Triquetra

by Marguerite Labbe

  I shoved Scarface off me and scrambled to my feet as the silent one drew a sword of his own. It was like being in the middle of a damn Highlander episode. A burble of hysterical laughter rose in my throat as I dodged my attacker and dove for the gun. My fingers closed on it just as a foot grabbed my ankle and jerked me back.

  “Never hesitate in war.”

  Instinct took over. I rolled onto my back and unloaded the clip in the vamp’s chest. The sound of the gun was amplified, echoing off the close walls. My heart jerked with each report. The vamp fell back, his body pummeled, his chest a grotesque mess, each hollowed-out bullet destroying flesh and leaving gaping holes. My hand—hell, my entire body—shook, as I staggered to my feet and walked over to where Scarface lay. Did I get his heart?

  The newcomer still fought with the silent one, dancing in the alley in a flurry of moves, nothing but whirling shadows out of the corner of my eye.

  Scarface stared up at me, his gaze still aware, his fingers twitching. The wounds were starting to close, skin creeping over holes. I didn’t have to look to know what was happening. I dug into my jacket for a spare clip. Fighting the urge to scream, I clenched my teeth. I’d never really thought I’d actually have to use this fucking thing. This was far different from the practice range.

  The vampire’s eyes widened as I pointed the muzzle right at his head. He tried to push himself up. I steeled myself.

  “Never hesitate,” my ever-present guardian goaded once again.

  I unloaded the clip into his skull, forcing myself to watch the grisly results so I could be sure. Nausea crawled up the back of my throat. He wouldn’t be able to heal from that.

  I turned my attention to the two fighting and ran over to help. “Hey, fucknuts!” The silent one paused, jerking his eyes away to glance at me. There was another silver flash and his head went rolling in a spray of cold blood that misted over my face. I gagged. Leaning over and holding my stomach, I scrubbed at my face with shaking fingers. My skin crawled. Oh god, I was never gonna get the taste and scent off of me.

  “You pulverized a man’s head and now you’re getting a tummy ache over some blood,” the newcomer murmured. There was something about his voice that was strangely familiar.

  “Fuck off! Sorry. I don’t have a taste for it like some.” I wiped the back of my mouth with my hand and forced myself to straighten. “Who are you? One of Ussier’s friends?” I knew I was being rude—the guy had probably saved my ass—but my nerves were jangling. I squinted and tried to get a better look at his features, but the stranger was shrouded in gloom under the shadow of the wall and, quite frankly, I didn’t want to get any closer to him or his damn sword unless I had to.

  “I think Steve was right. You have the self-preservation instincts of a suicidal squirrel. Not to mention you’re an ass on top of it. Didn’t he always tell us never to pull a gun unless we were prepared to use it?”

  I froze as he took something out of his pocket. A moment later, light flared from a Zippo as he crouched down and set fire to each body, one by one. They erupted into flames, lighting up the alley with flickering tongues. I swear my heart stopped as it fell into my stomach. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the man standing a few feet away from me long enough to blink or pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Unless I had finally lost my mind. That wasn’t a cheery thought either.

  “You’ve got to be sure about them, Jake. I doubt this one has the strength to piece his skull back together, but you can’t take the chance.”

  “Tony?”

  Holy hell, it was him. Paler, his eyes harder, the goofy look he’d always had about him almost erased under something edgier. I had the completely asinine thought that he’d never again have any problems scoring with chicks.

  “The one and only.” He grinned, but it didn’t touch his eyes.

  “What are you doing here?” I flung up my hand, my heart twisting. I hadn’t wanted for it to sound so confrontational. “Wait, that’s not how I meant it.”

  “You mean, why am I here, saving your punk ass, after what you did to me in the warehouse?”

  Damn if that didn’t strike right at the sorest spot. “Tony, I—”

  “No, don’t say it. I don’t want to hear it, Jake. I’m here ’cause I owe you, for the part I played that night.”

  I shut my mouth. The guilt came crushing back even as I smothered any further apologies.

