City of Ghosts - Stacia Kane 6 стр.

Barely. But she still felt it.

The fire died. Elder Thompson said something else, too quietly for her to hear. The energy lifted; the First Elders disappeared, leaving only the purple circle glowing around them.

Elder Griffins hands on her shoulder urged her to lean back, to rest against his chest. Her breath hitched; she didnt want to cry, didnt mean to, but she couldnt help it, couldnt stop it. Thirty thousand dollars didnt seem like enough for what shed just given up. Even her faith in the Church, her trust in it, seemed to fade in light of what shed lost.

The circle disappeared; fresh air flowed into where it had been, dispersing the smoke. Through the last purplish tendrils of it she saw Lauren Abrams reappear, smiling slightly, looking down at Chess on the floor like that was just the right place for her.

That was enough for Chess. She shrugged Elder Griffins hands away, pushed herself to a stand on legs that threatened to give out on her. She couldnt do anything about the tears shed already shed, about her sweat-soaked dress clinging to her body or wet hair clinging to her skull. But she could damn well face Lauren on her feet.

Lauren smiled slightly, looked her up and down. You did well.

She fought me. Elder Thompson sank into a chair, pulled out a handkerchief and mopped his heavy brow. She almost broke out of the circle.

Laurens eyebrows lifted; she looked at Chess with new interest. Really.

Cesaria is very strong, Elder Griffin said, and Chess had to fight not to look at him. Not to go to him and let him hold her again. Shed nevernever had someone do that, not like that. Had never heard anyone talk about her with such pride in his voice.

That wasnt exactly true. One other person had done both of those things. But he never would again.

Well. Lauren dusted her hands together, as though she needed to wash them of Elder Griffins kind words. Now that its done, we have some things to discuss, dont we? 

Chapter Four

The picture slid across the polished wooden table, the images horror barely contained by the thin white edges of the paper. Chess looked at it, swallowed hard. Looked again.

He was found three days ago. Well  that much of him was. We expect an ID any moment. Laurens crisp, cool tones cut through Chesss anger, the overwhelming pity she felt, looking at the ruined body in the photograph. It was an effort not to leap across the table and smack her. How could she do that? How could she look at thatthat thing, that lump of flesh and goo that had once been a human being, and just move on with her pat little speech?

Down by the docks. I believe youre familiar with the area?

Chess nodded without thinking of it and reached out a tentative hand for the picture. Her dress was still wet; it clung coldly to her body. But that was not why she shivered.

Another picture slid over, knocked into the first one before Chess could touch it. Yesterday this turned up, farther south. Fifty-fifth and Brand. Several different victims this time, but not their whole bodies. Just what you see.

The slick photographic paper threatened to slice her fingers when she picked it up, angled it so she could get a better look. Not that she wanted to. But Lauren and the Elders watched her too closely, sat too silently and stiffly in their chairs. There had to be something they wanted her to seeto noticeand she wanted to know what it was.

Her gaze skittered over the picture, trying to take it in pieces, quadrants, to shield herself from the full horror of it. Across the top first, then down, the lower right corner, the

Raised black scars interrupted her wrists. Thick and straight, like railroad ties crossing her forearms. Sprouting from them were curving veins of dark purple in a lacy pattern up to her elbows, down over her palms.

Elder Griffin caught her look. Theyll disappear when the Binding Oath is lifted, he said. They remain simply as a reminder.

Yeah. Like she could fucking forget.

But she just nodded and continued, steeling herself for the full image, until finally she saw what they wanted her to see. It was barely visible, only a linear shadow in the darkness of the black-and-white gore. But it was there, and Chesss blood ran even colder than it had.

Fuck, she needed her pills. The Lamaru.

When no one responded she looked up. Right? The Lamaru are back. Thats what this is. Who did this.

Lauren nodded. We believe so, yes.

She reached down, lifted a thick file from her lap and plunked it onto the table. Weve received information that theyve re-formed themselves and are operating somewhere in the area known as Downside. Where you live, is that correct?

Yeah.

Excellent. So youll be an even bigger help than we thought. When shall I come down? Tonight? Are you free?

What? What the fuck? She was sticky with sweat, shed practically had a fucking breakdown, shed watched two Church employees dieand now Lauren Abrams, who hadnt been through any of that, thought Chess was going to invite her out to wander the streets of Downside? At night? And not even her own neighborhood, where she was relatively safe?

