Imperfect Divine--A Shade of Mind--Book 4 Read online

  What was wrong with Father lately?

  He missed Dew. Until his little brother had grown up and could speak a bit more, Dew had been his only friend. He looked up the hill to where the wild dogs had killed his dog, and he ground his teeth.

  He hated those dogs.

  He knew his father wouldn’t approve of such strong emotion. A kid his age wasn’t supposed to feel hatred—or even know what it meant.

  But he really missed Dew. A tear rolled down his face. And that was what he couldn’t allow.

  He was four.

  He was a big brother.

  And he would not cry.

  The fury had blasted at him then for the first time. He didn’t know where it had come from, but he knew he was furious. His temperature increased. His blood boiled. His head felt as if it was going to explode.

  The next thing he knew, blades of something hit the forest in front of him with incredible force. Trees were trimmed down to the roots. Dirt, grass, and rocks flew into the air as the gigantic blades hit the ground, chopping everything in their path.

  The blades spun and flew around like gigantic fans from alien spaceships. In seconds, they had carved the hill down to its bare rock bed. He was sure that all the ancient trees and animals in the little forest had been exterminated.

  Ciaran fell on his backside. He knew the blades had come from his mind. They were a tangible form of his fury. They came from his thoughts of killing.

  In front of him now was the scene of a war zone.

  Now he understood why his father had worked so hard to teach him to control his temper. Why his father had tried everything in his power to stop any trace of violence in his thought processes.

  His father had to talk him out of violence without being able to give examples or demonstrations of the consequences if he did otherwise. Because this was a live demonstration of what could happen. If there had been anyone in the forest during that time, their lives were lost. He hoped there had been no one lurking in the bushes in the middle of this winter night.

  But he would never know.

  Another tear fell onto his cheek. Now he was upset because he wasn’t allowed to be upset anymore. He wondered what would happen if he cried.

  He dare not try. He didn’t even want to think about it.

  Ciaran went quietly home and climbed back into his room.

  “Ciaran!” Madeline called him from behind, snapping him back to reality. He was staring at the very window that he had climbed out on his way to experience the power of his fury for the first time.

  He turned around and smiled at her.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  “This was my room when I was a kid.”

  “Oh . . .” Madeline looked around. Then she embraced him. It embarrassed him how much he had grown to crave her embraces. He held her in his arms and looked out the window.

  When they had seen the news and realized Kyle had possessed the girl in London and had told her to kill herself and the others, Madeline had called Kyle a monster. What would she think if she knew his mind had a destructive power that made Kyle’s ability look like child’s play? What she would think of him if she knew he could kill—and did kill—with just a thought?

  He kissed the dimple of her left cheek, then he looked into her eyes. “I need to tell you something.”

  Chapter 4

  Madeline assumed that Australia had changed a lot in ten years. She had. She was a new person, and she had a new life. Now she was going back to Australia to start another life—a life in Eudaiz. Who would have thought?

  New York certainly had drifted into a far distant past.

  They were greeted by a wave of skin-blistering heat as soon as they hit the tarmac at Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport. They had departed England's bitter winter and were now hit by Australia’s sweltering heat. These were the two extremes of weather on Earth, and Madeline wondered what it would be like in Eudaiz, another universe.

  Thanks to the organization of Ciaran's staff, they were scooped into a luxurious air-conditioned car. She did not care which car they used, but she definitely needed a buffer for her sensitive skin to adjust to the temperature difference.

  After much discussion, Ciaran had agreed that Tadgh and Jo could come along, with a list of terms and conditions that would take a lifetime to enumerate. In a nutshell, if Tadgh so much as sneezed wrong, Ciaran would send him back to England in a heartbeat.

  As much as Madeline thought Tadgh was immature and impatient, she knew he would go to any lengths when it came to Ciaran’s welfare. The LeBlanc brothers were genuinely a pack.

  It didn’t shock her at all when Ciaran told her about what his mind could do. That it could kill. That Ciaran could cause a massacre with a blade he kept locked in his mind.

