The Doorknob Society (The Doorknob Society Saga) (26 page)

“The symbol besides the names denotes which group they belong to,” Edgar explained. “The mapmaker, Delmar Hogan I’ve heard of but he’s one the people who has gone missing. The other names I don’t know.”

“What about the Skeleton Key Guild name?” I asked showing it to Jess.

“I’m not familiar with it. But I know someone who would be.”

“Who?”

“You’re not going to like it.”

“Oh no,” I groaned.

“It better not be who I think it is,” Slade said annoyed.

“Sorry,” Jess said with a shrug, “but James Nightshade is our best option.”

I knew she was right but I didn’t like it not one bit.

Chapter 24

Status: I make a deal with the devil.

“There has to be another option.” Slade said through gritted teeth.

“There isn’t.” Jess rolled her eyes and looked to me for help.

“She’s right nobody knows the Guild better then Nightshade and who else besides him and Jess could we even go to?” I’d already consigned myself to having to ask for Nightshade’s help. And due to Slade and Nightshade’s last meeting, I could understand why Slade wasn’t happy about the idea.

“Chloe and I could go alone,” Jess offered thinking she was helping.

“No,” Slade said quickly his jaw tightening.

His whole body tensed and I reached out and placed my hand lightly on his arm. “We have to do this,” I said softly. His tight muscles beneath my hand relaxed.

He leaned down close to me and smiled. “I know, but I don’t have to like it.”

His smile as usual was contagious and I couldn’t help but smile back. Warmth spread through me like liquid honey settling in every nook and crevice until I felt deliciously satisfied. It wasn’t until he rested his hand on top of mine that I realized I’d left my hand on his arm longer then I had meant too. I pulled it back and turned away quickly, his smile fading along with mine.

We made our way out of Paladin Academy through a doorway in the Impossible Engineers Hall that was exit only and found ourselves by the Arrowhead. It was the middle of the night, the street deserted. We were all bone-tired and more than a little sore from the run-in with the gremlin, but we had to make a choice about what we were going to do next.

“We should head over to Nightshade’s now,” Jess said and didn’t wait for anyone to agree.

Edgar fell in step beside her and Slade and I followed keeping step beside one another.

“Is it far?” Slade asked.

“No, he lives around the corner in the old church on Franklin.” That brought everyone to a dead stop to stare at me. Jess had raised her eyebrow, Edgar grinned and Slade’s lips drew together into a tight line of annoyance.

“How do you know where he lives?” Jess accused more than asked.

“He told me once that’s all. I’ve never been there.” I kept walking letting them know that was the end of it. There’d be no further discussion.

We continued in silence and I wondered just what we were getting ourselves into by including Nightshade. He always had his own best interest at heart and sometimes it seemed he existed only to annoy me and make my life difficult.

Not like Slade. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. He stuck right beside me, always being there to help when I needed him. I felt bad for the way I’d treated him. But what could I do? It’s not like I’d had an easy year and he always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yet he kept coming back no matter how many times I pushed him away. He deserved better than me and all my problems, he deserved someone who wasn’t broken.

The old church on the corner of Franklin had been converted into a house and rose up taller than most of the buildings around it. Massive arched windows dotted the sides of it and what had once been the bell tower was surrounded on all sides by windows.

We stood outside the arched wooden door while Jess texted Nightshade that we were there. The cold night air was starting to take a toll and I wrapped my arms around myself rubbing my sides to keep warm. Slade stepped behind me, placed his hands on the sides of my arms and ran them up and down warming me up until I wanted to melt against him.

The door creaked opened, Nightshade stood framed in the archway. He wore jeans with his ever present skeleton key belt buckle. He was shirtless; his chest was not as thick as Slade’s though well-defined with a natural cut of muscles and with a patch of hair running across it. He lifted his hand sliding it through his messed hair. He glanced lazily around to each of us until he rested on me —or more precisely— Slade’s hands on me and then he shifted his attention to my face and I could have sworn I saw annoyance in his eyes.

“Jess, you didn’t tell me you were bringing Paladin’s cutest couple.” He laughed and stepped aside waving us in.

