Tacet a Mortuis Page 17

  “I do,” I nodded. “It resonates with me on a deep level when it comes to us, I guess.”

  His finger paused for a second, his eyes flicking to me briefly before he continued to scroll through.

  The song finished and then Bullet for my Valentine “Your Betrayal” started playing. I giggle-snorted—straight ugly snorted—when I heard it.

  “That day at the lake?” I smirked, my eyes coming to his.

  “You remembered?”

  “Your face was buried between my thighs while our friends were doing backflips off rocks in the water fifty meters away from us—yes, I remember. I remember this song was playing from Nate’s sound dock.” My eyes glassed over from the memories. “God, it feels like so long ago. Put that in our playlist.” He does something on my phone, and then pulled out his. He started fiddling around with both phones and then tucked his away.

  “I joined our playlist to both our accounts. Now we can both add songs to it for the other to listen to.”

  The gesture may have sounded normal to most people, but again, this was Bishop, and I’m still warming up to this side of him. The caring side. Receiving love from someone who spent so much time hating you gives you a euphoric high that no drug could ever give you. It was intoxicating, deadly, and completely addictive. I took my phone since he could now use his, then pushed play on “Stupid Love” from Jason Derulo.

  “Really?” he deadpanned.

  I shrugged, sliding the song to our playlist. “It came on when we were on our way to the airport to fly to New Zealand. It connected with me around that time so it’s going in.”

  His eyes narrowed.

  I narrowed mine back.

  “You wanna play? Okay, let’s play.”

  “What are you, Tony Montana,” I teased, and watched as his thumb shuffled through the songs on his phone. “Killpop” from Slipknot started playing.

  I tried listening to the lyrics, even though I was acquainted with the song.

  “Isn’t this about a drug dealer who falls in love with his junkie?” I raised my eyebrow at him.

  A beat passed, and then he slowly raised his eyebrows. Realization sunk in pretty quickly once I had just choked on my own words. “Oh, well, then, it’s perfect.”

  “Hey.” He tilted my head to face him. “This shit with you and I, it’s always been messy, fucking chaotic, but that’s just us. Don’t resent that, baby.”

  “I’d never.” I shook my head. Halestorm “I’m no Angel” started playing next, and I leaned my head on Bishop’s shoulder. His arm came up again, pulling me into his side so my face smashed into him. I loved his scent. I wished I could bottle it up and carry it around with me. Leather, soap, man, and mint. “I’ve been through a lot of traumatic things in my life, as you know, and up until the point I met you, I would have given anything and everything to change my past. But, if I had to go through all those things to meet you, then I wouldn’t change a thing. You’re well worth it, Bishop.”

  He was silent, so I figured he may not have heard me, and before I knew it, my eyes closed and I fell into a deep sleep.

  “Baby, wake up.”

  My eyes popped open and I stretched my arms wide. “Are we there?”

  “Yeah.” He stood, tugging me to my feet. Nate had Tate huddled in his arms, her head in his neck. What the actual fuck. Those two confuse me like no other. Bishop must see my puzzlement.

  “She was asleep. Don’t think into it.” As they disappeared out the door, I stepped aside to let Jase and Saint pass.

  “Are you trying to convince me that he doesn’t care?”

  Bishop took my hand and led me down the walkway. “I didn’t say that he didn’t care—just not enough…”

  I rubbed the palm of my hand into my eye, feeling almost defeated by his words. “You boys.”

  “Not me. They, and I, always knew with you. Nate, and us, and you, know that’s not the case with Tatum.”

  I sighed, then started shuffling out of the plane. “I guess. I just wish she didn’t need to get hurt.” Once we come to the door, I sucked in a breath. “What is this place?” The airstrip was lined with dark bushes and tall accent stone statues, carved with thick patterns shaping weird faces and moss spilling out from the cracks. The air smelled of tropical leaves with a slight spritz of saltwater. I cranked my head to find any sign of life.

  “Where’s the airport?”

