Kill Switch (Blue-Eyed Bomb Book 2) Read online

  The Fates’ heads simultaneously turned to look at me.

  “Ghost?” Cy asked. “You see ghosts?”

  “Not really. I saw one ghost. Singular. I have no idea if that was a fluke or not.”

  “That could come in pretty handy,” Ferris added. “That is a power that no other in the PC possesses.”

  “Well I can also nuke shit, if you think that might be helpful in finding these girls.”

  “Why were they taken?” Zale asked, looking from me to Muses, then back to me again. “What do they have in common?”

  “Other than being young and female, the only thing we learned was that each of them seems to be special in one way or another. That they are remarkably gifted.”

  “Perhaps we have a collector on our hands,” Ferris observed.

  “I don’t think so,” I replied.

  “What makes you say that?”

  I sighed heavily, not really wanting to explain what had happened when Nico touched the body of the dead boy.

  “Because we found the body of one of the victim’s brothers. He’d been murdered by the one responsible for the kidnappings.”

  “And how does that help you come to your conclusion?”

  “Because when Nico touched the corpse, I relived the final moments of the boy’s life. I heard what had been said—felt what he felt. Saw what he saw.” Their eyes all went wide. “He never saw who killed him, but he spoke with him, and something about the murderer’s answers—they just don’t lead me to believe that he’s a collector. The whole thing seemed like a job to him. Like it wasn’t anything special, just another day at the office.”

  “Interesting,” Muses said, pulling my attention toward him. “You think he’s working for someone else?”

  “Maybe. Or maybe his end game isn’t to keep the girls. I don’t know, but nothing about his words or demeanor made me think that the girl he was after was special to him.”

  “Well either way, we shall soon find out.” Muses looked at the Fates and spoke in Greek about making preparations, then turned to me. He let me know that my boy toy was to stay behind. I was to figure out a way to make him stay put, or he would. He made sure to emphasize the fact that I would not care for his methods if it came to that.

  “Understood.”

  With that, I turned to find Gabe staring at us, a look of irritation on his face. It only made the conversation I was about to have with him even harder.

  “Let’s go upstairs,” I said, extending my hand toward him. He stepped toward me and wrapped my hand in his, then led the way to the back of the room where the stairs to the top floor were. Once we had climbed them all and were in the hallway, he stopped me. Grabbing my face in his hands, he kissed me hard, with a desperation that I could plainly feel. “Gabe. Gabe!” I pushed away from him slightly, gasping for breath. The look in his chocolate brown eyes was dark and predatory, and though it was incredibly hot, it wasn’t the time for what he wanted. “I want to talk to you for a minute.”

  He took a cleansing breath, closing his eyes. When he opened them, he looked much more himself, the haze of lust absent from his gaze.

  “Okay. But you only get a minute,” he replied with a wink.

  I couldn’t help but smile.

  That was the boyish charm that had won me over when I was trapped on his farm in Huskers Grove, Iowa.

  “Shameless,” I muttered under my breath, leading him into my room. He closed the door behind us, then walked across the room to sit on the edge of my bed. I hovered near the window, not wanting to be too close to him. I needed him to focus—to really hear what I had to tell him. If I got too close, I knew all he’d be thinking about was getting in my pants. “Listen, there’s no delicate way to put this, so I’m just going to throw it out there. You can’t be a part of our investigation. I need you to stay here while the rest of us go out and search for the girls.”

  I turned to find him staring at me, a mix of hurt and anger flashing in his eyes.

  “If I were human, I’d understand that, Phira. But I’m not, and you know it. Maybe I could help.”

  “And maybe you could get hurt like last time,” I countered, realizing just how harsh my sentiment sounded when I spoke the words aloud. He paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing. “Listen, if anyone can understand what it’s like to be left on the sidelines while everyone else plays ball, it’s me. But you literally just inherited your gifts, and nobody knows what that means. What implications they have. What cost they might come at. Until Pierson knows more, it’s just too risky.”

