Sterling (31 page)

Justus pushed himself up to sitting position and loosened his hold. I leaned against him wiping my face.

“I will train you properly and you will learn to fight. You will have the future you deserve—an independent one. You will be strong enough to protect yourself one day and have a job within the Mageri. I did not prepare you as I should have, this is my fault.”

He jaw flexed and I could see he was taking it personally. There was no need. I’d come to realizes that my life was out of my hands, as were many of the decisions.

“This life wasn’t my choice and I used that as my crutch, my out for not following your rules. But I am making choice now.” I shifted to face him so he could see my sincerity. “I choose to be a Mage, I’ll listen to you from now on and will learn. This is my life, and I accept it.” I sniffed and wiped my damp lashes.

His stare was prideful. “I’ve never given you kind words, Silver. It does not mean that I am without them when I think of you. You’re sterling, that’s what you are. Always remember that.”

My eyes met his, accepting the compliment. Justus hadn’t been taking care of himself. His hair was grown out some and one cut on his face had not completely healed. I lifted my fingers to the gash that ran along his cheek when he caught my wrist. Without a word I twisted free of his grip and pressed my hand over his wound. As my light began to work itself and heal his cut, it was the first time Justus really looked at me. With my hand cupping the side of his fearless features, his eyes regarded me with admiration.

A low moan redirected my attention to Simon. His head was against the tile wall at a peculiar angle.

I crawled over. “Simon? Please wake up. I’m so sorry.” His eyes fluttered as if he were on the brink but couldn’t quite pull out of it.

“Move, let me.”

I backed up, sliding across the grey flooring as my robe picked up a little of the water that was left behind from my bath.

Justus leaned over Simon holding his hands across his chest.

“Simon—
wake
,” he commanded. I had a feeling there was some kind of energy thing going on that snapped him out of it.

Simon’s eyebrows sank into his sockets and he bared his teeth—hissing in pain before letting out a snarl. I jumped, having never seen a more visceral reaction.

Justus threw his hands around Simon’s head cradling it like a melon and tiny threads of light, so fine they could have been cobwebs, drifted from his fingertips.

Within a few seconds, Simon started coughing. Justus pulled him up to a sitting position.

“You ok in there?” He knocked on Simon’s head jokingly and I smiled a little.

Simon’s face strained—the rope of muscle in his neck was taut and he grimaced. Suddenly, he reached for a fistful of shirt and pulled Justus so hard they were nose to nose.

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Simon grunted through his clenched teeth, “but
fuck
my head mate! Put your bleeding hands on my
balls
!”

I sat back laughing as Justus considered his request.

“I swear I’ll never tell.” I said, crossing my heart.

As Justus aided a friend in need, Simon’s eyes flitted around falling on me before amusement stirred in his face. “I probably deserved that.”

My humor receded. “I didn’t know it was you, I’m so—”

“Fearless.”

I knew in that moment I had more than an acquaintance in him, and a Ghuardian in Justus. I had companions, men I would be able to count on.

Some men do stick around.

Chapter 25

I had a full night’s sleep in Simon’s bed, smothered with soft blankets of fur
. I decided not to ask why a grown man was sleeping on fur; yet nothing about this man was predictable.

Once during the night I woke up in the darkened room, someone was sitting beside me. I wasn’t afraid but felt…comforted. He was holding my hand, and the light drifting within me was so faint I wasn’t sure if I was awake or dreaming. A thumb ran across my forehead and I heard a word softly spoken.

“Sleep.”

When I finally did wake, I emerged from the bed snatching up an apple sitting expectantly on the bedside table. It was sweet and crunchy and my mouth watered on each bite. I couldn’t finish it because my stomach was aching from the new sensation of food, so I backed off and set it down. Before wandering the house, I glanced at the books on the table. Simon didn’t read adventure stories or even smut. I was completely surprised to find they were books on science, psychology and history.

Down the short hall, Simon was resting on a chocolate colored sofa in the living room with his head propped in his hand. A slice of sunlight crept through the edge of a curtain adding highlights to his hair. The floor was covered with a large brown shag carpet; everything about the room was casual, inviting and truly lived in. Simon’s eyes lifted and he greeted me with a warm smile.

“Hey gorgeous, you sleep well?”

I nodded, moving to the empty chair. “Probably too well.”

Some of the sunlight touched my feet and in the quiet of the room I noticed how distinctly alien daylight seemed. I never imagined I’d see anything but darkness again.

“No TV?”

“The telly is rubbish. It hasn’t been the same since it was live.”

“So what do you do to pass the time?”

“Love a good book. I’m also quite addicted to board games, but it’s not always easy to find a good partner.”

Board games? I thought Simon lived at the bar, had dance parties on the roof, and yet once again he surprised me with the fact that he was a complete geek.

“We’ll have to play sometime.”

His eyes lit up. “That would be
brilliant
. I’ll hold you to that. I warn you though—I’ve played with some of the best.”

“Well I play a mean hopscotch,” I smiled.

Simon had a cup in his lap and leaned forward, handing it to me. “I just made it, only took a sip.”

The sweet perfume of cocoa tickled my nose. Simon rose to his feet and crouched beside my chair, stroking my hair absently as he stared at the window. It was something he liked to do as he had done it on more than one occasion; an affectionate gesture one might do to a child.

“What was it that frightened you last night?” he asked.

“I heard him, I heard Samil. It was like he was there in the room with me. That’s not the first time it’s happened.”

Simon’s voice dropped an octave. “Hmm, he’s a Mentalist.”

“I know a little about that. Can he hear my thoughts?”

“Does he say anything that would make you think he can?”