  “Consider yourself duly warned. The Syndicate thinks your friend left you his secrets and they want them. They’ll stop at nothing, but I’m sure you know that already.” Tony’s jaw tightened and his eyes glittered in the light. “You owe me too. We can settle it right here and walk away and never have to deal with each other again.”

  A heavy weight settled over me, dragging at my shoulders. What had I expected, an “I’m sorry” and a hug and then everything would be smoothed over? Things didn’t work that way, not in the real world. I raked a hand through my hair and only managed to keep from fisting it with an effort. My throat was so tight it took several moments before I could speak. “You’re right. I owe ya big time. What do you need me to do?”

  I couldn’t believe this was happening. I couldn’t believe I was here, talking to Tony after all of these months, after all of the worry and the heartache. Whatever it took, I’d do it and hope that in some small way it made up for me not helping him when he’d been packed into that coffin and then shipped off to my worst enemies.

  “I need you to go to Ussier for me and request an audience on my behalf. He might listen to you because of your connection with Kristair.”

  How could he sound so damned calm and removed? There was no expression on his face. It was unnerving. Even hate would be better than this horrible blankness. I’d happily give my chance for a shot at the NFL for one of his old, goofy fucking smiles.

  “Are you outta yer damn mind?” It suddenly hit me, how much Tony was risking being here in the city right now with a death sentence over his head. If he was spotted by any of the Pittsburgh vampires who answered to Ussier…. “Couldn’t you have called instead and warned me? Asked me then?”

  “I had to be sure you’d listen.”

  “It’s a very convenient story. You’re attacked; he saves you,” Kristair whispered, centuries of survival instincts and paranoia kicking in.

  My eyes narrowed as I took in the remnants of the bodies littering the ground around us. “You didn’t stage this, did you?”

  “Jesus Christ, Jake.” For a second, Tony’s mask slipped and showed a bit of his old exasperation, though he’d never showed it with quite the same flair Steve did. Just as quickly, the irritation was replaced with anger, and relief flowed through me. He wasn’t some brainwashed robot. Tony was still there somewhere, dwelling beneath the new façade. He still had some feelings and that was enough to banish Kristair’s instincts into silence.

  “No, asshole. I did not set this up just to get on your good side. I don’t give a damn whether you hate my guts, because you’re not on my list of trustworthy people either. You owe me, Jake. Now are you going to set up the meeting or not?”

  “Of course I am, and I don’t hate your guts either. I’m sorry. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I am. If I could go back—”

  “You can’t,” Tony interrupted. “You can never go back.”

  And there it was, hanging between us. Regret and guilt. I sighed and checked my gun to make sure the safety was on before I stuffed it back in my waistband. “I’ll try and talk with Ussier tonight. Kayla will know how to get a hold of him. Speaking of which, how the hell am I supposed to get in touch with you if he agrees?”

  Tony dug a slip of paper out of his pocket and handed it to me. “That’s my cell. Do me another favor. Don’t tell Steve. At least not until I know how this is going to play out.”

  More guilt. Steve was going to be pissed if he knew I’d kept something like this from him. He’d been just as worried about Tony as I’d been, maybe even more. He’d always been the
mother hen of the group. But a little hope glimmered too. Maybe this meant Tony was back for good and maybe, somehow, we’d find a way to repair our friendship. Hope springs eternal and all that bullshit. I couldn’t help but want it.

  “You’ve got it.” I hesitated. “It’s good to see ya, man.”

  Tony broke the awkward moment by walking away, the sword he’d carried tucked away hidden somewhere under his long jacket. I watched him go, my gut churning, hands stuffed in my pockets. I wanted to call him back. I wanted to apologize again, beg his forgiveness, but I remained silent.

  At the corner, he paused and glanced back at me. “For the love of god, Jake. In the future, please stop trying to spring traps in alleyways.”

  Before I could respond, shadows coalesced around him and he was gone.

