Blackjack

by Kristopher Norris

  Damn it! Not as I wish! I called him Michael after all why did he still feel the need to call me Mr.? I didn’t want to push it. So I relayed the situation to him, everything from Amun’s and my fight with Sean and his boy’s, to the Emails and the setting of the meeting. “So that’s that,” I said bringing a close to the story.

  I waited for him to say something. “You will have the support of the wolves without a doubt Vincent. You will have us at your back. We are not here to help only when there is benefit for us as well.” He turned to look at my friends. “That goes for the two of you as well. If there is anything we can assist you with you only need to ask.”

  The sun was full down by the time I’d come to the conclusion of my story soon after Amun found his way to our group outside. I found Amun’s clothes a bit funny. He wore a pair of leather pants, boots and a black dress shirt open, while the three humans were wearing coats against the growing cold of English weather. “Hello,” A very informal greeting from Amun. “What brings you here this fine evening, and with Michael?” He asked us.

  “We got a situation that we could use your help on,” I said. His eyes began to grow with interest, “Yours and Michael’s.”

  “Please, how can I be of assistance?”

  For the third time that night I retold the situation. He already knew many of the details so the story wasn’t so very long. As I spoke he kept his attention on me. Even when I told him something he’d already known he never interrupted or seemed bored. “So basically I’m asking for your help.” I didn’t often ask for help. Though I knew I needed them, it didn’t make it any easier for me to ask. “We don’t know what we are facing, and since chances are whomever wants me dead is somehow tied to all of us, we could use you at our back. And, possibly some tactical advice.”

  He didn’t make me feel small for asking his assistance. He didn’t gloat at all. He asked questions gaining as many details as he could. His line of questioning was answered by not only me, but also by Terry and Carmen. They were being more helpful than they’d known. Michael remained silent with Johnny at his side. They both stood there listening to everything that was being said, they were taking in everything from everyone. When it seemed that Amun’s questions we coming to a close, Michael spoke up. “I have already given the support of the wolves.”

  “I did not realize,” Amun cocked his head to one side looking at Michael, “that it was a question whether we would help or not.” He turned to look at me. “Did you truly believe that we would not aid you when you ask?” Honestly? Yes, of course I did. I didn’t trust easily. I didn’t think that he would want to step into a fight that was not his. He had too many fights going on to worry about helping me with a situation that might not be any more than someone out for revenge.

  “I didn’t know what to expect,” I admitted. “Thank you both.”

  “There is no need to thank us,” Michael said. I nodded in response.

  I felt a mind brush mine; I quickly tried to block it out. I didn’t know who was trying to enter my head, and I didn’t just let anyone to pop in and say hello. “Mr. Black, its Seth” I lowered the wall around my mind just enough to let him in. “I am within Amun’s home I’d like to spend some time with you.”

  “So come join the party”

  “Very well.”

  “Seth is on his way,” I announced to the group.

  “I cannot feel him,” Amun said.

  “I just invited him.”

  “It’s good to see you using your gifts, it is the only way you will be able to master them.” Amun sounded so happy, like a teacher whose student was beginning to understand the lesson.

  I didn’t want to admit that I didn’t try to use them. They were still sort of a reflex at that point. “He spoke to me first.”

  “I see.” His voice dropped a little, he didn’t seem quite as happy any longer. It was as if I’d let him down somehow. I can’t explain why but that thought bothered me. I didn’t like being a letdown. I did the only thing I could think of. “Why do you sound so upset?” I asked with my mind.

  “I only want to see you come into your powers. Do you only fire your pistols when you are being shot at?”

  “No,”

  “So why do you ignore these tools?”

  I didn’t think I had been ignoring them, but I could see his point. I didn’t become a better shot by waiting to be fired at. “I understand what you mean.”

  “I hope so, Vincent. For all our sakes, I hope so.”

  I was a bit taken back to think that I had been ignoring my socalled ‘gifts’. I was more annoyed about them then anything. “I didn’t ask for this, Amun.” I wasn’t going to stand there and be spoken down to by him, by anyone. “I didn’t ask for this!”

