“I went and saw the old man today,” Thorne stated calmly as he tossed the useless file to the side. He let out a breath and felt himself relax all over. Being on edge wasn’t going to help him. There was really nothing more for him to do at this point unless he crossed paths with her again. Which he had no doubt that he would.
Instantly, Benny straightened and leaned forward. There was a long pause where Benny said nothing. When he finally spoke, he came up with the elegant words: “You what?”
Thorne draped his arm on the back of the couch. “You heard me.”
“What in the Hades made you do that? You know they could revoke your punishment and …” Benny stammered for the words, because honestly neither of them knew what was possible with the gods. The worst they could do was make him cease to exist. Since his father knew about The Sacirii, Thorne didn’t think that was very likely … and quite frankly, he wasn’t sure he gave a shit if they did.
“How was it?” Benny asked. He was curious but trying to hide it, which Thorne understood. Over the centuries, Thorne had lain awake many nights thinking about The Realm and the beauty of it. It was unlike anything else in the universe. All of the various pantheons of gods lived in The Realm, but in their own specific neighborhoods, for lack of a better description. Thorne had gone to Mount Olympus to see his father, but Asgard, where Benny was from, was just a thought away.
Thorne slipped off the couch and walked into the kitchen to grab another cup of joe. After a moment’s hesitation, he added a splash of whiskey to the drink. “Benny, it’s almost a joke. It was as if I never left. He was still sitting regally behind his desk in his flowing, white tunic surrounded by gold and jewels that have no real value. Jesus, don’t they ever get sick of it? Didn’t you?” Unlike himself, Benny was a purebred. So his fall from grace was even more dramatic than Thorne’s.
Benny shrugged, grabbed a glass out of the cabinet, and poured the whiskey, not even bothering with the coffee. One thing immortals liked to do was drink. It’s not like they were immune to it—just that their tolerance was so high it was virtually impossible to get drunk. “I guess not. As you know, in that dimension there is no real sense of time, no hourglass running out of sand, unlike this godforsaken planet. Did you see anyone else?” Benny asked nonchalantly, but Thorne knew what Benny really meant. He wanted to know if Thorne had run into Rota, the Valkryie Benny had loved at one time. Of course she’d moved on by now; they always did.
“Nope. I didn’t see anyone. It wasn’t exactly a social call.” He could have ribbed him about his old flame, but even Thorne knew some wounds were best left alone.
“Hopefully you haven’t evoked any ill will.” Benny tossed his drink back, finishing it off in one gulp.
“Whatever. Let them come for me.” Thorne paused. “Are you aware that the gods know about The Sicarii?”
Benny suddenly looked uncomfortable.
“Jesus, you knew? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Benny dropped the brown bag on the table and pulled out a few cans of cat food; Thorne had been feeding the cat scraps of his own food. Leave it to Benny to be the responsible one. “I didn’t really see the relevance.”
“Were you sent here specifically to work with them? Come to think of it, I don’t believe you ever told me about your fall from grace. Did you?”
“Can’t you see this is a conversation I don’t want to have? Where’s your can opener?”
Thorne nodded his head in the direction of the drawer, the whole time studying his friend’s face. What other secrets had Benny been keeping from him? He was the one and only person he trusted blindly.
After opening the can of food, Benny put in on a plate and set it on the floor. The cat walked over, sniffed the food, and walked away.
Benny watched the cat saunter back over to Thorne. “That’s no ordinary cat.”
“Yeah, I kinda got that when I saw it disappear before my eyes a few times.”
“Ah, shit. You don’t think that woman sent the cat, do you?” Benny asked.
Thorne leaned against the counter. “It hadn’t crossed my mind, but at the time I wasn’t aware she was a witch. So I guess anything’s possible. Should I toss it out the window?”
“What? No.” Benny stared at Thorne in disbelief.
The idea of having a cat had kind of grown on him, so he was going to be pissed off if the cat was a plant.