  Chapter 3

  STILL IN a daze of misery and indecision, I found myself standing outside Kayla’s dorm room. I scrubbed a hand through my disheveled hair, trying to straighten it some, and prayed to god there were no lingering traces of blood on my face. She’d freak. I’d washed up best I could in a fountain, tossed my T-shirt and about froze my nuts off in the process. At least my jacket was dark. I made a mental note to buy a new one and have this one burned. As long as I kept it buttoned, she wouldn’t realize how ugly the fight had gotten.

  I heard the sound of music playing through the door, soft and romantic as a woman sang about “no ordinary love” in a sultry voice. I hesitated; I should’ve called first instead of busting in on her like this. I had no other way of getting a hold of Ussier, though.

  There was a long pause after my knock and I was about to turn away when Kayla opened the door, tucking a strand of honey-brown hair behind her ear. Her welcoming smile died on her lips. “Jake! What are you doing here? I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”

  Tonight. My sort-of anniversary with Kristair. Yeah, I’d intended on avoiding everyone.

  I gave her a halfhearted smile at the concern in her eyes, an almost paternal affection rising up. Seeing her was a shock to my system with Kristair’s intuition so active right now.

  “Little one.”

  Memories flooded my mind, of Kayla as a teenage girl, eyes filled with anger, all long limbs and sharp angles. Of her with defiance and fear in her eyes as she clutched a worn backpack to her skinny chest, and then another of her lying curled up on her bed with her fist pressed against her cheek as Kristair’s hands covered her with a blanket.

  “Stop it! I’m Jake, not Kristair. I’m myself. Just stop it,” I raged, and the memories faded.

  “You look like hell.” Kayla stepped back to usher me into her tiny room revealing Steve, who sat on the edge of her bed with the air of someone long used to being there. He frowned and I knew him well enough to recognize the wariness in the tense set of his shoulders as well as the worry on his dark face.

  Oh damn. I hadn’t counted on Kayla having company, least of all him. Anybody else I could dismiss, but now it would be trickier with Steve around. What was she doing having company anyway? Somehow I managed to keep from asking what the hell he thought he was doing in her room so late.

  Late? Jesus, it was barely ten. I really needed to get a grip on reality.

  I didn’t want to deal with Steve now, especially with Tony’s secret hanging over my head. It was bad enough Kayla had to be involved, but I wanted to keep as many people out of this as I could. After what had happened last time, I’d become very overprotective of the friends I had left. It wasn’t like I was inviting anyone new into my life.

  I hesitated in the doorway. “Hey,” I managed to acknowledge him, glancing away as guilt welled. Tony was in Pittsburgh and I couldn’t say one damn word to Steve about him. It would be crowded in Kayla’s room with the three of us, the space made even smaller by Steve’s lanky legs, and though I may be short, I wasn’t small. Too crowded. “I’m sorry. I can come back another time.”

  “Don’t be stupid.” Kayla dragged me inside, then plopped down on the bed next to Steve and folded her legs under her. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

  Steve leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “What happened? You look a mess.”

  I ran a hand through my hair, my thoughts racing as I tried to figure out what to say and what to leave out. Secrets. They were what caused so many problems last time. I hated secrets. They watched me as I hooked Kayla’s computer chair with my foot and sat down before I popped right back up again to pace.

  “Okay, I need you to hear me out. And I’m not going to be able to answer all of your questions, not tonight, because I made a promise, but I swear you’ll get all your answers as soon as I can manage.”

  They exchanged glances and Steve’s mouth tightened. I turned my gaze away, acid hitting my throat as I studied my hands, trying to focus on something else other than my friend’s reaction.

  I had killed again tonight. The thought of it, even in self-defense, made my stomach turn. I was no warrior like my lover had been, able to shrug it off and look forward to the next fight. I only wanted to be left in peace so I could pull my life back together. I wanted to play football and get my Ma a new house, not fight a war I never started in the first damn place. Sudden exhaustion dragged me down until Kayla’s gentle voice drew me out of my dark thoughts like a caress.

  “We’re listening.”

  I gathered my thoughts and began before I could second-guess my decision to tell them even the smallest bit. “The Syndicate came looking for me tonight.” Kayla gasped and Steve lurched to his feet with a string of muttered curses. “They want to take me back to Rome because they think I can give them the info they want. What they were trying to get out of Kristair.”