  “Says the girl who just learned how to control her powers.”

  Ouch.

  “Wow, okay…maybe that’s fair enough, but I grew up in this world. You didn’t know about the supernatural until yesterday, Gabe. I know what kinds of beings we might be up against. You don’t.”

  “So tell me,” he implored. “Teach me.”

  “That’s what Pierson is going to try to do.”

  “And what do I do in the meantime? Sit around? Twiddle my thumbs?” He shot off the bed to pace the room. “You know how much idle time I’ve had in the last decade?”

  I stared out the window, knowing the answer to his question. None. He’d had none because his life went to shit over magical matters, leaving him to become a man overnight. Everything had been a struggle from that point on.

  “Maybe I can have Pierson supply you with some basic reading material. You can learn about the breeds—the things that go bump in the night.”

  “You want me to study?”

  “I want you to know what the fuck you’re up against, Gabe. This shit is for real. I can’t think of a safer way for you to see that than to study it like it’s your job.”

  He came up behind me, resting his hands on my hips.

  “I can’t stop thinking about my mom…how she died.”

  I cringed, knowing that he’d just given me the leverage I needed to win the argument. Win it at any cost.

  “And I don’t want that to be you, Gabe. I thought it was once—I thought you’d died alongside her. If it hadn’t been for TS, you would have. Don’t ask me to watch that happen again, or worse yet, knowingly put both you and me in that position.” I turned to face him, leaning into his body. “This situation is temporary. I need you to remember that. But I also need you to acknowledge that it’s better for you to stay behind for now and live, rather than overplay your hand and die.”

  He stared down at me, letting his thumb gently stroke my cheek.

  “I’ll do it. I’ll behave myself until we know more.” He leaned in and kissed my lips so lightly that they felt little more than the tickle of his breath. “I don’t want to lose you before I really get to have you, Phira.”

  “Then don’t.” I kissed him back with far more intensity than he’d just shown. Then I pulled my mouth away from his in order to hug him tightly. “I have to go get ready.”

  “I’ll be here when you get back.”

  “Good boy,” I replied, giving his ass a squeeze. “I’ll message Pierson that you need some reference material.”

  “Can’t wait.” His sarcasm was duly noted.

  Without another word, I headed for the door. I could feel his eyes upon me as I walked out of the room. I could feel his desire to keep me with him. But that was not to be our reality, and I knew it. I’d lied to Gabe in an attempt to keep him safe. One of many I feared I’d have to tell to placate him for the time being.

  The truth was, even if Gabe learned exactly how his magical inheritance affected him and he knew how to manage it, he would never be allowed to work alongside me. My father would never stand for that. Our best-case scenario was a life together full of lies and evasion on my part. Being part of the PC came at a price, and it was a high one. Relationships were essentially impossible. My mother was far and away an exception to the rule, but her path had been fated long ago. My father’s and her destinies were intertwined from the beginning. I highly doubted that Gabe’s and mine would prove to b
e the same.

  Beyond that, there was the nagging sensation at the back of my mind that told me that we had another hurdle ahead of us as well. One that didn’t involve the PC or Gabe’s magic. Instead, it had everything to do with me and who I truly was. The Sapphira he knew me to be—the girl he had fallen for—died the minute my memory returned to me. Even more so when I regained my powers. Though a part of that sweeter, more carefree girl remained, the rest had been swallowed up by the other being that now inhabited me. My life wasn’t sweet and carefree. It never had been, nor would it ever be. And as I walked back into the main living area of the warehouse and saw my uncles geared up and ready to bring the pain down on whoever dared to kidnap those girls, an even darker reality struck me.

  I didn’t want it to be.

  Chapter Four

  “So what’s the plan?”

  The car rolled to a stop just outside an abandoned rail yard. It was the middle of the day, the sun high in the sky, but no matter how much light it shone down, there was an ominous vibe all around us. Something nefarious lived in the rail yard. Something I didn’t think I wanted to meet.

