Dark Matters: Instruments of Wrath, Book 1

By Severine Wolfe

Cassie Lester and Bax Clancy find themselves entwined in intrigue and danger when Cassie discovers a world of magic and demons really exists and that she plays a large part in it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311873262

Book preview

Science Fiction Romance

Dark Matters

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 by Severine Wolfe

First E-Book Published April 2014

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission from the author.

All characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events, locales, or organizations are strictly coincidental.

Smashwords License Statement

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the most wonderful husband in the world. The man who believed in my enough to say, Sure, quit your job and write. Trust me, coming from him it’s effusion. Thanks babe, you’ll do.

Acknowledgements

No book is written completely out of the head of the writer and this one is no different. To my kids, DJ, Clint, Marie and Jasmine, who put up with pizza delivery, fend for yourself nights, and a muttered, You know where the deli drawer is while I spent years writing various things. Thanks for putting up with it and inspiring many of the things I’ve written. You four are my true muses. You’re all grown up now.

To Kelly Wright and Kerry De Young, you two knew me before I was me and you still love who I turned out to be. Thanks for reading my scribblings. And thank you Kerry for actually printing and binding it. You two RAWK!

To Sharon Scully, my beautiful friend who urged me to just do it. Everything beautiful in the universe should be yours.

Prologue

The well-known prayer of St. Francis goes like this:

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

Where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console,

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive;

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.

Of all the prayers in all the universe this is possibly the most gentle. In one corner of the universe others had a plea to their goddess that was a little more militant but it was easily memorable to those who prayed to her.

Goddess, make me an instrument of thy wrath.

For millennia this prayer was heard but there was nothing the goddess could do as her believers faded one by one, until only a small handful, as scattered as they were, held her to their hearts and prayed daily to her. And finally, one day, the vessel by which the instrument of her wrath came available and she snatched up that chance for she was a goddess who believed in being prepared.

And one of her Instruments was born. There were other instruments, for this goddess would conduct a symphony with her instruments to make those pay for the suffering of all her adherents.

Chapter One

Sitting in a noisy restaurant listening to another boring story from a person she'd lost interest in twenty minutes into the date was the normal way of things on a Saturday night for Cassie Lester. You would think I would learn, she railed inwardly as she furtively checked her watch again and prayed for the entree to come. Maybe if he was eating he would at least shut up about playing golf.

... And so we got to the 8th green...,

Cassie failed to even attempt to cover the yawn. It wouldn't matter. The self-absorbed man across the table would not ever notice he was boring her to tears. Why did she keep doing this to herself, she asked herself for the millionth time? Every weekend without fail she would go out on a date with a man who seemed perfectly all right when he asked her out and either turned into Boring Man, with the amazing ability to put the strongest insomniac to sleep, or Octopus Man who was just a little too grabby. Looking back, she tried to determine if there was a pattern or if it was totally random. Last week was Octopus, week before Octopus, before that, Boring, before that Boring, Boring... Octopus and so on. If there was a pattern to it she couldn't find it and she was trained to find patterns. Cassie determined she was just unlucky in love and that was how it was going to be.

She smiled in relief as her entree was delivered to her table by an indifferent waiter who could barely ask if there was anything more she required before skipping back to the kitchen. That was when she found out Boring Man had the secondary mutant power of being able to talk around his food. However, the story was just as boring as the others. Cassie did the only thing she could, she began mentally listing all the things she needed to get done before she went back to work on Monday. She mentally erased stuff dinner roll into Boring Man's face from her list as it seemed rude since he was buying her dinner. The man, who couldn't even remember her name by this point, kept filling up her wine glass that she kept emptying into the potted plant next to her seat, as she was driving herself home after this debacle was finished. Never again. Yes, same mantra, new week.

So, what it is that you do again, Christie? Boring Man said. He couldn't remember her name, Cassie thought indignantly for a moment before she was mortified to discover she couldn't remember his name. Len, Leonard, Guy? She honestly could not remember. She had met him at a party last weekend and agreed to dinner.

