Breaking the Nexus (Mythrian Realm) Read online

  “How do you know so much about all of this?”

  Sha shrugged. “Training. Sentinels have to at least be familiar with all kinds of types of magic, more so when you’re Sorceri. The worst move you can make is to run blind into a fight. Luca could tell you everything you wanted to know and more about different types of weapons, and animal behaviors.”

  Before he could probe her for more answers, his cell buzzed with a text from his partner. “Ian’s going to meet us at Corvelli’s. Ready to meet the man behind the name?”

  “You have no idea,” she said, her voice low and coated in frost, her dangerous expression making him glad they were on the same side.

  One thing he’d learned in the short time he’d known her, it was a bad idea to cross his woman.

  *******

  Something about the wax wouldn’t stop nagging her. She’d missed a clue and that pissed her off, more so because she didn’t know what she’d missed. Oh, no question that she’d missed the particular animal species to which the blood belonged, but that was to be expected. They didn’t have time for the kind of in-depth focus that would require. Her mind wouldn’t quiet until she’d figured out what in the Seven Hells she’d overlooked, so she may as well try one last time.

  “Connor, can you give me one more minute?” Without waiting for his acquiescence, she curled up on the couch, tucking her feet beneath, out of habit; her short stature had its disadvantages, one being that her feet tended to dangle. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she opened the pouch and grasped the wax.

  Her mind raced, filtering out the unnecessary bits of information, searching for whatever knowledge eluded her. The cushions bounced slightly as Connor sat down beside her, his musky scent enveloping her, furthering her descent into relaxation. A spark caught her inner sight.

  “There’s a metallic substance in this,” she murmured. It was minuscule and had been hidden before, but as soon as her detective sat next to her, the particles sprang to life. Almost as if they were drawn to him. By the flame, she was dense.

  “Have you ever had any strange experiences with metal?” Sha asked, eyes closed as she sorted through her impressions. Something still hid from her.

  The air shifted when he shrugged. “I’m a damn good marksman, have been from the moment I first fired a weapon.” His words held no boast; he’d stated it as a simple fact.

  “Is that all?”

  Hesitation before he answered this time. Half of her mind found that intriguing; the other half continued to hunt, determined to solve this puzzle. “I’ve never told anyone this, probably because they’d lock me up in an asylum somewhere. I…hear things when I touch something metallic sometimes. Usually when it’s somehow connected to extreme emotions, like a murder weapon or a favorite piece of jewelry.”

  Well, well, she should have followed her instincts about his eyes after all. She needed confirmation, though. “What do you hear?”

  “Vibrations, musical tones, it’s hard to describe and it varies. There have been instances where I’ve had a flash of a memory, but it wasn’t mine. And now I sound crazy, even to myself.” He sighed, exasperated.

  She loved when she was right. Lucky for her, it happened frequently. “Congratulations, you’re not insane.”

  “Then what am I?”

  Her lashes lifted, eyes meeting his. “You’ve got more than a little Metallum in your blood. It’s one of the more rare Sorceri classes, and don’t bother asking me how it’s possible. It shouldn’t be, but hey the impossible keeps cropping up so I’m done thinking anything is impossible. What you’ve experienced is called Metal Singing. It’s not common but not uncommon for your class if that makes any sense.”

  A flurry of emotions crossed his face, from shock to disbelief to relief and finally awe. “I suppose I should be happy I’m not losing my mind, although I don’t understand. I’m like you?”

  Mother Night, she hoped not! “Not exactly. You have latent abilities, and you could work and develop them more now that you’re aware you have them. But your class is very different from mine. I think I’ll still be able to show you a few basic tricks.”

  Connor remained silent, his expression akin to someone who’d had the wind knocked out of them. Damn, she should have handled that better.

  He cleared his throat, then gave a strained smile. “Can’t say my time with you has been uneventful, can I?”

