Wander_A Night Warden Novel Read online

  “Going away present?” Its essence was a mixture of dark chocolate mixed with black coffee. Serious magic laced with lethal runes. The kind of thing I made a point of staying away from.

  “If you like,” Hades said as Corbel stepped back. “That sword will stop the ravages of your illness.”

  “My illness, as you call it, is the consequence of a massive entropy spell gone wrong. A sword can’t help with that, nothing can—unless you want me to fall on it.” I looked at the scabbard. Part of me wanted him to be telling the truth, but I knew better. “Nothing can.”

  “This is no ordinary sword, Mr. Stryder.” Hades leaned back and looked off to the side. “Just like you are no ordinary Warden.”

  “I’m blushing here—why me?”

  “A dark blade for a dark mage,” Hades said with a wave of his hand. “It has a certain symmetry.”

  “Dark blade?” I shook my head. “Hell no—no offense. A dark blade is just another word for fucked. I’m dying, but I’m not looking to rush the journey. I take that blade and it accelerates the process by painting a large target on my forehead and back. I’ll pass, but thanks.”

  “If you don’t take it, I’m sure I can find another suitable candidate—perhaps another of the Night Wardens?” Hades said with a smile as he leaned forward. “Maybe one of the ones who don’t want to kill you. Oh, wait, they all want you dead, don’t they?”

  “Have I ever told you what a right bastard you are?”

  Corbel tensed up, and Hades raised a hand, stopping his Hound.

  “You remind me of someone we both know, who also has the tendency to let his words take him into potentially lethal situations.” Hades motioned for Corbel to return to the wall.

  “Who’s a good Hound?” I said, and Corbel stiffened as he returned to where he’d been stationed. “What’s the catch? There’s always a cost.”

  “Always,” Hades said while leaning back. “Remove the Redrum users from the streets, and find the suppliers of this new strain. After that, the sword is yours to keep and do with as you see fit.”

  “Too easy,” I said. “I don’t need a sword for that.”

  “True.” Hades nodded and pointed. “Soon you will have Charon escorting you off this plane. If you are bound to this sword, you can prevent that.”

  “Bound?” I scoffed. “I don’t do commitment well. That sounds long-term.”

  “The sword requires a host, a life force to draw from,” he said. “I’m told the benefits far outweigh the costs. In your case, one benefit would be prolonged life. Especially since I hear casting can be fatal these days.”

  I looked at the scabbard. I wasn’t in a hurry to die, but I had made peace with the idea. How long did I have? One or maybe two years if I didn’t use magic. No one knew for sure. But taking it meant being connected to a weapon for the rest of my life.

  “And if I don’t want it?”

  “Feel free to return it.”

  “I don’t take orders from anyone,” I said, shifting in the bed. “I don’t work for you, the NYTF or the Dark Council. I do this my way. I work alone.”

  “I only ask that you cleanse the streets of our city from this vile poison.” Hades stood and then took a step closer. “I do have one caveat.”

  Here it was—the catch.

  “I have an agent who has become unsuitable for her line of work. I need you to adjust her sensibilities.”

  “I work alone.” I leaned back and crossed my arms. “If she works for you, she needs more than an adjustment—she needs an intervention.”

  “How was this evening’s patrol?” He extended a hand, examining his fingernails. “You did manage to save the woman and destroy the ‘rummer,’ as you call them? Did you notice anything odd about the creature?”

  “I did fine.” My voice caught as the pain crept up my side. “Handled it pretty well.”

  “And yet it required three LIT rounds to dispatch. Is this common?”

  “I must have gotten defective rounds from Tessa,” I lied. Tessa only sold the highest quality illegal goods. One round should have put the rummer down—not three.

  “Of course, that must be it.” I saw his eyes glow a subtle violet in the dim room. “It’s a good thing the ogre only managed to inflict minor injuries. If only you had someone to assist you in your rescues.”

  “I…work…alone,” I said through gasps as the pain increased. “This isn’t exactly motivating me to agree.”

  “Very well,” Hades said with a sigh. He signaled to Corbel, who approached the sword. “Enjoy your remaining years. I apologize for wasting your incredibly limited time. I’ll make sure she is given a proper retirement.”