Uhm, Cassie... she corrected quietly.

Yeah, Cassie, he smiled widely, not even embarrassed that he'd forgotten her name. What do you do?

I am an actuary for an insurance company, she told him and waited for the next, logical question.

What's an actuary? He asked predictably.

Cassie took a deep breath. I study risk management and how that affects your policy and premium structure.

Boring Man smiled and popped a fried mushroom left over from the appetizer into his mouth. How do you do that? Manage risk? Smarm oozed from him like an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Praying for aliens to land outside the restaurant had not worked on past dates, so the most likely probability of them landing tonight was pretty low. Meteor strike? Probably even less likely. If ever there was a time a woman needed to be kidnapped it was now. However, the heavens were unresponsive to her silent prayers. It still mystified her that she could apply risk management to everything but her dating life. So much for predicting interpersonal relationships, she thought wryly.

I look at a lot of paperwork on the type of company and the kind of coverage they need and help them get the best policy for their money, while reducing their risk of being sued or filing a claim, she finally explained. That kind of thing.

Boring Man was glazing by the time she got to the word paperwork. So she took the next logical step and grabbed her purse, excusing herself to the ladies room. Cassie always felt bad at this point, because she couldn't even commit to a full dinner for most dates. She sat on the chaise in the ladies room and thought about how to extricate herself from the date. She could just walk out, get in her car and drive home, the usual gambit, with the side benefit of making her feel awful. Cassie nibbled at her bottom lip. She was just going to have to butch up as her mother was fond of saying, and continue with dinner, but stop it there with a nice, I'm moving to Saskatchewan.

Her wine glass was once again topped off as she sat back down at the table and tried to bravely smile at Boring Man. As she caught her reflection in a mirror on a column across from her table she realized she looked like she had a bad case of gas. Sighing she took a drink of wine, her first of the entire evening, despite the number of times Boring Man had refilled it.

When she looked up from her glass she saw Boring Man was waving something in her face. Holy hell! Was that a room key? Room key? Wait, most rooms had key cards. Cassie threw on her mental brakes and glared at Boring Man.

I was thinking we could go somewhere after dinner and have a little... fun, he winked at her. Honest to God winked and smiled that Chester the Molester smile. Cassie nearly choked. He was seriously expecting her to go with him to a, what was it... She looked at the plastic key fob the size of schnauzer, No Tell Motel as far as she was concerned... So she did the only thing she could do, she pretended a coughing fit and excused herself to the ladies room once again. Instead she headed directly to the parking lot and got her car and raced back to her apartment.

Worst date EVAR! She would write on her blog, if she had a blog, which she didn't because she never thought public diaries were a good idea. As it was she headed right to her freezer and grabbed a pint of Cherry Garcia and toed her shoes off. She closed her eyes in bliss as chocolate and cherry exploded on her taste buds.

You're my best date, Cherry Garcia. I'll never doubt you.

After a couple more spoons she put the ice cream away and went to her bedroom to get the makeup off her face and get some pajamas on. There was plenty of time for movies. She mentally tried to cull through her movie collection and decide which would be perfect for this disaster of an evening. Cassie scraped her hair back in a ponytail and washed off the makeup, slathered on moisturizer, It's never too early to moisturize, Cassie, she heard he mother's voice. The fact that her mother looked only a few years older than she did was the driving force behind her nightly chore.

The phone rang and Cassie recognized the number of her mother. Speak of the devil... she muttered and she clicked her phone.

What devil? Her mother's voice immediately demanded, her accent thick. I heard that Cassie.

Just a saying, Mom, Cassie sighed. It was going to be one of ‘those’ conversations. I was just thinking about you.

I am not a devil! Lucinda Lucky Lester sputtered.

Cassie sighed again and waited for her mother to settle down. No, Mom. You are not a devil. Even if there were days when Cassie would disagree with her own assessment.

