by Jana Denardo
Arrigo frowned, staring down the busy street. “It’s more than a mile back to the Veer. I don’t like being out in the sun.”
Luc snorted. “Hard to avoid here.”
“I do my best. I was still in bed when you called.” Arrigo turned back to Luc, admitting it with a sheepish grin.
Luc laughed. “You must keep vampire hours like me most days.”
“If you only knew.”
Luc eyed him, then reached out tentatively. Arrigo closed the gap between them, and Luc slipped a hand around Arrigo’s neck, pulling him down into a kiss, sweet and far too short.
Luc stepped back. “I have to catch the bus. Thanks for everything.”
“You’re welcome,” Arrigo said, but Luc was already retreating toward the bus stop, probably a little freaked out he had kissed Arrigo in plain view of God and every tourist on the block. He wished that kiss had been longer, but maybe it was just as well it ended before it could stoke Arrigo’s fire. That would be all he needed, to go home and take matters into his own hands. He’d have to send Siobhan for a bourbon milkshake, fooling no one. Then he remembered he needed to go on the same bus down the Strip. Deciding it was better if he gave Luc his space, Arrigo headed for where the taxis prowled. It beat a mile-and-a-half stroll in the midday sun.
He wished he could send someone other than Hanako to watch over Luc and Lily given what he had just said about Hanako riling up his brother. Michael would fare worse with the rest of the clientele, and he and Siobhan had to meet someone who might know where Eleni was but refused to talk to anyone but another vampire. It should hopefully not be too big of a problem to have her there one more time. Once he had Eleni dealt with, Arrigo would attempt to figure a way out for Luc. No matter what happened, he wasn’t going to abandon Luc to his shitty family. Today had been a great big step, and if he had his way, there would be many more.
LUC SWISHED a scrub brush against a glass, trying to get the damn lipstick marks off. This job sucked. A never-ending stream of dirty glasses, empty bottles, and stickiness everywhere. Would it be too forward to ask Arrigo to help him find a job elsewhere? Maybe not. He’d offered him that handyman job with Taabu after all. They had gone on a date, and he had sucked the man’s cock—not well but he had done it.
Luc didn’t think too deeply on many things, but there had to be a connection between him and Arrigo. It wasn’t like Arrigo had used him to get off. Arrigo had gotten Luc off twice now, putting him before his own pleasure. He seemed sympathetic to Luc’s situation. He’d probably kick Luc to the curb if he knew the whole truth. Still, it wasn’t like Luc planned on asking Arrigo to take him in. He simply wanted a better job than this.
He hadn’t forgotten what his damn father wanted him to do to Arrigo. At least Arrigo knew about the plan and hopefully was coming up with something that would stop it. And what if he did? What would he do if both Da and Henri went to jail or, worse, got bailed out by Risner or someone?
He wished he could have spent more time with Arrigo, exhausted as he was at this point. Da was directly responsible for that, working him to the bone. Luc didn’t get how Da thought he would get a chance to work his way into Arrigo’s home if Luc had no spare moments. Maybe Da assumed Arrigo would come here again. He hoped Arrigo didn’t because it would probably only end up making a mess. As it was, he couldn’t get Arrigo out of his mind. Luc had never been so out of control, mostly because he let fear own him. Arrigo gave him something other than fear. Still, the whole deadly sin thing made more sense to Luc. He could see what it was like to give over to something that might be bad for him in the long run, but what did it matter? It wasn’t like his life could get noticeably worse.
Henri knocked Luc against the sink, the metal biting into his hip. He refused to let his brother know how much it smarted. “What are you doing? Trying to make it look like Martha Stewart lives here?”
“There’s practically no one here. What does it matter if I’m not flying through the job?” Luc set the glass aside, reaching for another one.
“Because I don’t want to pass a mop over the puke on the bathroom wall.” Henri shoved him out from behind the bar. “So get to it.”
“I’m supposed to be done now. You wanted me to go meet you-know-who, and find a way inside his place, right? How am I supposed to do that if you keep me chained here?” Luc regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. His brother would kick his ass for far less.
