Charity stood up. “He may already be gone.”
“I doubt it. If he’s preparing a major ritual like this, it’s not like he can just throw his items into a bag and do it somewhere else. It takes time to prepare. He might still go on the run but I guarantee you that he hasn’t done it yet,” Max said.
“I’ll go get dressed.” Charity headed for the door but stopped when she felt Max’s hand on her wrist.
With a lowered voice, he said, “Let me come with you.”
“Are you going to help me zip up?” she asked, teasing him.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I’ll have Mitchell in the car. He can provide backup if I need it.” Her eyes searched his own, aware that he was close to revealing… something… to her. Again, she thought about the way he moved, the dangerous flex of his muscles, and she wondered about what he did when he wasn’t at board meetings.
“Let’s go in the other room,” he said.
Charity agreed, looking back at Li. “Stay here until I’ve dealt with Meeks, okay? I don’t want anything happening to you.”
Li beamed. “A big house like this, stocked with good looking men? You’re going to have to throw me out!”
“So what’s the big secret?” Charity asked as Max followed into her room. She stepped behind a changing screen and slid her dress to the floor. Her Gravedigger uniform and weapons were waiting for her and she began to change while Max took a second, obviously deciding how to approach the subject.
“Have you heard of The Peregrine?”
Charity looked over the top of the screen. He was looking away from her, obviously respecting her modesty by not staring at her silhouette. “Is that you?”
“Well… yes. Josef knew that.”
Charity finished dressing in silence, stepping out only after she’d pulled her mask on and adjusted her hood. “So you’re just as crazy as I am, playing dress-up and fighting criminals.”
“Crazier, probably. I have visions of the future, too.” He went on to describe what he’d seen of her own fate — of a wave of gore-covered demons, of a powerful man dressed in black and of a sinister presence, hiding above it all. “I think you’re going to need my help.”
“I’m the one who has three years to prove herself,” she countered. “I don’t want you screwing that up.”
“You don’t redeem your soul by getting points for killing the bad guys,” he answered. “You have to save lives… you have to become a better person.”
“And kill bad guys.”
Max smiled softly. “Okay. And kill bad guys.”
Charity buckled her sword around her waist and asked, “Josef never said anything to me about becoming a better person.”
“He wanted you to figure that out on your own, just as he did. When I first met him, he was a zealot — he worked 24/7 to accomplish his goals because that clock was always ticking inside his head. But eventually, he started slowing down… enjoying life, making friends. And that’s when he cleansed his soul.”
“So you’re going against what Josef would have done by telling me this?”
“Yes. He and I were friends but we didn’t always see eye-to-eye when it came to methods.”
Charity nodded. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“But remember — you’re working with me, you’re not the captain of this ship. Understand?”
Max shook his head, realizing that while Charity might have heard his words, she hadn’t taken them to heart. She was still concerned about getting the “credit” for Meeks’ kill. “Whatever you say,” he agreed.
“I like your accent.”
Mitchell grinned, pouring himself a stiff drink. He looked over at Li and was amused to see that she’d pulled open the neck of her wrap, revealing more of her smooth throat. “Thank you, luv. Can I slip a little of this into your tea? Might spice it up a bit.”
“Oh, please!” Li stood up and crossed the room. Mitchell could smell her perfume, its pleasant peachy aroma causing him to clear his throat. Li’s knowing smile widened as he poured some of the alcohol into her tea. “Do you think I’m pretty?” she teased.
“I think you know just how pretty you are,” Mitchell answered, enjoying the little game that was beginning between them.
“Are you going to ask me to dinner?”
“I’d say things are a bit busy at the moment, wouldn’t you?”
“This won’t last forever.”
“I wish I shared your optimism. This Meeks fellow killed my friend and I’m afraid he might kill Charity… and me… before it’s all said and done.”
Li’s facial expression shifted and for the first time since her breathless arrival, Mitchell saw that the young girl before him had additional depth to her. She wasn’t just a party girl — there was a strength to her that was surprisingly strong. She set her tea aside and placed a palm against his chest. “Charity was shot and buried under the ground — and she’s still here. And I can tell that your life hasn’t been all sunshine and happiness. But you’re still here. And neither one of you is going to be killed by a sleazy wannabe-warlock like Arthur Meeks.”
Mitchell put his hand over Li’s and for a long moment the two of them stared into each other’s eyes. The moment was broken when Gravedigger strode into the room.
If Gravedigger noticed that she’d interrupted anything, she didn’t make mention of it. “Mitchell, is the car ready?”
“I filled up the tank earlier today — so we’re good to go.” Mitchell’s eyes widened a bit as The Peregrine entered. He’d wondered if Max was going to share his identity — and apparently he’d decided to not only trust Charity but Li, as well.
The philanthropist turned vigilante wore a long coat over his suit and tie but it was the mask on his face that really caught the eye. It was affixed domino-style over his eyes, extending over the bridge of his nose, where it ended in a bird-like beak. “We should park down the block from Meeks’ apartment, just in case he’s got someone on lookout.”
Mitchell gave him a deadpan smile. “Max, I’m not a rookie at this.”
“Sorry — I’m used to working alone.”
Gravedigger glanced over at him. “Well, this time you’re working as a sidekick.”
The Peregrine started to argue that point, not liking the slight she was giving him. Then he realized that she was tweaking him and he offered a salute instead. “Whatever you say, mon capitan.”
Chapter VIII: Thanatos Ascendant!
Arthur Meeks worked quickly. Mr. Black was not present but he couldn’t wait any longer. The little chink had seen him clearly enough and she’d probably gone to the police by now. Given his druthers, Meeks would have fled this location but it would have been too difficult under the current conditions. Better to just press on and hope for the best, he mused.
A large pentagram covered the floor of his apartment, drawn in equal parts chalk and salt. In the very center of the occult symbol lay Goldstein’s ring, the ancient urn and a slaughtered cat. The feline’s entrails had been pulled from its gut and spread out in a carefully arranged display.
Meeks wore a finely tailored black suit and a small porcelain mask. He didn’t want to greet his new masters as a mere human — he wanted to be Thanatos, bringer of death!
With an almost sexual excitement coursing through him, Thanatos retrieved the cracked leather-bound Necronomicon. He had marked the pages that he needed and had virtually memorized the dead language that he was about to speak. He set the book open on a pedestal near the slaughtered cat and stood next to it, taking several deep breaths to steady his nerves.