You sound troubled, Cassandra, her mother stated. What is wrong?

Another sigh, she so did not want to get into this with her mother.

It's nothing, Mom. Just another bad date.

You should let a matchmaker introduce you to a nice young man... Her mother began.

Oh, no! We are not talking about this again, Mom. I am not going to a matchmaker. You didn't go to one and you were perfectly happy with Daddy.

There was silence for a moment. This was an old argument between mother and daughter. It was an issue they were not going to resolve any time before Cassandra presented her mother with the coveted grand-child.

Lucky did an end run around the argument. What was so wrong with the man you were out with this evening?

I came back from the ladies and he was waving a motel room key in my face.

Motel? Not even willing to get a real room?

Yup. Cassie spooned more Cherry Garcia into her mouth.

You are better off without him, then. Lucky had spoken and the date forgotten. Unfortunately for Cassie, this was more evidence, to her mother, of the need for a matchmaker. This is what happens when you choose for yourself without professional guidance, Cassandra. You get men like this who expect something for the price of a dinner. I see this on the TV every day.

Mom, no, I really don't... Cassie began.

Do not be disrespectful, Cassandra, her mother ordered sternly. Cassie had to use every bit of willpower not to sit up straight and say,’Yes ma'am’. We will make an appointment with the Matchmaker and see what can be done about this disaster.

This disaster is my life, Mother, Cassie spit out. I would very much like to live it on my own terms, without a matchmaker, thank you very much.

There was again a stiff silence. Cassie wondered if her mother could hear her grinding her teeth over the phone line.

When her mother spoke again, her tone was conciliatory and soothing, the same one she had used when Cassie was upset as a child.

Cassandra, you know I only want what is best for you, she began.

Mother... Cassandra warned

Wait a moment before you go off half-cocked. You never date anyone you consider for a second one. You don't socialize like other girls your age. You are a beautiful young woman. Perhaps you don't like men? It sounded like her mother held her breath as Cassie gasped audibly.

Mother! What? No! At this point, completely exasperated, Cassie wanted to just hang up and fall into a deep, deep pit. I am not a lesbian!

It would be OK if you were, her mother told her quickly.

I am not having this conversation with you, Mother. I am not a lesbian, I am just very unlucky with men.

Have you ever been with a man? Perhaps you have a young woman's natural fear...

Oh my God! Mother! I am not talking about this with you. I'll call you tomorrow.

Cassie quickly turned her phone off and grabbed her Cherry Garcia from the countertop, before heading into the living room to choose a movie, in a vain attempt to block out the conversation with her mother. She quickly chose a movie and sat down on the couch for some more Ben & Jerry's therapy. Nothing could soothe her like a chick flick and ice cream.

The sound of gunfire from her TV brought her attention back to the movie she'd picked out. RED. Yes. Best chick flick ever made, she thought after biting into another spoonful of cherry-vanilla-chocolate deliciousness. She needed her own Marvin who could blow bad dates up for her. However, her mind couldn't stay on the movie, despite the rather distracting attributes of Karl Urban and Bruce Willis. Cassie began to wander down the dark mental hallway that was her failure in relationships. She'd never even gone steady with a boy in high school. She'd had a lot of first dates. When she thought the words they were capitalized, and bolded. FIRST DATES. They were like a shining beacon, shedding bright light on to the fact that she just wasn't appealing to men, or they weren't appealing to her... She stepped very hard on the brakes of her mental meandering. That was not the reason. She was attracted to men, but something about the men who asked her out repelled her. That was it! She was a loser magnet!

She sighed in relief. It was easier to imagine she attracted losers than think she was a loser herself. She would just swear off men. With that happy thought she covered her ice cream, shut the TV off, put the left over ice cream in the freezer and went to bed. She could do without a man in her life. Weren't they hard to live with or something?

* * *

Waking up the next morning Cassie was so groggy. Blaming an overdose of ice cream she decided that some retail therapy was in order. She wanted to call her mother and invite her along, but after last night's phone call, perhaps that was not a good idea. Deciding it was a decision best left until after she'd had shower and breakfast, she dragged her body out of bed.

