Chapter Three
Hex looked over at Eddie's dead body with a certain feeling of loathing. He considered moving it somewhere less obvious but when three, perfectly timed knocks, were heard the thought left his mind.
He reached forward and opened the door.
Emla Thorne stood at the doorway, looking as calm and composed as ever. Her body was poised and elegant as she regarded him momentarily through those clear hazel eyes.
Then she tossed her head and sent waves of black hair across her shoulders. "Hex." She said the word with a tone of authority and distaste. The look on her perfectly boned face imitated her voice. The small curl of her lip in disdain could not be mistaken.
"Emla," Hex returned with a mocking smile. "Long time no see. So, why did you have to ruin it?"
"I don't usually make house calls," Emla ignored his comments. She stepped into the room and looked around. Her eyes rested on the dead body of Hex's former drug peddler for a brief moment before she disregarded it and continued her sweep of the apartment.
"Why am I so unlucky to be the exception?" Hex asked, for once faintly curious.
Emla turned to him and the subzero temperature in her eyes almost sent Hex a step back. Her face was blank except for a cool glitter in her eyes.
"You've got something I want, Redfern," she replied softly. "And I want it bad."
"If you wanted to sleep with me, Thorne," Hex snapped sarcastically. "You just had to ask."
Emla's lips twitched into the beginnings of a smile. "What would the lovely Iris Auroch have to say about that, Hex?"
Hex felt a coldness sweep his body. He visibly tensed at her use of Iris' full name. "What do want with me?"
Emla laughed and ran a finger across the top of his gigantic stereo. She pulled her finger back and inspected it. "Clean? That's a surprise," she commented absently. She looked up at him again sharply. "I notice that that's something you've not been keeping. With the law I mean."
Hex followed her gaze until he reached Eddie's broken body on the floor. It was as he left it but he got the feeling that Emla was using the dead figure as an example of what he himself could end up like.
"Cut to the chase and go for gold, Emla. If I'm right, I assume this house call isn't just to catch up on old times. What is it you want?"
Emla paused as her icy gaze once again scanned the room. She spun on her heel and turned back to him. "I want the Book of Vlath."
"The Book of Vlath?" Hex repeated stupidly. "I take it that's not a cook book."
"Where is it?" She snapped.
"I don't have it."
"No," she corrected. "Intelligence and any form of table manners you don't have. The book however, is here and I know it."
"Check you're information again, Thorne, because I don't have it. Now you're cramping my style and I have an appointment to keep."
"The only appointment you have is a private meeting with my stake. Where is it?"
Emla's voice was growing increasingly in volume and demand. It struck Hex as slightly worrying that Emla's usual impeccable manner was beginning to fade before his eyes. Whatever this book was it must be important.
"Who are you getting it for?" He demanded.
He watched as Emla started rummaging through drawers and under the couch in a desperate attempt to find her coveted prize.
"The council," she snapped as she threw cushions over her shoulder. "Two of us have been hired to find it and I swear to God if that bastard Declan Strartus gets to it before I do, I'll kill someone. You're running high on the list."
"Declan Strartus?"
"*Yes, Declan Strartus!*" Emla yelled.
Hex looked shocked. Emla Thorne had just risen her voice above the normal whisper of conversation. That was a definite no no in her book of etiquette and a definite first as far as Hex knew.
He had known Emla from a few operations that they'd been on together ages ago and they'd never taken to each other. She had been focused on nothing but the missions and he'd always had Iris.
"There's more to competition in this isn't there?" Hex asked softly. He still hadn't moved and while Emla was throwing everything her hands touched, he wasn't about to either.
Emla's shoulders slumped and she lifted her head to reveal a face that was bleak and tired. She brushed her hair back with one hand and went shakily to her feet.
"We signed a blood contract together."
Hex' eyes widened. "You did what?"
Emla looked away then nodded dismally. "A year ago Declan killed my sister and for a year I've been gunning for him but I can't get anywhere near him let alone within distance of a stake." She looked away from his startled eyes. "When this contract came up for offer I took it. As long as I get the book before Declan does I'm safe and he's dead."
"Did you even read the small print?" Hex demanded. "You know that if Declan gets this 'book' first you've got a giant branch with your name on it headed for more than your aorta. What the hell are you doing Emla?"
The girl's eyes brimmed with tears that her pride would never let her allow to fall. It was enough to prove to Hex just how desperate she was. "She was my only family and he killed her, Redfern. I have to avenge that for my honor's sake and my sanity's."
"You're not playing with fire, Emla, you're playing with a bloody inferno. Declan is the best hitman in the entire Night World and in a society as twisted as ours that's saying a fucking lot. The guy's one sandwich short of a picnic to say the least."
Emla sniffed back her tears and her eyes clear. Her lids opened to reveal hazel eyes of brilliant clarity and they were filled with new strength and determination. She lifted her chin in defiance and her shoulders straightened proudly.
"He's dead. He doesn't know it yet but he's living on borrowed time."
