Burning Emerald Read online

  “Nice costume. You’ll use any excuse to show off your longbow, won’t you?” I joked.

  His lips touched my ear as he whispered, “I don’t need an excuse, and you are more than welcome to see my longbow at any time. It’s quite impressive, if I do say so myself.”

  Shaking off the delicious tingle, I backed away before I took him up on his offer.

  “Caleb, hey,” Mia cut in and flung herself in his arms.

  Holding her tight, Caleb took her for a spin before setting her down. He spread her arms wide to take in the full package. “Wow, great Tron outfit. You trying to get back on the grid?”

  A nice shade of pink rushed to Mia’s cheeks, but drained away at Caleb’s next statement.

  “Well, it’s closer than you think. Doug’s helping me set up, so you have plenty of time to talk to him.” Caleb tucked in his lips to hide his smile.

  Mia cut her eyes at the group, now coming to the realization that this had been a trap.

  Dougie walked backward toward the main door, still wearing that hard look of thug life. “Y’all rollin’ or what?”

  I could see Dougie was getting to her, but that chip on her shoulder put up a fight. I bumped Mia in the arm when she didn’t move. “Come on, Mia. One night won’t kill you.”

  The next hour went by in a string of activity. While Caleb went to work, Mia and Dougie scattered to opposite sides of the hall to avoid killing each other. Stranded, I dove into the throng of the repetitive, half-naked clichés. Peppered throughout the skin parade stood the Dark Knight, six variations of Lady Gaga, Freddy, Jason, Shrek, Optimus Prime, and EVERY Anime character known to man.

  Lost on the dance floor, I ate my fill on life, consuming the electricity in the air, licking the pulse that kept in sync with the throbbing bass. Bodies brushed against me, hot and clammy with their exertion, and rolled with the current of the music. Shafts of light dragged over this living sea, capturing split-second flashes of movement within the surf.

  After my meal, I went to the bar and ordered a hot drink. Instead of coffee, a mug of hot cocoa rested in front of me with pumpkin marshmallows floating at the top.

  “Best I can do, kid. Sorry. Don’t wanna get you guys hopped up on caffeine,” the bartender in a Frankenstein costume said remorsefully.

  After one sip, I realized he’d done me a favor. This was gourmet hot cocoa with melted chocolate bricks and cream—no powdered mix crap. Its yummy warmth coated my insides, hitting all the right spots. I wasn’t that surprised at the high-budget fare. The party screamed of rich-girl decadence, including a punch fountain and a witch and broom ice sculpture. Black and orange balloons floated to the ceiling, blotting out the row of chandeliers. Platters of mouth-watering sweets sat on each cloth table, a dieter’s nightmare, but a Cambion’s utopia.

  Lifting my head, I winked at Caleb, who bobbed under his headphones in the deejay booth. Our eyes locked, and as always, the world disappeared only to return when he looked away. I could tell I was getting to him as he drained his bottled water. He was almost due for a break, so I called Mia to kill time. Yes, I was one of those people who call friends just to look busy, even when that friend is in the same building. I didn’t feel too bad about it because Mia did the same thing.

  “Can you believe him? He’s rubbing it in my face!” Mia wailed. The hollow echo through the line told me she was hiding in the bathroom.

  “What did Dougie do now?”

  “First, he’s all over me on the dance floor, right? And he’s talking about ‘girl, I sure do miss how you move,’ and of course you know what he means, because you know I can’t dance, but I keep flirting and laughing. Then I turn my back for a second and he’s pushing up on some blue chick at the bar.”

  I looked to my far left, and sure enough, Dougie was yuckin’ it up with one of the aliens from Avatar. Dougie was a fan of the movie and he seemed to have found a kindred spirit to geek out with. Even from this distance, the body language appeared friendly, but Mia had always had selective vision. This couple-counseling thing was going to be harder than I’d thought.

  “Two can play that game, you know,” Mia fumed in my ear. “You just wait; he’s not the only single one around here... .”