  Absently, she ran her fingertips over the wax again, her mind turning over the implications of Connor’s abilities. A few days ago, she’d have sworn to the Seven Founders that no one could cross to the Human Realm; she was pretty sure several dead people would dispute that claim. Although the bulk of his powers appeared to be latent, or maybe suppressed, since he hadn’t mentioned physically affecting…By the flame, she needed her head examined. This detective was slowing down her thought process.

  “You said something about your aim? What was that?”

  “I’m an expert level marksman, have been since I first picked up a gun. They said it must be a born talent.”

  “Or active Metallum traits exerting themselves. You were unconsciously manipulating your projectiles. Gods, Connor. You have a Sorceri in your lineage, a very close relative I’d say for such active abilities. With training, you’d be a force to be reckoned with. We don’t have time to keep exploring this now, but it’s incredible.”

  “I—I don’t know what to make of this, what any of this means. Never thought I’d be so happy to confront a suspect, but anything is a welcome distraction at the moment.”

  “I’m sorry. This is as natural as breathing to me, but I can’t imagine how disconcerting it must be for you. I’ll do my best to help though.”

  Lifting his hand to her face, he trailed his fingers along her cheekbone to her lips. “Thanks. I mean it. Did you get any other tingles from the wax?”

  She burst out laughing. “Never heard it put that way before. Um, I’ll make one last sweep, then we can go.”

  It had been nagging at her from the instant her flesh had made contact with the substance. Lurking beneath the tangible surface, was an oppressiveness that could only be described as pure evil. Fighting past the bile rising in her throat at the stench of decay filling her nostrils, she reached for the knowledge that eluded her. There! Got you, you bastard.

  Awareness blasted through her with such force that she jerked, dropping the evidence. Mother Night, they were facing annihilation after all.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  He had magic! It boggled his mind, left him reeling. A strangled gasp jolted him from his shocked stupor and Connor watched as the color drained from Sha’s face, her pallor alarming.

  “What is it?” When she didn’t answer, he reached over and grasped her shoulder, giving it a little shake. “Sha, answer me,” he demanded.

  “I know where the stone came from. There are tiny pieces of phoenix ash and phoenix feathers, neither of which are easy to come by. The phoenix is one of the most powerful creatures to have ever lived, but they’re beyond rare. Nobody’s seen one for hundreds of years, if not more. “

  Her eyes were wild, her muscles tensing as if readying for a fight. “Spell it out for me, temptress. What does it mean?”

  “For there to be phoenix ash or feather in a mixture like this is unusual enough. For there to be both? It can only mean one thing. Whoever was using this candle took stone from the burial site of Ferren. Someone’s trying to break him free of his prison.”

  “I’m guessing this Ferren guy is evil?”

  “The epitome of it. Ferren was the strongest mage to ever live. His power was limitless, made him immortal, and he loathed humans. He’s the reason we erected the Nexus in the first place; without it, he’d have annihilated the Human Realm. The only being capable of taking him on in a fight was the Great Phoenix. After a huge battle that ravaged both realms, leaving countless civilizations decimated, the phoenix sacrificed itself to build the prison that would keep Ferren locked away, unable to hurt anyone ever again. Th
e location was supposed to be kept secret so none of his loyal followers could attempt to free him. The Nexus sealed the Gateways between the realms, giving the humans time to recover and to ensure they’d be able to live separate lives. Considering Ferren had wanted to slaughter or enslave every member of the human race, you can’t blame them for wanting nothing to do with the rest of us.”

  A smothering blanket of dread settled over him, drawing his mind back to the nightmare Sha had endured earlier. “That guy who was taunting you, Nightmare you said, could that have been Ferren?”

  She shook her head. “We’d know if he’d been freed. The Nexus would shatter under the force of his rage and you’d see a lot more demons running the streets. He controlled them, his minions you could call them. Nightmare is probably the one who’s trying to work the rituals to weaken the prison. I’ve heard rumors the strength of the tomb is tied into the Nexus that could explain why he’s been murdering on this side of the barrier. It’s weaker on this side because nobody’s able to shore up the defenses.”