Hex shook his head slowly. The only thing he could say to that was that obviously Emla was delusional but under the circumstances he thought it best to keep his mouth shut for once.
"You really don't have it?" Emla asked one last time. Her eyes bore into his.
He shook his head. "I really don't have it."
"I'll take your word for it now," she promised hesitantly. "I have to go. If you see this book at all could you -"
"I'll make you sure you know," Hex nodded.
"Thanks."
"Anytime Thorne," Hex smiled. "Break a leg for me. Declan's naturally." He didn't add how truly doubtful that would be.
Emla's eyes flashed with something that might have been gratitude but it quickly faded behind her usual icy glare.
In a fit of graciousness Hex said, "Give me a call if you need my help with anything. I'll make sure I'm free if you do."
She nodded with eyes full of gratitude then she left without another word.
Hex looked at the door after her and for the first time in his life, he sent a quick prayer up to the big guy or big lady up above. Sure, it was only a sentence but the thought should count. 'Please let Declan go easy on her,' he prayed.
Then his mind switched back to Eddie, who was beginning to stink his apartment out.
~'*'~.~'*'~.~'*'~.~'*'~.~'*'~
"Hello?"
"Iris it's me."
"What a pleasant surprise," Iris said drolly, rolling her eyes.
"What do you know about the Book of Vlath?"
Iris thanked the goddess that Hex was a suburb away and not standing next to her as her eyes widened in surprise.
"Only that it sounds like a pretty interesting cook book," she covered up hastily.
"Yeah, I thought that too at first," Hex admitted. "But we never were good with guessing games. The book is some ancient, yellow-paged thing falling apart at the seams. It also has some important spells in it."
"Really?" Iris faked interest. "How intriguing."
"So you don't know anything about it?" he asked again.
"No," she replied slowly. "Why?"
"A friend is after it and she's headed for shit creek if she doesn't come up with the goods. The council are after it big time."
"Really? Who's your 'friend'?"
"Jealous again Iris?"
"Spit out a name, Hex."
"Emla Thorne."
"Emla Thorne." She repeated thoughtfully. "You worked a few operations with her didn't you?"
"Audition for the latest quiz show, you're a genius."
"Someone has to be," she returned. "Why is she so desperate for it?"
Hex sounded faintly tired with the whole conversation but at least Iris was talking to him now. "She signed a blood contract with the council for it against Declan Strartus."
"Declan Strartus?" Iris repeated. Worry flooded her. Everyone knew who Declan Strartus was. Colt, for all his prowess with a scalpel and anything else with an edge, was barely in his league.
"Are you intent on repeating every proper noun I say?" Hex sounded touchy.
Iris bit her lip to keep from smiling. "I apologize profusely my dear," she amended. "Emla was the dark haired one with hazel eyes right?"
"Right."
Iris thought she'd been right. So she remembered who Emla Thorne was. Hardly surprising really. The real surprise was that the girl was going head to head with Declan Strartus. That was ridiculous.
"Interesting," Iris mused thoughtfully. "Listen, can I call you back? I have to make a call."
There was a slight pause and Iris experienced a moment of worry when Hex didn't answer straight away.
"Meet me at the Cave tonight at eight. And try to bring the interesting side of your personality with you."
He didn't have to say that she was boring the hell out of him but it didn't matter to Iris in the slightest. She sniffed and agreed. She knew she really owed him after this morning and he had just done her a massive favor by telling her about Emla and Declan. Albeit, unknowingly aiding her cause.
The fact that the Night World had people out on the hunt for the same book as Colt and her were was worrying but with Declan Strartus in the running, worry had turned to full scaled unease.
She put a call through to Colt.
"I have serious misgivings about this," she confided softly.
Colt's voice was confident as always. "There's nothing to worry about, sis," he assured her patiently. "Strartus doesn't have the leads that we do. We know what the damn book looks like and where it's been in the last twenty-four hours. Declan's sniffing a cold trail."
"Cold or boiling hot," Iris snapped. "If Declan Strartus finds a trail, he finds where it leads to as well."
"Where's your confidence gone?" Colt scolded.
"Away with the fairies." Iris' temper was rising rapidly with each sentence.
Colt sounded as if he was reaching the end of his tether as well. He took a breath and in a low growl he said, "Strartus is only going to be a problem if you let him be. If you consider yourself down and out before you've even faced him then I'm better off without your help and you'll be worse off without my money. I don't mind either way."
"I can do it," Iris reassured Colt. "I promise. You just never said anything about Declan Strartus becoming a player."
"It doesn't matter if Strartus is playing or not," Colt replied curtly. "Our names are on the trophy and the game's practically won. Strartus doesn't stand a chance."
Iris didn't voice her concerns that Colt sounded just a touch too confident. She knew that it had something to do with male competition but she never pretended to understand it.
Whatever happened though, she knew her brother was going to give his all and then some to make sure that even if he couldn't get the book, that Declan Strartus couldn't either.
The guy had a reputation to maintain and it could be assumed that if it got out that Colt was also in the running against Declan, the odds would be laid on the table and Colt's would be riding low.
