Ripper (The Morphid Chronicles Book 2) (9 page)

In the meantime, Danata didn’t need to know how lightly he had taken her order.

“An order,” he repeated, locking eyes with the Regent. He wanted to laugh in her face. “Very well, my
Regent.
”

A wave of tense animosity passed between them. The time to break paths was near. He wondered if she sensed it.

Chapter 9 - Greg

Greg couldn’t believe this was happening.

Tired of holding back, he’d thrown all sense out the window and told Sam he loved her. The fear of her reaction had kept him silent for so long that he never imagined this could be the outcome. He’d held back saying the words out loud, thinking the admission would go against her Morphid instincts and incite a total freak out and outright rejection.

Instead, this . . . because of three simple—even if difficult—words.

It had been all she’d needed to break the barrier that had stood between them. If only he’d known, the heartache it would have saved them both!

Music and excited shouts came from downstairs, reaching him with a muffled quality,
almost
reminding him that there was a world outside these four walls, outside this bed. His vision, his sense of smell and taste had tunneled—his entire being a compass set on a single course to the happiest night of his life.

Greg deepened his kiss, sensing Sam’s acceptance like never before. Always he had felt an invisible hand pushing him away as soon as things started to heat up between them. Always she had turned her face away, had pressed a rigid hand against his chest, had made him feel unworthy and miserable.

But not now.

No. What he sensed now was completely different, so inviting, that it took all his willpower to keep a civilized pace. Not that she was making it easy with her curious hands dancing across his torso, becoming more daring by the minute, igniting his blood and tripling his desire.

Breathless, he pressed his cheek to her neck and felt her pulse pounding wildly. He trailed a path of kisses down to her clavicle, disbelieving this closeness, this shared single-mindedness and purpose.

They were one. Finally.

So sweet. So beautiful and delicious.

Greg lay a hand to Sam’s stomach, in the gap between her cropped top and sexy-as-hell mini-skirt. Her skin was feverish and pushed fiercely against his touch as she arched her back. His fingers dipped lower, reaching the point of no return. Heaven just a few minutes away.

Then his heart slammed to a stop, cutting his next breath short and freezing his searing blood in a split second.

What the hell?

He shuddered at the cold stab of fear in the back of his neck, and before he realized he’d made the decision, he was on his feet, heart beating, brimming with a different kind of wildness.

No. No. No.

Sam shrank, embarrassed. “What is it? Did I do something wrong?”

He shook his head, glanced toward the window, then the door. Sam sat up, a million emotions playing on her face. She hugged her knees. Her eyes wavered.

“Tell me it’s not what I’m thinking,” she begged.

Greg picked up his t-shirt and, before he slipped it on, his instincts cleared and flashed a warning in front of his eyes—a message that, in the depths of his blind desire for Sam, he had failed to see. She was in danger. Someone was near and their intentions were not good.

Stupid, stupid and careless.

“We have to get back to my apartment. This place isn’t safe anymore,” he said.

A tear slid down Sam’s cheek.

Greg’s insides twisted at the sight of her fear and pain. They’d always known this day would come. Still, that didn’t mean they would ever be ready to leave everything behind. Yet, the time was here.

Chapter 10 - Ashby

The air around Ashby crackled and shimmered as Perry Hambleton, his advising Sorcerer, uttered the transport spell. His skin tingled with invisible needle pricks. At least he hadn’t needed to drink the nasty green potion—not while wearing the transport amulet Perry had prepared and just given him.
The ugly thing, a skull with red jewel eyes, could absorb and store the magic needed for any trip, even one across continents. Perry explained it was weaker than swallowing the potion, which could spread through the body for better magic absorption but, at least, it didn’t taste like rotten snot.

He tightened his grip around it. His stomach twisted. His head swam with dizziness.

I’m not ready for this
.

He was weak and light-headed, but really had no choice. His mother wanted him to wait, and he knew what that meant. It was a necessity to go straight away, before she could carry out whatever scheme she had brewing.

After a loud pop sounded inside his head, Ashby knew they’d arrived. He opened his eyes and found himself outside, under the shade of a staircase. Shadows concealed their presence, though, at the moment, no one was around to see them. The apartment complex was quiet, everyone inside their units or out for the night, he supposed.

Ashby waited for that familiar pull to show him which way to go, but there was nothing. He had no more inkling as to where he might find Sam. Pressing a hand to an adjacent wall, he steadied himself, feeling adrift, a lost bloodhound without its sense of smell to guide him home.

“Are you all right?” Perry asked, eyebrows pinched together in concern. For once, he wasn’t being an obnoxious ass. Ashby was grateful for it. He didn’t have the energy to deal with that.

“I’m fine.”

“Strengthening potion working?”

“It’s helping.”

After talking to his mother, he’d immediately summoned Perry to his room. The young Sorcerer had come quickly, bursting through the door without knocking.

“You’re awake,” he’d exclaimed, panting for breath. “God, I thought you’d never . . .”

He surprised Ashby by walking up to him and trapping him in a fierce embrace. “I’m so glad to see you,” he said, his voice hoarse with emotion.

Ashby patted his back awkwardly, thinking the display unnecessary. To him it seemed like they’d been together just yesterday, sneaking out of the castle to find Sam and avoid detection from Danata. His friend’s rare show of affection, however, indicated quite the opposite and reminded him that much had transpired during the time he’d been unconscious.

“Fates! You need a few good meals. A strengthening potion, perhaps?”

“What happened, Perry?” Ashby had asked, pulling away. “Tell me, what happened? I woke up and everything was . . . gone. My mother has lied to me. I’m sure of it. Tell me, where is Sam? Why did she leave me?”

