by E.J. Stevens
I’d just have to play nice.
“I am sorry to disturb your meeting,” I said. “I was unaware that the council had gathered. But now that we’re here, I have a question for the master of the city that perhaps you can all assist us with.”
“You put a question to the council?” Sir Gaius asked.
I flicked my eyes to Ceff, but he gave a slight head shake. The phrasing of Gaius’ words sounded formal, similar to entering a bargain, but I was here to ask a question and I didn’t have time for games. Ceff and I were shooting in the dark. I took a deep breath and gave a curt nod.
“Yes, I have a question,” I said.
“And what do you offer us, supplicant?” Sir Gaius asked.
His lips pulled back from needle-sharp teeth. I stifled a shudder and wracked my brain for something I could offer the most powerful vampire in Harborsmouth. Not blood, that was for damn sure.
I thought back to recent bargains I had made. There had to be something I could use again.
Fetching something on a deadline? That bargain had nearly got me killed. The Cailleach was one scary old crone. Two favors to be named later? No way. I was already regretting entering into that agreement. The Green Lady was one damn savvy negotiator. My bargain with the clurichaun wasn’t nearly as bad. Work a future case for free? Jinx didn’t like it when I worked a case pro-bono, but it was better than bloodletting or owing surprise favors to the undead.
“I offer the vampire council the services of Private Eye detective agency,” I said. “I agree to work one case of your choosing free of charge in exchange for truthful answers to our questions.”
“Agreed,” Sir Gaius said. The bargain settled on my soul like dead weight. I gasped for air as invisible iron bands constricted my chest. Gaius may not be fae, but I had enough faerie blood running through my veins to make the deal binding. “What is your question?”
I struggled to speak as the bargain shifted and I regained my balance.
“Over thirty faerie children have gone missing,” I said.
The master of the city moved vamp fast, suddenly standing with hands splayed on the table.
“Despite our reputation as monsters, we have strict laws against feeding upon children,” he said. Gaius’ voice lowered to a deep whisper that sent shivers up my spine. “Do you dare accuse us of this crime in our own council room?”
I swallowed hard, but kept my eyes on the vampire’s forehead.
“No, there is no evidence of vamps…um, of vampires being involved,” I said. “But you are masters of the night, and these children all went missing during the darkest hours of night. You are also gifted at raising the dead, expertise that may help us answer questions about the kidnappers.”
“Go on,” he said.
My jugular was surprisingly still intact, but I didn’t waste time beating around the bush. I’d already angered the master vamp.
“We think a lamia named Melusine and a faerie musician known as The Pied Piper may be involved,” I said.
One of the council vamps hissed and I palmed one of the wooden stakes I kept tucked into my belt. I was careful to keep the stake hidden from sight. Was it something I said? I was trying to be polite, even played to the vamps vanity, but I still managed to get them riled.
“We know of The Piper,” Sir Gaius said. “He is a faerie who was gifted at musical compulsion, for a half-breed. The Piper had the ability to compel both rats and humans, but apparently that power wasn’t enough. There are rumors that The Piper made a deal with a demon. In exchange for an enchanted flute that gives him the ability to extend his life, The Piper gathers souls for Hell.”
The Piper was a half-breed like me? That explained his desire for immortality. True blooded fae are immortal, but half-breeds with the taint of mortal blood have shorter lives than other fae. We live longer than the healthiest of humans, but we don’t live forever.
I didn’t like having anything in common with a sociopathic kidnapper, especially one who made deals with demons. I frowned and pushed on with my questions.
“How does this demon flute work?” I asked.
I wasn’t asking for myself, not at all. But understanding the flute’s magic may help us find and rescue the children.
“Legend has it that the flute was forged in the fires of Hell,” Gaius said. “The instrument allows the user to compel any creature, alive or dead, to join the Danse Macabre. This dance is a perversion of the endless dance favored by faeries and uses demonic magic to animate the dead.” A second vamp hissed, flashing fang. “While dancing hand in hand with the dead, the souls of living victims are pulled down to Hell. The life essence left behind is carried away on the music and absorbed into The Piper, sustaining his false immortality.”