Iris knew her brother well enough to know that he would have already vowed to stop Declan at any cost. The least she could do was to back him up.
~'*'~.~'*'~.~'*'~.~'*'~.~'*'~
Iris was sitting with Hex on the couches at nine o'clock later that night. He had his arm wrapped around her shoulder and for one of the few times ever, she allowed herself to completely relax in his hold.
Her head rested lightly against his shoulder and her eyes were closed. Sleep danced beneath her lids briefly before movement broke the spell.
She opened her eyes and squinted up at Hex' face. His fine bones and perfect skin was lit beautifully by the lights above them and his lips were twisted into a question. His eyes looked over Iris' head and out towards the door.
"What's up?" she asked drowsily, nuzzling into the collar of his shirt.
Hex looked down at her upturned face and a look of affection filled his golden eyes. He smiled briefly and planted a kiss on her upturned head.
"How about you meet me at the door so we can head home?" he suggested. "I have to see someone."
Iris sat up slowly. She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Who?"
Hex smiled again. Iris' face was questioning and a perfectly sculpted eyebrow was raised. Her lips were full and painted a dark crimson that set off her pale porcelain skin.
"Just a girl about some stuff," he answered slowly. He leaned close and whispered "I'll see you outside."
Iris got to her feet reluctantly and straightened with a yawn. "Okay, but you've got all of five minutes."
"Five minutes," Hex agreed. He watched silently as Iris turned and weaved her way gracefully between the tables and chair of the café. Then he turned his head away from her lithe form to the girl standing in the shadows by the alcove.
Emla Thorne's face was dark and her eyes watched him as he moved towards her. When he reached her, she took a step back.
"I hope this isn't going to become a regular thing," Hex commented while studying her face, searching for expression in the depths of her eyes. "It's hard to concentrate on a date when you've got someone else's eyes on you."
Emla lifted her shoulders dismissively. "I don't think Iris noticed anything."
"I had to keep her busy."
A grin flittered across Emla's mouth. "Practice makes perfect."
Hex shifted his weight from one foot to the other and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Anyway," he began curiously. "To cut a long story short, why are you here? Taking me up on my offer?"
Emla scowled. "No." She replied bluntly and coolly. Hex hid his amusement. Suddenly, her face turned serious again and a professional mask slid over her features.
"You said you'd help me if I needed it remember?" she reminded him.
Hex winced. "Unfortunately, yes."
"I'm taking you up on that offer."
Hex waited.
"I need you to get your girlfriend and her brother off the trail."
Hex blinked. "What?" he repeated dumbly. "Iris and Colt don't know anything about you're little quest, Emla. They're as clueless and uninterested as I am in the whole thing."
"Perhaps not."
"Perhaps not?" Hex echoed her. He floundered for words. "Iris would tell me if they were in on this. So would Colt for that matter. Check your source sweetheart because they've got it wrong this time."
Emla stepped forward so that a shaft of light crossed a face that wasn't beautiful in the classical sense, like Iris'. It was a medieval kind of beauty that she possessed.
Hex noticed it suddenly with surprise and stared.
"They're both in on it and they're giving the probability more branches," Emla said, unaware of her new found attention. "This is between me and Declan."
"Declan and I," Hex corrected without thought. His mind whirred with possibility. Did Iris sound more than a little interested when he'd spoken to her about the Book? She'd had to leave to make a call to Colt and he hadn't spoken to Colt for a while either.
Maybe it was true. Maybe…
Hex shook his head to himself. Even if it was true then he couldn't promise he would get his friends off Emla's back. It was a big ask on her part and he had to admire her because she would have had to swallow a lot of pride to bring herself to face him like this.
Too bad it was a waste of her breath. He owed his first loyalties to Iris and Colt. Emla was simply a runner up.
"Well?" Emla asked impatiently. "Is it a deal?"
"No." Hex looked up and faced her squarely. "I can't help you on that count, Emla. No can do."
Emla's face tightened and she stepped towards him again. "Why?" she demanded angrily. "I need this more than they do. You know that."
"I owe them." Hex said simply.
"You owe them nothing!" she whispered harshly. He felt her breath against his face while hers was inching closer and closer to his. "Colt is a cold hearted bastard who wouldn't help you if it meant getting his shoes wet."
"He does have armani shoes," Hex considered, smirking.
"He's out for money, girls and a good time. Not neccesarily in that order either," Emla persisted. Her voice was filled with anger and frustration yet her eyes held desperation. "You can't rely on him to be there for you so don't give him the same treatment. You're being a blind idiot. You can't even see that Iris is a-"
"Leave Iris out of this." Hex voice was cold, flat and warning. His eyes held all the warmth of a glacier.
Emla hesitated. "No, I can't. She's a b-"
Hex felt protective fury envelope him and he reached forward to grab Emla's arm roughly in an effort to shake her.
He never got to shake her.
He never got the chance.
He got as far as touching the skin of her bare arm and then something stopped him.
And that something was new and all encompassing.
He wasn't sure if he liked it.
