by Nicky Graves
“So where would Lucifer be in the demon realm?” I asked.
Both Vance and Raven shook their heads.
“Wiltone, do you know?” I asked.
“No, but Treble does,” she said. “However, he’s blocking me from his thoughts.”
I grabbed the happy juice and slammed it, flagging Raven for more. She hurried from the room and returned a short while later with a tray of happy juice.
Treble looked at it, realizing what I was going to do. I could see and feel his mixed emotions. He desired the happy juice to the point he was almost willing to drink it, even though he knew a drunk Treble was one that was easily coerced or left behind.
But just as the glass reached my lips, he batted my hand away. The glass flew out of my hand, crashing onto the scarred wooden floor.
“No, I say.”
“Treble, we can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Wiltone said.
“We are not going to the nasty demon realm!”
“Hard way it is,” Wiltone said with a grin. “I was hoping you’d be difficult.”
Wiltone glommed onto Vance and planted him with a kiss that grabbed Treble’s attention.
I snatched a happy juice and slammed it. Before I could get another, Treble turned back to me.
Wiltone countered by slipping her hand down the front of Vance’s pants.
“Come on,” I said, “I don’t need to see that.” Or feel that. Everything Wiltone was doing to Vance and Vance was doing to Wiltone was making it hard to concentrate on anything else. It also made Treble not able to concentrate. And while Treble could control my actions, he didn’t seem to be able to control Wiltone.
However, he was near combustion levels. And an angry Treble was not a good thing for anyone in the room.
I guzzled three more glasses of happy juice. The buzz of alcohol coursed through my body.
Treble slipped into a contented state and sighed.
“You guys can stop now,” I said to Wiltone and Vance, who were thoroughly enjoying themselves. “You guys, please stop. This is not . . . comfortable.”
Vance groaned as Wiltone pulled away to look at Treble.
“Looks like he’s ready to be reasoned with,” Wiltone said.
Treble was definitely happy on the juice. However, Vance glowered at me for stopping his fun time.
“Treble, where is Lucifer in the demon realm?” Wiltone asked.
Treble eyed the last glass on the tray. “Happy juice.”
“If Riley drinks the happy juice, will you tell us?” Wiltone asked.
“I don’t think I can handle anymore alcohol,” I said. “I’m already buzzed.”
“Happy juice,” Treble said.
“He’s like a toddler,” Wiltone said. “Just drink it so he’ll tell us.”
I grabbed the glass and drank it. It truly was a heavenly cocktail that made me extremely content. But there was something wrong. I was getting sleepy.
“Why am I suddenly so tired?” I asked.
“It’s the alcohol,” Raven said.
“Last time I didn’t feel tired,” I said.
Raven glanced down at the floor and then at me. “Sorry. I promised Lawson I would stop you if you tried to follow them.”
I tried to move, but my limbs wouldn’t respond. Treble let out a loud, slumberous snore as his smoke body wilted to the floor.
“What did you do?” I demanded.
Vance caught Wiltone just as she collapsed.
“I’m sorry,” Raven said. “I really am.”
Voices began to drift away.
Whatever Raven had slipped into the happy juice hit me hard. Vance peered into my eyes before leveling Raven with a steely gaze. He said something to her, but I could only hear the anger in his tone, not the words.
He then looked back at me. He said something, but I couldn’t hear him. Taking my hand, he rubbed it between his. Wiltone’s purr of delight echoed in my head.
I closed my eyes and let the happy juice drown me.
21
When I woke, I found I was no longer in the back room of the bar. Where was I? A living room. But where?
Disoriented, I looked over to find Vance next to me. We were sitting on a couch, slouched against each other. Had he drunk the happy juice too? I pushed away from him, but something tugged against my wrist. I glanced down to find a handcuff linking my wrist and Vance’s wrist together.
Where were Wiltone and Treble? I tried not to panic. But the last time I drank too much, I lost Treble. Closing my eyes, I struggled through my sluggish mind to sense if they were inside of me, but either they weren’t there or they were silent.
“Vance, wake up,” I said, poking his arm. “Vance!”
He slumped closer against me, tickling my neck with a lock of his hair.
I shoved him away.
“Hello?” I called.
I listened for sounds beyond the living room, but I couldn’t hear anything.
My thoughts scattered, and I tried to recall what had led to this point. Fragments of memories flittered through my mind like a hummingbird in a garden.
I smacked Vance’s arm. “Wake up!”
He didn’t.
Lawson didn’t want me to follow him into the demon realm. I remembered that. But why did Raven knock out Vance too?
I put my hand up to Vance’s face to see if he was breathing. Did vampires breathe?
I couldn’t detect anything.
Checking for a pulse as well, I realized Vance was either vampire dead or really dead. Like dead, dead.
Panicking, I slipped my hand in his, hoping if Wiltone was inside of me, she would sense I was holding a man’s hand and do her passion thing to wake up Vance.
Nothing happened, and Vance’s hand was cold.
“Hello?” I called again.