  “What needs to happen?”

  “We have to stop Nightmare from completing his ritual, because if the Nexus falls it’ll be too late. Last time, we had the Great Phoenix to capture Ferren, and even then it was close to impossible. Like I said, nobody has even seen a phoenix for hundreds of years, much less been able to get close enough to speak to one.”

  Talk to a bird? He shouldn’t be surprised. “How does one talk to a bird?”

  Sha gave a choked laugh. “The phoenix isn’t just a bird, Connor. It’s the wisest of all creatures, the most evolved being ever created. And you speak with it telepathically. There were rumors there were some chimerae, you’d consider them shape-shifters I think, descended from the Great Phoenix, but we’ve never been able to confirm that.”

  “So we have to stop a mad man from unleashing epic evil bent on destroying the world. How hard can that be?”

  *******

  The gods must hate her. She must’ve angered them at some point and now they were punishing her. What else could explain the run of horrific luck over the past couple of days. Okay, so not everything had been bad luck; she’d met the sexy detective, hadn’t she? So if the gods could please rescind all the other stuff and leave Connor in the mix, that’d be perfect.

  No divine intervention came from above, not that she’d really expected it to be that easy. Enough with the self-pity, lots of people have bad days. Granted not many people received the joy of knowing the world was probably going to end at the hands of a furious demon possessing evil powers beyond all measure. But that was a minor detail in the scheme of things.

  “We’re almost there.” Connor’s voice pulled her from her morose thoughts. Damn, she’d missed almost the entire trip. She’d hoped to scope out the surroundings on the ride to Corvelli’s apartment.

  A faint tingling sensation poked at her brain, subtle vibrations making the hairs on her body stand up on end. Odd…

  “What’s odd?”

  As if from afar she heard his question. “Huh?”

  Fingers snapped in front of her face, bringing her back to full awareness. “Sha, focus. What’s odd?”

  “You don’t have to get testy with me.”

  “When your eyes glaze over and you look like you’re about to pass out, I’m entitled to get testy.”

  Fair point, except he didn’t need to know that. She started to tell him what she’d sensed, but they’d already stopped outside of a tall, dilapidated building and there were too many strangers around. Things were complicated enough without a random person overhearing their conversation and panicking.

  “I’ll tell you when we’re somewhere more quiet.”

  He wanted to argue, but he only nodded. “Wait here for a minute. I’ll be right back.”

  If he thought she’d meekly sit in the car and wait for him, he didn’t know a thing about her. Given the number of unsavory looking individuals with shifty eyes and bulges she assumed were concealed weapons, she wanted to be in a more defensible position. Stepping out of the vehicle, she leaned against the door, ignoring the glare Connor shot her. He’d never said where she had to wait.

  Deciding to test their apparent connection, she sent him a telepathic message. Should’ve been more specific about where you wanted me to wait.

  A few seconds later, she was delighted by his response. Smart ass.

  Connor approached a group of teenagers near the entrance to the building. On the surface, they seemed relaxed, however, she knew the truth. They were on edge, assessing threats, ready to spring into attack mode at the slightest provocation. It was a common stance for a Sentinel, but a little sad to see in such young people. Life hadn’t been easy for them; on the bright side, that wariness could save them in the very near future.

  Connor held up a couple of bills “Who wants to make sure my car stays exactly the way it is right now?”

  After a moment, a muscular boy stepped forward, no more than eighteen with jeans barely held on his hips and a heavy black jacket Sha figured hid at least one weapon. He had shaggy hair, but as he got closer she could see it was clean and she noticed a distinct lack of piercings. Considering his companions looked like human pin cushions, Sha was surprised.

  “How long you gonna be?” The teenager walked up to Connor, eyes locked on his instead of the money. A glimmer of recognition threaded through her, but she didn’t know why. His face didn’t look familiar.