Slade’s hands tensed on my arms and I grabbed one squeezing it gently and held on to it.

“Sorry, Jimmy.” Jess smiled and stood next to Nightshade after entering

“No problem, beautiful,” he said. His fingers slid across her cheek and she blushed.

He swung the door closed after Edgar, the last one to enter. We followed him up the stairs to a large open room that contained a couple of couches, a small kitchen tucked off to one side, and a breakfast bar and two stools protruding at the end.

“We need some help, Jimmy,” Jess said as he walked to the fridge, pulled it open and pulled out a can of soda. He turned and flipped it in the air toward Edgar who caught it and smiled.

“Thanks, Nightshade.” Edgar popped the top and drank.

“Anyone else? Lovebirds, I could give you two straws.”

“That’s it, Nightshade, one more comment...” Slade headed for him his hand pulled back in a massive fist.

Nightshade laughed and leaned against the kitchen counter and smirked. “Anytime you want to try Slade you go right ahead.”

His mocking grin made my blood boil. “This was a mistake.”

“What’s a mistake?” Nightshade asked.

As much as I wanted to leave, I needed Nightshade’s help. I grabbed my phone, clicked the photo of the list of names and slid it across the breakfast bar to him. He picked it up and looked over the list.

“Okay so?”

“The SKG member on the list do you know him?” I stared into his strange colored eyes and waited for an answer, hoping and praying it wouldn’t be some lie to further his own ends.

“I recognize the name.”

“Can you help us find him?” I asked.

“No,” he said not even giving it thought.

“What? Why not?” My frustration leapt but I caught it before it reached my tongue and I spit words at him that I’d regret since I desperately needed his help.

“Jess.” He turned away from me to her. ‘What’s going on? Why are you helping non-Guilders?”

“They took... Gran.” As soon as Jess mentioned Gran her control slipped. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she started to tremble.

I moved to comfort her but Nightshade was there before me. He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her against him. She buried her head in his chest and sobbed. He pressed his cheek against hers whispering something in her ear that I couldn’t make out. He stroked her hair as he did, and I watched in amazement at how caring and loving he could be when I had known only his sardonic side.

Nightshade looked directly at me. “Give us a minute.” He then took Jess and they walked out of the room and I heard a door close down the hallway.

“What was that all about?” Slade asked.

“She’s upset. It’s been a rough night,” I said as I slid down on the couch beside Edgar.

“I guess,” Slade said as he sat on the opposite couch. “Though I doubt it hurts that Nightshade’s half naked.” He laughed.

“What are you talking about?” I snapped annoyed at what his humor suggested.

“Didn’t you see the way she looked at him? I think Jess was angling for more than some comfort.” Slade winked.

“She’s just upset.” I got even more annoyed when Slade raised his hands in mock defeat. I didn’t like what he was implying. We’d been through a lot and I doubted Jess was thinking about getting James alone. And it’s not like Nightshade would fall for that anyway, his conniving nature would see right through it.

Time seemed to slow down as we waited. Edgar rested his head back on the couch and was asleep within minutes. Slade was next stretching out on the other couch and drifting off to sleep. I sat alone with my thoughts, growing ever more frustrated that Jess and Nightshade had disappeared on us. I mean seriously, people, we’re running for our lives and she goes off with some guy and why? Because he’s hot with his shirt off?

After an hour I heard the click of a door and approaching footsteps. Nightshade entered still shirtless, his hair messier than before if that was possible. He looked around the room at the others sleeping and waved his hand for me to follow him. I got up quietly trying not to wake Edgar, who snored and rolled over on his side into a ball on the couch.

We left the room and at the end of the hall he touched a skeleton key on the wall and it fell away revealing a spiral staircase. James headed down; I took a deep breath and followed.

The staircase ended in a massive room filled with various makes and models of cars while several images of skeleton keys hung on the walls. In the middle of the room sat an old-fashioned car. It was deep blue and had red flames on the hood. James was standing by a workbench and grabbed a t-shirt off it and slid it on.

“What’s all this?”