  “Careful, Vincent, you do not want to lose your temper.”

  Was he threatening me? I wasn’t going to take his condescending bullshit and I sure wasn’t going to take his threats. “Careful? You are telling me to be careful.”

  “Yes.” His voice didn’t hold any anger nor did his eyes. Why was I so on edge? “I am here to help you, Vincent. You must learn to control your temper. Anger will not always serve you. One day it may lead you into more trouble than even you can handle.”

  I understood what he meant I’d know that for years, but knowing something and being able to change it are two totally different things. “What’s going on?” Carmen asked pulling me back into the group standing around me. Everyone’s eyes were on me. “You’ve haven’t said anything for ten minutes. You’ve just been staring at Amun, and you didn’t look happy. Now what’s going on?” I’d been so distracted by the conversation in my head; I’d forgotten that I was standing in a group of people having a conversation that I’d started. I was here to ask for help and I was completely ignoring them all. I felt like shit. I didn’t want to be there to ask for help in the first place.

  “I’m sorry. I was in my own thoughts.” God I hated to apologize. In those few moments I’d gone from pissed off to self-loathing and back. What the fuck was going on with me? I never let emotions show like that.

  “Mr. Black had some questions for my ears only,” Amun offered. Everyone but the humans took him at his word. No one questioned him; with nods of acknowledgement they accepted it, everyone but the humans. Terry and Carmen didn’t look as willing to follow along blindly.

  “Tell them, if you wish. It could be a chance to see if you can contact humans with your thoughts,” Amun said, reentering my mind.

  “Wouldn’t that be an invasion to them?”

  “I’m sure that they will forgive you. They want answers. I suggest giving them some.”

  “Very well.” I focused my attention on Carmen; she’d be the least upset over entering her mind. I reached for the feeling I got when I spoke with the vampires in my mind. When I found what I was looking for I directed it toward Carmen, hoping for something. “Carmen?” I asked betting that she wouldn’t hear. I could feel her aura, that energy that Seth had spoken of. It was the same thing I felt when she came near but somehow more powerful. Since I was focused on her I could sense her even more. “Carmen?” I said again.

  Her eyes opened wide and looked at me. Questioning me. I didn’t know why but she could feel that it was me brushing against her mind. “Vincent?” She thought, it wasn’t the same as the conversations Amun and I had, I was simply reading her thoughts.

  “Yes, I wanted to let you and Terry know what the silence was about.”

  “Go on?” I could actually hear her laughing at me in her mind.

  “I was yelling at Amun, between our thoughts.”

  Her laughing switched off like a light. “You what? How could you yell at him? Why would you yell at him?”

  “I don’t know I’m just on edge.”

  Her eyes moved from me to Terry. I followed her lead. “You’d better tell Terry everything is okay, he looks pissed about something.”

  “You’re right.” Terry did look worried. I had to talk to him.
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  Even though I was concentrating much harder then when I spoke to vampires I could still hear that Amun was keeping the rest of the groups attentions while I tried to work on my ‘gifts’. “Then talk to him.” She gave me a smile that was all for me. I’d never seen that smile when there were others around. It only lasted for the briefest of seconds. She held that smile long enough to tell me that everything was all right.

  I reached out for Terry’s mind just as I had done Carmen’s. “Terry?” The same simple question, hoping for an answer. I reached nothing but a steel wall. His mind was sealed tight. But I tried again, the second time I pushed a little harder against his consensuses. “Terry? It’s Vincent.” The wall around his mind wavered, just a bit. “Terry!” I was starting to yell in my own head. How, I thought, did he know how to protect his own mind like that?

  “Black?” His thought came through as no more than a whisper on my consciousness.

  “Yeah, it’s me.”

  “What the fuck are you doing in my head??” He was very defensive.

  “I wanted to tell you that I was just yelling at Amun. I didn’t want you to be out of the loop.”

