by Jen Pretty
“Can I tell you a story?” he asked.
I nodded and took a sip of my water, wishing it was vodka.
"Before I moved to America, my brothers and I were wild. We had been vampires for so long that nothing thrilled us anymore. We hunted and..." he looked up at me. "...killed. Sometimes for no reason. Life would bore us, and so we would find trouble to stir up." He looked away like he didn’t want me to see the truth of his words. Durga already knew though. She has deemed him worthy of life, despite his past.
“One night, Vaughn and I were out drinking — alcohol, I mean — at a pub when a woman walked in. She was fair and beautiful and so young. I wanted her. I wanted her youth, her beauty and her blood. Her scent rode the air behind her as she walked past me. Vaughn and I attracted attention wherever we went, but this woman, she didn’t come talk to us as the other woman did in the city. She sat, ignoring us and spoke to a man who was old and balding before she turned and left. Her eyes swept over me, but it was like I was invisible. Her eyes never landed on my features. During this time in history, people were poor and sick. They died young, and a healthy-looking man was hard to find. It was so strange to have a woman not interested in me or my brother that I had to follow her. I had to consume her.”
He looked away again embarrassed.
I took another sip of my water and waited for him to continue. He told me he was not a good man or vampire before he left for America and that he left to change his ways, he hadn't given me details before.
“I followed her. The woman. Girl, really. She was young. Maybe 17.” He shook his head. “She walked down the street and out of the village. I tracked her through the woods and across the meadows to a small cabin. It was just a one-room shack with smoke curling up into the night sky from a short chimney. I peeked in the window, hoping she would be alone, but she wasn’t. Inside was a man, crippled with the plague. His cough rattled the cupboards. He was not long for the world. I figured I could speed the process if I took away the girl. She would die anyway since she was in proximity to the sick man. He was coughing up blood. That was the last phase before death.
I was about to open the door and have my dinner when a firm hand on my shoulder stopped me. It was Vernon. I asked him what he was doing, and he told me to look at the girl again. He begged me, so I looked closer. I saw nothing, but then her head turned, and I saw a flash of red. It was her, Elianna. About a year before she met my brother, and he helped her become a killing machine. I had heard the fable of the Durga, but had never seen her in life and thought myself invincible until that moment.
If I had gone in that cabin, she would have killed me before I even knew what she was. I would have been dead.”
His hand reached out and took mine again. “I would never have met you.”
Our waiter returned, and Vincent let go of my hand. He sat back, and the waiter set a plate of food in front of each of us.
When the waiter stepped away again, Vincent leaned in. “I’m just asking you to give him a chance. Heal my brother, the way you healed me and let my family be whole again.”
I bit my lip. After hearing the story, I wanted his brother to be a good person. I wanted it so bad at that moment, but I knew, and Durga knew Vernon would never be a good person again. He was too far gone. No matter what Mahishasura did, the Vernon that Vincent knew no longer existed.
He was a ghost.
I nodded my head and picked up my fork. How do you tell someone you will kill their brother, no matter what good they have done in the past? Maybe it was for the best, at least this way Vincent would hate me and Durga would have her wish. No Lark and Vincent sitting in a tree.
We ate dinner in silence. Well, Vincent ate, I moved the food around on my plate. How could I eat?
After all the years of chasing his brother, Vincent chose now to have a change of heart. Figures.
When Vincent finished, we left the restaurant. I watched the city go by as we drove home. The street lights were blinding in contrast to the dark alleys of the city. I wondered how many people were in the sewers. I would have to go back there to find Mahishasura and Vernon. Sooner was better than later. Once I killed Vernon, I would have to leave. There was no way I could stay now.
My phone beeped as we walked back toward the front door of Vaughn's mansion. I pulled it out and checked the message. It was Frankie.
“I’m just going to make a call,” I said, turning back towards the street.
“Ok,” he said and continued into the house.