More vamps hissed and gripped the table. Apparently, the hypocrites didn’t like anyone else animating the dead or cheating death. Good to know.
“How can I stop the Danse Macabre?” I asked.
“That knowledge is hidden from us,” he said.
Damn. Okay, I now knew what The Piper was up to and how he would make it happen. But I still needed to know where the Danse Macabre would take place and how to stop it.
“Any idea where I can find The Piper?” I asked.
“No, but he will need a location of power near a resting place of the dead,” he said.
I nodded deeply, but didn’t bow.
“I thank the council for answers to my questions,” I said. “Call when you have a case for me.”
I stepped forward and placed a business card on the stone table.
“Oh, we will,” he said.
Sinister laughter followed us as we strode out of the chamber.
Chapter 16
I exited the banquet hall and stopped, letting my eyes adjust to the dim light. Gerald stayed inside the council chamber, adding his chuckles to the chorus of creepy vampire laughter. I wondered briefly if we were expected to let ourselves out.
No such luck.
We were met in the hallway by the master’s pet ghoul, Stinky. I’d given the ghoul the nickname on my first visit. He’d been ripe and falling apart months ago. Now Stinky more than lived up to his name.
I pinched my nose and moaned. Ceff snickered, but his skin paled as the doors closed behind us, making the stench grow tenfold.
Stinky shuffled along, leaving behind a trail of putrid slime. I dodged the foul liquid, wishing I could get ahead of the ghoul. But the narrow passageway didn’t allow for much elbow room, and I wasn’t sure how Stinky would react if I tried to hustle past.
If I couldn’t run up ahead, then maybe I could get Stinky to speed things up.
“Um, hey, we’re in a big hurry,” I said. Talking? Big mistake. My mouth filled with the stench of decomposing ghoul. I covered my mouth and mumbled. “Can we pick up the pace a little?”
Stinky shrugged, the movement accompanied by the wet sound of flesh pulling off bone. I wasn’t going to eat meat for a week. The ghoul didn’t look back at us, but he did try to move faster. Unfortunately, that meant leaving more than a trail of liquid in his path.
“Careful of the toe,” Ceff said through clenched teeth.
I dodged the chunk of rotting flesh and shook my head.
“That’s toe-tally gross,” I said.
I have a habit of making bad puns when I’m stressed and overtired. Ceff raised an eyebrow and I started to laugh. I choked on the intake of air and gagged, covering my mouth with a gloved hand.
I now had one hand over my mouth and the other pinching my nose. The position left me feeling exposed, the back of my neck tingling. I hoped that I wouldn’t need to go for my weapons. I snuck a look over my shoulder, but the tunnel behind us was empty. The only movement was our shadows dancing on the walls. Our biggest threat was slipping in something nasty. I turned back toward Stinky, careful to watch my step.
I had to hand it to the ghoul, he was really trying. Stinky shuffled along at a near gallop, his gooey feet slapping on the stone floor. We made
it to the exit in minutes.
At the top of the tunnel-like hallway, Stinky lifted a large ring of keys and unlocked the door to the outside. There was definitely something creepy about having the keyhole on the inside, so visitors couldn’t escape. Thankfully, the ghoul had been given orders to let us out.
The key turned in the lock and Ceff and I rushed out the door into fresh night air. I wanted to gulp in air like a kid drinks juice, but instead I turned to Stinky and forced a smile.
“Thanks for rushing,” I said. “I appreciate it.”
I tried to meet Stinky’s eyes and fought to keep disgust and pity off my face. The ghoul’s owner obviously didn’t take care of his servants with regular feedings and yet Stinky had done his best to comply with my request for speed.
Too bad his body wasn’t up to the task.
Stinky looked down at his abdomen as something started emitting a hissing sound. He was terribly bloated. The ghoul’s distended belly started to move beneath the threadbare dress shirt he’d been buried in. Before I could duck for cover, the buttons of his shirt shot free of the fabric, leaving gray flesh exposed—and then Stinky exploded.