  “I’m not sure. At least half an hour.”

  “How much you payin’?”

  “Twenty dollars now and if it’s still in one piece and undamaged when I’m done, I’ll give you another thirty.” Sha wondered if he’d take the money. He could probably use it, but his friends were beckoning him to come back, to stay away from a cop.

  “Alright, you got a deal, Detective,” he said and put his hand out for the money. Well, well, the kid thought for himself. Good for him.

  “What’s your name?” Connor asked.

  “Alec.” He’d hesitated for a moment, but he’d sounded truthful.

  “Thanks, Alec. You going to stick around here?”

  “How else am I supposed to get the rest of my money?” Smart and sarcastic. She was liking him more and more.

  “Good answer. There will be extra in it if you make sure my partner knows we went inside when he gets here.” Connor turned and walked back to the car. “Ian should be here in a few minutes, but let’s head up now.” Locking the doors, he motioned for her to follow him into the building.

  “Was that really necessary?” Sha asked after they’d started up the rickety stairs.

  “In this kind of neighborhood, people take no time in stripping down your car for parts if it means they can make a few bucks. You’d be surprised how little time it takes. Now, what did you mean when you said ‘that’s odd’ in the car?”

  Trust him not to let her stall for time. “I think I felt a Gateway nearby.”

  “What are you talking about?” Connor asked, pulling her toward a darkened alcove that would offer them a little more privacy.

  Sha rolled her eyes. “A…Gateway…in…the…Nexus. What other kind of Gateway would I have been able to feel?”

  "Very funny," he said mildly. "You know what I mean, Sha. Do you know where it is?"

  "Not the exact location. Sorceri can sense the power exuded by the portals, so I’ll be able to track it down to a precise location if I have enough time. It could explain how Corvelli could be connected to Evil Bastard. Blood mages tend to search out susceptible victims to control.”

  "How’d he find Corvelli?" At the sound of approaching footsteps, his hand went to his weapons harness and she shifted her weight to the balls of her feet, ready to attack. A moment later a door slammed shut and they both relaxed a fraction. She realized the hair on the back of her neck was standing on end, the feeling of eyes boring into them disconcerting.

  "Most people don't have very good natural shields. In Mythria, one of the first and most importan
t lessons a child is taught is how to shield. I block out others thoughts for politeness and my own sanity, but if I actively scanned I could tell you most anything you'd want to know about any person in the area."

  Why would he risk having a witness to his crimes?”

  “Arrogance. It’d also be easier. Evil Bastard could subdue the victims while Corvelli butchered them.”

  “Then let’s see what he has to say. His apartment is over here.” Putting his hand in the small of her back, Connor guided her towards the correct doorway. Drawing his gun, he positioned himself next to the door then gestured for Sha to stand behind him.

  Really? He was going to take all the fun away? Sha whispered, “You do realize I’m not helpless right?”

  He pinned her with a pointed look. “Yes, but can your magic react fast enough to stop a bullet?”

  Sha started to snap a retort, but she knew she was being foolish. “You may or may not have a point. Should we knock? I don’t sense anyone in there, but I’m not positive.”

  Shrugging, Connor eased forward and banged his fist a few times. It was a cheap door and shuddered with each knock, threatening to come off its hinges. “Denver Police, open up!” he called. They listened for a few moments for any sounds on the other side of the flimsy barrier, but it was silent. He banged his fist a few more times and called out again, “I repeat, this is the police! Open the door or we’re coming in.”

  Two apartments down, a door cracked open and a hoarse voice called out, “If you lookin’ for John, he ain’t in there. Haven’t seen him ‘round for days.” Connor turned to question the individual and watched the door slammed shut.

  “Do you hear that? I think I hear a cry for help.”

  Sha clamped her lips to stop the laughter bubbling up at his deadpan words. “Why, I believe you’re right, Detective. Maybe we should force the door open. After all, it’s your duty to investigate.”