I thought for a moment and shook my head, as I couldn’t be sure. “No, he just calls my name and says things.”

He rubbed his clean shaved chin and I stared at a tiny little freckle on his lash line. “Justus has a plan.”

“Which is what? I don’t want him challenging Samil, will the Council punish him?”

“I can’t say for sure. There’s a grey area when it comes to a Creator and his rights to his progeny.” He stood up and stretched his back to a lean arch. “We need to go. I’m supposed to drive you back this morning; he should be there now.”

“In a robe?”

“No I believe he’ll be dressed.”

“Your humor is legendary.”

Simon stood with his legs slightly apart staring down his nose. He looked nice today. Just a simple pair of jeans, a clean dress shirt with rolled up sleeves and a thin button down grey vest that wasn’t buttoned. I never imagined Simon in this style but I liked it. He looked like he stepped out of a catalogue.

“Stay right here.”

I peeked out the window and stared down 15 stories—we were in a high rise. “How did you get me up here without anyone noticing?” He strode out of the room without answering and my stomach gurgled again, but I wasn’t sure if it was hungry or having an argument with Granny Smith.

“Here you are.”

I spun around to a long trench coat held before me.

“Thank you Sir.” I slipped my arm into a sleeve. “What about shoes?” I stared down at my bare feet.

“Apologies love, my feet are too big.”

“Its winter out there, you know.”

“I will personally carry you every step of the way; you will never feel a moment of cold.”

“Well I guess you’ve thought of everything.” My hair fell over my face as I watched Simon fastening the buttons of my coat.

“Simon?”

“Hmm?”

“I just wanted to say thanks, and I’m sorry.”

He finished and pivoted around shaking his head in disapproval at my apology. Past the kitchen of modern conveniences, spices racks and a true sense that it was used to its fullest potential—was a hallway that led to the front door.

Simon opened a small closet and reached in, pulling out his leather coat. I knew something was humoring him while he zipped up the front. I poked my finger into that little cheek of his.

“What’s so funny?”

“I rather like the souvenir, adds a nice touch to my image,” he commented, tapping at the bite marks in the coat.

“What kind of image are you hoping to portray?”

“Irresistible?”

“Well, you don’t have to try much at that,” I said factually. Simon looked embarrassed and I grabbed his wrist. “Do me a favor, open the door again,” I said, pointing to the closet.

I was unable to decipher the look he gave me before he obeyed my request.

“
Holy
…you weren’t kidding!”

The inside of the closet was deep and lined with shelves on all three sides from ceiling to floor. I stared at shelves in amazement as each one held stacks of games and cards of every imaginable kind, many of which I did not recognize. This was no ordinary collection of games, this was an arsenal. Simon took geek to a fresh new level.

“Anytime you want to sink my battleship love, give us a shout.”

“Game on.”

***

The mystery of how Justus got his furniture in his underground dwelling was finally revealed. Simon drove to a back entrance I didn’t even know existed. In a very James Bond fashion, he clicked a button on his visor and we descended into the ground, which operated as a lift discreetly disguised. It went down just far enough that the car rolled through a tunnel and ended up in an indoor garage.

My jaw dropped.

One had to appreciate how much money Justus, or the Mageri, had at their disposal. I wondered why Justus went to such great lengths in designing the secrecy of his home. What was he hiding from? After seeing where Simon and Samil lived it was pretty obvious that living as a recluse wasn’t a prerequisite of being a Mage.

Thank God.

“Impressive.” I remarked.

“That’s definitely what
she
said,” he teased, and I groaned and his poorly chosen comeback.

Even more impressive was the car collection. Fuck James Bond, he had nothing on Justus. The brightly lit garage was filled with toys: a sleek black Porsche, a classic English car, Mercedes, most I couldn’t identify. In addition to the expensive models were sporty ones and a few motorcycles including a Ducati.

“Justus always had extravagant taste. He likes to collect.”

“I see. Where does he get the money for all of this?”

“He’s been Mage a long time, you tend to acquire money over the years, and he offers his services for compensation,” he said shutting his door. “We have positions within the Mageri. We do earn a respectable living.”

Once inside, we walked down a long hallway and ended up in a room I didn’t recognize. It was filled with bookshelves on one wall from floor to ceiling. Only these were not books for Mage schooling, but a private collection. Some were very old and there were a number of familiar titles.

Overhead, a beautiful chandelier that ran on electricity glowed, casting shadows on the wood floor. To the right was a desk, but what drew my attention was a commanding sword mounted on the wall behind it. There were a few photographs and a detailed tapestry.

It was a large oak desk. Nearing the edge, I ran my fingers along the wood and over the beautiful rich leather binding of a very weathered book. It was a deep red with a striking symbol adorning the cover. My fingers traced the grooves of a large round circle that reminded me of the one I saw on Justus’s business card—only this one had stunning detail. On the bottom right corner was a thinly embossed single word: HALO.

“Silver…” Simon urged.

“What’s HALO?”

“I can’t say. Come away from there.”

Something on the desk caught my attention. It was a picture frame, and the photograph displayed was me.

Me!

It was a candid photo that Adam took when we were in Memphis and I was sitting in tall grass.
Where the hell did he get that
?

“Let’s go, he doesn’t like anyone in here. I knew we should have taken the other passage.”

Hands in my deep pockets, I walked through a door and stood in the middle of Justus’s bedroom. I had only been in there once. It was very basic and similar to my room. An oversized bed covered with a red silk coverlet, an old black wardrobe with a mirror fixed on the front, and a black sofa. The walls were empty except for the candles. The door in which we stepped in was an oversized mirror mounted on the wall, when it clicked shut it was simply a mirror again.