When I heard the house door close, I dialled Frankie's number, and he picked up on the first ring.
“Hey, sunshine,” he said.
“Hey, I am in deep shit, Frankie.”
“What's going on?" His tone changed from light and flirty to concerned in an instant.
“Vincent thinks I can save Vernon. He thinks if I use Durga’s magic on him, I can bring him back and make him a good person, and I won't have to kill him.”
“Why would he think that?” I called Frankie when we got Vincent back, but hadn't told him all the details, so I filled him in about Vincent throwing the steel spikes at me and then him drinking from the vampire in the metro and Durga giving me the power to bring Vincent back.
“So, he thinks Vernon is just under a spell?”
“Yes. I tried to tell him it wasn’t a spell, but he couldn’t hear me. He thinks I can make their family whole again. Durga won't let me leave Vernon alive. He may be under a spell, but he is fallen too. He would kill everyone in this city if I turned him loose.”
“That isn’t true, Lark.” I startled and dropped the phone as I spun towards the voice behind me. Vincent stood there a scowl on his face.
“I’m sorry, Vincent. It is true,” I said to him.
“Who are you talking to?” he asked.
“Frankie.”
He laughed unkindly. “You conspire with the warlocks when their magic controlled my brother and me? I should have known. You stay away from my brother, Lark. I will find a witch to help him.”
Durga rose so fast that Vincent was on his back, my knife to his throat before I even had a chance to digest his words.
“You do not tell me what to do. I keep the balance. I decide who lives and dies!” she roared.
The front door swung open, and Vaughn stood there.
“Durga, please. He didn’t mean it. He’s been through so much,” Vaughn begged for his twin brother.
“This vampire dares to raise his voice and command Lark, as though she is a servant! You think she lives for your will? You have become too familiar with her. I will remind you only this once. Do not to trifle with her. You will mind yourself, or I will end you despite her interest in seeing you live.”
Durga leapt to her feet and kicked open the gate at the end of the driveway, striding off down the street like we had somewhere else we could go. A light grumble behind us alerted me to Singh's presence. He walked behind but followed as Durga led us to a hotel several blocks away. Singh pulled out a credit card and got us a room, and we curled up on the large, soft bed. He snored as I cried myself to sleep.
Everything had gone to shit.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
I woke up to a scraping noise. I opened one eye and didn’t recognize where I was at first. Then I remembered the look of anger and betrayal on Vincent's face.
I rubbed my eyes and tried to locate the noise instead of thinking about Vincent.
A purr rose through the room. Antique furniture accented the high-vaulted ceiling and beautiful soft blue wallpaper, including an old leather armchair that currently had a giant lion sitting in it. He was scraping his coarse tongue over a china plate on the table in front of him, holding it still with his paws. His big bristly tongue made short work of cleaning up the remains of whatever room service he had ordered himself.
“Did you order anything for me?” I grumbled.
He purred louder but didn’t stop licking the plate. I rolled off the bed and into the bathroom to take a shower. The hotel supplie
d tiny shampoos and conditioners and individually wrapped soaps. I hadn't brought anything with me since Durga had stormed off without even picking up my phone off the driveway. Most likely broken now anyway, considering my track record with phones. I put back on the clothes I had slept in — the same borrowed navy dress I had worn to dinner with Vincent and had been wearing when everything went sideways but threw a plush housecoat over the top. It was white and had the logo of the hotel on it.
Back out in the room, there was a new serving cart, still covered and the smell of bacon emanated from it.
I took the top off and found one measly piece of bacon on an otherwise full plate.
“Did you eat my bacon?” I turned accusing eyes on Singh who paused in licking his paw for a moment before returning to his grooming.
Jerk.
“I picked up the fork and a plate of eggs and toast and moved to the small table. Completely lost to my thoughts about Vincent, I continued to shovel the food into my mouth until there was a knock at the door.
I froze, a fork full of eggs halfway to my mouth. Nobody knew I was here. I looked at Singh, but he tipped over on the bed and stretched like he didn't have a care in the world.
