Keeper of Destinies, page 12
part #5 of Graveyard Guardians Series
“All right.” Jack turned to face the others. “You guys ready to meet Lou?”
Liv shook her head. “This guys name is Lou? How do you know a guy named Lou who lives in the boonies? I thought you were a spoiled, rich, brat.”
“I was. This place may not be a mansion in the city, but Lou is a genius at brewing his own booze. I like to party … well, I did, so I decided it was a good idea to make this guy my friend. Turns out, I actually like the guy and besides Aiden,” Jack’s eyes slid over his blond Reaper counterpart, “he is one of the only friends I’ve ever had.”
The sound of barking dogs began to echo through the night. When Greg peeked through the window beside the door, he saw two black labs running toward the RV. “And those two,” Jack explained, gripping the door handle, “are Sonny and Cher.” With that, he threw open the door and headed for the dogs who were still barking like crazy.
Liv giggled. “Cute names.”
Aiden raised a brow. “Wait until you meet them. They will make you fall in love with them.” His voice was gruff and sounded almost angry.
“Wow,” Liv shoved his shoulder. “I think you have a thing for cute puppies.”
“Never. I don’t like animals.”
“Liar. Sonny and Cher probably have you in their pocket. I’d bet on it.”
Aiden glared and then turned away from her. “You’d lose.” He said the words, but they had no strength behind them. Without another word from her, he stepped out of the RV and the dogs, who were currently jumping up on Jack and begging for pets, seemed to catch Aiden’s scent and abandoned Jack. The two barreled into Aiden’s legs. To Greg’s, and everyone else’s astonishment, before Sonny and Cher could jump up on him, he knelt down onto the grass so that he was eye level with the two animals.
“Holy shit.” Liv shook her head as if trying to clear her vision. “My stone cold killer has a soft spot for dogs.”
Greg laughed, but he was thinking the same thing. “Everyone has a weakness,” Greg pointed out.
“Well, not to be arrogant but I thought that was me.”
Greg laughed again, this time louder. “Really, Liv.”
“No, seriously, he even said those very words to me. I don’t care, I’m just surprised is all.”
“Let’s go meet Sonny and Cher … and Lou.” Greg held the door open and let Liv out first. Then he turned to find Emily, who had remained so silent that she practically blended into the walls. “Hey. You okay?”
She stood in the shadows but he could see her nod. “I think I’m still pretty tired. I just need to wake up a little bit more.”
He held out his hand. “Well, let’s go meet Lou and the dogs.” Without hesitating, she moved forward and entwined her fingers with his. That made him feel good, that she trusted him, that she didn’t shy away from him anymore. She wasn’t a weak person, but she was definitely not used to touch or much interaction, so it meant a lot that she would not even think twice about taking his hand now.
As they exited the vehicle, they saw a man who looked to be about fifty or so. He was wearing a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt and a green ball cap with a tractor on it. He hurried down the porch steps of the cabin. “Jackson!” the man called out with a slight southern accent. “Hell, it has been too long!”
“Lou.” Jack strode over to greet him. “It definitely has. I’ve been out of state, as you know.” Jack moved to shake hands with Lou, but the older man grabbed his hand and yanked, pulling Jack in for a bear hug.
Greg almost laughed as he watched Jack visibly tense and then relax as Lou released him. “Well, now, let’s get you guys inside. It’s a bit late … or early, but y’all are welcome to a drink. I also have coffee, if that’s what suits you.” He scanned the group of them. “Oh, I see the kids found Aiden.” He nodded at where Aiden was still rolling around on the ground with Sonny and Cher.
Jack rolled his eyes. “Of course. So, Lou, I’d like you to meet the Estmonds.” He pointed as he went along. “Greg, Dan, James and Liv. There are more of them, Lucy, Hannah and Steph are back at their place. And this,” he motioned with his hand, “is Emily. She is a Seer and she is the reason we’re here.”
Lou performed a slight bow. “I’m pleased to meet you all. Now let’s take this inside where we can see each other’s faces.” He whistled for the dogs and both labs immediately abandoned Aiden and bolted toward their master. He led the way into the small home, with everyone following along after him.
Inside, it was bigger than it looked on the outside. An open floor plan and a high ceiling with a loft on one half of the cabin, helped open up the space and give it a bright, airy feel. “All right, let’s settle in the living room where there is enough space for us all to sit.” Lou gestured toward the leather couches and chairs that surrounded an open fireplace.
Greg chose a spot on one of the couches and Emily squeezed in next to him, with James on the other side of her. Aiden stood near the door while Liv chose a chair. Dan took the other recliner while Lou pulled up one of the chairs from the kitchen table. “Jack?”
“No, thanks, I’ll stand.”
Lou shrugged and sat down in the chair himself. The dogs lay down near the door where Aiden was posted.
“So,” Lou took a moment to run his gaze over everyone in the group. “You all are going to go take out the Empress, huh?”
All heads swung toward Jack. He had told this guy what they were doing? How could he just leak that sensitive information? “Jack!” Greg hissed.
Jack held up his hands defensively. “Relax. It’s okay. We can trust Lou and he’s going to help us.”