A buildup of stomach gasses had filled Stinky’s abdomen like a corpse balloon. And when that balloon popped, it projected liquefied, rotten flesh all down the front of me.
I was covered in gangrenous ghoul goop. Try saying that three times fast.
“Get it off!” I choked.
Oh, Oberon’s eyes, get it off. I flung my hands in the air and ran in a tight circle like a fool on fire. My eyes were watering so badly, I nearly ran into an ornamental pillar at the bottom of the stone steps.
“Hold still,” Ceff said.
I froze, praying that Ceff could do something to help. For the first time ever, I needed a white knight. I wanted to be rescued.
I held my breath and stared at Ceff with wide eyes. I tried to think positive. I smelled worse than a charnel house on a hot day, but I wasn’t experiencing nightmare visions. Miraculously, my skin was untouched. Too bad I couldn’t say the same for my clothes.
Ceff’s eyes began to glow and he cupped his hands together. A hint of a breeze brushed past my face as Ceff pulled moisture out of the air. A ball of water formed slowly between his hands.
“This may tickle,” he said.
A thread of water spun out from the sphere in his hands to run across my arms and down my torso. Ceff lifted the thread higher and spread the water into a fan to cascade over me. It was the closest thing to touching we’d managed in a while and it made my skin tingle.
I stared at Ceff and a smile tugged at his lips. I bit my lip, wishing I didn’t smell like the inside of a rotting corpse. After a few minutes, the water trickled to mist.
“That’s all the moisture I can manage to pull from the air,” he said.
“Thanks,” I said. I sighed. There was no way I could go directly to Club Nexus looking and smelling like this. Making my grand entrance into fae society covered in rotting ghoul guts? Yeah, not an option. “I need a shower and a change of clothes.”
I looked up and down the street. It was after dark and the night crowd was beginning to come out to play. Pretty soon someone was going to notice that I was dripping liquefied corpse intestines.
The only thing keeping me from curious eyes was the fact that I was upwind from most of the revelers and standing in shadow. But I couldn’t stay that way for the entire walk home. The loft was too far away.
“If we can find a bigger water source, can you rinse more of this off?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said, nodding.
I pulled a slip of paper from my jeans pocket and squinted at the address. Marvin’s new digs weren’t far from here. And where there’s a bridge, there’s usually water.
“Come on,” I said.
I started walking, but turned back to see if Stinky had made it safely inside. The doors to the vampire’s lair were closed and the stoop was empty. If I hadn’t stopped to thank the ghoul, I might not be covered in rotting, slimy, dead guy. I shook my head ruefully and continued walking.
No good deed goes unpunished.
Chapter 17
Thankfully we didn’t have far to go. A few people scowled and gave me a wide berth, but we stuck to the shadows and made it to the bridge without incident.
The bridge where Marvin had taken up residence was small, a single stone arch over a burbling stream. Homes and apartment buildings sat on a ridge where the land rose above on either side. The bridge itself sat low, hovering over the stream where a river had once cut its way into the earth.
As we approached, I heard snores echo from the shadows. The kid was asleep.
I made sure my booted feet hit every rock on the narrow trail that led down to the bridge. When we were only a few yards away, I called out to Marvin. The bridge troll had been attacked in his previous home and I didn’t want to frighten him.
The snores ceased and the kid rolled to his feet, a baseball bat dwarfed in his huge hands. Marvin had been sleeping armed. I wasn’t sure if I should be proud or cry.
“Hey, Marvin,” I said.
“Poison Ivy?” he asked.
“Yeah, it’s me and Ceff,” I said.
“You stink,” he said.
“I sure do,” I said.
That was one thing about my troll friend. He got right to the point. And when a troll thinks you smell bad, you know that you seriously stink. I started to laugh and gagged, again. I’d been doing a lot of that since Stinky busted a gut all over me.