When whoever was at the door knocked a second time, I strode over and opened it up.
There, leaning against the door jamb, holding a bouquet of tulips, in his leather jacket and snug fit jeans, smelling of grease and leather, was Frankie.
“Oh my God, what are you doing here?” I squealed.
One corner of his mouth curled up.
“Are you happy to see me?” He asked, leaning forward.
Flinging my arms around his neck, I held on tight as his arms swept around me and he carried me back into the room.
“I can't believe you are here!” I said as he set my feet back on the ground and kicked the door shut behind him.
“Thought maybe you needed better company here in Russia after I heard your argument with Vinny.”
“Shit,” I said, shaking my head. Just like that, I went from joy to sadness. A sneaky tear slid out of the corner of my eye, and I bit my lip. I had been trying to stay strong, but now that Frankie was here, it was like the wall I built crumbled, and I fell apart.
“I’m sorry, Lark.” Frankie wrapped me up in his arms again and rubbed his hand up and down my back. The smell of his leather jacket was comforting. Frankie had become so much more than a friend. Missing him these last several weeks or months, since I hadn't seen him much even when we lived in the same city, had made it clear. He was important in my life, even if he didn’t say a word, his presence was important.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered into my hair. The fact he could read my mind was still a bother, but it wasn’t as big a problem as it once was. I wanted him to know how I felt. I wanted him to know how much I missed him and needed him.
“You should come home,” he said.
“I wish I could, but I have to finish this. I have to take care of Vernon and Mahishasura.”
“You know he doesn’t look like what you think he does,” he chuckled.
I had watched a cartoon video about the buffalo demon on-line, and he looked funny in my mind. I laughed, but Durga flashed an actual image of the monster on the back of my eyelids. God, he was disgusting looking. No mother could love that face.
“Thank you, Durga,” I said, wishing I could go back to thinking of him as a cartoon villain.
Frankie laughed.
“Look, I think I want to get drunk today, then maybe tomorrow I will go back into the sewers, but I need a night off from all the drama. Will you escape the drama with me?” I asked Frankie.
“I would love to escape the drama with you,” he replied. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a bottle of scotch. “I bought this at the airport, just in case.”
Singh groaned on the bed and rolled over. I laughed, and Frankie unscrewed the top of the bottle before handing it to me. The liquor burned as it slid down my throat. I took a long sip and then coughed as I gave the bottle back to Frankie. He laughed and took a sip too.
It wasn’t long before I had the TV flicked on and tuned to a romantic comedy — the only thing I could find in English. Frankie and I had shoved the sleeping lion to one side of the bed and cuddled together on the other side. Under the blankets, with the lights off watching the silly old movie, we laughed at the funny parts. When it got to the serious part, and the boy kissed the girl, Frankie tipped my head towards him and kissed me too. I was just drunk enough to enjoy it without thinking about any drama involving vampires. I was in the moment, and it was like magic.
His soft lips caressed mine as his hand traced my side making me shiver. He pulled me in close to him. Our bodies pressed together. His heart raced beneath my hand when I laid it on his chest, and our feet wiggled under the blankets until our legs entwined. I could hear my blood pumping in my ears mixed with the distant sound of the TV still blaring. Frankie's hand came up, and his fingers slid through my hair to cup the back of my neck. I came up for air, my breathing ragged and Frankie's lips traced my jaw and down my neck. My skin was on fire, and I thought my heart would explode.
“Oh, God,” I said.
Suddenly, a giant lion was standing on my hair.
“Shit!” I yelled, and the massive lion stepped over me, slipping his furry body between Frankie and me.
“Singh!” Frankie shouted. The lion wiggled until he made enough space for himself between us, then he huffed and put his head down on the pillow where I had been laying.
“You jerk,” I said rubbing the back of my head where his giant paws had pulled some of my hair out.