Scanning the room, I looked for something that could help break me free of the handcuffs. But this living room didn’t come with saws or chisels. In fact, it was sparse. It was mostly just a couple of mismatched pieces of furniture. There were no decorations except one picture frame that sat on a side table next to Vance.
Standing, I walked over to the picture, dragging Vance’s arm with me.
It was of Raven and Lawson. They were smiling. Happy.
A twinge of jealousy and anger hit me in the chest. However, I didn’t have time to process my feelings. I had to get out of here.
“What the hell happened?” Vance mumbled, peering up at me from the couch through slitted eyes. “And why are we handcuffed together?”
“I don’t know. I just woke up a few minutes before you did. But we must be at Raven’s pod.” I nudged over the picture so he could see it.
He frowned. “Thought she had better taste.” He yanked at the cuffs, tugging my arm down.
“Ow,” I said. “You can’t break them. They’re metal.”
“I can break metal. But I might end up breaking your wrist too.”
“Do it,” I said.
Bewildered, he looked at me. “Break your wrist?”
While I was a complete wimp when it came to pain, I also knew my body would heal quickly.
“If it means getting out of these cuffs, then yes.”
He frowned as he contemplated, but then shook his head. “I’m not doing it. Raven will be back and will let us out eventually.”
“Afraid of hurting me?”
“No,” he said. “I’d just hate to waste a good pair of cuffs.”
“Either break them or you’re going to the demon realm with me.”
“Neither.”
“You don’t have a choice,” I said. “All I have to do is shift and you’d come with me.”
“That’s assuming you know where the demon realm is located. Which you don’t.”
He got me on that one.
“Wiltone and Treble will help me, as soon as I find them.”
“They aren’t inside of you?”
“I don’t think so. I can’t feel anything.”
/> “Too bad. I wouldn’t mind if Wiltone was here. But since she’s not, it’s time to go,” he said, standing.
“Go where?”
“Out of here.”
“So you’ll go to the demon realm with me?”
“No. My kind isn't welcome.”
“Neither is my kind. But that didn’t stop Lawson.”
“If Lawson wants to play hero, more power to him. But I’m not a hero and I never will be.” He tugged me with him.
“Where are you going?” I asked, stumbling after him.
“I’m hungry,” he said. “And unless you want me to bite you, I suggest you stop asking questions and start walking.”
“Okay, but I have to—” This wouldn’t work. I didn’t want to use the bathroom with Vance standing next to me.
“Have to?” he prompted.
“I drank a lot of happy juice.”
He rolled his eyes. “Hold it.”
“I can’t.”
“I’m not going into the bathroom with you.”
“I’m not ecstatic about it either, believe me. But it’s either that or I’m going to pee my pants soon. Or you can break the cuffs.” Seriously, I needed to stop drinking fluids. With the amount of times I’ve been getting trapped, I’d be better off without it.
“Fine.”
I thought he meant that he was fine with breaking the cuffs, so I willed myself not to be a baby, but then he tugged me through the pod until he found the bathroom.
I eyed the toilet and then him.
“Just look away,” I said.
He muttered something under his breath and then turned away, yanking my hand.
If someone had told me a year ago that I would be handcuffed to a vampire and then have to go to the bathroom with that vampire handcuffed to me, I would have said they were insane. But here I was, shackled to Vance and trying to undo my pants with one hand.
“Look away,” I said.
“I am,” he said.
“No, you’re looking in the mirror.”
“Exactly. I’m looking away at the mirror.”
“And you have a reflection. I thought vampires didn’t have reflections.”
“That’s just a myth,” he said, eyeing himself in the mirror and then giving me a wayward glance.
“Turn away from me and the mirror,” I said.
“This is a small bathroom. I don’t have many options. Especially since one of my arms is attached to yours.”
“Then close your eyes.”
He closed his eyes, but I didn’t trust him to keep them closed. I hurried as much as I could, but with one hand it was difficult.
“Stop tugging,” he said, “or we’ll both end up in the toilet.”
“I’m not tugging.” Yes, I was. I tried not to, but it was difficult. It was weird the way his cuffed hand would bang into mine as I attempted to hurry.
“I’m going to kill Lawson,” I said. “This is all his doing.”
“Finally. Someone who hates Lawson too,” he said.
“I don’t hate him. But he infuriates me. He’s not supposed to try to play the hero.”
“Why not let him play hero?” Vance said. “Wouldn’t it be better if he took the risk rather than you?”
“He’ll end up hurt again. Azrael nearly killed him the last time.”
“Tell me the story again. I do love a good slasher tale.”
“Vance, I’m serious. Lawson is putting himself and Ranger at risk.”
“If he’s willing to risk it, why would you want to get in the middle? Let him risk his life. He obviously wants to.”
“No one wants to risk their life. He’s just doing it because of some weird macho male pride thing.”
“So you want to go charging in to save Lawson?” Vance questioned.
“I’m only trying to do what’s right.”
Vance shook his head. “I’ve learned never to do what’s right. Then I won’t be disappointed.”
“Maybe that’s the problem.”