  Bishop snorted, taking my hand and leading me down the stairs. “You won’t find an airport here, Kitty.” I stayed quiet, unsure what to say. I didn’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this. I expected more life. There were three white Mercedes trucks waiting for us that were square in shape and resembled military tanks. I faltered, and just as Tatum was about to slide into one of them with Nate’s hand on her lower back, she sent me a playful wink. I smiled at her reassuringly, but I wasn’t so sure. I felt like a fraud giving her that smile, but there was only so much people could do to help someone before it became too exhausting. Bishop started to lead us toward the truck at the front of the other two and pointed to the passenger door.

  “Get in and put your belt on.”

  I followed orders, opening the door and quickly clicking my belt on. I felt a sense of urgency rush through me. Like we were on borrowed time. The back doors swung open as Nate, Hunter, and Jase slid into the back. Bishop got into the driver’s seat beside me.

  “This feels a little tense.” I glanced out the window, unease slowly seeping in.

  “Because it is,” Nate mumbled in the back. Bishop’s eyes shot to him in the rearview mirror before putting the truck into first and flooring us out of there. The silence that fell was comfortable, and actually, I preferred it. This way I could take in my surroundings without having to maintain small talk. I watched as the thick shrubs started to morph and melt into the fat green wild forest, and the asphalt road transformed to dirt. The closeness of the overgrown trees, long grass and wilderness made it feel like our trip was more of the off-road trip. I turned in my seat to see the other two trucks still behind us, my panicking semi-subsided. My eyes dropped down to Jase’s lap, and then to Hunter’s and Nate’s, all to catch them loading up AK’s.

  “Why do I feel like we’re walking into a war zone?” I turned back in my seat, my hands skimming over the metal door. I bet if I googled this make of Mercedes, it would tell me it was bulletproof.

  “Because we are,” Bishop replied casually, flooring it. We shot forward faster, so fast that I could no longer enjoy the scenery outside because everything looked like an oil paint mixture gone wrong.

  “Nate, what are you doing with Tatum?” I asked.

  “Mads, I don’t think this is the right time to ask me that.”

  “Well, why did you put her in with Eli and Saint?”

  “Because we all wanted to be near you, and you’re my priority.”

  I sighed, resting my head on the cool window. “Why are you stringing her along then?”

  He sneered. “I’m not, and sis, this really isn’t the time, but know that she knows exactly where I stand and where I’ve always stood. I’ve been nothing but honest with her, it’s not my fault if she allows her feelings to control her.”

  “Nate? Just stay away from her, please.”

  Silence.

  “I need to tell you something, but I didn’t want to until we got here, because I didn’t want you to have to be stressing all the way”—Bishop’s eyes came to mine—“Ok?”

  “Ok?” I answered.

  “The reason we’re here is because Daemon called me yesterday. He sounded…off.”

  I froze. My heartbeat slowed to a thunderous pace. “Wha—what?” Then just like that, everything zipped back into real time. “What!” I screamed, frantically looking around. “What do you mean off?”

  “See” Bishop rolled his eyes. “I made the right decision,” he shot a stare at someone in the back through the rearview mirror.

  “Someone better start talking…” I warned.

/>   Bishop shuffled in his seat, cutting a hard left turn and onto a track that barely looked like a track. Branches slapped the windshield like thunder and the wheels of the truck dipped us low and high through the bumpy puddles. “He called me yesterday and the call cut out. I couldn’t get through to him after that, but from what he told me, it’s not looking good here right now.”

  I massaged my temples. “Bishop, please cut the shit.”

  “Through the broken speech, I made out Silver Swan and Madison, and that’s it. Then the call was cut. Hearing that, put us all on high alert. I called Dad and he dispatched us here to check things out. If we need, we can have more back up, but we’ve never needed it before. This island, it’s separated by four fractions, but all within a vast gated community. Nihil (Nil), Regiis (Royal), Secundus (Second), and Tertuim (third). Each faction is chosen by your family lineage and how important you are. Everyone is fluent in Latin, hardly any speak English. I need you to stay directly beside me.”