Normally, the only thing that comes between me and the contents of my stomach is a return trip to my body after a particularly nasty vision. But rotten ghoul gunk was a whole new can of maggots. I covered my mouth and tried to calm the churning in my belly. I didn’t want to foul Marvin’s new digs any worse than I already was.
When I caught my breath, I told Marvin about our visit to the vamp’s lair and the exploding ghoul. He was still chuckling as he led us downstream.
“Clean here,” he said.
“Thanks,” I said. “I promise to bring a housewarming gift next time.”
“Don’t stink,” he said.
That was a gift I could manage—so long as no more ghouls exploded on me.
Marvin flashed a gap toothed grin and I smiled. There was something about being around the orphan bridge troll that made me feel comfortable, like coming home. We’d become each other’s surrogate family since the each uisge attack. I was glad to see that even though Marvin’s injuries were healing and he was moving on, we had managed to stay friends.
“Ready?” Ceff asked.
I nodded, stepped into the stream, and tried not to blush. My skin had tingled the first time Ceff pulled water from the air. What would happen when he tapped into an entire stream?
Ceff lifted his hands to chest level and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his eyes shone bright green in the darkness of the streambed. Water rushed from the ground to Ceff’s hands where it spooled into a large sphere.
I stood, mouth gaping, as he wove the water using his kelpie magic. With a flick of his wrist water rose from the sphere to cascade over me, my own private rain shower. I snapped my jaw shut and tried to remain still, but it was hard not to fidget. The water pouring over my body made my skin heat and left me breathless.
I met Ceff’s glowing gaze and he winked. A flush ran up my neck and face and I bit my lip. I think we just discovered a way to get past our inability to touch. Too bad we were too busy to explore our options further.
Ceff lowered his hands and the water returned to the stream. I sighed and shook off, shedding water like a dog. Fun time was over. It was time to bag some bad guys.
I looked over my clothes and frowned. I’d need to wipe excess moisture off my leather jacket and give it a rubdown with mink oil, but it was salvageable. The t-shirt and jeans were soaked through. I pulled at the clothes, but the shirt stuck to me like a second skin and the jeans chafed as I stepped out of the stream. There wa
s no way I could run or fight in these clothes.
And I still smelled like ghoul guts.
If I was going to make a trip to Club Nexus tonight, I needed to keep that appointment with my shower and a bar of soap. I sniffed my hair and winced. Make that a case of soap and bottle of shampoo. I turned to Marvin and waved.
“Thanks, Marvin,” I said. “We have to run, but I promise to bring some honey next time I stop by.”
“Find children?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said. “I gotta stop by the loft for a change of clothes, then a trip to Club Nexus. But we’ll find them.”
Marvin nodded and I turned to leave. When Ceff and I made it to the top of the hill, I turned to see Marvin ducking under his bridge. It was then that I realized he was still holding the baseball bat.
A lump formed in my throat.
“I won’t let bad things happen to any more fae kids,” I whispered. “Not in my city.”
I tightened my fists and dug the wet toes of my boots into the scree that covered the embankment. I was going to find those kids and I wouldn’t let anything get in my way.
Chapter 18
Ceff and I hurried back to the loft as fast as we could move without attracting the wrong kind of attention. I was no longer covered in rotting blood and chunks of corpse flesh, but if a cop came too close they might notice the smell, and the fact I was soaking wet and carrying an arsenal of weapons. It’s hard to keep weapons concealed when your clothes are sticking like a second skin.
The brisk walk in wet jeans had chafed the skin around both my thighs and the backs of my knees. The raw skin burned in the shower. Good thing I wasn’t staying under the hot water for long. There was a hell of a lot more to do tonight and long showers weren’t on the list. I dumped an entire bottle of shampoo over my head and rinsed fast.
I pulled on a clean t-shirt and stepped into a dry pair of jeans. My legs burned when I moved, but that was okay. The pain would help keep me awake and focused. I blew dry my hair and let it hang down over my shoulders to finish airing out.