  “The plan is to circulate information, discreetly,” Muses replied, giving me an annoyed look. “I don’t want you to say anything, understand? I’d leave you here if I thought you’d actually stay. But something tells me you’re as likely to be obedient as your mother.”

  “That’s a fair assessment.”

  “Which is why you’ll accompany me—with your mouth closed.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “You’ll do it, period.”

  “What could I possibly say wrong?” I asked, starting to wonder precisely how irritable this being was. I mean, I knew I had a gift for sarcasm, but didn’t everyone appreciate that as much as me?

  “We’re not going to find out because you’re not going to speak. Got it?”

  I nodded to placate him and got out of the car. He was soon at my side, walking toward a decrepit building far back in the property—an old train stop.

  “So,” I whispered, “are you going to tell me what this thing is?”

  He sighed heavily.

  “A troll.”

  “A troll?” The incredulity in my tone was unmistakable. It was also rather loud. Muses lunged at me, covering my mouth with his hand. His face was only inches from mine, and he stared at me with wide, wild eyes. Murderous ones.

  “Do you understand what it means to keep your mouth shut?” I nodded. “Then do it, or our day is going to become infinitely more challenging.” He kept his hand in place for a moment more, the pressure of it on my face becoming uncomfortable. When I tried to pull away, he tightened his grip. “Do not be fooled by what you’re about to see, Sapphira. And whatever you do, do not stare into his eyes. Trolls are notoriously distrusting. They don’t appreciate strangers in their personal space.”

  Questions ran rampant in my mind, but I bit my lip hard to keep them at bay. Now wasn’t the time to press Muses. His crazy was leaking through his controlled façade, and I knew damn well what that meant. Shit was going to end really badly for us if I didn’t do as I was told.

  The scraping sound of metal pulled my attention back to the building on the far side of the property. With the door opened wide, what appeared to be a middle-aged man stepped out. Tall and foreboding, he stood on the platform, arms folded, staring us down while we approached.

  “Damascus.” Muses’ tone was formal but lacked its normal hint of superiority. Muses never humbled himself for anyone. Things were definitely worse than I expected. “I am need of your assistance in a matter. A matter that needs to be put to rest as quickly and quietly as possible.”

  “Stop there!” the troll bellowed. His voice was deep and rich and frightening. “Who is she?”

  “She is with me.”

  “That does not answer my question.”

  “She is Patronus Ceteri, and that is all you need to know.”

  The troll eyed me from afar, taking stock of God only knows what. I didn’t want to think about it any more than I had to. I just wanted Muses to talk to him and get the fuck out of there. He was totally skeeving me out.

  How quickly you forget that you are weapon, Sapphira. That you too are something to be counted. Something to be feared…

  “I don’t think blowing up the guy who might know things is a great idea,” I muttered to myself, addressing my other half as quietly as possible.

  “A female in the PC? There is only one, and she is not her.”

  “Shall I call Sean and have him explain this to you, or would you prefer to take my word as law on the matter and move on to why I am here?”

  The troll’s features twisted with anger.

  “Bring her to me. I want to see for myself.”

  There was something about the way he said ‘see’ that sent my hackles up.

  Muses placed his hand on my lower back and ushered me toward Damascus. He did not say a word, but I could feel the uncertainty coursing through him into me. His body was tense—prepared to fight. And as we neared the troll, I better understood why. He was a beast of a man, towering over us both. Well over seven feet tall, he was a veritable wall of muscle and scars and tattoos. Magical ones, from what I could tell. They emanated it.

  We stopped at the stairs leading up to where he stood. I felt weak and small from my position. I hated every second of it.

  “Come closer,” he demanded. Muses once again started to guide me toward the troll, only to be stopped. “Not you. Just her.”

  “No,” Muses replied, the finality in his voice clear and calm.

  “You would dare to refuse me? On my own property?”

  “Do not forget yourself. I am PC. I will deny you what I see fit. And I say that where she goes, I go.”