Frankie laughed. I had to sit up to see him over top of Singh’s mane, but Frankie’s eyes were closed, and he was giggling like a crazy person. I couldn’t help joining him, and weird snorting laughter forced its way out of me too. God, Singh was the worst pet and person ever.
It wasn’t long before I shut off the movie and we all went to sleep. Frankie made his way back around to my side of the bed, but we kept it PG for Singh’s sake. Sleeping beside Frankie was like a luxury. His warmth and soft breath on my neck. It wasn’t the same as sleeping with Singh. It was so much more.
“I’m glad,” Frankie muttered. I rolled over to face him. His eyes were still closed. I craved the closeness he offered. He didn't hold himself back from me, and I didn’t want to hold myself back from him. But the cold light of day sent doubts through my mind.
Frankie groaned and turned his face into the pillows, reading how my thoughts drifted.
“I’m sorry. You know it's complicated with Vernon, and Vincent is mad.”
“I would love to be the only one you thought of all the time,” he complained.
I ruined everything.
“No, you don’t, Lark. You are perfect.” He sighed, and his eyes traced my lips like he wanted to kiss them again. I wanted him too. I wanted to stay wrapped up in this blanket, in this hotel with this man and never leave. I wanted to have a normal life.
“I want that too,” he whispered.
But I would never have a normal life. I would always be one step away from running out the door or across the world to chase after some buffalo or a vampire or who knows what.
Frankie smiled sadly. His place was with his coven. We both knew that. It didn’t make it any easier.
I sighed. Life got in the way.
“Let's have breakfast. I can stay for a few more days, and I want to spend them with you unless you need to go hunting. I understand you know.”
“No, let's order breakfast and spend the day here. The buffalo demon and Vernon will still be out there tomorrow.” I rolled over and realized we had lost Singh.
“He left about an hour ago. You were sleeping. He said he would be back, but didn’t say where he was going.”
Well, he was a big boy, he could take care of himself.
I rolled off the bed and grabbed the menu and phone, then climbed back in beside Frankie.
I needed bacon
and eggs. And maybe some fruit or something, My diet had been pretty shitty lately. Ninel had been handing me protein bars in the tunnels. I think Kelly was stocking his backpack with them for me. I spent so much time in the sewers, I was hardly at the mansion for meals.
After I ordered food for Frankie and me, I curled up in the blankets to wait. When there was a knock at the door, Frankie got up and went to answer it. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and his pants hung low on his hips, so his broad chest and toned abs were on display. I stared, it was the least I could do. He smiled at me and shook his head before he walked across the room to answer the door.
He pulled the door open, I expected room service, but instead, a furious vampire pushed past him and scowled at me.
“Looks cozy,” he said, his eyes taking in Frankie’s appearance and mine.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“I came to talk to you, I assumed you would be alone, but I guess I was wrong.” He turned on Frankie. “Did you come racing in to save the damsel in distress?” his voice was cold, and his eyes blazed. “Or maybe you have been conspiring with the Mahishasura all this time?”
Frankie shut the door and raised his hands. He walked into the bathroom and closed that door behind him, leaving me to deal with the angry vampire. Chicken. I hoped he heard that.
“Seriously, Vincent? You are being unreasonable. Your brother is beyond redemption. Durga has already decided. I have decided. Whether he is under the control of Mahishasura is irrelevant. He is fallen. I can not save him.”
“How do you know unless you try?” He hollered.
I rubbed my forehead and sat on the edge of the bed. His anger didn’t even touch me. Durga was so close to the surface, I felt more like her than myself. My back straight, I raised my chin and locked eyes with him. His resolve to save his brother was as clear as my resolve to end him. This wouldn’t end well. I couldn’t.
I tried to think of a way around this. There was a good chance Vernon would run, anyway. Maybe I would never catch him.
“OK, Vincent. I will try to save your brother.”
His shoulders relaxed first and then a moment later he crumpled to my feet.