  There had to be a very good reason he was the chosen one for the most important Sciphil position in Eudaiz.

  She knew this was just the beginning. She only hoped he was ready to take on the responsibilities.

  Late in the afternoon, after several phone calls back and forth between Jo and Zach, they drove out to meet him at Tropical Tunes, the hub of Zach's band. As a frequent traveler, Tadgh knew his way around Melbourne, so he took the wheel.

  Madeline glanced at the trendy modern restaurant bar when they arrived.

  “You thought it would be different?" Jo asked Madeline.

  "It sounded like a Hawaiian pizza place." Madeline chuckled.

  A voice came from the corner of the empty restaurant. "You almost got it right. The tropical part is the cuisine, and Hawaiian pizza is on the menu. We handle the music part, and there’s nothing tropical at all about our music."

  A young man approached. "You must be Zach's friends. He told me to wait for you. He'll be here soon. We're not open yet, so the restaurant is yours."

  He looked at Jo. "This must be Jo. I'm Peter." Peter bent his lanky body down to kiss Jo's cheek. "Your picture didn't do you any justice."

  Jo narrowed her eyes. "What picture?"

  "Ah, your avatar. I'm a beginner. Learning the games, you know. Zach taught me a lot. But I'm in no way near a level where I could play with you."

  Jo nodded. "Hologame fan. Don't worry. You'll get there. You've got a good mentor. This is Madeline, Tadgh, and Ciaran. We just came from—”

  "England right? Zach told me. I want to visit there some day."

  "I'll be happy to host you when you visit,” Ciaran said.

  Peter looked at him. "What kind of music do you play?"

  "I'm not a musician." Ciaran smiled. Madeline understood where Peter’s assumption had come from. Ciaran looked the type.

  "Can I get you something to drink?" Peter asked. His eyes didn’t leave Jo. Tadgh stepped forward, blocking Peter's view of her.

  "A beer would be good. It's a hot day," Tadgh said.

  "Sure," Peter said and scurried away.

  Ciaran raised an eyebrow at his brother. "Since when do you drink beer?"

  "I'm not as predictable as you might think."

  A motorbike zoomed in and parked right in front of the restaurant.

  And in walked Zach Flynn. He took his helmet off, revealing his easy style of brown hair, an unshaven face, and killer eyes. He wore a leather jacket and jeans that sheathed long, well-toned legs and a backside that constantly made his groupies wild. Zach had aged a bit in ten years, but time had definitely worked in his favor, Madeline observed.

  Jo leaped out of the chair next to Tadgh and gave Zach a bear hug. Zach picked her up and spun her around. "It's so good to see you," Zach said.

  He put Jo down and walked toward Madeline. "Madeline, I don't have the words to describe how beautiful you look." He kissed her cheek, and Madeline smiled.

  "I can help in that regard." Ciaran reached his hand out for a handshake.

  "You must be Ciaran." Zach gave Ciaran’s hand an earnest shake. "White Knight. It's an honor to meet you."

  Ciaran glanced at Jo.

  "I figured it out
myself." Zach smiled. “Any real hologame player would know about you, Ciaran.”

  Ciaran nodded.

  Zach and Tadgh gave each other measured looks while they exchanged handshakes.

  Peter entered the room with a tray of beers.

  Zach glanced at the beer and raised an eyebrow at Peter. "You’re going to make the ladies drink out of a bottle? And that's Victorian Bitter that you’re serving!"

  "I don't mind." Jo grabbed a bottle. Everyone did the same while Peter scratched his head.

  Zach excused himself. He gave Peter some instructions and sent him away. He then returned to the table and picked up his beer.

  "Sorry. There’s an audition for a guitarist tonight. The band has to move on while I'm away."

  "What did you tell people about your trip?" Tadgh asked.

  Zach shook his head. Madeline caught a flash of reluctance and exhaustion from him. "Told them I'd be traveling." Zach leaned back in his chair. His eyes were distant and cold.

  “Zach, does that mean your friends and family know nothing about this trip?” Madeline asked.