  Mia wasn’t the only one with jealousy issues, either. I looked to the booth and spotted Caleb and Courtney B. talking and standing a little too close together for my taste. Decked out in an ironic she-devil costume, she did everything but shove Caleb’s face in her chest. While her Wonderbra did most of the talking, Courtney handed him a bottle of water, which he eagerly took. When he finished the bottle in a single chug, she readily supplied another.

  No one was that damn thirsty.

  I’d hung up on Mia and leapt from my stool, ready to throw my hot drink in Courtney’s face, when I spotted a man in a cape and mask watching me. That stare alone created its own gravitational pull, with those rich brown eyes that gleamed like brass. My hands shook so bad that I had to set down my mug before I dropped it. It amazed me how one look could suggest so many things—and all of them indecent. The look alone sent nerve endings on high alert; the slight brush of air shot a cold rush over my entire body. Lilith hummed between my ears, begging to come out and play.

  He moved quickly through the multitude, as if he knew I would drop everything just to follow him. Heads and shoulders drifted past us, only giving me the floating hem of his cloak to go by. His eyes followed mine as the crowd entangled us; his stare glazed over with undiluted hunger.

  From what little I could see, he was tall with deeply tan skin and full lips that curled seductively. This stranger had me running in circles around the party solely to confuse me, yet the urge to just touch this man reached past the bone to the marrow. I wanted—no, needed—to see his face, to know him. But something in the back of my brain told me that I already did.

  After a few minutes, I’d found no trace of the man in the cape, which slathered an extra coat of disappointment to my evening. I returned to the bar to drown my sorrows in hot chocolate and stress eating.

  “Good thing you’re not driving.” A low voice traveled close to my ear.

  I turned to my right and saw Caleb sitting next to me at the bar, sipping from my mug. That was a pretty sneaky move—I should’ve seen him leave the deejay booth. How had he gotten here so fast? He leaned his elbow against the bar, staring as though waiting for an answer to a question I hadn’t heard. “You feeling okay?”

  “Yeah, sure,” I said warily, shaking away a sudden head rush and the lapse in time. “So, it looks like you were having fun with Courtney over there. Not that I care or anything. I mean, you’re free to talk to people—it’s a party after all, so ... yeah. Did you feed from her?”

  “Jealous?” He bumped my side with his elbow.

  “No,” I answered quickly.

  He laughed. “Really, there’s no need. And no, I didn’t feed from her. It hurts just to hear her talk, so can you imagine having pieces of her swirling in my subconscious? I’ve been taking pulls off the crowd here and there, but I’m holding out for later when I can have you all to myself. Alone.”

  Why did he have to look at me like that? I wanted to melt down my chair and puddle to the floor. I’d been checking the clock too, counting the seconds before we could sneak off to feed and grope each other like a normal couple. It was a rare treat to be together outside of work and I was ruining it by being petty.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “It seems no matter what, I keep dragging you back to high school drama.”

  “It’s fine,” he replied, rubbing his face with both hands. “I needed a change of scenery to take my mind off stuff anyway.”

  I studied his burdened expression. “What’s wrong?”

  He didn’t answer immediately, but consulted his drink for the answer. After taking a few timid sips, he said, “There’s a private detective in town out of New York. He’s taken up an interesting hobby—shadowing me. That’s why I didn’t want you sticking around when my car got smashed,
in case he showed up. I wouldn’t be surprised if he followed me here. Oh look! Candy apples!” He reached over the bar and grabbed two pieces of fruit wrapped in cellophane. He unwrapped one and offered me the other.

  As tempting as it was, I declined, trying to stay on the subject. “You think he knows anything?”

  “No, and that bothers him. I told you, investigators were following my dad while he was alive, and now this detective, David Ruiz, has joined the crusade,” he explained with his mouth full. “My guess is one of the victims’ family members hired him, but Ruiz is having a hard time connecting the murders. He has a whole file on my dad tracing all the way back to his time in the military. He’s thorough, so he might even interview you to find out what I’m hiding.”

  No matter if Caleb changed towns or his last name, there were some things he could not escape. One of those involved the shame of having a psychotic father and the string of deaths that remained unsolved. Nathan Ross was a cautionary tale for any Cambion who loved too deeply and OD’d on human energy. That old ghost had risen from the grave to settle a vendetta, and its main target was Caleb’s peace of mind.