  “You’ve got a pair on you boy, you know that?” I wasn’t sure if he was saying so because I’d yelled at Amun or because I invaded his head. “Thanks.” I could tell by the tone of his thought that he didn’t completely mean it. He pushed me out of his mind and the wall was back. He didn’t want me in his head. Great, just fucking great, was there anyone that wasn’t going to be mad at me at some point that day? I’d apologize later. He didn’t want me contacting him in that way, and I wasn’t about to test his resolve on the matter.

  It wasn’t but a moment later that I felt Seth approach. Amun felt it as well. His head turned toward the door watching for the arrival of Seth. Everyone in the circle noticed Amun’s actions and turned to see what he was looking at. The door creaked open and Seth emerged unaffected to see us all watching for him. I had the sudden urge to yell out surprise, but I thought it better not to. “I see the party started without me.” Ha, he made a joke. Not a funny one but a joke nonetheless. The more I was around the vampires the more I saw similarities between them and humans. A round of quick greetings circled the group. I didn’t understand why we were all being so damn polite.

  “What is the purpose of the gathering?” He asked once the ceremony of greetings was over.

  “Mr. Black needs our help with something. Both Amun and I have agreed to help,” Michael said standing cross-armed. “It’s up to him to share the information; if he wants to.”

  “I see.” He did not ask me to tell him. I could have kept the whole thing a damn secret. I didn’t want to go through the whole damn story again but I didn’t see why I should leave him out. I’d swallowed my pride so much already that day to ask for help; why not make it once more?

  Nobody was saying anything, and all eyes were on me. Why is it always up to me to make these decisions? Damn it. So, again, I retold the events of surrounding the contract on my head. I was really getting tired of telling it. Maybe we should have started a memo system. Vinny’s got a contract on his head if you have any information or suggestions please feel free to tell us about them. Something like that. “Anyone else have anything to add?” I got a hand full of baffled looks from people. I was getting on edge again. Amun was right I needed to watch myself. “So, that’s that then. Everyone is updated. Now does anyone have a plan on how to handle it?”

  “I believe,” Seth said in his hushed voice, “that it would be safe to assume that whoever placed the contract on your head knows what you look like. Even if they do not it would be safer for you to not be there.”

  “I agree. Seeing you at the meeting would scare them off. Or start a firefight before we’ve gained any information,” Michael acknowledged.

  “NO!” I snapped. “I will not allow it. I will not let you all go into my fight without me!”

  “Vincent, they are right.” Carmen placed a hand on my shoulder. “It isn’t just your fight anymore. It’s ours.”

  As soothing as her touch was, I was too hotheaded to completely calm down. “Mine, ours, it doesn’t matter. I am part of the fight.”

  “Very well,” Amun’s voice spoke out over mine. “Mr. Black has made his point. But I agree having you on the frontline of this meeting would not be the best idea.” He continued before I had the chance to argue. “None of us have the right to say he cannot be at the meeting. Perhaps he should stay hidden nearby in the event that a battle does occur. Would that be acceptable Mr. Black?”

  “Yeah, it looks like I have no choice. I’ve been out voted.”

  “We did not vote. We could if you’d like.”

  “I was being a smartass, Amun!” Why did people take me so goddamn literal?

  “As was I, Vincent.” Oh.

  Johnny who had not said much since the start of the meeting could not hold his laughter. He quickly bit his lower lip trying to hide it. From whom, me or Michael, I didn’t know. It was when Terry joined in that I started to get pissed. I knew they were not laughing at me.

  “Listen,” I said, “if there is nothing further to discuss I believe that we are done for the night.” There was too much bitterness in my voice. I was having a shitty night and it was starting to get to me.

  “I meant no offense.” It wasn’t exactly an apology, but it was what Amun offered.

  “None taken.” There was still too much bite from me but he let it go. I was sure, at that point, that I would hear about my attitude later from Carmen.

  “I’d still like to have a few moments of your time, if you wouldn’t mind.” I’d forgotten that Seth had wanted to talk to me. Shit. Of course I would mind. I was in a piss poor mood, and I didn’t want to say anything stupid. But, fuck I had no choice in the matter. I’d asked them for help. It wouldn’t be fair of me to deny them something as simple as conversation.

