“They’ll find us here just as quickly Amelia, they’ll go room to room after knowing we were here and not finding us in your apartment.” Kristoff chastened her, listening to the beat of coming footsteps. But Amelia ignored him and darted into apartment 306. With a frustrated huff Kristoff went to follow her, and was immediately confronted with a surprised hispanic woman in her dressing gown ironing clothing and watching a tele novella.
Kristoff blushed and fought the impulse to apologize profusely and back out of the room
“It’s ok, this is Shelia,” Amelia called to him, even as he watched her dart for the back and an open window. Shelia grinned at him and rolled her eyes, gesturing that she follow his mad little lover. But as Kristoff reached the window where Amelia was crawling out, he saw what she was doing. The fire escape was attached to the point below the window and you could step out onto it from that point. As he followed Amelia as she crowded out the old casement onto a fire escape, she turned back to the woman with a smile. “Oh, and Shelia,” She called over her shoulder. “You never saw me.”
“Si, mi loca. Adios.” The woman waved them through. She pointed at Kristoff and added “Muy calinete.”
Reddening further he replied, “Gracias.” And got out onto the fire escape platform.
“Come on pretty boy, this trick won’t fool them long.” Amelia called as she jumped down the landings of the fire escape with the sure-footedness of one who’d obviously done this a million times. Kristoff had to admit Amelia’s quirks were forever surprising and charming him, and the fact that she had obviously already done this a few times intriguing. He’d have to ask her how it had become common place for her to intrude on a woman and climb out of her window whenever the need arouse. His Amelia could be such a simple soul, and yet such an enigma.
The sun was setting as they reached the ground behind the building and Kristoff could only think that a trek through the city back to his home would be suicide. And with the suv out front, using his car was out. He’d need to find them alternate transportation. Kristoff looked at the sky again, Kolya would be about at this hour, he’d take his brother’s car. “Well, it looks like we’re walking a few blocks to the upscale part of town.” Kristoff sighed. He hated being at the family home and avoided it if at all possible.
“A few blocks?!? Your apartment is uptown, we’re more than a few blocks away!”
Kristoff sighed, “We’re not going to my apartment. We’re going to Kolya’s antique shop to get another car.” It would also give him the rare chance to eviscerate his brother privately, he added to himself.
Amelia frowned, “His shop is closer to here?”
“He has several actually, but the main shop is about ten blocks that way,” Kristoff glanced up at Amelia’s favorite highway. “If we stay to alleys and rooftops we should be able to get there easily without being seen.”
He watched Amelia shrug her backpack into a more comfortable position and nod, “Parkour, here we come.”
Kristoff grinned. They may as well hurry along, not only for safety, but now that he’d gotten it into his head, one long awaited epic ass-kicking was on the menu for his conniving brother tonight, and he couldn’t wait to administer it.
*
By the time Amelia and Kristoff reached Kolya’s shop, it was definitely night. The shop was in a very old building whose first floor walls had been replaced with unbroken sheets of glass so that the shop seemed to glow from within it. A giant chandelier hung over the porch where two wide doors led inside, the interior seemed lit by hundreds of tiffany lamps. It looked, to put it mildly, expensive.
Amelia gazed at the statuesque building before her, a classic victorian apartment building with the front of every floor just as the first, blown out and replaced with those sheer planes of glass. She cringed as she looked at what was obviously a very classy building, realizing she was still dressed in Kristoff’s clothes and her ratty combat boots. She wondered if they would kick her out if she didn’t find Kolya. Or maybe make her stay outside on the stairs like a dog tied up outside a coffee shop. “Do you think leading Gianni here is a good idea?”
Kristoff waved her off. “I may be the hunter in the family, but Kolya has his own means. He’s just different. But he can certainly handle himself.” Kristoff walked up the stairs and let himself into the shop, a light tinkle of bells let the shop keepers know he’d come in. Amelia followed warily. No sooner had Kristoff entered, but a tall, pale woman came rushing out of the back of the store. She was thin as a reed, had green cat-like eyes, and a long mass of sleek dark hair that she had caught up in an intricate up do.