  “I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Nate mumbled off more to himself, I was guessing by the volume of his answer.

  “People, Nate. They’re just people.”

  “So that’s why we’re here? Because it’s a threat to me? Daemon mentioning me and then something about a Silver Swan?”

  Bishop nodded reluctantly. “I think so, and because I wanted to check on Daemon.”

  My heart warmed a little by his confession. Whether it was entirely true or not, I couldn’t care right now.

  “Okay.” I shook off all of my other feelings and straightened my head. “So what’s the worst that could be happening right now?”

  Bishop cleared his throat. “The worst would be that Daemon is dead, Katsia has gone rogue, and the Lost Boys have finally taken ownership of the island. There would be riots and havoc, so we do not want this one.”

  My eyes closed as my chest tightened. “No. That can’t be an option.”

  “The other one is that my instincts have gone to shit and I’m wrong.”

  “Shit,” I exhaled, my chest squeezing again. “That’s obviously not an option either, but there’s no way about Daemon.”

  Bishop nodded. “Agreed. He will most likely be safe because he’s smart and strong, but I really fucking hope I’m wrong about everything.” The bumps started dipping harder. My head almost smashing against the roof of the truck.

  (enter)

  “Bishop! This place is fucking creepy!” Khales ran up behind me, tossing her hair into a high ponytail. “Do you come here often? Is this your secret playground? Is there cake here?”

  I chuckled. “Shut up. No, I don’t come here often. I have to run an errand for my dad.”

  She looked around the little township in skepticism. “This is an errand?”

  I shrugged and pointed to one of the little shops. “There’s cake here.”

  Khales eyes lit up, then she grabbed onto my hands and pulled me toward the cake shop. The bell dinged up ahead as we entered. I shook my head. “You’d be too easy to kidnap you know. Just wave some cake and they’ve got you.”

  “Ah, but will they keep me, that’s the question…” She winked and skipped the rest of the way to the counter where a glass cabinet displayed all sorts of different cakes cut into delicate slices and sitting on tiny plates. I turned to look outside, a shiver of terror running through my veins, but I was met with people wandering down the dark street, the only light coming from the fairy lights dangling ahead of them. Some were dressed in gym gear, some were in suits and armor. Perdita was an odd place, but it was all these people knew. It looked pretty on the surface, but most of these people weren’t aware what laid below their feet. They lived, thinking that this was the only life available. Generations back, there was a crock of shit cooked up to make them believe there was an apocalypse that wiped out the rest of humanity. They were caged in the town, without a clue. It was really just a well made-up story that started generations ago, all for what? Power. Power, money, respect, and order.

  “Here!” Khales handed me a piece of vanilla cake, but I shook my head.

  “I’m good.”

  “Oh, come on, B. You need to loosen up a little. You’re too tense all the time, but I get it, I mean, what...” Her voice died out in the distance as we walked out of the cake shop. People moved and parted like the red sea whenever I was here. They knew who I was, but they didn’t know where I came from. Their knowledge was very limited when it came to Perdita, and they all spoke fluent Latin. No one knew English. As far as they were concerned, English was a dead language. I continued to walk down the main strip with Khales still venting beside me. I snarled at a passerby and bit at her with a grin on my face. She screamed and ran off, ushering her child away from me. I was the monster that lived under her bed.

  “B! That was mean,” Khales giggle-snorted, grabbing my hand.

  I pulled away from her grip.

  She rolled her eyes. “Oh, what, so we can fuck, but I can’t hold your hand?”

  “We fuck, Khales. We’re friends who fuck, we’re not friends who hold hands.”

  She grumbled something under her breath that sounded like “asshole” just as we reached the entry to hell aka Regiis.

  That was the last time I took her anywhere. Fuck she was annoying. Yanking open Madison’s door, I gestured for her to get out, but she remained frozen in her seat, her eyes going up to the building in front of us. I couldn’t blame her, the first time I saw Perdita I was all of five years old and it looked the same scary now as it did through the eyes of a five-year-old boy.