Liv’s eyes were wide. “Why would he help us?” She turned, her question directed at Lou.
The older man took off his ball cap and smoothed back his dark brown hair that had streaks of gray running through it. He set it on the shiny wooden coffee table and let out a long sigh.
“I have been privy to the existence of Reapers …” he met Liv’s gaze straight on, “and Keepers, for a long time now.” I had a girlfriend, soul sucking bitch, and yeah that isn’t a pun. She was literally a soul sucking bitch. Anyway, she was a Reaper. Of course, I didn’t know it right away. It’s a long and fucked up story, but the gist of it is that she was taking a bit of my soul every day. Like … poisoning me. You ever seen those shows where a spell or something makes someone old or younger than they really are, well here is living proof that shit isn’t limited to fairy tales.”
Greg couldn’t see anything wrong with Lou, except that he had some wrinkles and his skin had taken on that dry appearance that older people sometimes had.
“I don’t know how old you are, but you don’t look old.” James told Lou. “I’m assuming that taking a soul isn’t going to make you younger, so I went with older.”
Lou nodded. “Correct. Taking bits of a soul here and there won’t hurt a human. But if it is done every single day for an extended period of time, that will definitely have repercussions. And you’re looking at mine.” He gestured to his body. “I know I look older, but I am actually twenty-eight.”
Greg sucked in his breath. How in the world could that be? He had never heard of this happening before. Granted, he didn’t have a full education on soul sucking, even though he was a Keeper, but this was crazy.
The rest of the group stared, wide eyed, as Lou finished up his story. “So anyway, I only found out because this guy,” he gestured to Jack, “caught her doing it one day and filled me in on what was happening to me. That was when I found out about Reapers. I learned about the Keepers much later. The reason I am helping you all with the Empress is because Jack told me everything that has happened and that his wife and baby are in danger from his own mother.”
Greg didn’t miss the wife part of that sentence. Although Lucy and Jack weren’t married yet, he still found it hard to believe that someday his baby sister would take Jack’s name and no longer be an Estmond.
“Dang, Lou.” James frowned. “That is a super shitty story. I wish there was a way to like, reverse the effects for you.”
“Eh, don’t worry about me. I’ve gotten used to it now and things could definitely be worse. I’m alive, got my place and my dogs, run my business … I don’t need much more.”
Greg also wished they could do something to help. It was his job, their job, to protect souls from the Reapers. That meant souls of the living as well. Yet, there was nothing that they could do to help him.
Lou took a moment and let his gaze sweep over the group. “In any case, you guys need help and I have the means to provide that. So, let’s go over the plan.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
CAMILLE
Even though it was almost winter, the Florida air was warm. She strode across the concrete surrounding the pool, making her way to the table where she intended to sit and enjoy the sunshine. Her sheer black pantsuit was cool enough for outdoors, and she was glad for the thin fabric that let the breeze touch her skin.
She had nearly made it to the table when the cell phone in her hand buzzed, indicating a call. Glancing at the screen, she saw that it was Travis.
“Travis,” she greeted him. “How are things in Summer Hollow? Do you have any further confirmation on the Keeper’s pregnancy?”
“Yes, Empress.”
“Well…”
“I saw her leaving a doctor’s office with a police officer. Again, she appeared to be pregnant, from the looks of her belly. Other than that, no confirmation, but I believe that we can guess that is why she would be at the doctor.”
“Hmm, yes. That does add to the theory.”
“I haven’t seen all of them. Some of the Keepers went somewhere in an RV.”
“What?” She perked up. “When.”
“I didn’t actually see them leave. I saw the motorhome was there and then when I came back it was gone and since then I have only seen three sisters and the blond one around. Plus that police officer who seems to live there.”
“So, you don’t know for sure when they left, or even if they left at all?”
“No ma’am.”
“There hasn’t been any indication of where they might have gone?”
“No ma’am.”
Camille drew in a deep breath and bit her lip as she tried to hold back her frustration. He was doing his job, even if he seemed incompetent at times, he was doing what he was told and bringing her information. She knew about the Keeper being pregnant now and that was important.
“Do you want me to remain here?” The young Reaper sounded as if he’d rather chew off his own arm than stay in Summer Hollow.
“Yes. Travis, the information you are gathering is important. Let me know immediately if you see the others return or if you see or hear anything you feel might be valuable.
“Yes Empress.”
Camille clicked the button on her phone to end the call and then finally took a seat at the table. She stared out at the still, aqua pool water, thinking. Why would the family separate at a time like this? These Keepers have been on high alert, fighting back and protecting their own, yet they left the Chosen One with only a few others to help guard her.
Perhaps it was time to launch a kidnapping on her again.
She quickly dismissed that idea. She didn’t want to have that sassy mouthed Keeper under her care any longer than needed. The last time they had Lucy Estmond it had been a total fiasco. No, she would wait. She had time and she needed to prepare for when the time came.
Not to mention preparations that needed to be made for the child. She would need to find a midwife and order the necessities for a home delivery. The midwife would need to be one who could properly deliver a baby, yet be easily paid off. Hopefully she wouldn’t have a hard time finding one who needed the money more than she cared about her morals.