“Kristoff! How good to see you! How nice of you to drop by!” The beautiful woman curled around Kristoff like boa. Amelia watched, slightly uncomfortable at how familiar the woman was with Kristoff. But she didn't quite come off as a family member, she was a little too…handsy. The woman suddenly noticed Amelia and her eyes slitted with disgust and her lip curled in disgust. “And who is this little vagrant beggar?”
Kristoff extricated himself from the woman’s embrace carefully and set her away from his body. Then turning he gestured for Amelia to come forward, and took her hand. If possible the woman looked even more furious and possessive. “This is Amelia,” Kristoff introduced her. “Amelia, this is Anya.” He said gesturing to the woman. Anya did not offer her hand, she just sneered at Amelia eyeing her from head to foot in her awful train wreck of an outfit, and crossed her arms. Amelia didn’t budge from Kristoff’s side.
“Did you adopt her from out of a local pound?”
Kristoff’s face grew grim. “No, she’s my partner and lover.” He said pointedly to Anya. Anya looked at him in disbelief and sniffed in disdain. “Anya,” Kristoff continued sternly, “I need to speak to Kolya.”
Anya’s face transformed, “Oh! Of course, let me take you.” She held out her elbow elegantly as if asking Kristoff to take it.
He shook his head. “Lead the way.”
Miffed, Anya turned and began leading them back into the depths of the building. As they went, Amelia was fascinated by all of the lovely pieces around her. Carved wood furniture glowed from every corner, their patinas aged and shinning in the light. Old paintings sat gilt-framed against easels, and old weaponry hung on walls. There were chandeliers everywhere, for sale or simply hanging above to light the space. Amelia was so fascinated by everything she tripped on the rocker of a lovingly restored antique rocking horse. Kristoff grabbed her at the last minute and smiled fondly at her childlike awe. Anya, opened her mouth to say something - presumably about the cost of Amelia’s mistake - but she firmed her lips into a dissatisfied line when Kristoff shot her a look.
At the very back a wide mahogany staircase led to another level, and the three of them followed it’s curving banisters up to the next floor. Here the stairway ended in a solid wall of glass with a blue digital touch-screen locked door. Anya pressed her palm to the reader and opened the door into a very pretty sitting room. Amelia paused at the threshold looking warily at the expensive Persian rugs spread throughout.
“Kristoff! Amelia!” Came Kolya’s voice from within. Amelia looked up and into his sparkling eyes, he looked excited to see her. “A pleasure as always to see you dear.” Anya looked sick and stood to the side. Amelia couldn’t help but smirk. “What brings you in?” Kolya asked, embracing them both.
Kristoff looked around and pushed Amelia into an old velvet armchair. “Kolya, we need to borrow the Karmann Ghia.” Then he leaned in and whispered something gruffly into Kolya’s ear.
Kolya, however just smiled even more brightly and nodded at whatever Kristoff had said, then stuck his arm through Kristoff’s. “Of course. Just come with me to the office and we’ll get the keys. Kristoff looked put out briefly, but followed behind his brother. As he left he turned to Amelia smiling reassuringly, “Stay right there, I’ll be back to get you in a second.” Then he disappeared down the hall.
*
As soon as Kristoff was out of Amelia
’s hearing Kristoff started in on Kolya. “What was the meaning of sending Amelia after Gianni? You almost got her KILLED.”
Kolya patted his arm dismissively and murmured, “Not with Anya listening brother, or have you forgotten how well your own kind can hear?”
Kristoff grimaced and looked back toward where he’d left Amelia. “Was it a bad idea leaving Amelia with her?”
“No matter how much Anya may hate anyone who can get either yours or my attention - worse both - she won’t act directly against my wishes.” In a darker tone he added, “She wouldn’t risk the consequences.” Kolya stopped and stood outside another glass door, and scanned his palm to let the two of them in. He wandered around to the other side of a giant mahogany claw footed desk to rummage around its drawers presumably for the keys. “So what did you want to know again?” Kolya asked innocently. Kristoff slammed his hands to the dark wood desk and leaned over into Kolya’s space.