  “Babe, come on.”

  She slowly gathered her wits and slid out of the truck. I wasn’t sure exactly what we were walking into, but I knew whatever it was, unless the island had really turned to shit, we were safe. The Kings were royalty, and the Lost Boys were the shit on the bottom of our shoe. The reason for our safety was the same reason for my apprehension, though. They had a lot of reasons to hate us, under all their loyalty. There was one other thing that was floating around in my head. Tillie.

  Pulling Madison under my arm, we met the rest of the boys in the center, and then I let my eyes come up to the main building on Perdita. The island itself was natural. With bushlands and wildflowers growing through the soil, and animals that were only found on this island, it was exotic, foreign and protected. It simmered behind the fog and mist of whatever you thought you knew about not only our world but our country. Right at the center of Perdita was where the township resided. Where we stood, there was the entry building which was armed with guards and led you into the township. The reason why the island remained for the most part untouched was because The Lost Boys and Katsia’s army remained behind the one-hundred-foot brick wall which circled around their entire township. The entry, which was where we were standing in front of, was built by the same stone. Milky white marble with streaks of black slicked through in intricate patterns. The stone was called de regno diabolic, which in English translated to The Devil’s Kingdom.

  “What the hell is this place?” Tatum whispered, walking to the other side of Madison.

  “Hell, that’s what,” Nate muttered, flipping his cap backward and putting a J into his mouth.

  I walked up the thick, long stairs that lead to two heavy metal doors. Reaching for the white button that was strangely put in the center of the door, I pressed it, then waited.

  And waited.

  I don’t like waiting.

  I turned back around to see Madison walking up the steps with the rest following her. Exhaling, I rested my head on the door, waiting. A loud lock slid across from the other side of the door, vibrating my head. I shot up and spun around. The door cranked open wider.

  “Boys.”

  Madison gasped. “Mrs. Winters?”

  She grinned, then her eyes came directly to me. “I heard my niece is back from the dead?” Her eyebrow rose. Fucking Khales.

  “Your niece is a whore.” I shoved the door open and walked closer to her, only her guard who was
dressed in steel armor (like he had just walked off the set of a Game of Thrones episode) put himself between both of us.

  “Aw.” I tilted my head at the man in armor. I could see the bead of sweat coming down the center of his forehead between his eyebrows. “Tinker, why don’t you tell your Peter to move his shit before I snap his neck.” I ended my threat with a small smile and a wink.

  She rolled her eyes, pushing him away. “He’s not my Peter, you and I both know who that is.” She gestured, the door opened farther. “Well, come on then. We were expecting you to come, just weren’t sure when.”

  I walked farther in without looking back, my hand flew out behind myself and caught Madison’s. I pulled her behind my back protectively. Tinker gave me a look. “B, you kn—”

  “—Shut the fuck up, Tinker,” Jase sneered at her. Instantly her mouth slammed shut. She pushed her glasses up her nose, straightening her shoulders. Good to know Jase still owns that shit.

  I chuckled, shaking my head. “Some shit will just never change.”

  “That’s a bit rich…” she started, and I swung around, eyebrows raised.

  “What’s that?”

  She shut the door in a huff and then gestured out with her hand. “Well, come on then.” We walked through the old building and out onto the township.

  Madison’s eyes were flying around everywhere. “Wow. It’s really, beautiful in here.”

  “Don’t let this shit fool you,” Hunter grunted, walking past us and taking the lead behind Tinker.

  “He’s right.” We began following Tinker down the steps and into the small township. There were small stores lined on every side of the main street which was lined with lilac daisies and black roses. Each store had their own signage out the front. Weapons. One read, with the next, Food, and the next, medical supplies, hospital, gym, as we walked past each one, Madison noticed how there were no people wandering around.

  I watched as her head turned to me out of the corner of my eye.

  “It’s daylight. Everything is backward here. They’re nocturnal. Sleep during the day, and work, shop, everyday shit we do during the night.”