  My fingers combed through the long blond strands of his wig. He looked way better with dark hair. In fact, there was nothing I would change about him. “I’m sorry. I know you want to put all that behind you.”

  Caleb shoved my untouched apple in his pocket for later snacking. “It comes with the territory, I guess. I did some checking and from what I hear, Ruiz is an ex badge with a hell of a mean streak. Cops at his old precinct call him ‘the Cuban Necktie.’ Fitting description if you think about it.”

  “I don’t get it. Cuban Necktie?”

  “I’ll tell you when you’re older.” His thumb caressed my cheek, and that simple touch turned my limbs to jelly. “I don’t want to worry about it now. Let’s just enjoy the night and let tomorrow work itself out.” Seeing me nod, he took another sip of chocolate heaven. His eyes rolled in the back of his head in rapture. Our spirits had an affinity for sugar, but Caleb made consuming sweets a religious experience.

  “So are we doing this or what?” Courtney B. approached us, holding Caleb’s bow and arrow case in her hand.

  “Yes, and please don’t touch that. It’s not a toy.” Caleb reached for the weapon, but she tucked it behind her back.

  “I wanna see how it works. You said you’d show me. Oh, come on, please, please?” she pouted. Her antics were drawing a crowd. Not getting the desired reaction, she took the longbow and raced through the party. In a moving streak of red, she disappeared through the patio doors leading to the golf course.

  I lunged forward, but Caleb pinned me still. “No fighting here. Too many people,” he whispered, yet he was the one who needed to cool down. He finished my cocoa in one gulp as if it were a shot of courage and slammed it on the table. Before I knew what was happening, I was being led outside by the wrist.

  “Caleb, you don’t have to do this. This is dumb,” I pleaded, trying to keep up with his long-legged stride.

  He wasn’t listening. Caleb was really sensitive about his weapons, and Courtney had gone and messed with his ego. We stepped out to the back deck of the club out onto the grass facing the golf course. The moon shimmered over the river in veins of silver. More guests rushed out of the clubhouse, murmuring in curiosity. Even Dougie and Mia came out of hiding, looking just as confused as I felt.

  “Come on, Caleb, show us how you work your weapon.” Courtney and her mob waited on the green, looking smug at the new entertainment. “Can you shoot it, or is it just for show?”

  Fellow guests joined the argument, taking her side. “Come on, man. Let’s see what you got.” Hoots and cheers followed, egging Caleb on.

  Caleb crossed the grass until he towered over the petulant redhead. Courtney’s chest heaved under her corset; her eyes drooped, no doubt feeling the effects of Caleb’s draw.

  “All right, Britney, but I’ll need assistance for this trick,” he said and reclaimed his property.

  “It’s Courtney!” she huffed.

  “I don’t care.” He whisked past her and crooked his finger at me to come forward.

  Oh, the pitter-patter. Even Lilith felt a little woozy at the invitation. As I pushed through the group, the world progressed in cinematic slow motion. Licking my lips, I took my time crossing the distance, adding more hip swing in my strut. Cool wind passed around me, taking my glittery wings into flight.

  Long blond strands whipped at Caleb’s face as he dove into his pocket. With a roll of the wrist, he presented the candy apple and the same smile that probably tempted Eve.

  “You see that big tree over there? Stand there and place this on your head.”

  My love-induced daze died a quick death. “Say what?”

  “You ever heard of William Tell?”

  “You ever heard of involuntary manslaughter?”

  Singling out an arrow from his case, he dragged its feathered end over my cheek, beginning a languorous journey down the front of my dress. “Come on, Sam. Don’t you trust me? Relationships are built on trust.”

  I plucked the arrow away with my fingers. “And stupidity.”

  Courtney leaned in. “If you’re too scared, I’ll do it!”

  “No!” was our unanimous reply.

  “I know what I’m doing. Trust me. Just keep still and I’ll do the rest.” Caleb planted a soft kiss on my forehead.

  I don’t know what made me agree with the idea—curiosity, peer pressure, or temporary insanity. But this was definitely a test of trust and courage. Caleb’s weapons were the real deal and sharp as hell, which had inspired countless slaps on the wrists and scoldings whenever I tried to touch one on his wall. I had heard tales of his impeccable aim, but I’d never expected to one day become a target.