Her son was another story. She had to get him out of the picture before she could get her hands on the Keeper.
It was a shame that Jackson hadn’t turned out better, and she wished that she could leave him be to live his life as a drunk man whore. The moment he aligned himself with the Keepers was the moment that she knew he was going to only cause her more problems.
As long as he was one of them, she could not allow him to live.
Sometimes she wondered how she had become so heartless, but that thought never lasted very long. Her heartlessness had gotten her where she was in life. Empress of the Reapers. She had not become so powerful because she was kind and caring.
She lifted her phone and began a web search for local midwives.
Better get started sooner rather than later.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
GREG
Greg rode in the passenger seat in Lou’s beat up old black Jeep. Jack drove, but Dan and Emily had folded themselves up in the back seat. Lou followed behind them in his truck, with Aiden, Liv and James riding with him because there was obviously no room in the Jeep.
They had talked out the plan the night before and as much as Greg, or any of them for that matter, didn’t like it, they figured the best course of action was for Jack to walk right up to the front door.
There was a plan beyond that, but they needed to get Jack inside so that he could distract his mother and whoever else might be there. They could only hope that she didn’t have time to kill him before they were able to set the plan into motion.
The sun was setting and the sky had transformed from a bright blue into a beautiful blanket of orange and pink. He had the window down all the way, letting in the evening breeze and silently thanked the Lord that it was late fall. If it had been summer, he felt certain that he would have died from the humidity. California was hot, but there was a definite difference in the type of hot he was experiencing here.
Jack stayed on the highway, bypassing the busiest parts of the city. Eventually, the terrain around them became less populated and he turned onto a lane where the homes, if you could call big ass mansions homes, were located. Many of them were far off the road and hidden by hedges and gates.
Greg kept expecting Jack to stop anytime, but it didn’t happen. The Reaper stared ahead, his expression stoic. He was amping himself up for what lay ahead. Greg knew this because he was doing the same thing.
The sun had dropped out of sight and full darkness now enveloped them. After a while, Jack pulled into a small, deserted playground and found a spot where headlights from the road would not touch the vehicle. “We walk from here.” He shifted into park and swung the door of the Jeep open. Once he was out, he flipped the seat forward to open the way for those in the back.
Greg got out and looked around. “Hey man, you sure that this is a good place to leave the cars?”
“Yeah,” Jack nodded. “In this neighborhood, the only time the park is used is during the day when parents bring their kids. This isn’t the kind of place where teens hang out all night long doing drugs and partying. Any kids in this area who are into that probably already have their own cars or their friends do, or their parents aren’t home, so the last place they want to hang is a kiddie playground. As long as we keep to the back side away from the road, we should be fine.”
Lou had pulled in next to them and everyone was getting out.
“Besides,” Jack added. “Lou will radio or call if anything looks compromised here.”
“Okay. As long as you’re sure, then I’m good.”
Silently, everyone went about checking their gear. Aiden hefted two large, black backpacks out of the back of the truck and handed one to Greg. Before he slipped his arms into the straps, he said a silent prayer that what was in the bag would not prematurely end his life. But, out of everyone there, he would rather that he carried it instead of one of his family or Emily.
Once it was secure on his back and tightened so it didn’t jiggle too much, he turned to face the group. “Are we ready?”
Everyone nodded and there were some murmured comments in the affirmative.
“Lou, you good?”
“You bet.” Lou adjusted his hat. “I’ll keep you informed.”
After a quick glance at his sister and brothers, he looked to Emily. She had her hair pulled back into a thick braid and wore all black. She didn’t look scared or nervous at all, which surprised him, since he was both and he was sure that he wasn’t hiding it very well.
“Let’s hit it,” Aiden said as indication to get the show on the road.
Jack was the first to start walking, leading the way and taking them through the park instead of out to the sidewalk.
It was night, which they had needed for the cover of darkness to avoid being seen by any humans that might be out and about. But they definitely needed the extra help with getting into the home of the Empress undetected. The problem with that was that their auras were highly visible in the dark.
So, everyone but Emily had on sweatshirts with the hoods up and gloves pulled over their hands. These precautions didn’t completely cover the auras, as their faces were still exposed, but it definitely helped.
Once they cleared the park, they crossed a dark and deserted street, lit only by the halogen street lamps high above them, and walked behind the hedge of a property that appeared to be up for sale.
“That’s it.” Jack halted and pointed.
In the distance was a gated and brightly lit mansion that was easily double the size of the ones they had passed on their way here. The property around it was a huge expanse of lawn with palm trees scattered here and there. The fence that lined the property was about six feet tall, iron, and had those little spikes on the top of each bar.
“I’m going to the front from here,” Jack whispered. “Aiden will lead you guys around back.”
Aiden shoved his way through the group and lunged at Jack. Wrapping his arms around his lifelong friend. “Listen bro. You be careful in there. We have your back, we just need time to get in there. Just be careful.”
Jack returned the hug, taking care to be gentle with Aiden’s backpack. “You too,” Jack growled, his voice sounding as if he were trying to hold back his emotions. “I’ve got this.”
