N M Brown [Brown - The Emperor

The Emperor

THE DARKSET DESIRES SERIES

Contents

Dedicated my family,

who despite the fact I cant spell,

have supported me.

THE EMPEROR Copyright 2017 by N. M. Brown. All Rights Reserved.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

Cover designed by Celin Graphics
@celingraphics

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

N. M. Brown
Visit my website at www. nmbrown2017. wixsite. com/nmbrown2017

Printed in the United Kingdom

First Printing: August 2019
Kindle Direct Publishings

All Tarot Card meanings and descriptions based on the Rider Waite cards; available at Biddytarort. com.

THE EMPEROR

Adopting a fatherly role, supporting your family, protecting and defending your loved ones. You may be the bread winner or the rock for those who rely on your stability and security.

Authority, Establishment, Structure, a Father Figure.

CUPS OF EIGHT

(Reversed)

Adrift and suck at a fork in the road.

I

"M .s Headly I really must recommend against this. Youve only been with us for a few weeks. You need time to rest. You need to-".

"If you tell me what I 'need' one more time I'll make you regret it. Echo growled at the nurse, looking up through her tangled curtain of hair. The sterile hospital room was dappled in morning rays and bent over the plastic covered bed, Echo breathed heavily, one hand clutching her side. Brain and gunshot wound protested with every movement, but her stubbornness could out-sprint them both. It always did.

"Instead, listen to me closely. You and your merry band of cutthroats shredded my clothes. You even slashed my underwear like savages. Therefore, your only job is to get me something to wear that isn't this ugly paper bag. Your only job, is to collect what little you didnt destroy and bring it to me. Echo hissed as pain zipped up her spine. She didnt let it show on her face despite her dying to knees buck and her eyelids drooping heavily. She only grasped the bed sheets tighter.

"Ms. Headly, you are in no condition to leave here-"

"What did I tell you about telling me what I can and can't do?" Echos voice was deadly. She was getting out of here if it killed her.

"Very well. And the nurse curtly walked out the room, her nose pointed high in the air. Echo just glared at the bouncy blonde bob as it retreated and only when the door closed did she allow her forehead to fall to the mattress; her side in agony.

She'd only been shot three weeks ago. Her wound had healed and only the blood loss had concerned the doctors, but shed pulled through. The bastards wanted her to stay for another three weeks until her muscles and bowels had fully healed but Echo was having none of that. Fuck them. She had better things to do than sit in bed being poked and prodded. The only thing that had stopped her all this time, the great Saint McQueen.

Though his first visits had been brief McQueen had continued to visit Echo on a regular basis, asking her questions about Sydney, about Mrs. Badal and her bussiness in teh House. He was a very nosy mouse trying to find some cheese, but Echo also suspected his visits were more to do with meeting his budding love, the preppy Nurse Willows. However, it was good to know his Sainthood still forced him to put aside his distaste for her and visit. Her lamb was still out to pasture.

Then, but a week ago he appeared informing her with a stiff upper lip that finding Sydney Summers was now a low priority and until new evidence came to light, it would be put on the back-burner. Too many men pulling to many hours searching for a woman who was considered by some to be a hero, killing a serial killer.

"Of course, should you supply the Police with any new - or old - information regarding Syndey Summers, the case would reopen." He'd told her, though his eyes couldn't meet hers. Instead he looked at the ugly painting abover her head, talking to the wide sillouette of London.

"I've already told you dear Detective, I have nothing to say regarding Sydney Summers. Her Sins are most grave, but im sure justice will prevail." She'd waved him off.

She had no doubt that the decision to cut Syndey loose came from someone high up in the food chain, someone she suspected was in Archer's pocket. If her family had told McQueen to heel, it was because they had saved the kill for her. A get-well present of sorts and the first reason Echo had to leave this aweful Hospital sooner rather than later.

Echo had just about collected her thoughts, when with a sudden gust, her door swung open and her snobby Nurse came back. Echo straightened quickly hiding any pain on her face as she regarded what the woman held. "Fresh scrubs. It's all we have. The placed the folded stack on teh bed with a fake smile.

Eyeing the thin, pink cotton patterned with happy hearts and perfectly symmetrical creases, Echo ground her teeth together. Ugly and a fashion disaster, Echo wouldnt normally be caught dead in such monstrosity, but dead girls walking couldnt be choosers.

"They'll do. She answered through trembling lips. Twisting to the door had hurt more than she dare let on; pulling at stitches that didnt want to be pulled.

We did have your shoes, but they seem to have been misplaced. Unfortunately, all we have are these crocs from Lost & Found. There was mant to be an apology in her smile, but the bitchy Nurse didn't sound it and like fuck had Echos boots gone walk-about.

They were a grands worth of designer labels and imported leather. More than likely, they were tucked in someones cupboard ready to be covered in vomit and booze on a night out.

"I'll have the doctor draw up you an A.M.A form and he will be along shortly. The nurse breezed on and with a swoosh of arrogant sass, she left again.

"Bitch. Echo hissed before looking at the scrubs she grasped in her hands.

Why anyone would willingly wear this obnoxious attire was beyond her, but with no other choice - other than going naked, which wasn't off the table - Echo slowly and painstakingly dragged on the elasticised pants and baggy top. Seeing as she'd arrived in all black, and dress like a sex goddess, the joke wasn't lost on her. Let them laugh though. She would soon be out of here as soon as she could straighten her back again.

Once more, as Echo doubled over in pain the door opened and as she turned to see who it was she almost wished for the Nurse back.

"I see that you look as dashing in our scrubs as the nurses do, Ms. Headly. Doctor Chuckles chuckled.

He was reason number two she was so desperate to leave; overly cheerful Doctors gave her the creeps. People who killed daily should be lurking in the shadows and behind bushes. Not smiling over her in a small, sterile room, making promises they couldnt keep and playing God. The bastard above fucked with life well enough on His own without help from people in lab coats.

"Now, Nurse Benton tells me you would like to leave. Is that right?" He looked down at her with his big, bushy white eyebrows and clean shaven, face and Echo just knew he was picturing her as a three-year-old child. No one spoke to grown adults like that. Her doctor was screwy; reason number three.

"There's no 'like to' about it. I'm leaving. Whether you get your forms signed or not is your problem. Not mine. Echo didn't bother smiling pleasantly. Reason four: everyone here smiled enough she needn't bother and reason five: she was sick of everyone doing it.