  I reached the aged pine, a good twenty yards from where the gang stood, and flushed my back against the trunk. Balancing the apple to my crown, I yelled, “Do you need more light?”

  “I can see you!” Nervousness made Caleb’s voice uneven. “Just keep still. Don’t move, don’t even breathe!”

  He didn’t have to worry about that. Statues could never attain this level of stillness. A painful jolt zapped my chest as Caleb squared his shoulders and pulled back the string of the bow. A hush swept over the night, even the air froze around my skin. Some jerk in the crowd yelled “Miss!” and I almost wet myself. As the group grew quiet again, I closed my eyes and awaited my fate. The seconds slithered by, my hesitation grew, but I couldn’t move. Caleb’s face appeared behind my eyelids when a loud, wet crunch cut through the air.

  Racing feet brought me back to current events. Hearing my name, and relieved that I was still alive, I opened my eyes to look up at what was left of the apple. The impact had broken the fruit into three pieces, speared in a gooey kebab of ribbon and clear wrapping.

  “Sam! Are you okay?” Mia asked, pushing onlookers aside to gain a better view.

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  “Wow, that was some crazy Robin Hood shit!” Mia tried to pull the arrow from the bark, but it wouldn’t move. “Man, it’s really in there.” She tried using both hands, but not even Dougie’s added strength could budge the lodged arrow.

  I stared in a blank daze. Two inches lower and that would have been my head.

  I looked over to my curious audience, scanning each painted face, but not seeing the one I wanted. “Where’s Caleb?”

  The crowd gave me room to walk, seeming to wonder the same question. It took only a moment to learn the answer. Moonlight silhouetted his body but made every spastic movement clear as day. Low grunts of pain filled the night as Caleb shrunk into himself like a dying spider.

  “Caleb!” I screamed and reached his side at record speed.

  Something sharp and tight took me to my knees. I no longer felt the cold or the ground beneath me, but the acidic burn that ate at my gut. It resembled the worst stomach flu in the world with a splash of malaria, and a freaky acid trip as garnish.
r />   Fitful heaves emptied the contents of my stomach even when there was nothing left. I crawled to Caleb and held his head in my hands, and he clung to me like a life raft. His jaws flapped as he clutched at his throat, fighting for one breath of air. He was drowning in some private sea of torment, quickly dragging me with him.

  I wasn’t the only one having a reaction. Lilith went into a full wild-out, itching from the inside out as if covered with ants, scrambling for an exit, an answer, something.

  Somewhere in a galaxy light years beyond the Earth’s sun, I heard a stampede of footsteps. “You okay, Sam? What’s wrong with Caleb?” a panicky voice asked. Shoes crunched the chilled grass, followed by speculative chatter. “Oh my God, look at her eyes! What the hell is she on?” someone yelled.

  Before I could reply, bolts of fire struck my midsection with such force I fell flat on the ground next to Caleb. My muscles locked, causing joints to snap violently. The stretching of tissue, along with overwhelming sorrow, had me curled into a ball and crying for my mother.

  Time held no true measure for these heart-stopping moments of fear and agony. Hands tucked underneath me and lifted me off the ground. I had no idea who spoke to me or where the flashing lights came from. More hands grabbed at my wrists and ankles, cruel in their assault and unmoved by my pleas to get to Caleb.

  Where was he? Was he okay?

  Through blurred sight, I saw Mia crying and squeezing my hand. A long, cold tube scraped my already raw throat, burrowing its way downward. Words floated in and out of range, loud, garbled noises that pertained to me in some manner. Everything after that was anyone’s guess because the fight soon left my body. Death’s cold finger rested against my lips and whispered, “Shh,” bidding me to sleep. Despite my will to hold on, what child could truly refuse?

  7

  The next thing I remembered was waking up in a hospital bed with a tiny construction worker jackhammering my skull.

  Turning over, I saw Mom dozing in a chair by the window. Something bad had happened, bad enough for Mom to wear holey pajamas in public. Judging from the dried tears and dark circles under her eyes, it had to be serious.