  Goddammit. I’ve seen what passes for retirement with Hades. It’s painful right up until the point it becomes fatal. He would ghost her without a second thought. Corbel narrowed his eyes at me. I knew that look, and damn straight, he would owe me.

  “She does what I say when I say,” I said with a sigh, knowing I was going to regret this. “She sasses me, or gives me attitude, she’s gone.”

  Corbel stopped next to the bed and gave me a short nod.

  “I would expect no less from a Night Warden of your stature,” Hades said with a smile as he brushed off his suit.

  “Stop blowing smoke up my ass—the Wardens can’t wait until I’m a memory,” I said, looking at him. “What’s the name?”

  “Her name is Koda,” he said. “I suggest a firm hand. Her previous handler”—he glanced at Corbel, who scowled—“allowed her an exorbitant amount of latitude.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind. Is she street-skilled, or do I have to teach her how to stay alive?”

  “She worked for me, Mr. Stryder. She is exceptionally skilled in staying alive.”

  “So skilled you’re pushing her on me like rotten meat,” I answered. “If she gets ghosted out there, it’s on her.”

  Hades sighed. “She lacks discipline and a certain ruthlessness. Something I’m certain you can provide her instruction in.”

  He knew. The bastard knew I was going to take his deal. I leaned forward, my body protesting in pain, and grabbed the scabbard. The sword jumped in my hand.

  “What the—?”

  “The blade’s full name is Kuro kokoro kokutan no ken which is loosely translated into ‘dark spirit’.” He gestured, and Corbel reached into a pocket, produced a small book, and placed it near me on the bed. “This is as much of the history of the blade as I could obtain. After all, knowledge is power. Study it.”

  “What do I have to lose?” I picked up the book and noticed the runic failsafes inscribed on the cover.

  “Indeed. Koda will arrive tomorrow,” Hades said. “I would consider investigating why it took three LIT rounds to dispatch the rummer.”

  “I’ll look into it.” It had been on my mind. If they were becoming UV-resistant, we were in for a world of pain. “I need to go see Tessa.”

  “An excellent idea.” With a gesture, Hades and Corbel disappeared.

  FOUR

  “YOU LOOK LIKE shit.” The voice woke me, and I reached for Fatebringer. My body reminded me about playing with angry ogres by sending a wave of cascading pain up and down my side. “Good reflexes though.”

  She was thin and wiry. Her long, cascading black hair had red streaks in it. I could tell that it hadn’t seen a brush or comb in a long time. Her pale skin seemed almost translucent, and she sat well back from the sunlight that bathed the room. A thin visor hid her eyes. I noticed she was dressed in assassin leathers and boots.

  I cursed Rox for leaving the blinds open. On the side table, next to my guest, I saw Fatebringer disassembled and broken down into several small parts. The protective runes should’ve prevented her from tampering with it, much less taking it apart. I didn’t get anything else from her, which threw me. Everyone has an energy signature, but hers was missing.

  “It’s rude to grab a man’s weapon without permission.” I sat up in the bed slowly. “How did you get around the runes
?”

  “What happened to you?” she said, looking down at the pieces and scrunching her face. “I thought you were some badass. Looks like you got your ass kicked or a truck hit you—a few times. Maybe both.”

  I thought back to the ogre who’d wanted to rearrange my everything and nodded. “Something like that.” I pointed at the pieces of Fatebringer. “You’re going to have to put that back toget—”

  Her hands blurred over the pieces as she reassembled Fatebringer. I mentally timed her at ten seconds. Which had to be wrong, since no one was that fast. Especially with a runed weapon. She slid it back to me butt first with a nod.

  “Nice gun, but it’s a little on the light side.” She looked at the scabbard. “Where did you get entropy rounds? I thought those were banned?”

  “What the hell are you?” I managed after a few seconds of shock. “You aren’t supposed to be able to do that. No one is.”

  She lowered the visor. Her eyes gave off a faint red glow, as she smiled at me. “Not even Night Wardens?”