“Tell me about the relationship between the gods and The Sicarii.”
Benny pulled out a chair and sat down. “There’s not a lot to tell. You guessed right. I was never cast out. I was sent down here to help out where I could, but as you know, we’re barely making a dent. There are several of us down here, spread out across the world, under the guise of being an outcast.”
“That’s messed up. So it wasn’t an accident I stumbled on the society, was it?”
“Nope.” Benny shrugged. “Don’t overthink it, brother. You wouldn’t have been brought into the fold if they didn’t feel you were worthy.”
“Oh ain’t that just fucking great.”
“Calm your ego, killer.”
He knew Benny was right, but it pissed him off that everyone around him had known what was going on for hundreds of years and he’d been left in the dark. “Why Earth? With all of the other worlds out there, why do the gods feel the need to stick their nose in this one?”
“Because our blood flows freely through their DNA. You know the immortals have always had an affinity for the humans.”
“So what? They feel responsible because they’ve knocked up a few humans over the generations?” Thorne hated the fact that he was one of them. He was a rare case. 99.9 % of the mixed breeds’ talents were latent. They never learned to embrace their gifts because they just didn’t know they were there. For the most part, they were just enhanced humans. A number of professional athletes and elite soldiers had immortal blood running through their veins, but they were all mortal and clueless to their origins. There had even been a few presidents. The ground shook in The Realm the day J.F.K was shot.
Thorne was an exception to the rule. For reasons unbeknownst to him, he had the powers and immortality of a full god, just not the pedigree.
Benny strummed his fingers on the table. “I shouldn’t be telling you this.”
“Fuck you,” Thorne said, disgusted.
Benny ignored his little outburst. “One of the Oracles claims that the destruction of Earth will mean the destruction of all of us.”
Thorne looked up as the words sunk in. “You’re saying if this pathetic planet does itself in, the rest of us will be obliterated? Even the great Odin and Zeus?”
“Yes, everyone. Not everyone believes it—yet everyone fears it to be true. The Oracle claims it will be a reset and there’s nothing we can do to prevent it.”
“Well shit,” Thorne said, rubbing his face.
“If it makes you feel any better, you were cast down here instead of left to the Hall of Punishment because Athena claimed you had the head of a god and the heart of a human … whatever the hell that means. She fought for you to be sent down.”
“Athena? I thought she couldn’t stand me.”
“No one can stand you, Thorne, but that doesn’t mean they don’t see your worth.”
3
Pulling open the fridge, Thorne glanced around, looking for something to eat. Great, his fridge was almost bare. There was half of a lemon, mayo, a couple of slices of turkey, and a container of milk. He needed to remember to send the cleaning lady out to the store.
Reaching in, he grabbed the milk, but of course it was almost empty. Then he pulled out a box of Cocoa Pebbles from the cabinet. “I’d offer you a bowl, but there’s just not enough to go around.”
“I already ate.” Benny leaned back in his chair. “I gotta take out a vamp that’s been draining bodies and not being discreet about it today. You interested?”
Thorne thought about it for a moment as he crunched on the cereal. His mind was still reeling from
the information Benny had just handed him about the life of the immortals hanging on the balance of the humans. Suddenly, the girl from last night seemed insignificant.
“Yeah, sure¸” he said absently. “Did the Oracle say how it was going to happen?” As much as he hated the gods for kicking him out, he loved his home realm. The thought of it disappearing didn’t sit well with him … at all. The Realms held so much beauty and power, it would be sacrilegious for it to be no more.
However, Oracles were seldom wrong. Throughout history they have been deeply honored and respected by everyone in The Realm because of their accuracy. Of course, there was always the rare chance …
Benny’s deep voice cut through the air, startling Thorne out of his thoughts. “Nope. Just that there would be a blast of light and all would be destroyed. Something about there being a thread that connected The Realm to Earth. So if one went, the other did as well.”
A thread? Interesting. “I guess that’s not at all surprising. The creator thought of everything.”
