“But you have a plan to find him, right?” My gaze danced from Sol to Jennifer, and then back to Sol again.
“Right now, the most important thing is you resting. Between seeing Catherine feeding, and now this, you wouldn’t even be strong enough to have your abilities unlocked,” Sol said, his dark brows drawn together.
His concern for me was touching, or it would have been, if I wasn’t so desperate to get my abilities unbound, and then deal with Catherine.
“Besides, anything that happens next will need Bernard’s clearance,” Jenn said. Her tone was also soft, but she didn’t quite have the same warmth in her gaze as Sol did.
Understandable. I was not only an outsider, but I was asking to track down her ex.
Ignoring the Bernard problem for a moment, I said, “Thanks for all this, Jenn. I appreciate having somewhere to rest, and I know it can’t be easy for you talking about Morgan.”
A small smile covered Jenn’s lips, and after exchanging a quick glance with Sol, she said, “It’s nothing.”
“I think right now, the best idea is to get you a room of your own, have some food, and then we can tackle everything afresh in the morning. I’m going to speak with Bernard,” Sol said, turning towards the door.
“I’ll come with you,” I said, trying to push myself out of bed, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, and I had no choice but to lay back down.
Sol hesitated in the doorway until Jenn said, “Don’t worry, I’ll stay with her.”
He nodded, and left the room, plunging it into silence.
Jenn sat nearby, but neither of us said anything for a while. I wanted to ask her a million questions but all of them felt too invasive, and I didn’t want to cause more discomfort for this woman who’d already been so kind to me.
Finally, I couldn’t help myself and asked, “So, you’re a siren, eh? What can you do?”
“What can you do?” Jenn mimicked, copying my voice so exactly, it was eerie.
I laughed. “That’s pretty cool.”
Jenn smiled. “I could also put you into a hypnotic trance, if I wanted, and I could shatter every window in this building with my scream if I tried hard enough.”
“Whoa, that’s intense. I can see how it could be really useful though. And you’ve always had this power?”
Jenn relaxed in her seat as she explained, “Yes, though my abilities didn’t manifest until I was about twelve. But before then, I grew up in the Order. My parents are part of the Order. I’ve always known what I was.”
“I bet that makes it easier to understand. I didn’t even know magic and stuff was real until earlier today,” I said, my thoughts running away with me. I’d lived my whole life with this huge secret being kept from me. Did Mom, Dad and Melissa know about our paranormal ancestry? Could they also sense when someone was different. I would have asked them, only I wasn’t sure I could even contact the outside world from the Ancile H.Q. And even if I could we weren’t exactly close. Still, it was something I wanted to ask them about eventually, but right now, more important issues pressed on my mind.
“If we find someone to unbind my abilities, what happens then? I mean, Catherine is expecting me to start my new position tomorrow. How can I go back there knowing what she is?”
Jenn had obviously been told about the Catherine situation, and my connection to it, because she didn’t miss a beat as she said, “Well, if your abilities are awakened, you’ll need to stay here for training, so it might not be a terrible idea for you to hand in your notice to Catherine. At least that way, you won’t be in any danger of being uncovered. Or we could buy you some time, and you tell her you’re sick or something. I’m sure Bernard will have a plan.”
As if summoned by his name, Sol and Bernard entered Jenn’s room. I found it kind of rude they didn’t even knock first!
“Miss Whitmore,” Bernard began, his dark eyes boring into me. Now I knew he was a shifter, I could almost see the bearness about him. He definitely had the gruff exterior, that was for sure. “I’ve been updated on your condition,” he said, like I was terminally ill, or pregnant, or something. “And I have decided it’s in everyone’s best interest that you remain a ward of the Ancile until we find a way to unbind your abilities. To that ends, I will have one of our guest rooms arranged for you.”
He hadn’t said what happened after I had my abilities unbound. Would I be forced to join the Ancile? Could I help them defeat Catherine without having to become an official member? Honestly, even been allowed to stay and have my abilities unbound was a huge upgrade to Bernard’s previous attitude, so I didn’t want to push my luck.
Instead, I said, “Thank you. Your generosity is appreciated. Is there any way I could go home and grab somethings? I appreciate you all lending me clothes and stuff, but—”
“A woman likes to have her own comforts,” Jenn finished for me, sending a warm smile in my direction. “I think it’s an excellent idea, but you need to rest. Why don’t Sol and I go? You can give me a list of what you need.”
Remembering how dizzy I’d felt just trying to get out of bed, I knew there was no way I’d make it back to my place. “Thanks. That’d be great.”