  “You touch my gun again, I’ll shoot you myself.” I grabbed Fatebringer, checked it, and made sure it was functional. “Don’t touch any of my weapons—ever.”

  I was about to say more, when a cough from the door interrupted me. Roxanne entered the room and glanced at the assassin before grabbing my chart.

  “I see you have a guest.” Roxanne looked over my chart and gave me a routine examination. “Does your guest have a name?”

  “Sure, it’s ‘pain in my—’” I started.

  “Koda, ma’am,” she said, standing up and extending a hand. “You must be Haven Director DeMarco. Pleased to meet you. I’m here to assist Night Warden Stryder.”

  Roxanne raised an eyebrow as she took Koda’s hand and shook it.

  “I thought you worked alone?” Roxanne said, turning to me with a smile. “She has manners and looks capable. Clearly there must be some mistake if she’s going to work with you.”

  “I do,” I said with a growl. “She’s on extended probation. I’m not sure she’s going to make it.”

  “Do keep her.” Roxanne placed the chart on the side table. “If only to limit your visits here.”

  “You say that like I’m here every night,” I said with a scowl. “I do manage to patrol without getting hurt.”

  “Until someone is in danger, and then you lose all sense of self-preservation.” Roxanne looked Koda over. “Are you a Night Warden, Koda?”

  “Not yet, ma’am,” Koda said, looking at me.

  “I told you she’s on probation. Besides, you know the Night Wardens aren’t adding to their ranks anymore, remember? We’re obsolete.”

  “I’ve been trying to get him to leave the Wardens for years.” Roxanne opened a closet and pulled out a bundle. “Maybe you can succeed where I’ve failed.”

  I groaned in response. I knew where this was headed.

  “Rox…” I said, trying to head off the impending rant.

  She held up a hand and ignored me.

  “Maybe you’ll have more luck,” she said. “Whatever you do, don’t become a Warden. All they do is roam around the streets at night, looking for trouble.” She stared at me hard. “And they usually find it.”

  “I’ll do my best to avoid trouble, ma’am.” Koda sat down and looked at me.

  “You won’t avoid it for long if you’re on the streets with him,” Roxanne said, pointing at me. “I hope you’re skilled, at least.”

  Roxanne dropped the bundle of clothes and my duster on the bed, and picked up the scabbard. I felt the energy of the sword, and Roxanne narrowed her eyes at me.

  “Since when do you use a sword?”

  “I don’t,” I said quickly. “I’m just—”

  She took the hilt and drew the blade. The runes on the black blade gleamed in the sunlight. Red runes flashed. I felt the energy in the room shift and I grabbed the scabbard, pushing the blade back in. The smell of coffee filled the room.

  “Not a good idea, Rox.”

  “Where did you get that blade, Grey?” Roxanne had formed an orb of red energy in her opposite hand. “Don’t you dare lie to me.”

  The bass tone that rumbled in my stomach made me queasy. I knew she was serious. The meds were screwing with my senses. Magic usually only affected tones and taste. The blade, Roxanne using magic, and the meds were causing sensory crossovers.

  “Hades,” I said under my breath. “I’m just holding it for him.”

  “Are you insane?” She absorbed the orb and stepped closer to the bed, grabbing my shirt. “That blade is dangerous. Give it back—now.”

  “Not yet.” I put the scabbard next to me on the bed. “I have to see if he was telling the truth.”

  “The truth?” she said, crossing her arms. “The truth about what?”

  “He said it can stop the entropic dissolution.”

  “And you believe him.” Her face was a stone mask. “He’s a god, Grey. Everything is half-truths with them. You cast that spell and lost everything. Don’t trust him.”

  “I know. I’ll do it on my terms, Rox.”

  “And her?” Roxanne glanced over at Koda. “Is she part of this too?”

  “Unrelated,” I said, my voice steel. “Just need someone to watch my six. Like you said—I’m good at finding trouble.”

  I could tell Roxanne remained unconvinced, but she nodded. “Simon has a blade that looks like that. Maybe you should speak to—”

  “No, thanks.” I held up a hand and shook my head. “He’s actually okay, at least compared to Tea and Crumpets, but I’ll pass. Besides, I need to go see Tessa.”