“Truer words have never been spoken, my brother. Everything is entwined,” Benny said sagely.
Lost in his own thoughts, Thorne finished off the bowl of cereal before pouring himself another. After he’d finished the second bowl and dropped it into the dishwasher, Benny stood up.
Thorne glanced down and realized he was still in his gym shorts. “Give me a few minutes. I gotta shower and change.”
“Take your time. The sun is still high in the sky.” Benny followed Thorne into the living room, dropped into the leather couch, grabbed the remote off the end table, and started flipping through channels. That would keep him busy for a while.
Thorne laughed. “As if we need to worry about daylight. Isn’t it a crescent moon tonight? Vamps are weak sauce right now.” As usual, human mythology got it all wrong. Vamps didn’t fear the sun, they feared the new moon. Vampires got their powers from the full moon, so if the moon was waning it meant their powers were seeping out of them. Hell, he could just snap their neck and they’d be dead tonight. On a full moon it took much more effort. They basically had to be decapitated or burnt to a crisp during the full moon. When they were full of power, they were pretty bad ass. Of course they were still not an issue for the likes of him and Benny …
“I know. I just don’t like being bit by those fuckers. It feels like someone poured acid in your veins.”
“Ain’t that the damn truth. Nasty fucks.”
Still deep in thought, Thorne headed into his bedroom, stripped off his shorts, and turned on the shower all the way to hot. Not wasting anytime, he went through the motions of scrubbing his body clean. However, he took a few moments to enjoy the hot stream soaking into his body, relaxing his taut muscles.
His mind went back to Kataya, and the image instantly changed from the dark-haired vixen to Laurie, his one and only true love. Fuck!
Thorne dropped his head. The hot water cascaded over him, unable to wash away his frustration.
What the hell was that chameleon up to?
Push it aside for now, Thorne.
Once he toweled off, he grabbed a pair of black jeans from his dresser, along with a black T-shirt that stretched snugly over his chest. He then slid back the mirror next to his dresser, revealing a small, concealed cache of weapons. After careful consideration, he grabbed a couple of daggers and a pair of tight, black Mechanix gloves, shoving them in his back pocket before closing it up. It was Benny’s gig, but it never hurt to be prepared. After a quick glance in the mirror, he was ready to roll out.
“Just a heads up,” Benny began, turning off the television when Thorne walked into the living room, “the vamp is Ginger’s brother.”
Thorne shrugged. What the fuck did he care. “Asshole shouldn’t be draining the vein. No excuse, not with so many blood whores readily available.”
“Agreed. Now let’s go dust this jackass.” Benny rose to his feet and strolled toward the door. Thorne stalked out behind him. Nothing could get him out of his bad mood like a kill. Add in supernatural creatures to the mix and it’s always a good time. Just what he needed to get his mind off the bigger picture. There was no sense in obsessing over something he had no control over. He couldn’t singlehandedly save humans from their own destruction, and he would have to put off dealing with Kataya … at least until they crossed paths again.
Benny slid into the passenger’s seat of Thorne’s 66 Mustang. Before he’d even had a chance to buckle up, Thorne fired up the engine and sped out of the parking garage.
As usual, they had to deal with the hellish New York traffic. On the plus side, with Benny’s infallible sense of tracking, they rolled up to the house where the target was located without incident.
“Nice digs,” Thorne commented as he parked and took in the modern home sitting on top of the hill. Lots of wood and windows. The yard was well-tended and surround by towering oak trees. “Got to give him a thumbs up for architectural taste. Most of these guys go for the stereotypical Gothic look. I don’t know if it’s too many fucking movies or just stuck in the past.”
“You always notice the oddest things,” Benny mumbled, unclipping his seatbelt.