  Zach shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell them.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Tadgh exclaimed. “You know this is important. People could get killed even before entering the gate. If you don’t care about your own life, that’s fine. But Ciaran and Madeline have to go through with this—

  “I might not go . . .”

  “What the fuck!” Tadgh exclaimed.

  “I used to have that option,” Zach snarled.

  “Keep your voices down!” Ciaran warned. “Is there somewhere we can talk without an audience?”

  Zach stood up and nodded toward the stairs. Then he strode away.

  Chapter 5

  Before following Zach upstairs, Madeline pulled at Ciaran’s elbow to hold him back. “Ciaran, Zach and Jo used to be together. It was a very long time ago. I think they’re fine now. He’s moved on, has a girlfriend—last time I heard, they were engaged. He has a career, a large family, and a life here.”

  Ciaran pinched lightly at her dimple and smiled. “You’re saying he has a life and has a lot to lose.”

  Madeline smiled.

  “I’ll be gentle with him,” Ciaran said and winked at her.

  When Ciaran and Madeline got upstairs, Zach had cleared the room and made sure no staff was lurking around.

  The room felt warm and welcoming. Judging by the musical instruments scattered on the floor, Madeline bet Zach used this as a studio to teach music.

  Zach sat down on a high stool next to a counter. “Look, I don't know what to tell my family, okay? Originally, it was just the opening of a gate for me, which shouldn't be a big deal. Ayana told me that being the successor of Sciphil Two will not be difficult, and I’ll have all the flexibility to go back and forth like Pete Chandler.”

  "So what changed?" Madeline asked.

  "Well, you two are going to tailgate me . . .”

  "Tailgating?" Tadgh snorted.

  "Yeah, I thought the same. No big deal. But it's different with Ciaran because he's not just a Sciphil. He’s a King Sciphil. His route will be different and more difficult.”

  "You received training, and you know what's involved?" Ciaran asked.

  Zach nodded. "Hell yeah. For other Sciphils, it’s like multilevel hologames—not easy, but doable. Yours is a nasty combo."

  “Like what?" Ciaran asked.

  "Well, Ayana was saying something about a nine-by-nine dimensional scenario, whatever that means."

  "A matrix. That means you won’t know what’s coming at you,” Tadgh mumbled.

  “I don’t think so. There should be options for normal routes and for the King Sciphils. The selection of scenarios should be monitored based on the level of difficulty. It shouldn’t be random. If there’s some logic to it, then we can work out a solution,” Ciaran said.

  "It was hard enough handling the deal by myself. I just found out about your tailgating a few days ago. Haven't had any other conversations with Ayana, and haven't had any further training or information about what the fuck I am getting myself into."

  Zach stood up and went to a small bar at the corner of the room. He spoke from the bar. "I'm not scared or anything. But I don't want to go in without knowing if I have a chance to come back to my family. It's not like we’re going to war, and I can pretend to be patriotic. I don't even know whose war we’re fighting here! Some aliens—”

  "They're people just like us, Zach,” Ciaran said. "They might have a different makeup, and live in a different universe, but they face life and death just like us. If you expand the boundary of your country, where you claim your patriotism, to the boundaries of the Earth, the universe, and the multiverse, then you can see that people are ultimately the same, and you are protecting them against evil."

  "Look Ciaran, I have no intention of getting philosophical here. I'm no hero. I'm just a guy. I play guitar, I teach music, and I have a band. That's all I ever wanted."

  "Why did you agree to it in the first place?" Madeline asked.

  Zach stared at Madeline. "I can't tell you."

  "If you think . . .” Madeline trailed off when Peter raced into the room.

  "Sorry to interrupt. The restaurant is opening now, and also the guy is coming for the audition . . .”

  "What guy?" Zach asked.

  "The audition. The guitarist, Zach."

  "Oh, okay. Fine. John, isn't it?" Zach shook his head.

  "Yeah, John. Mate, he needs a stage name. John Smith isn’t gonna work,” Peter said, laughing.

  "Can we wait until we actually hire him to think of his stage name?"

  "Right, that's right." Peter scratched his head and walked away while Zach rolled his eyes.