“You two get to it, then. I will see that Miss Whitmore is seen to a guestroom, and given something to eat,” Bernard said, effectively ending the discussion.
He left the room, and Jenn grabbed a pen and notepad from her bedside table.
“Write down everything you want us to get for you,” she said.
“Thanks. My key is in my purse, I think it’s—”
“You left it in my car,” Sol supplied for me. “I’ll bring it back with the rest of your things.”
Relief flooded through me. In my panic and shock, I hadn’t even taken noticed of the small, silver purse I’d worn to the gala. I was glad Sol at least remembered where it was.
I gave Jenn my list, and she left the room, but Sol lingered. Once we were alone, he crossed the bed to me and took my hand.
“I’ll be as quick as I can, I promise.”
I smiled up at him, warmed by his concern for me. It felt good to know I had at least someone on my side in all this. I knew it couldn’t have been easy for Sol, watching over me like he was, when his loyalties lay with the Order. I appreciated it.
“Thank you,” I said, though the words felt insufficient compared to what I really wanted to say to him. Thank you was just the beginning. I felt drawn to him, more so than any other member of the Order and hoped he considered me a friend too.
Sol left the room, and I was alone with my thoughts. Jumbled as they were. I was exhausted from everything I’d been through. I had no idea what time it was. It had been late, about ten p.m., when we’d escaped the manor house, and that felt like a lifetime ago.
A light knock at the door pulled me out of my thoughts, and I called out, “Come in.”
The door opened as if by magic, and then Lettie entered carrying a silver tray covered with a matching cloche.
“How did you do that?”
Lettie smiled, her fangs catching the light. “Vampires have limited telekinetic abilities,” she explained, laying the tray down on my lap. “I’m about to head to bed, but I promised Sol I’d bring you something to eat first.”
“Bed? What time is it?”
Lettie chuckled. “Almost dawn. I’m sure you know vampires are nocturnal; as the sun rises, we find it impossible to stay awake. Fortunately, I have a very nice, light-proof, suite just a few doors down.”
“Have you always lived here? I mean, since you were turned.”
“No, I’ve been with the Order for almost seventy-five years, and at this specific headquarters for almost forty of those.”
“There are other headquarters?” I asked.
“The U.K is a big place, and the rest of the world bigger still.”
It made sense. Paranormal beings were legends and folklore everywhere. There was no reason for them to gather only in one specific area. Of course there were other Order headquarters. Still, it blew my mind thinking of this secret organization, with huge old buildings, all over the world.
“I’d love to stay and tell you more, but the coffin awaits me,” Lettie said, moving towards the door.
I wasn’t sure if that was a joke, or if she slept in an actual coffin. I didn’t get a chance to ask, as she quietly slipped out of the room.
I removed the cloche to reveal a light, continental breakfast with fresh pastries, fruits, meats and cheese, and a variety of spreads. It was accompanied by a large glass of orange juice.
I was impressed. This was as good as any continental breakfast you got into a four or five start hotel, and I wondered, where did the Ancile get their money from? Did they charge people for ridding the world of dangerous paranormal beings?
As I hadn’t eaten since before going to the gala, which was now almost twelve hours ago, I was starving and immediately tucked in.
After eating, I had nothing to do. I didn’t have my phone, and even now I was no longer hungry, I still felt weak and didn’t have the energy to leave the bed.
I laid my head on the pillow and tried to go back to sleep, but my brain just wouldn’t shut off.
In the span of twelve hours, my whole world had changed, and it was only now, while I was alone, and not having my blood tested or arguing with Bernard, that I really started to process everything.
Nothing would ever been the same again.
Bernard agreed that my abilities were to be unbound by someone in the Ancile. That alone was huge. I’d go from a normal mortal to … what was it Lettie’s book had said?
Descended from the children of angels. Can use their own life-force to heal. Powerful Celestials even have the power to bring other beings back from death.
I felt my core temperature rising and my heart rate sped up. The room took on a shimmering, golden hue. Not wanting to black out again, I closed my eyes and breathed in and out deeply through my mouth and nose, until I felt my pulse slow to a normal speed.
Would it always be like this? I wondered.
Jenn had mentioned something about training, and she, Sol, Lettie and Bernard certainly didn’t seem like they were constantly struggling to control their abilities. I guessed it some ways, it was like being a toddler again, only instead of learning to walk and talk, I’d have to learn to … what? Use my life-force to heal others? Bring people back from the dead? What did any of that even mean?
All I knew about life-force was in the context of Catherine. She absorbed other people’s life-force, to the point of killing them, to extend her own life. Could I do that?
