Angel of Death: Book One of the Chosen Chronicles (37 page)

Jeanie glanced from the Angel to Fernando and then back to the Angel, who quickly glanced away, as she slipped the coat on. Had things between them suddenly returned to the way they had been for the last four years? She had a horrible sense that not only had they, but somehow the distance between them seemed far greater.

She followed them out of the largest home she had ever been in and stood silently while Fernando hailed a cab. The sun having set only a short time ago left the sky inky blue with a smattering of stars. The Angel was firmly shut away under the cover of his hood. He did not say a word even as he helped her into the horse drawn carriage, his hand so cold against hers. She sat beside him and in the background of her thoughts she heard Fernando issue orders to take them to the docks before he too entered the cab.

They traveled in silence, each consumed in their own thoughts. He stared out of the carriage window, fully aware of the Noble’s gaze and the warm, inviting presence of Jeanie beside him. It did not take a genius to see that he was hurting her, and he foolishly rationalized that it was better to cause her pain now before he did something worse.

What he found was that he was hurting himself as well. The ache went deep and knew that if he could just reach out, even to give Jeanie some sense of reassurance, it would be well worth it and the knot in his gut would untie. If only Notus were around so that he could ask him for some advice. He discarded that notion immediately. Notus had never condoned fraternization of that type between mortal and Chosen. The Angel’s affair with Tarian’s granddaughter proved it. And Notus’ vocal disapproval of his Chosen being used and using mortal women to bury his feelings of loss and depression over Tarian’s granddaughter just emphasised the point quite clearly. Notus would probably be the last being on earth to give him the advice he craved.

With Tarian, the solution was simple and clear cut. He could not stay. With Tarian’s granddaughter, she was married to another and carrying her husband's unborn child. He could not take that away from her no matter how much they wanted to be together. The times were different and so was he. Fourteen hundred years changed a person in such minute ways that even he could not figure them all out.

An absurd thought appeared in his mind,
ask Fernando.
Sure, reveal something so significant to the most insensitive individual he had ever encountered, mortal or Chosen. He might as well tell the Noble about his reaction to iron and crossing water and therefore instantly sign his death warrant. No, he would have to follow his instincts concerning Jeanie.
Jeanie.
The thought of her plunged him into remorse and sent new fears through his mind.

Buildings and crowds of people quickly passed. Men in dark coats and bowlers, and women in dresses from the plain to the extravagant all blurred against the bright gas lit streets and pubs. The world had changed in remarkable ways and seemed to be shrinking and expanding. In the past the Chosen were easily hidden from mortal kind and moved around with comparative ease. With new inventions and creativity, the sights of mortal men were beginning to find their deepest secrets and bring them to light. It seemed that the Chosen had been brought to this light and were now being systematically eradicated, a thought that disturbed him greatly.

The blur of streetlights settled into a singular yellow glow and he realized that they had stopped. Buildings full of people taking their evening meals with friends could not stifle the yelling that was coming from the front, and he turned around to find he was alone with Jeanie. The question of the Noble’s disappearance faded before the words reached his lips. One of the people yelling outside was Fernando. The shouting ceased and the Noble re-entered, nearly shattering the door with slamming force.

“God damn it!” fumed de Sagres, settling back onto the bench. He encased himself in his cloak.

“What is it?” asked Jeanie. She had looked out the opposite window throughout the ride, afraid to look at the Angel and see the distance between them. She could feel his presence beside her as she kept her attention on the Noble.

“Those blasted automobiles shouldn’t be allowed on the roads!”

“What happened? Why are we not moving?” inquired the Angel.

“Well, I’m glad that you finally woke up,” snapped the Noble. “One of those goddamned machines came careening into the intersection where it slammed into a carriage, flipping it over and killing one of the horses, and maiming two others. They’ll probably have to be put down as well.”

“What happened to the driver?” asked Jeanie, her eyes shimmering with horror and worry.

“Which one?” rounded Fernando, “The carriage driver and his occupants are fine, but I wouldn’t say the same for the automobile driver. Daddy’s little rich boy made a wonderful stain on the road and his whore is being removed from the wreckage. Poor li’l thing lost her head.” He smiled exposing his pointed teeth. “We’ll be here until the mess is cleaned up.”

“When will that be?” asked the Angel. He wanted to get to the docks as soon as possible. Since the would-be captors knew of their escape and they may very well be on their trail, or worse, covering up one.

“What do I look like, your answer man? Half an hour, an hour, who the bloody hell knows.” Fernando settled back in the seat, brown eyes smouldering.

“We could walk,” he ventured.

“And do you think your pretty little housekeeper would be able to keep up? I think not.”

He turned to face out the window. Fernando was right, Jeanie’s presence was hindering their ability to act in ways that were normal to them, slowing them down, but he had made a promise, one he was starting to regret for more than one reason. He felt her shift on the seat, taking her farther away from him.

The idea of being in such close quarters with the Noble suffocated him and his only escape was to watch the people as they swarmed around the accident sight, ignoring the cold and the drizzle, curiosity seeking morbid entertainment.

Some things do not change,
he sighed.