I asked if youre free tonight, Cesaria. Every minute we sit here is another minute the Lamaru could be working against us, you know. I think its best we start right away. Her eyelashes fluttered. Unless youre tired, of course.

Yeah, Chess was tired. Tired of being poked at by this irritating woman.

Tired physically? Another question entirely. She was exhausted. She was also holding. A couple of Nips, a nice fat line  She had enough pharmaceuticals and botanicals in her pillbox and back at her apartment to keep her wide awake for a week. Ha. The glories of modern living.

Im not tired at all, she said.

Good. Lauren spun the file; it skittered across the table and slammed into Chesss arms. The impact sent the tendrils of purple shifting and sliding, rearranging themselves. Her stomach gave a little twist. Quickly she flipped the file open, shoved the photos inside. She didnt want to feel them looking at her anymore, and she sure as fuck didnt want to watch the physical manifestation of the heavy magic in her system wiggle around below her skin like ringworms. Or worse.

The entire file buzzed with energy. Chess couldnt imagine what kind of shit lurked between those innocuous manila covers. Didnt want to imagine it.

And lucky her, she didnt have to, because she was going to become intimately familiar with every page, every word, every smear of darkness, every foul deed.

Just what she needed. More filth in her soul. Someday, maybe, she would explode from it; someday, maybe, every rotten thing that had ever been done to her and every rotten thing shed ever done would erupt from her in a fountain of sewage and sorrow, all those secrets she kept even from herself spilling out and adding to the muck she could never wash off no matter how hard she tried.

Shed never been bound by magic to keep those secrets. Just by her own shame.

Okay. Lauren rose from her seat, her right hand smoothing her skirt behind her. Shall we take my car, or

No. Oops, that came out a little too fast; Laurens eyebrows rose. Chess could practically see her nose pinch in, her mouth openingprobably to remind Chess that as a Third Inquisitor she was Chesss superior in rank, though not directly in department. I mean, I need my car, and I need to change out of this and take a shower. I have blood all over me. And some pills to take in private, but she didnt mention that. Her palms were starting to tingle, and she seriously needed some breathing room.

Ill follow you.

Oh, shit. Lauren in her apartment, Lauren poking around in her stuff? No way.

Actually, Lauren, you should probably change, too. The area were looking at isnt really the safest part of town

Im a member of the Black Squad, Cesaria. I think I can handle a few catcalls.

Oh, shit, again. Is that all the woman thought they were in for? A couple of street toughs grabbing their crotches and making kissy noises?

Seeing those pictures, finding out they were dealing with the Lamaruscary enough in and of itself, without the vendetta she had no doubt they were carrying against her personally for extra funwas bad. Realizing, as she looked into Laurens determined, arrogant face, that she was also dealing with a woman who had no concept of what they were about to get intothat was another thing entirely.

And there wasnt much Chess could say about it, because if she gave them too much information about Downside, they might rescind her permission to live there. And that didnt even bear thinking about.

I think its probably best if you wear better shoes for walking, she said finally. And jeans. Something more casual, you know? We dont want to attract attention if we can help it.

Lauren considered it for a minute. Fine. Ill go home and change. You do the same, and Ill meet you at your house in forty-five minutes.

It wasnt great, but it was better than nothing. Do you need my address?

Its in your file.

Oh. Right.

Lauren smirked and swung herself up from her seat. Be outside, if you dont mind. Id rather not have to waste time coming up to get you.

That remark, and several others, were still stewing in Chesss head when Lauren pulled her sports carcherry red, the perfect little princess vehicle for the Grand Elders perfect little daughterup onto the curb at the corner of Fifty-fifth and Brand. That lot, there, she said. Thats where they took the second picture.

Chess nodded and got out, taking a deep breath. The air stank, a vile, rotting scent from the slaughterhouse four blocks or so away. When the wind hit the deathhouse right all of Downside smelled like a burned-out plague pit in the summertime. And lucky her, this was one of those times.

She had to admit, though, it did have a few advantages over the cloying fragrance of perfume and bitch that filled Laurens tricked-out coupe. Like not having to sit right next to Lauren. Or not having to listen to Lauren talk. Or especially not having to listen to Laurens music.

Decaying carcasses were infinitely preferable to that, she thought, then regretted ita littlewhen she remembered why they were there. Her stomach, already a touch uneasy under its load of four Cepts and a couple of Nips, gave a slight protest; she popped the top of the Coke can shed grabbed for just that reason and poured some down her throat.