  “Then you do not wish for my help.” He turned to leave, his heavy footsteps falling loudly on the weathered wood.

  “You want to see me?” I asked, darting up the steps. “Then come and see me. Do whatever you need to do, big guy, because we have shit to do too, and it doesn’t involve playing games with you all day.”

  The set of the troll’s shoulders as he turned slowly to face me reminded me that maybe I should learn to follow instructions. Maybe I should keep my mouth shut from time to time. But it was far too late for that. The gauntlet had been thrown.

  As he stormed toward me, I could feel Muses stir, preparing to intercede. Though I knew I shouldn’t, I stared down the beast of a being as he came at me. Right in his glowing yellow eyes.

  Blowing him up is starting to look like a fabulous alternative, my other half observed. I could feel the press of her in my mind as she tried to come forward. She too wanted to protect me, which made sense. If I died, she’d die with me.

  Or at least I assumed so.

  He stopped only inches away from me, his massive frame looming over me. He could have squished me like a bug and not broken a sweat over it. I’d never seen someone so big in all my life.

  “Name.” His demand was clear and concise, and I thought it best to oblige him.

  “Sapphira, daughter of Sean, once known as Aniketos, and Ruby, the infamous Rouge et Blanc. I am a child of the PC and I serve it faithfully.” Those creepy yellow eyes bore right through me, probing for something else. Something I didn’t understand.

  “Who else are you?”

  I stared at him blankly.

  “I don’t understand.”

  Wrong answer.

  Within a second, he scooped me up by my throat, dangling my body feet above the platform.

  “Put. Her. Down,” Muses commanded. His voice was as calm and seductive as ever, but there was an edge to it. Though I couldn’t see him, I knew he was seconds away from starting a war with the beast.

  Thankfully, it didn’t come to that.

  “Who else are you?” he asked again, pulling my face in closer to his. With lack of air and blood flow to my brain, the world started to spin a bit. The corners of my vision started to darken.


  That’s the moment I felt it. The moment when the darkness that once tortured me stepped forward, knocking me aside. She would do whatever was necessary to ensure our survival. I prayed she had an answer that wouldn’t end in the annihilation of everything within a five-mile radius.

  “Death,” she replied, her voice strangled by his grip. At her response, he let go, allowing her to fall to the ground. She did so gracefully, as though we hadn’t almost been choked to oblivion. “As far as you are concerned, I am Death. Touch me again and I will be forced to show you just how appropriate that name is.”

  He looked at her as though weighing his options. Did he want to challenge death and lose? Judging by the step he took backward, he didn’t.

  “What does Death want?”

  “I’m assuming an apology is out of the question, so I will settle for you answering whatever questions we have.” She looked to Muses, who stood on the top step smiling at my darker half like she was something he couldn’t wait to get his hands on. His comment about spending time in my mind being payment enough made perfect sense. He was fascinated by her.

  “Someone is kidnapping supernatural girls,” he said, stepping up onto the platform to join Damascus and she-who-called-herself-Death. He withdrew his phone and extended it to the troll. As he took it in his massive hand and gazed at the photo Muses had undoubtedly pulled up, a sensation niggled at me. Even trapped in my own mind, I could feel it. Strangely, Death didn’t seem affected by it at all. “I need to know if you know anything about this. If you’ve seen any of them in your…dealings.”

  While Muses probed for answers, I tried to pick up on what I was feeling. It was difficult to do when I wasn’t in charge of my body. A problem I needed to remedy.

  Something’s wrong. You need to get out of my way…

  “I’m not sure the troll here is quite ready for that yet,” she countered, staring down the yellow-eyed monster of a man in front of her.

  Do it.

  With a sigh, she relented her position, informing me in rather colorful ways just how reckless I was and how we needed to discuss that matter further at a more suitable time. Once I was out, the sensation slammed into me like a freight train. My head snapped in the direction of the car. Even from that distance, I knew exactly what I was looking at.