The Lyris Read online

  GUARDIANS: THE LYRIS

  By Lola St.Vil

  Copyright © 2013 Lola St.Vil

  Formatting by Dallas Hodge, Everything But The Book

  AUTHOR’S NOTE:

  This book contains content about tornadic activity which was written well before the recent outbreak of severe weather affecting the Mid-Western United States, especially Oklahoma. We are deeply saddened by the recent weather related tragedies and our thoughts go out to the victims and survivors of these real life events.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  CHAPTER ONE: I SPEAK TO ANGELS

  CHAPTER TWO: WHAT YOU DESERVE

  CHAPTER THREE: REMEMBER ME

  CHAPTER FOUR: THE ADVISOR

  CHAPTER FIVE: FRIENDSHIP

  CHAPTER SIX: ANYTHING I CAN GET

  CHAPTER SEVEN: THE VIEW FROM HERE

  CHAPTER EIGHT: STEEL & PAPER

  CHAPTER NINE: THE HANDOVER

  CHAPTER TEN: THE ONE DAY

  CHAPTER ELEVEN: ANYTHING YOU SAY

  CHAPTER TWELVE: SNAKES & EX-GIRLFRIENDS

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN: OUT OF SIGHT

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN: TRICKS OF THE WICKED

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN: THOMAS CASE IS DEAD

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN: THE CITY UNDER GLASS

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: EVIL THAT EVIL FEARS

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: I HAVE SEEN IT

  CHAPTER NINETEEN: COMA GIRLS

  CHAPTER TWENTY: FINAL HOURS

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE: THE LYRIS

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO: INTRODUCTIONS

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: WHO DID THIS?

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: LETTING GO

  CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE: REMEMBER

  CHAPTER TWENTY SIX: DARKEST OF THE DARK

  CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN: A MESSAGE

  CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: THE HACKER

  CHAPTER TWENTY NINE: CHILLS

  CHAPTER THIRTY: FRENZY

  CHAPTER THIRTY ONE: R.I.P. EMMY

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to all the readers

  who lovingly stalked me online

  and wouldn’t let me give in to the void of heartbreak.

  I sincerely hope it was worth the wait.

  This book is also dedicated to Shanna Bellingham

  for her friendship and endless patience.

  BOOK I:

  MARCUS CANE

  “Nothing is worth doing unless the consequences may be serious—“

  —George Bernard Shaw

  (Submitted by contest winner, Shannon Liskowycz)

  CHAPTER ONE:

  I SPEAK TO ANGELS

  We have a deal: She won’t show up. It’s better that way. Still, as the church fills up with guests, I search for her. As Miku adjusts my tie and helps me with the clasp on my cufflinks, I listen for her footsteps. When Ameana enters the room and tells us the bride is almost ready, I look up at the door as if she will come bursting through it.

  Nothing happens.

  For the first time in her life, Emmy is following my instructions; she is staying away. I wish to Omnis I could see her, even if it’s just for a few minutes. But I know it’s not what’s best for her. It’s bad enough I have to go through with this; why should she have to watch this wedding take place?

  “Marcus!” Ameana shouts in a tone that lets me know this isn’t the first time she called my name.

  “What?”

  “It’s time,” Miku says gently.

  “Oh…yeah,” I reply unable to move towards the exit.

  We’re at St. Katharine’s Church in Scotland. The vast, beautiful structure now holds thousands of Angels and Quo. I’m in a little room off to the side where grooms get ready for their big day.

  Miku and Ameana fuss over things I couldn’t care less about.

  Is my tie straight enough? Does my hair fall to the side that is most complimentary to my face?

  Should the red rose be pinned to the right or left side of my lapel?

  “You look great,” Ameana says, breaking the silence.

  “It’s my wedding day, so I guess I better.”

  “Well, mission accomplished,” Miku says, forcing a smile.

  “Am I doing the right thing?” I ask them.

  “Time will tell,” Miku replies.

  Ameana nods in agreement, adding, “You’re doing what’s best for a race of Angels who depend on you. I would do the same."

  “The hell you would,” Rage says as he enters the room.

  “Thomas—”

  “—you would really marry someone else?”

  “To save an entire race? Yes,” she replies.

  Miku and I exchange a quick glance. Once again, Rage and Ameana aren’t on the same page. We had all hoped this “love affair” would burn out but it just flames on. Who knows how many victims it will leave in its wake?

  “Can you two take it outside?” I order.

  The two of them walk away, eager to continue their argument.

  “Can you believe that’s still going on?” Pretty says.

  “Huh? Oh, yeah,” I reply, clearly distracted.

  “Marcus, Emmy knows this isn’t what you want. She knows you love her and that you’re only doing this to save us. That’s why she gave you her permission.”

  “She gave me her permission because she’s used to getting screwed by me.”

  “Okay, you have done some really questionable things that have ended up hurting Emmy, but this isn’t your fault. You didn’t know what Bianca was up to. None of us did.”

  “I made love to her, asked her to be mine, and then I signed a contract to marry a stranger.”