  “Never.”

  I paused, shaken, because I couldn’t tell whose thought that had been. Would I ever get used to Kristair’s constant presence? It was getting worse as the months wore on.

  On top of that, I didn’t even know what the hell the Syndicate was after. Not really. Kristair hadn’t been exactly clear on that matter, just kept insisting he wasn’t going to share.

  “Oh my god, are you okay?” Kayla asked. “They didn’t touch you, did they?”

  Steve eyed me, searching for injuries, and demanded, “Where? What happened?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I killed one of them.” I somehow managed to say that without flinching. It shut the both of them up, which was good, because dodging questions was sure to piss Steve off. “Thanks for helping me get the gun, man, and taking me to the range. It saved my ass.”

  “I’d hoped you wouldn’t have to use it.” Steve hooked his thumbs in his jean pockets and his shoulders slumped.

  Our eyes caught and held. For the first time in a long while, there wasn’t a huge wall between us. “Me too, but I did.” And I could still taste the metallic tang of blood, still feel it on my skin even though I couldn’t see it. I rubbed my arms as gooseflesh rose and the crawling sensation faded. As much as I wanted the Syndicate to pay, the reality of killing someone, even a vamp, was hard to stomach.

  I turned my attention to Kayla. “I need to see Ussier, tonight if possible, or at least talk to him on the phone, but I’d prefer in person. Do you think you can arrange it?”

  Kayla’s brows furrowed. “It shouldn’t be a problem, especially considering this news. He’s been wanting to see me anyway. I guess now’s as good a time as another.”

  Steve and I exchanged a glance. I wasn’t too keen on her accompanying me and it seemed like he wasn’t too fond of the idea either. We didn’t say a word, though, as Kayla dug out her cell phone. Neither of us dared suggest to her that she stay behind. There were some women you couldn’t pull that off with, even if it was for her own good. Kristair’s daughter was at the top of the list.

  Steve crouched down in front of me as she talked. “So what happened exactly? How many of them were there?”

  “Three. Look, you don’t want the details. You’ll kick my ass for being a moron.”

  “I might just kick your ass o
n general principle.” Steve studied me, his face troubled. “Fine. Don’t tell me if you’re going to get all thickheaded about it, but promise me you won’t take any more stupid risks.”

  “Me?” I tried to feign innocence, only my heart wasn’t into it. “Okay, I swear. I’ll be on my best behavior.”

  “That isn’t saying much,” Steve grumbled.

  “We’re on, Jake,” Kayla said, stuffing the phone in the back pocket of her snug jeans. “He wants us to meet him at Deke’s bar in an hour.”

  “Where’s that?” I didn’t like the thought of meeting in a bar, even if it was a public place and certainly preferable to whatever private location Ussier might pick. “There’s not going to be only vamps at this place, is there?” Now that was a really scary thought: a vampire biker bar in Pittsburgh.

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Kayla laughed. “There aren’t really that many vampires in town. It would start a territorial war. A vampire needs a large feeding area.”

  “Isn’t that a pleasant thought?” Steve grimaced. “Vampires fighting over who gets to feed off humans.”

  A chill raced down my spine. How Kayla could sound so casual about it I didn’t know. “Does the bus go by there?”

  “It’s off of Forbes Avenue. We can walk.”

  “We can take my ride,” Steve said. “If you don’t mind me tagging along.”

  I definitely minded, even if he’d be able to help me watch Kayla’s back. It was going to be hard enough talking to Ussier without tipping her off; Steve would want to know everything. He’d insist on it. He was just biding his time before demanding answers.

  “Actually, I thought it might be a better idea if I went by myself. I don’t want to drag you two into another mess.”

  Kayla gave me a withering glance. “Don’t even think about it, hotshot.” She laid her hand on Steve’s arm. “You can come. You’re a part of our little hobbled-together family. There’s nothing I wouldn’t share with you and I know Jake feels the same.”