“What’s the problem?”
“You’ve been a vampire too long. You expect the worst.”
“Because that’s the outcome that will inevitably happen.”
“That’s a pretty depressing viewpoint. Why bother at all then? You might as well put a stake in your heart and end it.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Same with Lawson and all the other reapers. One last vampire to worry about.”
“Cynical.”
“It’s the truth. And this isn’t just about being a vampire. It’s about just trying to survive in a world you don’t belong.”
I thought it was Vance’s nature to be angry at the world. But his eyes told me something else. There was almost a pleading in them for me to understand. And that’s when I realized he had his eyes open.
“Vance, close your eyes, dammit!”
With a roll of his eyes, he averted his gaze. I quickly finished and then dragged him to the sink to wash my hands.
“What’s with you and Lawson anyway?” I asked. “You seem to have a lot of bad blood between you.”
Vance snorted. “Was that supposed to be a blood joke? If so, it was horrible.”
I dried my hands off on the towel. “No, I’m serious. You seem to hate most people, but with Lawson, it’s more. You both have animosity toward each other, and it goes past being vampire versus reaper.”
“We’ve lived a long time, and we’ve run into each other from time to time.”
“This is more than just bumping into each other and tossing around a few words. Something happened between you two. I want to know what it is.”
He opened the bathroom door and tugged me out. I tossed the towel to the sink before he dragged me away. I was definitely on to something. Both Vance and Lawson had an unreasonable hatred for each other. If I kept asking, maybe one of them would finally crack and tell me.
“Was it about a woman?” I guessed. Please say no.
Vance continued his path through the pod and exited through the wall. “No woman is ever worth fighting for.”
“No, but love is.”
He snorted. “Typical female wanting to fight for love. Do you think there’s a man worth fighting for?”
“Maybe,” I said. “I don’t really know. But there has to be at least one woman out there you’d be willing to fight for.”
“If you think that’s you, don’t flatter yourself.”
“Why would I think it’s me? You can’t stand me.”
“And don’t forget that.”
“So there’s no one? No one in this world who you would fight for?”
“No, and drop the subject. But there is obviously somebody you would fight for.”
“Who?”
He sighed. “Who the hell do you think?” He tapped me on the forehead with his finger. “Who’s the one you can’t stop babbling about? The one you’re adamant to save from the demon realm? The one person I can’t get away from in this life or any other life.”
“Lawson?”
Was I fighting for him?
“No,” I said. “Lawson and Raven are dating or something. I just don’t want to see him get hurt. He’s saved my life a few times already.”
“You two are the most blind, idiotic, ridiculous reapers I have ever met.”
He continued to walk, muttering to himself about why he bothered to get involved.
I let the subject drop. It was obvious Vance wasn’t going to tell me the story of him and Lawson. He felt the need to be defensive. I really didn’t want to get into a war with Vance when I was currently attached to him.
“Where are we going?” I asked as he walked purposefully through the dead zone.
“To the portal.”
“What portal? To the demon realm?”
“To Earth. I’m getting the hell out of here.”
“I don’t want to go to Earth. I want to go to the demon realm.”
“I know a person who can get these things off of us,” he said, d
angling our wrists in front of my face. “I have no desire to be stuck with you as you get yourself killed in the demon realm.”
“Oh, why didn’t you say so?”
“If you’d stopped talking long enough, I would have.”
“If you’d stopped evading my questions, I would’ve stopped talking.”
“I’ve lived over five hundred years. Women never stop talking.”
I bit my lip to keep from retorting. It would just cement his statement. But as we walked, I kept wondering what secrets he kept. He wouldn’t spill anything about his life, and it made me want to know why.
“Is Vance your real name?”
He looked at me, puzzled. And a bit annoyed. “Of course it is. Why?”
I shrugged. “I didn’t know if vampires took on a new identity when they became vampires.”
He shook his head. “There’s something wrong with you.”
While I didn’t debate that fact, I still wanted more information. “What’s your last name?”
He stopped walking. And I would have shot by him if not for the handcuffs. I was tugged back and nearly fell. He grabbed my arm to steady me. And then let go as if my body repelled him.
“Why did you stop?” I asked.
“I also know when a woman is fishing for information.”
“I’m not fishing for information,” I lied. “I’m just curious.”
He stared hard at me. “Vampires give up their last name when they’re reborn.”
“Really?”
“No. How gullible are you?”
“This is a new world for me. I didn’t know anything about vampires or reapers or demons or succubi. I’m just trying to figure things out. The least you could do is help me.”
“Vampires don’t give up their names,” he muttered. “But I’m not telling you my last name either.”
“Fine. Let’s just get these handcuffs off. I won’t bother you anymore.”
We neared a weathered wooden door that had seen better days. It was barely held up by two rusty hinges that groaned when Vance pushed the door open.
The sooner we got these cuffs off the better. I had a demon world to find, and the last thing I needed was to argue with Vance the entire time.
22
“This is Earth’s portal?” I asked, unimpressed with the dilapidated door Vance opened.