“My garage, it’s quiet down here. We can talk and your friends can rest.”

“Talk about what?” I asked leaning up against the old-fashioned car. Nightshade stepped toward me, reached out and took hold of my arm. I looked down at his hand and back at him, and then he pulled me forward. My breath caught and I didn’t move.

“That’s a classic Hudson Hornet, please don’t lean on it.”

I pushed his hand off me and stepped away.
Men and their stupid cars.
“Whatever, are you going to help us or not?”

“Jess, told me what’s going on. It seems pretty serious and it’s a damn bold plan, I give you credit for that.” He grinned.

“But?” I knew something was coming, though I didn’t know what.

“I don’t know if I’m willing to stick my neck out for the lot of you.”

“Jess is your friend and so is Edgar?” I reminded, trying the guilt tactic, hoping it might convince him.

“But I can’t stand Slade, and then there’s you.” His half smile taunted me.

“I know you can’t stand me either, I get it.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty obvious.”

“I hadn’t realized. I should work on controlling my emotions better.”

“Sorry, I’m not a shrinking violet like my cousin. I didn’t come here to weep on your naked chest. I came here because I need help and you’re the only one I could turn too. If I couldn’t work up tears for my lost father or injured grandmother, I doubt I can do it for you. Okay, I’m broken, and you can’t stand me. I get it, alright!” I took a deep breath angry at myself for letting him get under my skin again.

He stared at me with those damn intense eyes. He didn’t say anything just stared, making me feel uncomfortable and stupid. Why do I always seem not to be able to shut up around him?

“Quit staring at me and say something.”

“I’ll help you on one condition.” He didn’t smile or smirk and he didn’t stop staring. It was as though he stared straight inside me and that made me more nervous than if he had worn one of his evil grins.

“Which is?”

“You and I have to go see him alone.”

“Alone?”

“He isn’t going to talk to a bunch of people from the different societies. He knows me and he doesn’t really like anyone other than Guilders. It will be safer that way.”

“Jess is a Guilder?” I questioned unsure of going alone with him.

“You and I that’s the deal take it or leave it.”

What choice did I have and so I wouldn’t debate my decision I quickly said. “Fine we go alone.”

He nodded. “You’d better get some sleep. We’ll head there tomorrow.”

I didn’t bother to ask him where, he wouldn’t tell me anyway. I followed him up the stairs and part way down the hallway he stopped, opened a door, entered and waved me in.

“I’ll stay with the guys,” I stammered, though I entered the room.

“I don’t think so, they each have a couch. Take the bed; you’ll have it all to yourself.”

“Oh,” Did I really think he’d been inviting me to sleep with him? “Okay thanks.”

“I’ll be in by Jess.”

He turned and left through another door closing it behind him. I was glad he didn’t look back and see me flush red at his comment. I wanted to slam the door that opened onto the hall shut but didn’t want to wake the guys so I shut it quietly and turned into the room. I threw myself on the bed and took my frustration out on the pillows punching them several times. So what if James Nightshade and my cousin spent the night together... let them. They deserved each other, they only thought about themselves anyway.

I pulled my hoodie off and slid it into my bag .My hand connected with a small metal object. I took the locket out and turned it over in my hand. When this was all over I was going to need to figure out what it was that
I deserved
.

Chapter 25

Status: Road trip with a jerk.

“Are you sure about this?” Edgar asked watching me like a hawk.

I sat on the edge of the bed while he sat cross-legged on the floor. It was late afternoon when I finally woke. Everyone else was up and about taking showers and eating. I had fallen asleep last night after much tossing, turning, and thinking of all the things I should have said to Nightshade. I had promised myself that the next time, and no doubt there would be a next time, I would make sure to speak what was on my mind.

“I think it’s the only way he’ll help us,” I said.

Edgar shook his head. “Slade isn’t going to like this, neither is Jess.”

“I don’t love the idea myself but we all decided he was our best chance, so I’m going with him no matter what Jess and Slade say.”

“I don’t envy you having to tell them.” Edgar stood and headed for the door. “Are you going to come grab something to eat?”