In the middle of shoveling little circles of cereal into her mouth her phone rang. It was her mother. She stared at the phone and berated herself for even turning it on as she sat down to eat sugary cereal goodness. A short debate with herself on whether or not to answer and she answered it. Better to rip the Band-Aid off in one, cruel rip rather than slowly pulling it away from the skin...

Cassandra, I thought we could go shopping, her mother said without preamble.

Sure, Cassie agreed since it went along with her plans anyway.

I didn't like the way our conversation ended last night. Let me buy you lunch and then we can look for some new shoes.

Lucky Lester was an avowed shoe-a-holic. She had an entire bedroom in her house that was full of custom made racks to store her shoes, that were dusted, once weekly, by a maid, with specific instruction on how to do so. Lucky's addiction to shoes would have surprised the hell out of most of her employees and customers of her bakery as she wore torn up sneakers all day every day.

I don't need new shoes, Mom. I need some new clothes for work.

We can do that, too. Lucky's tone was off-hand. It was clear she wanted to mend fences. Fences that didn't need mending as far as Cassie was concerned, just ignoring.

I'll come pick you up and we can go to that new store in the mall downtown.

Cassie made her plans with her mother, hung up her phone and began getting ready. She could not keep the niggling voice in her head that told her something was up. Most likely it was another attempt to get Cassie to a Matchmaker or some dating service.

* * *

By the time they left the mall several hours later it was dark, Cassie was exhausted and Lucky was cooing over a new pair of pumps she'd just purchased. Cassie's hands were full of store bags full of new clothes, staid skirts, frilly blouses and a new blazer. She and her mother had also gone a little overboard in the lingerie section in one department store. Both women loved feminine under-garments. To Cassie's way of thinking, she may have to wear boring attire to work, but underneath it all she dressed exactly as she liked.

I don't think that clerk in the lingerie department will come back to work tomorrow, Lucky was laughing as they made their way to her car.

Cassie was nearly doubled-over with laughter thinking about the look on the poor clerk's face when her mother had asked if she could take a test drive on a new lacy thong.

Mom, she couldn't speak for a full minute. You shouldn't do that to the new clerks...

Anything more she would have said was caught in her threat as three very large men stepped in front of her and her mother.

Evening ladies.

The man who spoke was tall, with dark hair and the alpine chiseled features that graced male underwear ads. The men beside him were just as devastatingly handsome. But Cassie felt a frisson of fear crawl down her spine at the absolute menace that poured from them. It was like a tangible, physical manifestation. Her entire being cringed from it.

She stopped, stock still, staring at the man who had spoken to them. Watched as his mouth formed a crooked, smarmy smile. The hair on the back of her neck stood straight up, her stomach began churning. She could not move. She was petrified, her eyes darting about looking for the mall security carts. The spell was broken when her mother stood in front of her.

Leave us alone, Demi, Lucky snarled.

Cassie did a quick double take. Her mother had never used that tone of voice in her presence. Mom? What?

Look, we just want you. She can leave, the underwear model to their left said in a reasonable tone of voice. Said with such assurance that is was nearly like, ‘sure, come with us, the girl can go home and take a bubble bath’. They obviously didn't know Lucky at all.

Once again, Lucky snarled and reached into her purse. She carefully drew out a box of salt. Salt? What the hell was going on here, Cassie thought madly, but stopped as all three men stepped back and looked on with absolute caution on their faces.. Cassie watched as her mother walked in a small circle round her, pouring salt on the ground, muttering, never taking her eyes off the men. She felt a small snap like sensation against her skin when Lucky again stood in front of her.

You will not touch her, Lucky rasped, her breathing quickened. Leave us alone, Demons! Lucky quickly began turning in a circle, one that encompasses herself and Cassie. Cassie noticed that the three men grimaced and backed even further away. The middle chiseled jaw guy actually put his hands up.

