The Legacy: A Custodes Noctis Book Read Free Page B

moving and looked at him, a questioning look in her eyes.
    “What?” she said.
    “Just don’t move until I tell you, okay?” He focused on the wound, “feeling” it carefully. Galen was still aware of the end of Greg’s fight, still aware of the thing he had killed on the ground. He dug through his first aid satchel and pulled out bandages and an herbal cream. Galen smeared a liberal amount of the cream on the wound before pressing the bandages in place.
    “What’s that?” Rhiannon asked, her nose twitching as she caught a whiff of the cream.
    “Clover, St. John’s Wort, vervain, betony and dill. It should stop the spread of the poison until I can deal with it at home.”
    “Not here?”
    “No,” he said, looking at the wound again. “It might be a little rough, I need to know we’re safe before I heal it.”
    She nodded, understanding. “How’d we do?”
    “All finished,” Greg said, coming up behind Galen. “Although the woman’s dead. The one I killed grabbed her before she got away. Throat’s ripped completely open.” Galen glanced up at the other man, Greg had splatters of the thing’s black blood on him.
    “Damn,” Galen sighed, then grinned at Greg. “Nice work finishing it.”
    “A little messy, I know. Not like you.” Greg grinned back. “One swing. Nice, neat. Takes a bit of skill.” He laughed and Galen laughed with him. He always felt a little drunk after a successful party. Regret flowed on the heels of the exhilaration so quickly he barely had time to catch his breath. He shoved the memories away.
    “Give me a hand with Rhiannon,” Galen said, pulling her to her feet. He and Greg half-carried her back to the parking lot and slid her into the passenger seat of her pickup. She mumbled a little as they buckled the belt around her.
    “Will she be okay?”
    “Yeah, I just need to get her home to finish treatment.” Galen slapped the other man on the shoulder. “Thanks for inviting me.”
    “Any chance to party with a Keeper,” Greg said.
    “I’m not a Keeper,” Galen snapped.
    “Yes, you are, and it’s an honor when you come out with us. A Keeper helping us?” the older man said kindly. “I know why you always say that, I understand. But it’s really who you are.”
    “Who I was, Greg, not anymore.” Galen smiled and walked around to get into the truck. “I’ll give you a call and let you know how she is.”
    “Thanks, and I’ll call you for play-time again really soon,” Greg said, grinning.
    “Sure.” Galen turned the engine over and put the truck in gear. “How are you doing?” he asked Rhiannon, she smiled without opening her eyes. “Pain?” he said. She nodded. “We’ll be home soon.”
    He pulled the truck out onto the dark road, the streetlights making glaring stripes on the hood of the pickup. It’s nearly midnight. It’s nearly…five years since Dad and Uncle Bobby, ten since… I wonder if Rhiannon is right, that I should be worried. I have wondered about it. I thought I felt… and the scar has been acting up, twisting at night. Ten years, it might mean something, but what…? He shook his head and glanced at Rhiannon. Her eyes were open, watching him. He smiled. “Almost home.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter Two
     
    Galen pulled the truck up behind his building, bringing it to a rattling stop. He grabbed his first aid kit and jumped out of the truck, walked around it and wrenched open the passenger door. “We’re here, can you help?” he said to Rhiannon. She opened her eyes with a wan smile and nodded, swinging her legs out of the truck and putting an arm over Galen’s shoulders. He helped her the rest of the way out and up the stairs to the apartment, dropping her gently on the couch before flipping on the lights.
    “Time for the whammy?” she said, her eyes trying to focus on him.
    Galen nodded, kneeling by the couch and rubbing his hands together before laying one on the wound on her shoulder and the other over her