  “I think,” Amun broke in before I had time to answer, “That tonight is not the night.”

  “No.” I quickly cut him off. “Tonight would be fine. We don’t have time for my bullshit. I’m all yours Seth.”

  Amun looked very startled by me. I loved doing that to him. He wasn’t used to anyone speaking against him. His expression pulled a hint of a grin from me. “Please walk with me for a while.” Seth sidestepped, with an open palm gesture, he allowed me to pass.

  I winked at Carmen as I walked past her. I figured I would be in trouble, but I still wanted her to know I was starting to calm down. She gave me a little half-smile something was on her mind. But I didn’t have time nor was it the proper place to ask what was bothering her.

  Seth and I walked in silence down the sidewalk. He wanted to talk, so I waited for him to say something. He never turned to look at me, though I kept glancing at him. But he did not react. He just strolled along, his hands clasped behind his back. His long black linen coat and that blood red hair danced on the breeze while I hunkered into my coat. The night was a bit chilly for a mere human like me. He’d kept a pair of sunglasses on despite the sun being gone for better than an hour; I knew he was hiding his eyes. His eyes glowed; even under the bright lights of the back room in the club they burned fiery crimson. On that dark street they’d draw attention. We had walked blocks from Johnny’s store but still he said nothing to me. I was beginning to get irritated. I’d figured that he wanted to get out of earshot, which is a long way for a vampire, of the group. But we’d been walking for the better part of fifteen minutes, with nothing. I didn’t feel him pressing on my mind. It was as if he’d forgotten I was there with him. Every time I began to ask him something I pulled myself back. I didn’t want to step on his toes by being the first to speak. So, on and on we walked with nothing but the sounds of the night between us. Finally I broke, “What are we doing, Seth?”

  He pivoted on his heels to face me. “Walking, why are you ready to go back?”

  “I thought we were going to talk?”

  “Did you?”

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nbsp; “Yeah,” what the fuck was he going on about? “That’s what I thought.”

  “Oh.” He turned once again and began walking back the way we’d come. I stood there confused staring at his back as he walked away. “Are you coming?” He called out to me without turning to look back.

  I didn’t answer. I jogged the few steps to catch up with him. And again we walked without speaking. I lit a cigarette to keep from fidgeting. Should we have taken one of the wolves on the walk with us? I didn’t see Michael letting me put a leash on him. But maybe Johnny, hum…

  He didn’t say another word to me until we were back in front of the store where everyone else was still waiting on us. It seemed that everyone’s mood had lightened in our absence. And to be honest so did mine. Even Terry was smiling as he joked with Johnny. The two of them stood leaning against the car. Amun and Michael’s attentions were on the lovely Carmen. I could not blame them. She was smiling, having a good time, but they weren’t getting the smile that I got from her. When she turned and looked at me her smile lit up her eyes, hell, it brightened her whole face.

  “Hi.” She mouthed the word to me. “Excuse me gentlemen, there is a man I need to see,” she said hopping off the hood of the car. She walked over to meet me as I approached and placed her arms around me. It was an action that startled me a bit.

  “Hi,” I couldn’t help but to smile down at her. I didn’t know what put her in such a good mood so suddenly. It didn’t really matter. I must have still looked in shock.

  “I don’t see a reason to hide us from them anymore than we do from Terry.”

  “Really? And you didn’t think that maybe we should have talked about it first?” I made sure that there was enough sarcasm is my voice to let her know that I was joking.

  “No.” She tried to sound serious. Then kissed me. “Besides, if I didn’t do something with you the charms of Amun and Michael might not have let up.” She whispered in my ear.

  Michael exploded into a roaring deep laugh. “Good ears, luv.”

  “I know, but I do have to tease you a little,” she said looking over her shoulder blowing a kiss towards her two suitors. Amun was just standing there, looking as seductively evil as he always did, grinning.