A darting between clusters of onlookers caught his attention and focused it. Threading around couples and individuals, a boy of about nine, dressed in dirty, rumpled clothing and wearing a bowler hat too large for his size, appeared to be searching for someone or something. Those who bothered to notice the lad were repelled by his obvious foreignness and shooed him away. He knew it was he who Yi Li searched for. Turning to face Jeanie, oblivious of the situation, he realized he needed her help. The Angel could not become the centre of the mob’s attention and Fernando surely would not do this for him.

“Jeanie,” he spoke quietly and watched her startle and turn to face him, green eyes wide in expectation. It was invitation enough. “There is a Chinese boy over there, beside the blonde woman in the blue dress, grey coat and silver wrap. Do you see him?”

Jeanie followed the direction the Angel pointed and could barely make out the woman. It was clear that she had hoped for something more when he said her name and frowned when he tried to point the lady out. As for the boy, all she could see was a short, small shadow near the woman, and she nodded.

“What is this?” interrupted Fernando.

Ignoring the Noble, he continued. “Go to him and bid him to come here. The boy’s name is Yi Li. If he refuses or puts up a fuss tell him you are sent by me – the Angel. Do you understand?”

“Aye, but why?“

“Please, Jeanie,” he interrupted with a sigh, “just do as I ask.”

She closed her mouth and looked ready to give him an earful. Instead she got up and left the carriage to walk towards the boy. He watched her from the window and felt Fernando beside him, also watching the girl.

“Are you planning to feed with her here, and on a child she caught for you?” queried the Noble. “I wouldn’t have thought you the type.”

Repressing a shudder of revulsion at such close proximity to the Noble, he replied tersely, “I am not.”

Jeanie had just made contact with Yi Li, and as expected the boy initially put up resistance. Now he followed at her side, Jeanie’s face a menagerie of anger, embarrassment and amusement.

“Then what’s the boy for?” asked Fernando.

“We agreed last night that we should find out how the herbs work.” He watched Jeanie come closer, walking in between people coming to see the gruesome show.

“Yes, but how does the boy fit in?” Fernando was now genuinely confused.

“His mother is a master herbalist, as is his grandfather,” he answered and sat back from the window in time for Jeanie to open the coach door, allowing the boy to enter first.

The boy’s face was smudged with grime and his wool clothing sported patches of dried mud. A bruise on his left cheek revealed itself when Yi Li tipped the brown hat back far enough to look at the cowled Angel and at the man who was not the Good Father. His smile of perfect white teeth slipped only momentarily before taking in the fact that he was in an expensive cab. He ignored the sound of the door closing behind and the jostle of the carriage as the lady sat beside the Angel.

His large slanting brown eyes came to rest on the Angel.

“You sent pretty lady to get me.” The boy’s accent was thick and smug for one so young. “You smarter than I thought.”

“I am glad to hear that, Yi,” replied the Angel, softly, the persona of the Angel enveloping him completely. “You were looking for me?”

Yi Li nodded, sending his hat down over his face. Jeanie stifled a laugh at the boy’s predicament before he managed to push it back so that he could see again and lost his grin at the sight of Noble’s scowling face.

“Why are we wasting our time with this urchin?” spat Fernando.

“You not so nice,” rounded Yi Li. “Need to laugh more.” He forced a staccato belly laugh. “You laugh like that, you won’t be so constipated.”

“Why you –” Fernando made to reach for the boy but found himself thrust onto the bench with a thud. He glared at the Angel. Was everyone under the protection of the blasted Angel?

“You were looking for me, Yi?” he repeated. Again the boy nodded, this time the smile was gone. “That is fortuitous. I need the services of your mother, or better yet, your grandfather.”

A panicked glint alighted Yi Li’s eyes. “That’s why I look for you. I went to your home. Nobody there. I had to search and search.”

He frowned beneath the hood. How could Yong Zheng Ru or Mei Li know his need? It may well be because it has been – what? – two nights since his last lesson with the old man, when he usually visited every evening, even if it were to talk for an hour. He sat quietly waiting for Yi Li to continue.

“Mama say you come quick,” implored the boy.

“What is it?” Concern needled into him. It was not Mei Li’s way to call for him.

“Grandfather needs the Angel.” Tears welled into Yi Li’s eyes, yet did not fall. “Grandfather in bad accident,” he choked back a sob. “Got hit by a runaway horse.”

The reality of the boy’s words slowly sank in and to the shock of the others, he pounded on the roof shouting new orders for the driver to turn around and drive, as fast as the horses could pull, to another destination. The carriage gave a lurch and threw Yi Li next to a bewildered Noble. Jeanie grabbed hold of the handle hanging from the side lest she be thrown to the floor and stared at the Angel wondering what possessed him.

He ignored them, his crimson eyes echoed fear into the night beyond the carriage window.

The carriage came to an abrupt halt and gratefully the four piled out onto the sidewalk. Battered and dishevelled from the frantic ride, the Angel followed Yi Li through the unnamed blackened storefront without remembering to wait for the other two.

Through the small herb shop lined with walls stocked with hundreds of herbs and the back room they went. Only the sound of their hurried footfalls rang in the air until he threw open a door leading into a dimly lit stairwell that ascended over the shop. Voices and laughter echoed down the hall as well as a strange smell. He made one last check that his hood was in place and climbed the steep staircase, taking the steps three at a time. The sound of Jeanie’s harried breath mingled with the voices of the people lounging on cushions in a smoke filled atmosphere as they reached the top.