  “She knows why you’re doing this. She knows where your heart really belongs. She understands.”

  “That’s just it, Pretty. Understanding why someone is breaking your heart again doesn’t make it hurt less.”

  I recall to Miku the conversation Emmy and I had once we were alone after Dalce gave me the ultimatum. I had sent the team away and it was just Emmy and I alone in the room.

  It was strange because we were desperate to be alone after Dalce made his announcement. But when we were, neither of us spoke. She leaned against the wall and looked up at the ceiling. I stood a few feet away studying her.

  Finally, it wasn’t a sound that broke the thick silence, but a gesture, one that nearly tore my soul to shreds; Emmy handed me back the engagement ring.

  “C’mon, don’t do that,” I implored.

  “I have to; bigamy is illegal in the state of New York,” she replied.

  “I’m not going to marry Bianca,” I assured her.

  “Then what are you going to do?”

  “I’m gonna go talk to her. I have to reason with her and get her to understand that this can’t happen.”

  “You think Bianca lacks understanding? Marcus, that bitch knows exactly what she’s doing. She wants power, fame and recognition. And she’s right - Marrying you is the best way to get that. That girl is brilliant.”

  “It doesn’t matter, because I will not marry her.”

  She laughed a joyless laugh.

  “What’s so funny?” I demanded.

  “If you don’t marry her, the blood of thousands of Angels will be on your hands. She has you right where she wants you.”

  “I’m not gonna enter a marriage just for politics.”

  “Yeah, you will, if it means saving lives.”

  “What about us? You think I could just give you up on us and take another girl? I’m not gonna do that. I’m not gonna break your heart like before. We just got back together; I’m not losing you again. I’m not marrying Bianca, that’s final.”

  “We both know who you are. It may be an hour from now or a few days, but in the end, you will do what a leader does—save your people.”

  “Emmy—”

>   “—I know, you love me. I love you, too. And it’s only now I’m realizing how little that matters.”

  “Emmy, that’s not true. Our love matters.”

  “No, it doesn’t. It should, but it doesn’t. Look at your team, you all loved your families and most of you were killed by them. Love doesn’t matter; power does. And Bianca has all of it. The only thing you and I can do is brace ourselves…”

  She handed me the ring again. I shook my head “no;” I refused to take it from her. She walks over to me and placed the ring on the small table beside me. She kissed my cheek lightly and whispers in my ear.

  “We tried…”

  She walked through the door and didn’t look back.

  Now, standing before Miku, I find myself clearing my throat, trying to maintain some kind of composure. Miku looks at me with sad eyes.

  “That was the last time you saw her?” She asks.

  “Yeah, that was three days ago.”

  “I’m sorry. I know how you feel about Emmy. I know how hard you’ve tried to make it work.”

  “I thought I could talk Bianca out of this. I thought I could find some way where this didn’t have to happen. I mean, there had to be a mixture, potion, something…but no, there’s nothing.”

  “Bianca covered all her tracks. Including the Exchange clause.”

  “I couldn’t believe she had them put it in there.”

  “Well, a lot of Quo marriages have them.”

  “Yeah, but it’s not a real marriage, so why is that clause there?”

  “I can’t even begin to guess. Does Emmy know about the clause?”

  “No. I was going to tell her but what would it matter? I mean, all it would do is hurt her even more.”

  “You promised you wouldn’t keep things from her.”

  “I always promised to marry her and spend my life with her. All my promises have added up to nothing. She knows that by now.”

  Miku gently places her hand on top of mine.

  “Do you think she regrets it?” I ask.

  “Regrets what?”

  “Loving me…”

  “You’d have to ask her.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why?”

  “She might answer me.”

  Pretty hugs me tightly. I wrap my arms around her and wonder how things got this bad. How did the mission go so far off course?

  Stop wasting your time wondering, Marcus; just deal with what’s in front of you.

  “Seeing how things are with me and Emmy, does it make you want to run from you and Jay?” I ask her as we pull apart.

  “There is no ‘Miku and Jay,’” she reminds me.

  “So, you talked to him and he doesn’t feel the same?” I ask.

  “No, we haven’t talked but the ‘no talking’ is coming through loud and clear. It’s telling me,

  ‘Jay doesn’t like me.’ So, it’s whatever.”

  “You know he just lost someone. It’s not easy for him to…”

  “Yeah, I get that. But I just had this crazy picture in my head that when he found out, he’d be…”

  “Happy?”

  “Yeah, and relieved because secretly our hooks began to mean something. I was hoping…never mind. I’m starting to sound like Emmy; full of wishful thinking.”

  “You should try talking to him.”

  “Jay has never had any issues telling anyone what he thought. If he liked me, he would have said so.”

  “I’m sorry, Pretty.”

  “It’s okay. It’s just a little crush. It’ll go away. Not every couple is ‘Marcus and Emmy.’

  “Given the way things are going between us, you should be grateful not to be like us.” Just then, someone opens the door. Even before I can look up, I hope to Omnis it is her. I know it’s selfish, but I need her.