Mom, what's going on? Cassie finally gasped. Who are these guys? What the hell are you doing?

Be quiet! Lucky snapped as she kept her gaze focused on the man in the middle who had spoken to them. He suddenly grinned and chuckled.

This is rich, He laughed.

Shut up! Lucky yelled, then began speaking in a language Cassie didn't understand. It wasn't any of the Greek she had learned from her mother. Why was her mother speaking gibberish?

Mom, Cassie whispered. What is going on?

The man stopped grinning and said something to his cohorts, who had also stopped grinning, in a language Cassie didn't recognize.

You will not take either of us, Lucky screamed at them. Cassie stared at her mother, suddenly very, very frightened.

Mom... she began.

Shut up, Cassandra. Do not leave this circle for any reason whatsoever.

I don't understand...

Do as I say, Cassandra. Now shut up. Lucky looked around, wildly, muttering in a low voice. The men took a step forward.

Get back! Lucky yelled at them and raised her hands up.

Cassie was completely confused. What the hell was going on and why were those men trying to get her, why was the salt keeping them away, what the hell was her mother doing? It had to have been the Orange Julius she’d had just before they left the mall. Someone had spiked her drink. It was the only thing that made sense. Then she wondered if you could make sense while you were under the influence of a spiked Orange Julius.

The man in the middle looked intently at Lucky and spoke, Lucky, come with us. You want to come with us.

Cassie grabbed her mom’s arm as she started to take a step towards the man. NO! Mom! Cassie screamed, insistent, but the feeling that her mother really wanted to go with these men nagged at her mind, somewhere.

The sudden sound of a golf cart and the yellow lights on top of it broke Cassie out of the double spell of the man and her mother and she just screamed.

Lucky looked behind her and then fiercely hugged Cassie to her.

It's OK, Cassandra. It's OK.

You ladies all right? The mall cop asked. Thought I saw some guys over here giving you trouble.

Lucky scuffed the circle with the toe of her boot and stepped out of it.

Thank you, officer, she said breathlessly. You must have scared them off. Would you mind accompanying us to my car? My daughter is terrified.

Oh yes, Cassie thought, terrified, confused... What the hell was going on?

The man looked at Cassie, noting her tear streaked face. Sure thing, the man said. Hop on to the cart and I'll give you a ride to your car.

Bless you, Lucky said and grabbed Cassie's hand.

They had not been far from her mother's car in the first place so it was a short ride. Lucky thanked the man again and bundled Cassie into the passagner seat of the car. As soon as Lucky was buckled in she started the engine and drove sedately out of the parking lot. Then she gunned the engine, heading straight for the interstate.

Mom, what just happened? Who were those men? How did they know my name? Cassie knew she was sounding like a whiney toddler, but she was freaked out beyond her ability to cope with it all.

Quiet, Cassie. Lucky ground out. I need to think and fast. The grim determination in her voice caused Cassie to just stare at her mother, a woman she suddenly didn't know at all. She just stared at her mother whose mouth was a grim line across her face and her eyes maddened glowing orbs.

I'm so sorry, Cassie, Lucky suddenly sobbed. I thought we had... I thought you were safe, protected... "

What the hell is going on, Mom? Cassie demanded.

I can't tell you until we're safe.

A cold chill ran down and spine and Cassie got the distinct impression that it would be a long time before she felt safe again?

Safe? Mom those idiots are gone and we’re not there anymore. Cassie pointed out.

You have no idea what you’re talking about. Her mother said nothing.

Lucky stopped at a few places, made phone calls as she drove madly, but without hesitation, westward. Cassie began shaking as the adrenaline wore off. Her mother flicked a hand her way and muttered something. Her entire body just slumped. She was so tired she couldn't even make a sound. She fell into a doze, closing her eyes and falling into a light sleep.

What's shakin' Lucky? Cassie heard a familiar voice, faintly, on her mother's phone.

They've found her, Frank, Lucky said