Demon Chord - A MaxTul Supernatural Thriller

Chapter 19 - Cadre

Chapter Nineteen

Cadre

"I'm not about to throw my whole way of life away based on a rumor" replied Max, "I'm going to need more than that before I consider aligning myself with the Wamphyri against the Cadre."

"I agree" offered Ronan, "but if Rafe refuses to see you, then how are we going to confirm?"

Looking at Saint, Max said, "If Rafe won't come to me, perhaps I can go to him?"

Realizing what he was asking, Saint replied, "I've never encountered Rafe, so that's a no."

Max sighed in frustration and started pacing around the room, "Somehow, I have to convince him to see me."

"Perhaps, there is someone else who could help." offered Ronan.

Max stopped pacing and looked at his partner, "Who?"

"Laird" answered Ronan, "Rafe would surely confer with him before involving us in all-out war with the Wamphyri."

"But he hasn't been seen by anyone other than Rafe in years, I'm not sure that he is even still alive; and if he is, I don't know where to find him."

"Death Valley" answered Saint.

"Death Valley?" questioned Max, "where is that?"

"California"

"The states?"

Saint nodded in the affirmative, "and we would have to include the Wamphyri in any discussions with him; going forward, no more secrets – from any of us."

Ronan looked between the two men; he was confused. Why were they talking as if they had already formed some sort of alliance?

Max nodded in the affirmative, "agreed."

"Before we meet up with Tul and the others, I need to bring you up to speed on the history of Cadre" said Saint.

"I think we are pretty well versed on that" replied Ronan with a slight edge to his voice, he was beginning to like the Shadow less and less.

Sensing the building hostility in Ronan, Saint looked at Max, "I'm not quite sure of your relationship with him. You say you are partners, what does that mean? Lovers? Friends? Something more? Something less? Define it for me."

Ronan snarled, "why should we have to?"

Before Saint could respond, Max stepped between the two of them and answered, "More than friends, but less than lovers. We are a ritually bonded pair. We've only just completed the bonding rituals, so we are still new to each other, but theoretically we are spiritual twins."

"Okay. Good enough" replied Saint, he was well versed in the nuances of bonded pairs as they existed in the Shadow realm as well. Looking at Ronan, he asked, "truce?" When the blond slayer nodded his reluctant agreement, Saint continued, "now let's talk about the forgotten history between the Cadre and the Wamphyri."

Sitting down on the floor and leaning back against the wall, Saint motioned for the two slayers to join him. When both had seated themselves as comfortably as possible, Saint began to speak.

"The Wamphyri and the Cadre have not always been sworn enemies, in fact they were once the staunchest of allies."

When both Max and Ronan start to object, he silenced them with a raised hand.

"But like most long-term relationships - resentments and jealousies wormed their way in and started to fester. The Cadre resented the Wamphyri their strengths and immortality and the Wamphyri in turn envied the familial bonds of the Cadre. As you know nature has a way of evening out the score, so while the Wamphyri are more or less immortal, it is extremely hard for them to reproduce. Over the centuries those emotions slowly evolved into hostility and hate and....well, you know the rest of the story..."

Ronan stood up and said, "it's a good story, but it doesn't change anything. We still need to talk to Laird; he is the only one who can stop the escalation – that is- if the Wamphyri want to stop it."

"They do" confirmed Saint.

"Good" replied Ronan, "now we just have to find a way out of out here".

Saint smiled, "I have a key" as he pulled a large bronze key from his pocket.

"Where did you get that?" questioned Max.

"It was hanging on a nail outside the door" he answered.

"Why didn't you say so an hour ago?" seethed Ronan, "we could have already been gone".

Nodding towards the clock, the shadow answered, "because it's now 6 pm and everyone is at dinner. It will be easier to leave now, rather than an hour ago."

"What's our destination?" asked Max.

Saint held up a finger to indicate, just a minute, and he stepped into the shadows only to return a few seconds later and announce. "Tuscany."

Author's note:  Apologies for the shorter than normal chapter, but things are about to pick up speed and this was kind of a good stopping point before we venture into the Mojave Desert - one of the hottest places on the planet (in more ways than one).