I shuddered all over. I didn’t want to be anything like Catherine. If having my powers unbound meant I’d be a monster like her, well, I’d rather they stay bound.
But Jenn had said I could die if I didn’t have my latent abilities unlocked. I didn’t want death, either. There had to be an alternative, right?
I mean, if I was in danger of becoming a monster like Catherine, surely Bernard wouldn’t have agreed to unbinding my abilities anyway and would have likely just let me die.
That realization was both comforting and disturbing.
So, I’d have my abilities unbound, I’d be taught how to use them, and then what?
Well, defeating Catherine was my main priority. I knew Pierre Beauford’s face would haunt me forever if I didn’t do something to avenge him. But did I have the power to take on Catherine alone? I knew next to nothing about the paranormal word, and Catherine had been alive for five-hundred years. That was a hell of a lot of time to learn some dark and dangerous magic. And hadn’t Sol said something about Catherine having a special object that made her invulnerable unless destroyed first? Yeah, there was no way I was finding that alone.
So, it seemed like my only path forward meant joining the Order of the Ancile?
Sol was great, I liked Lettie a lot, and even Jenn seemed nice enough. Honestly, the only Order member I’d met so far who I didn’t like was Bernard. But there was a huge leap from thinking that a handful of people were good to actually joining the Ancile and devoting my life to the order. From what I’d been able to figure out so far, it seemed like the Order all lived in this headquarters, or others like it throughout the country. Jenn’s statement about her parents being part of the Order too made it clear that members could marry and have children. But was that really the life I wanted to lead?
Since the age of fifteen, when I’d first met Catherine Farley, I’d only had one goal. To join Farley Cosmetics, and work under my idol. It seemed so alien to think of her in such a way now. I almost felt sick remembering how as a teen I’d practically worshiped her like some people did celebrities.
For the past seven years, my whole life had been devoted to becoming like Catherine. And now, in my heart, I’d already committed to killing her. It didn’t matter if I joined the Order or not, now I knew what Catherine was, I’d never been able to rest while she lived and killed innocent people.
But then what? After Catherine was gone, did I just apply for jobs elsewhere and pretend this part of my life never happened?
In my weakened state, thinking about the future was too much, and made me feel almost as dizzy as trying to get out of bed had.
I closed my eyes, and at last, my brain quietened down enough to allow me to sleep.
-----
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when I was awoken by the sound of soft voices, and I opened my eyes to see Sol and Jenn sitting near the bed.
“You’re back?” I pointed out redundantly, pleased to hear my voice sounded stronger than it had earlier.
“We’re back,” Sol confirmed with a smile. “And we found everything on your list.”
I hope by ‘we’ Sol actually meant Jenn. While I had no problem with him going through my closet, my body flushed with heat imagining him rifling through my underwear drawer.
Oh god, what if he found my sex toys?!
I was on the verge of panic when Jenn added, “Don’t worry. I gathered your more personal belongings.”
I let out a sigh. “Thank you.”
Jenn gave me a knowing smirk, and Sol glanced between the two of us as though we were speaking a foreign language.
He pushed his confusion aside, and asked, “Have you eaten?”
“Yes, Lettie bought me some wonderful breakfast before going to bed. Which reminds me, where does the Ancile get all it’s money? This place is huge, and Lettie said it wasn’t the only headquarters in the country. What gives?”
Sol and Jenn exchanged a glance, and then Sol said, “I’m sorry, but only official members are allowed to know. Don’t worry, though, it’s nothing illegal.”
Nothing illegal, Sol said, but he hadn’t ruled out it was nothing immoral.
“How are you feeling?” Jenn asked, directing the conversation to a safer topic.
I sat up and stretched. “Good. Better … I don’t think I’m completely back to normal yet, but I feel loads stronger than I did this morning.”
Sol smiled. “That’s good. Bernard has had a room prepared for you, and we left all your things there. I hope you don’t mind, but I checked your phone. You’ve had several missed calls from Catherine.”
That made sense. I was meant to be starting my first day of work today.
“What should I do?”
“We’ve spoken to Bernard about that, too,” Jenn said. “He doesn’t think you should quit working for her just yet.”
My eyes almost bulged out of my head. “For real? But I saw her kill someone. How can I go back there knowing that? And besides, when my abilities are unbound, won’t she be able to sense them, like I can with you guys?”
“We’re not sure. I’ve been posing as a lab worker for the last six months, and she never suspected anything,” Sol said.
“You worked in the lab?” I asked, my voice coming out an octave higher than usual.