“Why. Did. You. Send. Amelia. After. Gianni.”
“Ah, that.” Kolya said as if just recalling, with a shrug he looked over the paperwork on his desk vaguely. “She wanted revenge, and she wanted your attention, and I knew she would get it that way.”
“She could have been killed in that stunt,” Kristoff gritted out. “She should have been killed.”
“But she wasn’t.”
“Are you listening? If I hadn’t been there she would be dead or Gianni’s newest pet. And I’m not sure which is worse,”
“But you were.”
“I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN.”
“No,” Kolya countered calmly without looking up from the desk. “You would never have left her in a situation like that.”
“And how, pray tell, did you expect me to know about the whole debacle?”
“Pfft. Like you wouldn’t be keeping tabs on your little protege.” Kolya scoffed.
“So,” huffed Kristoff. “Let me get this straight. You sent her for Gianni, knowing the danger, but on the assumption that I would notice and save her. I don’t suppose it’s a coincidence that you knew Gianni himself murdered Amelia’s sister. I would have thought you would be the one taking care of that. Or was Amelia just a distraction?”
Kolya looked at him clinically. “She was never going to take out Gianni, we both know this. Besides, he’s not the one I want.”
“Then I return to my original point. Why send her? - It wasn’t some ridiculous ploy to get us back together. You are not even remotely a romantic. I know you better than that. Wait, haven’t you been having issues with the Italians - even before Mona?”
“Inconsequential.” Kolya rebutted without looking at him.
“You think not looking at me will keep me from knowing you are lying to me? No, no, nieyt. You’re up to something, it is no coincidence you have been trying to take over the Italian’s territory the last year.”
Kolya scoffed. “They do not deserve what they have.”
“And you? YOU are to be a judge of this?” Kristoff mocked.
“What do you want me to say?” Kolya asked looking him in the eyes “It was an excellent opportunity for everyone involved. You got Amelia, Amelia gets revenge, and I get Hell’s Kitchen.”
Kristoff shook his head in livid disbelief. “I can believe you used me to start a turf war. You’re a manipulative bastard, you know that? How are we even related? I thought you cared for her.”
Kolya’s eyes turned cold and calculating, suddenly it seemed he crouched behind his massive desk like a carrion crow. “Do not presume to tell me how I feel. I think you are missing a major point of all of this - Gianni may have killed Mona, but he was just the weapon. The one responsible is still out there. And that’s who I want…” Kolya’s voice was a low snarl.
Kristoff stared at his brother across the desk. “This just keeps getting better and better.” He shook his head in disgust. “You were using both of us to get to not only Gianni and the Italians, but to see if we could bait the power behind the whole throne out. Now who’s being driven by revenge? I have to admit, I expected better from you. I know you’re a frigid tyrant, but I thought you respected me, or at least liked Amelia.”
Kolya stilled, staring through his hooded gaze. “I do like Amelia, but when it became clear you were so attached, and made the mistake of throwing her away, she came to me…and I gave her what she wanted. You and revenge. More than I give most people who ask for things and do not pay in return. As for you, how else was I to get you to help me with my problems in Hell’s Kitchen? How was I to engage you? You never set a foot out for the clan, you claim to not want to get involved in politics.”
Kristoff roared and reached across the desk, grabbing Kolya by the collars of his crisp white silk Dior shirt. “I am a Hunter, I am not your personal attack dog. Hunters were never to be used as weapons in clan squabbles. We are to be impartial. You know that.”
Kolya smirked coldly into his face. “And I haven’t. I just allowed you to win back your lady love and did her a favor at the same time. If I gain in the process, how is that anything but a happy coincidence?”
Kristoff ground his teeth. “You set this up so that I now have to destroy Gianni for you, effectively destroying the Italians. You set Amelia up to get your own revenge. If I don’t follow your master plan through the Italians will kill Amelia. This sounds like more than a happy coincidence to me.”