  Jay enters the room, the rest of the team, including Rage, is behind him. Jay looks alarmed.

  “What is it?” I ask.

  “It’s nothing too bad…” He says.

  “Is it Emmy? Is she okay?”

  “Well…yeah…no…yeah—”

  “—Jay! What. Is. It?”

  “Emmy’s in jail.”

  As I race out of the church, I hear someone say they will stall the wedding for as long as they can. I’m not sure who says what because I am already in the air. Rio and Jay are right behind me.

  Jay takes us to the 17th Precinct on East 51 St. in Manhattan.

  Once there, Jay uses his powers to Convince the cop at the front desk to let us see her. She sits alone, in a cell, on a dirty cot. She has her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms around her legs. She bows her head - I think she’s crying.

  “Emmy?” I call out as the officer allows me into the cell.

  She looks up at me slowly. She isn’t crying. In fact, she’s smiling. Actually, she’s grinning from ear to ear. She has dark circles under her eyes and her hair looks like it hasn’t been washed in days.

  “Hey, it’s my fiancée. Hi, baby. How’s the wife?” She calls out.

  I look over at Jay.

  “Baby girl is baked, ” he says confirming my suspicion.

  My jaw drops and Jay shakes his head.

  “Emmy, let’s go,” I order.

  “No. I like it here,” she replies.

  “You can’t stay.”

  “You are always so serious,” she mocks.

  I turn to Jay, he tells me to reason with her while he tries to keep the arresting officer under his power.

  Emmy tells me to sit beside her. Reluctantly, I do as she asks.

  “How did you get here?” I ask, forcing myself to remain calm.

  “I’m so hungry,” she says.

  “How did you get arrested?” I ask again.

  “I know this guy at school, he’s a weed head. But there are no weeds growing from his actual head. Weird, right?”

  Dear Omnis, what have I done to this girl?

  “Anyway, he gave me some weed. But I couldn’t smoke it. Marcus, it was soooooo nasty.”

  “But I’m guessing you got past that?”

  “Nope. He gave me a brownie. So. Good. Chocolate with little walnuts. I love walnuts.”

  “How many did you have?”

  “A lot. They had walnuts. I love walnuts.”

  “You said that already.”

  “I did?”

  “Yeah…”

  “Well, I was walking home and the fire hydrant made a joke; I started laughing along and the cop pulled me over. Lame.”

  “The hydrant was speaking to you?”

  “Yup.”

  “You don’t find that strange?”

  “I speak to Angels, why not a fire hydrant?” She laughs.

  I take her hand in mine and look into her glossy eyes.

  “Baby, you need to get out of here and get some rest, okay?”

  “Will you come with me?”

  “I can’t. Not now.”

  “Because you’re getting married today, right?”

  “Right.”

  “To me?”

  “No, Em. To Bianca.”

  “The mean girl?”

  “Yes, the mean girl. Now C’mon, we have to go.”

  “If you give me another brownie, I’ll go.”

  “No more brownies. Ever.”

  “Why?”

  “They’re not good for you, Em.”

  “No, they are. They make me giggle, and they make see things in slow motion.”

  “Yeah, I get that, but you can’t have any more.”

  “I have to keep eating them because they make you go away.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “When I don’t eat them, all I see is you. You holding me, you making love to me, you giving me a ring… Then, I see you marrying her. And everything goes dark. Then, I want to do something I have never wanted to do in my life…”

  “What?”

  “Die.”

  CHAPTER TWO:

  WHAT YOU DESERVE

 
I’m the first thing she sees when she opens her eyes. That makes me happier than I have been in weeks. She thinks she’s hallucinating so she blinks a few times to see if I will disappear.

  “Hi, baby,” I greet her warmly.

  “Hey…” Emmy whispers.

  She looks at her surroundings. She doesn’t recognize the loft style cabin we’re in. She finds herself in bed surrounded by a quilt and pillows. She looks over my shoulders and sees the living room and kitchen below.

  I sit beside her and patiently wait for the onslaught of questions she will ask.

  “Marcus, what’s going on?”

  “Breakfast.”

  She looks up at me once again, totally confused. I quickly assure her that everything will be explained once she has eaten.

  “Wait, where are we?”

  “Cabin in the Green Mountains.”

  “Okay, but—”

  “Eat first, questions later.”

  “How did I get here?”

  I knew this wouldn’t be easy.

  “After we picked you up from jail, I had Jay Convince you to sleep - for a long time.”

  “How long?”

  “Day and a half.”

  “What?!”

  “You needed it, Em; you were exhausted.”

  “Yeah, I was but—”

  “—I know you have a lot of questions, but can it wait until after breakfast?”

  “Okay…”

  I quickly take her hand and walk her downstairs before she changes her mind.

  “Is that bacon?” She asks, sniffing the air.

  “Yeah.”

  “Wait, when you said breakfast, you meant like homemade and not something from 7-11?”

  “Yes, it’s all homemade,” I say proudly.