“Yeah, we need intel. We will never be able to defeat Catherine unless we find out where her Soul Jar is.”
Sol saying this made something click in my mind, and I blurted out, “That’s why Bernard doesn’t want me to quit working for Catherine, isn’t it? He hopes he can use me to gather information, too.”
Sol and Jenn bowed their heads.
“He hasn’t said so directly, but I imagine that’s what he’s thinking, yes,” Sol confirmed finally. “He’s asked that we all meet in his office once you’re feeling well enough.”
I supressed an eyeroll. It seemed Bernard only cared about my well-being if it benefitted him.
“Well, no time like the present. Let’s get this over with,” I said, pulling back the bed covers and standing.
I was glad when my body didn’t wobbly, and I took a deep breath then walked to the door.
Sol and Jenn were right behind me, and I could just sense Sol wanted to reach out and hold my arm or something.
I turned to him with a soft smile. “I appreciate your concern, tough guy, but I’ve got this.”
A blush covered Sol’s cheeks and Jenn giggled quietly.
“Come on, I’ll show you to your room,” she said, reaching for the door handle.
The room Bernard had arranged for me was right at the other end of the corridor from Jenn’s room, and a lot smaller than hers had been. While Jenn’s room had it’s own small sitting room, and ensuite bathroom, ‘my’ room had just enough space for a single bed, a closet and a desk. Still, I wasn’t complaining. Even as simple as it was, it rivalled a hotel.
Again, I wondered how the Ancile afforded all this.
“There’s a communal bathroom just next door. Meals are served at eight a.m., twelve p.m., and five p.m. in the canteen; but snacks and other refreshments are also available around the clock,” Jenn explained, as I looked through the belongings she and Sol had brought back from my apartment. There was enough for me to stay here for at least a week, without needing to do laundry and such.
“Gotcha,” I replied, wondering would I be asked to pay for these meals? Would Bernard charge me for room and board? And while I was waiting for them to find someone to unbind my abilities, what was I meant to do with all my time?
“We’ll leave you to freshen up now,” Sol said, leaning against the door. “Bernard wants to see us in his office in about an hour’s time, and then they’ll be serving dinner.”
Jenn turned to leave, and once again, Sol lingered. She looked back at him and raised an eyebrow, then shook her head and carried on along the corridor.
I raised my eyes from my bag of clothes to stare up at him. The light filtering in through the blinds illuminated his blue grey eyes, and made me think of a stormy ocean. God, he really was quite hot!
“Was there something you needed?” My voice came out as a squeak, and I internally cringed.
Without invitation, Sol sat down on my bed. “I just want to make sure you’re okay. You’ve been through a lot, and now you’re having to stay here away from all your friends and family. I didn’t mean to pry, but you had a couple of missed calls from someone called Samantha. She sent you several messages, too.”
He gestured towards the silver purse that was tucked in with my clothes, and I pulled it out and then retrieved my phone.
Just as he’d said, I had missed calls from Catherine, along with two from Samantha and a series of increasingly more worried sounding text messages.
“Shit. They’re gonna think I was kidnapped or something. I knew Bernard will decide if I should go back to working for Catherine or not, but can I at least call Samantha?”
Sol frowned. “And what would you tell her?”
Shit. He had a point. Samantha and I told each other everything, and I wasn’t kidding when I said she might think I’d been kidnapped or something. Samantha’s final messaged to me had said if she didn’t hear from me soon, she’d call the police. What would happen if she did? Did the authorities even know about the Ancile?
I showed Sol my phone and said, “I have to do something.”
Sol smiled sympathetically. “I’m sorry, I forget what it’s like for people not born into this world.”
“Were you born into it?”
Sol’s brows drew together. “No, but I’ve been a part of it for so long I might as well have been.”
Before I could stop myself, I asked, “What happened?”
Sol’s eyes darkened and he shook his head. “Nothing good. Nothing I want to talk about.”
Fuck. Whatever it was, it was serious.
Without thinking, I reached out and laid my hand on his. “I’m sorry. If you ever need someone, I’m here.”
Sol’s gaze met mine, and I felt electricity crackle between us. The darkness lifted from his gaze, and he said, “Same goes.”
Sol’s hand lingered on mine for a moment longer, then he stood up and made his way towards the door. “I’ll ask Bernard about you contacting your friend, so she isn’t worried about you.”
I smiled. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”
Thank you for reading LICHES, LEGENDS AND LOVE. I have made the choice to move the story exclusively to Radish fiction. Please find it there: https://www.radishfiction.com/stories/26697