Kolya shook Kristoff off sharply in disgust and glared. “I’m acting for the good of the clan, a responsibility you lost when you assumed the hunter role. You may galavant across the globe killing things, seducing women, and partying. But I carry the responsibility for our whole clan and our subjects. If I coerce you to help on occasion, so be it. And you were already involved in my vengeance. At the present I could use the support of my only sibling. And I’m giving you what you wanted as well. A chance to be Amelia’s hero. A chance that when she finally finds out what you are that she might forgive you.”
Kristoff narrowed his eyes to slits and stared across the desk at Kolya. “Stay out of my way.”
Kolya grinned, “Now how is that going to work when Amelia and I are friends? She knows nothing of this, she’ll think us squabbling is odd.”
On a gusty breath, Kristoff deflated and bared his teeth, “No matter how we may act in front of her, you know this isn’t over.”
Kolya looked contrite for a moment. “Yes, I know.”
“Give me the keys,” Kristoff demanded, and Kolya tossed them across the desk.
“I’d tell you to go easy on my baby, but I already know how you drive. So just don’t damage her,” Kolya joked hollowly.
“I’ll try not to punish any inanimate objects in simalcrum for you. I hope this was worth our friendship.”
“Don’t worry, it need not be.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’ll get over it, you always do.”
Chapter 27
Other than being pretty sure Anya hated her, Amelia couldn’t shake the feeling that the woman was somehow…off…for an antiques dealer’s receptionist. She was way too cozy with the brothers, and much too proud to be a shop girl. Much too pretty too. With her porcelain skin and tall slender body, she should be modeling in this town. Amelia felt the scorch of Anya’s glare all the way across the room.
“So how did you two meet?” Anya gritted out. As if Amelia, with her ‘plebeian' looks should never have come into contact with someone like Kristoff.
Amelia glanced at her and away again, “We bumped into each other, and hit it off.”
“I’m surprised he even bothers with one of your type,” Anya hissed, and glared through slitted eyes. “But then he likes to live dangerously.” She added snidely.
“What’s it to you?”
Anya sniffed primly. “If nothing else I just don’t like the stink of your kind.”
“What, the normal 99% of the population kind?”
Anya examined Amelia more closely. “You don’t know.” She then snickered in some sort of sick entertainment.
“No, I’m sure you know he’s a hunter, your type would.”
“What are you getting at with this your type crap?”
Now Anya truly was amused. “What a coup, you’re clueless.”
“I don’t like playing word games.”
“Oh, no? I’m sure you’ll find out soon enough… and I hope I’m there to see it,” Anya grinned toothily. “It’ll shatter your neat little world to bits.” She purred.
Amelia looked at Anya oddly and tried to discern what all the double speak was about. “I think this conversation is over.”
“But the conversation hasn’t even begun. I can’t imagine how you’ll feel when you find out you’ve slept with someone… like him…How… what is the word? Devastating.” “Anya,” Kristoff’s voice came out sharp. “What have you been discussing with Amelia?”
Amelia looked between the two of them when Anya spoke up. “Why, I don’t know your lordship. Just about her little ignorance problem.”
“Lordship?” Asked Amelia in annoyed confusion, looking to Kristoff for an answer.
Kristoff frowned at her, then looked back to Anya. “I don’t imagine Kolya would be happy with your little game Anya. Do you?”
“I’m just talking to her, she has no respect for your position.” She whined.
“I have only one position with Amelia - unlike you. And how I choose to interact with others is my own business,” Kristoff replied with a sort of double speak himself. He shot Anya another warning glance. “Let’s go Amelia,” he said dangling the keys between his forefingers. “What is it you say? Let’s blow this joint.”
Amelia looked between the two of them again, trying to read the subtext of their very odd conversation. She stood and couldn’t help feeling like something important was happening that she was missing.
A Guide to Vampire Hunting: ...and other failures (Alchemy Inc. Book 1) Page 18