  “The Moving Market?” Roxanne narrowed her eyes. “Who said you were cleared to leave Haven?”

  “I did.” I grabbed my clothes and stood. “Can I have a little privacy, ladies?”

  “Who do you think treats you when you end up in here like mangled hamburger?”

  “That nurse on the third floor who keeps giving me the looks?” I said, wagging my eyebrows. “You know the one?”

  “Dream on.” Roxanne waved her hand at me and grabbed my chart. “Let’s go, Koda. Mr. Stryder would like some privacy.”

  They left the room and I got dressed. I put the runed book about the sword in one of my coat’s secret pockets. I grabbed the sword, and it jumped again.

  “Shit.” I placed it in another pocket of my special duster. “Nothing good will come of this.”

  FIVE

  “WHY DIDN’T YOU tell her about me?” Koda asked when we arrived at the garage level. “You didn’t tell her about my working for Hades.”

  “Rox is the closest I’ll get to family.” I pressed the special fob, and my bike shimmered into view. “If I told her about you, she’d be upset. That woman is dangerous when she’s upset.”

  “So you lied?” Koda asked as she approached my bike. “Is this an Ecosse?”

  “I didn’t lie,” I said with a scowl. “I opted not to get into a knockdown, drag-out battle with one of the most powerful sorceresses I know. It was preservation—yours and mine. You’re welcome, by the way.”

  “So you’re scared of her?”

  “If you were smart, you would be, too.” I placed my hand on the side of the Shroud. It was a SuNaTran—Supernatural Transport—variant of the Ecosse superbike, outfitted with extras, like camouflage and biometric locks. The side panel flared with orange runes and the engine started as I jumped on. Koda looked around. “I only have one. Get on or walk.”

  “No helmets?” Koda asked, getting on the back.

  “Always.” I put on my glasses and handed her a pair. They flared violet for a second and a kinetic buffer surrounded my head. “This is a kinetic buffer. Think helmet, but without the helmet. Put them on. They’re audio linked.”

  “Impressive,” she said, swapping glasses and wrapping her arms around my waist as we pulled off. “Where are we going? Who’s Tessa?”

  “She runs the Market now after Nick got himself retired a while back.”

&nbs
p; “The Market?”

  I pulled a hard right and jumped on the FDR, swerving around traffic as I headed uptown. According to my calculations, I needed to get to 86th Street within the next thirty minutes, or I’d have to head downtown for the Hudson Yards entrance.

  “The Moving Market is where I get my ammo, among other things,” I said. “I need to ask Tessa why it took three LIT rounds to put down a rummer, when it should only take one.”

  “Are you sure you hit it the first two times?” she asked, and I could almost hear the smile. “Could be you’re a lousy shot or the ammo is shit. I hear LIT rounds are unstable.”

  “I don’t miss, and Tessa sells only the highest quality ammo.”

  “You don’t miss—which I doubt, but let’s say it’s true—and only get the best ammo,” she said. “That only leaves one other option.”

  “What? Rummers are becoming resistant to LIT rounds?”

  “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth,” she said, as I slipped between two cars and took the 86th Street exit. “But I seriously doubt you don’t miss. It was dark. You were facing a rummer, it would be easy to miss twice.”

  “Not at point-blank range.”

  I felt her shrug her shoulders. “Even I could miss at point-blank with an angry ogre coming at me,” she said as we pulled up to Carl Schurz Park. I parked the Shroud and activated its camouflage. It shimmered and disappeared from view.

  “Let’s go.” I entered the park and headed up the stairs to the promenade that looked over the East River. Next to the benches sat a small maintenance building. I looked around the promenade for a few seconds. Memories of sitting on the bench with Jade and watching the boats travel up and down the river rushed back—a cruel reminder of the price she paid, and how alone I was.

  “Hello?” Koda waved her hand in front of my eyes. “Anyone home?”

  “What?” I growled, irritated that I had let my guard down enough for the past to blindside me.

  “I was saying, what if someone bumps into the bike?” Koda asked as I stepped over to the door of the small building.