cleared his throat and snapped out of it. His eyes were clear and ready for battle.

“What do you need?” he said.

Jenna sighed. “Aside from a miracle?” She gave a little laugh. “I need you to prep a bag that will get us through this.”

He nodded.

“Also, I’m going to need some of your guns,” she said. She pulled her pistol from the bag. “One isn’t going to be enough.”

* * *

Rem woke up groggy and dehydrated. He sat up, and the room spun around.

“Shit,” he said and placed a hand on the wall next to him.

It was the damn drug they gave him. If he didn’t get better, he wouldn’t be able to pull off the plan.

Bile rose in his throat, and he fought to keep it down.

A light knock came from the door.

“Yes,” he said. His voice was hoarse, and his throat ached.

Harold stepped in. Nero eyed him from outside the door.

“I thought you might be thirsty,” Harold said. He held up a cup and stepped in.

Nero slammed the door behind him.

Harold walked to his side and placed the cup in his hands.

“It’s in full swing,” Harold whispered. “Quickly, drink.”

Rem frowned at the cup but swallowed the contents down. At this point, it didn’t matter. All he had to do was let the beast take hold, and it would all work out fine.

The liquid burned going down, like a fire raging in his veins. He choked.

Rem fell back onto the bed, shivering and confused.

“Try to lie still,” Harold whispered next to his ear. “It’s going to take some work to reverse the effects.”

Rem gripped his stomach in pain.

“What was that?” He grimaced.

Harold shook his head. “It’d be better for you not to know.”

Rem stared at the older man. He had no reservations about his part in all of this and yet still came to help.

“Why?” Rem said.

Harold sighed. “I am afraid of her.” He pressed his lips together. “But I’m more afraid of the gods. Maybe this will earn my favor. Perhaps it’s too late, but I have to try.”

Rem wanted to laugh at the thought, but his body ached too much to try. And whatever the reason, Harold may have just saved his life. That is, if whatever was going on in his body didn’t kill him first.

The door burst open, and he was surprised he didn’t hear them coming. His senses were far more dulled than he expected.

Nero and Agatha stepped into the room.

“What’s going on in here?” Nero asked, eyeing them suspiciously.

Harold got to his feet and shrugged.

“Effects of the reversal,” Harold said.

Agatha looked between Harold and Rem.

“Come with us to the great hall,” she said to Harold. “Where I can keep a better eye on you. We’ll start the reversal soon.”

Rem watched as Nero shoved the strange man out the door. His vision blurred as he tried to keep his focus.

He rolled onto his back and slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

Jenna stepped out of the truck and took in a deep breath. She could do this. She had to do this. If she didn’t, she’d lose Rem.

A twig snapped nearby, and she pulled out her gun.

“He’s not coming,” a woman’s voice said.

Jenna narrowed her eyes. There was no way for her to tell who served the Horatius Group.

“I know,” Jenna said with more nerve than she felt.

A woman about her height stepped out from behind a tree. Her long black hair was tied back in a ponytail with a silver streak down the middle. It was as striking as the woman with her flattering tanned skin.

Jenna kept her gun on the woman as she stepped closer. Rem had told her little about the people there, and she had no idea if this woman was even a friend.

“He sent you a book to take back to your people,” the woman said.

Jenna frowned. “A book? The mysterious damned book that’s so important it’s worth his life?”

She nodded. “It’s got information on our origins.”

Jenna sighed and looked away for a moment. She never did understand why this book was so important. Did it really matter where they came from? Would knowing that actually help them fight the Horatius Group?

Jenna debated the book in the woman’s outstretched hand. It could be a trap.

“Look, I don’t really want to stay here all day. I got shit to do,” the woman said. “And if I wanted to hurt you, I could have done it ages ago. Just take the damn book.”

Jenna took in a deep breath and lowered her gun. The other woman was right. As a hybrid, she could have taken Jenna out at any point. She hadn’t. Jenna holstered her gun and just hoped she was right about this woman.

The woman stepped closer, book still outstretched.

“I’m Nyx,” she said and handed Jenna the book.

Jenna took the book. The spine was crumbling, and its deep blue color was faded in parts. She wondered what sort of animal had been used to make the leather. She gently ran her hands over the swirling designs.

With great care, she opened the book. Nyx leaned against the truck next to her as if she were just out for a stroll.

Bright pictures filled most of the pages. Some contained symbols and glyph-like pictures. Others were scenes. She paused at one scene.

A bright blue stone lifted in the sky over a group of people as they stared in awe. Their clothes were painted red and the ground around them was red as well. Her stomach clenched as she realized it represented blood. Her mouth ran dry as she looked at the gruesome scene.

“Not really the kind of thing you look at before bed,” Nyx said from over her shoulder.

Jenna jumped and slapped the book shut. Looking at it made her ill.

“Can you read it?” she asked and turned to Nyx.

The woman shook her head. “Remus seemed to think your people could figure it out.”

Jenna considered that for a moment. This didn’t matter. They could deal with this later. There were other things that needed to be dealt with before it was too late.

“They aren’t my people,” she said and opened the door to the truck. She pulled out her bag.

Nyx raised a brow. “Oh? We were under the impression you were with the lodge group.”

She shook her head. “I work for them.” She grabbed out a blanket from the back and wrapped the book in it. As gently as she could, she pushed the ancient book under her seat.

“Isn’t working for them the same as being a part of them?” Nyx asked.

Jenna shut the door to the truck.

“No,” she declared.

Nyx eyed her as she moved the bag to a more comfortable spot. Her uncle had been thorough, but he had also made the bag heavier than she was used to. It would be a long walk to the cave.

“And where are you going?” she said.

Jenna adjusted the strap to her gun.

“You’re going to take me to him,” she said and stared firmly at the woman.

Nyx raised a well-trimmed dark brow. “Am I now?”

“Yes,” she said and started into the woods.

“You know this isn’t want he wanted,” Nyx said at her side. She wasn’t being resistant. That was something at least.

“I know,” Jenna said quietly and pushed her glasses further up her face. She turned to look at the other woman, all the emotion from the last few days clear. “I belong with him, and I’ll be damned if I let him just go off to die.”

Nyx sighed loudly. “He’s going to be so pissed when he finds out.”

Jenna gave a small laugh. “Yes, he will be.”

She looked around and found a small hollow stump covered in moss. It wasn’t the best spot, but she couldn’t risk bringing her keys with her. She placed the keys and one of two flare guns her uncle had sent into the stump.

They walked in silence for most of the way, lost in their own thoughts. As they reached the cliff, Nyx turned to her, panic starting to invade her expression.

“They might hurt you.” She swallowed. “You could die. The people here aren’t about mercy.”

Jenna nodded. She knew the risks, but it wasn’t going to stop her.

“He needs me,” Jenna said. Her voice shook as she said it, sounding more like a plea than anything.

Nyx gave a small grin. “I’ll say this. He picked someone as ballsy as he is.”

Jenna laughed as tears pricked her eyes. “I don’t feel ballsy. I feel desperate.”

“Isn’t that what love is?”

Jenna had no idea. The very concept of love was still all new for her. All she did know was that she needed to find him and to stop this no matter what.

She slowly climbed the cliff. There was no Rem to help pull her up, and, as if on determination alone, she was able to make the difficult climb, heavy pack and all.

When they reached the top, she was surprised to see a large black man with bright blue eyes there. She glanced over to Nyx.