Just as they exited the car, Ginger walked out of the front door and down the driveway. It was easy to see from her demeanor that she was pissed off. Thorne had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. The last thing he wanted to do was deal with this crazy-ass bitch. Vampires had sonic hearing, meaning it was virtually impossible to surprise one. She probably knew he was coming before they were a mile away. He had to admit, she did look smoking hot; she was sexy as hell when she was pissed off. Then again, he’d always had a soft spot for redheads.
Of course, she had to go and open her mouth.
“No! You two need to get the hell out of here!” Her voice was almost hysterical. Everyone ‘in the know’ knew that a visit from Thorne or Benny meant certain death. Therefore, she was well aware that they weren’t there for a house call.
With a cold eye, and even colder voice, Benny turned toward her. “That’s not happening. A contract has been signed and I’m here to fulfill it. There’s not a damn thing you could say to convince us otherwise.”
“Fuck you and your contract, asshole! There are a dozen vampires in there that will tear you to shreds if you try anything.” Ginger was practically shrieking.
Every muscle in Thorne’s body tensed. Twelve? Well that was somewhat of a surprise. They weren’t expecting to roll up on a nest of vamps. The excitement was just upped a notch or two.
Moving close, Thorne grabbed her by the upper arm and lowered his voice. “Ginger, you need to go.”
“I’m not going anywhere! This is my family, Thorne.” Her eyes were wide and pleading. Fucking vamps.
“This is going to go to shit real quick. If you don’t get your ass out of here, I can’t guarantee you’ll be alive when all is said and done. Is your junkie brother really worth your life?”
She looked down at the ground and then back at him. Her shoulders sagged. For an instant, she actually looked vulnerable. Not a look he was used to seeing on Ginger. “He’s a good kid. Rex just doesn’t have self-control, it’s not his fault. Cut him some slack. Please.”
“He’s a murderer,” Thorne said roughly. The longer they stood out there arguing with Ginger the more time the vamps had to get prepared.
Ginger’s eyes flashed red. “Oh that’s freaking rich coming from an assassin.”
Her words gave him pause, but only because the irony was indeed funny. It took self-control not to crack into a grin.
Benny shook his head. “He’s killing innocent people. There is a difference.”
“Give me a break. Humans are weak. I don’t know why we just don’t overtake them. It would be so easy to do. But your fucking Sicarii always have to stick their nose into everything. I hate all of their goddamn rules and regulations. We’re blood sucking vampires, why shouldn’t we be able to bleed the useless dry? Besides, he only kills the homeless or the criminals
. It’s not like anyone misses them.”
Thorne tensed. “You’re walking a thin line, Ginger. You need to keep your mouth shut before I snap your pretty little neck.” To make his point, he trailed his finger from her jawline down to the delicate skin of her neck. Of course there was no pulse, but from the way her body went rigid he knew she was scared of him. As she fucking should be.
After the talk about the decline of the human race, the last thing he wanted to listen to was this bullshit. Maybe he should just kill her. It would be so very easy to do. She’d lost her use to him. “How quickly you forget you too were once human, Ginger.”
Her eyes locked on his. She had a backbone, he had to give her that. It was one of the things that attracted him to her in the beginning. That and the fact that she could suck cock like nobody’s business. “I’ve forgotten a lot of things over the centuries, but that is not one of them.” She turned and stalked away. He saw her pause and look back over her shoulder at her house. Her head dropped, and she continued to walk away from the house and down the sidewalk. Ginger knew she didn’t have a chance in hell if she decided to stay behind, it was as simple as that.
At least she was out of the picture for now. One less vamp to worry about. Taking out a dozen pissed off vamps was certainly not impossible by a long stretch, but Thorne had no doubt they would give it their best shot. Too bad their best wouldn’t be good enough.
4
“So a dozen, eh? La-di-fuckin’-da. You know me, the more the fucking merrier!” Thorne felt a coldness settle over him as he looked at Benny. It would be nice to have something or someone to take his frustration out on. “Seems either Rex rolls heavy all the time, or he’s been tipped off that his number is up. Regardless, let’s go crack some heads.”
Hired Gun #2 Page 2