  Zach turned around. “I might have to go downstairs to watch this audition—”

  "Your decision to go through the gate might be pending,” Ciaran cut in.

  "No, it's not. The deal was sealed." Zach showed the thumbprint on his right arm.

  Ciaran sat down on a high stool next to a music stand. He shook his head. “Madeline and I are committed to go through the gate. We have our reasons. If you were so unsure, why did you agree?”

  Zach gazed hard at Ciaran. “As I said, I can’t tell you. I let you tailgate me. That’s it. I promised, and I will go through with it.”

  “I’m afraid it won’t be that simple. We might have a gate-crasher. I need to know all that’s necessary to deal with it.”

  Zach arched an eyebrow. “Who?”

  “His name is Kyle Wolf. He’s an exiled Sciphil and a mind-bender," Ciaran said.

  Zach looked at Madeline. She could see thousands of questions in his eyes.

  “Why’d you call him a mind-bender?” Zach asked.

  “In theory, he sends mind-wave signals to control people’s thought processes and behaviors,” Ciaran said.

  Zach arched an eyebrow. “And you can’t tell he’s doing it by looking at him?”

  “He controls the projection of his visibility in people’s mind. Nobody can see him unless he wants them to. When he controls a person, it looks as though the person is possessed,” Ciaran explained.

  “This is ridiculous. Total bullshit. You can’t even see the guy . . .”

  An eardrum-bursting guitar sound echoed up from downstairs.

  "Oh, fuck me. If they let this guy play, the club will have no customers left,” Zach snarled and strode toward the stairs to go down to the club.

  Madeline quickly stepped in front of him. "Zach, if you’re scared, that's fine. I'm scared, too. But if you think we don't understand what happened ten years ago in the bush, then you’re wrong. We know."

  Zach turned around. He pointed at Ciaran, Tadgh, and Jo. "They all know?”

  "Yes."

  Zach shook his head. "It's not possible. You don't know half of it, Madeline. I killed the old man. Okay? Are you happy now? ” He paused then said, “I have to go stop that fucking noise.”

&nbs
p; Zach pushed toward the stairs. The sound of the guitar surged and swelled, accompanied by a drum that sounded like someone was beating on an empty laundry bucket.

  Madeline stopped Zach. He nudged her aside.

  As quick as a cat, Ciaran darted toward Zach, grabbed him from behind, and spun him against the far wall.

  "Keep your hands off her,” Ciaran growled.

  Zach shoved Ciaran.

  “You don’t know what I can do to you, Ciaran.”

  “Try me!”

  Ciaran and Zach glared menacingly at each other.

  Chapter 6

  A mixture of strange noises echoed up from the room downstairs. Zach heard the noise, but he didn’t take his eyes off Ciaran. Ciaran held his gaze as well. They looked as if they were trying to shoot each other with their stares.

  Madeline approached Ciaran. He gestured for her to stay away. His eyes didn’t leave Zach for a second.

  The two held their stances and remained locked in their staring competition for a few moments.

  Zach broke the silence. "I have to go," he snarled.

  "You are not going anywhere until we talk things out. We only have one day before the gate opening.”

  "That's your problem. I’m letting you go through my gate. What else do you want from me?"

  "Your full cooperation. I need all relevant information."

  Zach sneered. "Now that's a king's order from someone who hasn't even made it to the throne yet."

  The drum and the guitar below kept pounding away. Zach clenched his teeth then said, "Get out of my way, or you'll regret it."

  "Do your best."

  Ciaran and Zach stared at each other once again, their eyes intense. Ciaran stepped forward. Zach staggered back a step then held his stance.

  A drop of blood trickled from Zach's nose. Then another. Then the same happened to Ciaran.

  Zach grunted and slumped to the floor, more blood trickling from his nose.

  The sound of the guitar downstairs had stopped, and sounds of chaos took its place.

  Zach sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. Jo checked on him.

  Madeline gave Ciaran a handkerchief for his bleeding nose. When she touched his hand, it was as cold as ice. Ciaran moved toward the high music stool and sat down.