Perry shook his head and stepped away, averting his eyes. “I couldn’t tell you, even if I wanted to. I wasn’t there, remember? You sent me away to remove the memory spells I’d cast on Sam’s family and friends. When I got back, Greg and Sam were running away. They told me . . . they told me . . .” He shook his head and rubbed his forehead.

“They told you what?”

“I can’t remember. It’s all vague and blurry in my mind, like—”

“Like a memory spell,” Ashby finished for him.

It was a good thing protection spells had been placed on Ashby at birth, else Danata would have probably ordered Veridan to obliterate Sam from his mind, as well.

“Yeah. Veridan must have wiped it all away. That bastard.” Perry’s eyes burned with fury. “He must have used something powerful to be able to get through the wards Portos placed on me. All I know is what they told me. That you were in a coma, that Sam refused to help you and left with Greg, that Portos helped them leave and now he’s gone, too. I don’t know.”

“Did you try to—?”

“I know what you’re going to ask. No, I didn’t try to get in contact with Sam. The Regent forbade it, said she’d consider it treason. I’ve been close to disobeying several times. And I probably would have. Eventually.”

“What about Portos and Uncle Bernard? How is their absence being explained?”

“It isn’t. There are rumors. Some people say Greg killed them, others that Sam healed your uncle and he left in search of his wife and baby daughter. They say his vinculum was broken and Sam fixed it.” Perry let out a derisive laugh. “Who believes that rubbish?”

“I do,” Ashby said.

For the next hour, Ashby had related to Perry what the Regent had done to him. He explained she was a Ripper, a vile monster who hadn’t thought twice before severing his connection to Sam. He told him about the aimlessness and emptiness inside of him, the proof of the existence of vinculums, no matter if the concept was only a fairy tale to most Morphids, something to believe in, the way humans believe in souls and the holy spirit.

None of that mattered, because it was true. All of it. And if that was possible, then anything was. Especially the likelihood that his mother was lying and Sam was out there, waiting for him to set everything right. Then, he told him about Roanna and Bernard, and how Danata had stolen the Regency from her sister. Hardest of all was explaining Sam’s caste, and how she had apparently healed Bernard, but not him.

When he was done, convincing Perry to commit treason had been easy.

“Of course I’ll help,” Perry had said. “I’m tired of sitting here doing nothing while our world twists and turns all around me. If it’s true that your aunt is alive and Sam set her and your uncle right, hell is coming this way. We’d better be ready and on the right side of the flames when it arrives.”

So they had sneaked out of the castle with the help of one of the maids, a young, redheaded girl named Xasdia, who Perry had slept with a few months back.

“I think it’s this way,” Perry said, stepping out from under the staircase to which he had transported them, next to an apartment building.

Ashby stumbled, following his friend.

High-pitched voices ahead gave them pause. They waited as a group of kids rounded the corner. A little girl sparkled under the light of a street lamp. She wore a fluffy gown and wings. A boy dressed in a ghastly green outfit growled at them, while another wearing a black cape smiled and extended a bucket in their direction. Ashby stared, mystified by the eeriness of the moment.

“Trick or treat,” the kids chanted in unison.

“Oh, yeah,” Perry said. “It’s Halloween. Hold on a minute, kids.” He turned his back on them and surreptitiously reached for his pendant. After a silent incantation, he faced the children again and bared his teeth, growling like a werewolf. His eyes were now entirely black and his mouth filled with long, bloodied fangs.

The kids stood frozen for a split second, then let out a collective scream and ran the way they’d come, calling for their mums.

Perry laughed as if he’d played the most brilliant joke ever. Ashby watched him with detachment, not even bothering to reprimand him for his childish behavior. There seemed to be little of Ashby’s past self left behind. No merriment or zeal of any kind. Only a vicious fury and lust for revenge, inspired and stoked by his mother and Veridan.

Still chuckling, Perry signaled him forward. “Come on. Sam’s flat is in this building.”

Ashby looked up. The building had three stories and very many doors and windows. He vaguely remembered being here once and could only be grateful for Perry’s presence and help.

As they approached the building, something stirred in Ashby’s stomach. Nerves, if only enough to cause a tiny fluttering. It was good to feel something. Maybe, as time went by, he would feel more like himself.

Suddenly, it occurred to him that Danata could have hurt Sam. Or that Greg, in an effort to keep her to himself, could have taken her away, never to be found. His nerves turned to fear. He took a deep breath and tried to push the negative emotions away.

She will be there. Unharmed.

Looking in every direction as if expecting trouble, they walked to the last door on the first floor.

“Won’t you make that go away?” Ashby gestured toward Perry’s face.

He shrugged. “Why? It’s Halloween.”

Before, Ashby would have ordered him to set his face right. Now, wasting what little strength he had over such a trifling thing seemed ridiculous. He shrugged.

“All right, let’s hope she’s here.” Perry knocked on the door.

After a few seconds, a woman wearing a baggy, blue garment opened the door and looked them up and down. She was holding a plastic cauldron full of candy in one hand.

“Aren’t you guys a little too old for trick or treating,” she asked, looking amused.

“Never too old,” Perry said, reaching a hand toward the candy pot.

The woman smiled in a friendly manner and allowed Perry to pick whatever he wanted.

“Butterfingers are my favorite.” He took a couple of them and thanked her with his most charming smile.

“Do you want some?” The woman pushed the candy in Ashby’s direction.

“No, thank you. We are actually looking for Sam. Is she here?” Ashby held his breath, as the woman looked him up and down once more.

“Haven’t I met you before?” she asked, frowning.

Ashby cocked his head to one side, trying to remember if they’d ever been introduced.

“Yes,” Perry answered for him. “Well, not properly. We were here once, visiting Sam. I think it was back in the picnic area.” He unwrapped one of the chocolates and popped it in his mouth.