Henri curled his lip at him. “I didn’t think Da would take it this far. I figured you were too useless. You ain’t gonna turn on your butt-buddy.”
“I keep telling you it ain’t like that. And go clean up the puke your own damn self.” Luc pushed Henri away from him.
“What are you two bleating on about?” Da stamped over.
“I planned on going to see if I can find the guy you wanted me to talk to.” Luc gave his father a knowing look. “I’m supposed to be off shift in a few minutes. Henri wants me to pass a mop for him.”
“It’s only gonna take a minute. Ya can do the cleaning then go.” Da turned when the few of the lowlifes in the bar took notice of something at the door.
Luc looked as well. Arrigo’s friend, Hanako, came in, still looking like a biker chick in her jeans, boots, and barely there halter top. She had to have guts to walk around this neighborhood dressed like that, probably should be armed too. She sauntered up to the bar as if the cockroaches leering at her didn’t matter.
“Hello, Luc,” she said.
“Hi.”
“Are you ready to go?” Her smile promised all sorts of things if he said yes.
Luc didn’t know what was happening, but maybe saying yes would prove something to his brother and father. He didn’t know why he felt the need to keep lying to them, to himself even, but Luc figured he’d be in less pain that way. If he puzzled a way out of his situation, then he could be brave enough not to pretend.
He stepped out from behind the bar, sidling up to her. “I thought I was. Da, I’d hate to make a lovely lady wait. I’m supposed to be off the clock. I had the early shift.”
She leaned against him. Luc couldn’t stop himself. He gently but deliberately ran a finger over the ribbon she had laced between the columns of rings down her back, making sure both his da and brother saw.
“You again?” Da scowled.
“Going to run me off, or can I steal your son for a little while?” Hanako smiled at his da.
“Take him. But remember what I said, Luc. You’re not entirely off the clock. You know what you’re supposed to be doing now.” Da turned and clamped a hand on Henri’s shoulder. “You go clean up.”
Luc took her arm. “Thanks, Da.” He hurried her to the door, not that she resisted. He waited until they were halfway down the block before stopping. “Thanks for getting me out of there. I know you’re one of Arrigo’s friends. Hanako, right?”
She smiled softly. “Right.”
“What are you doing here? Not that I mind. I appreciate the rescue. Did Arrigo send you?”
“He wanted me to keep an eye on you.” Her eyes weren’t on him. She watched the streets with the same predator gaze of a gator stalking a squirrel.
Luc glanced around but didn’t see anything particularly dangerous. “Why? Was he worried about my… oh.” No this wasn’t about his father or brother. “That ex of his.” Luc wondered what had happened since earlier in the day. Had his ex stalked Arrigo to Mandalay Bay?
“Yes, her. Any sign of her?”
“I couldn’t say. My idiot brother and his friends destroyed the picture Arrigo gave me. I saw it twice now real fast on people’s phones, but I ain’t seen her around.”
“I have a copy for you.” She fished it out of her purse and handed the two printouts over. Suddenly, she froze. “Sorry, I have to go. You might not want to go back to the bar, but whatever you do, get out of the street.” Hanako gave him a little push.
“Why? What’s going on?” Luc still didn’t see a threat.
“
Nothing you need to worry about.” She sounded like she had nearly forgotten he stood there.
“If there’s a problem, let me help.”
“I don’t need your help. I can do for myself.” She smiled at him, then ran down the street.
Luc wasn’t sure what to make of it. He had never been a big fan of one of his brother’s favorite sayings, “bitches be crazy,” but he was fairly sure it applied to her. He didn’t have any intentions of going back to the bar or home. His da had screamed his head off about it when Luc got to work. Apparently he had been calling Luc half the afternoon while Luc was feeding the sharks. He’d had his phone off then and lied to his da about it being dead. It was dead so often, Da didn’t think to question it. Of course now that he wanted to use it, the battery had bit it. So much for calling Arrigo, which sucked because he really needed to hear Arrigo’s voice. The night was still pretty young after all, and both of them seemed to be used to late hours, so he knew he wouldn’t have been waking Arrigo up if he called now.
It was probably too late to go to the fortune-telling place, and as much as he’d like to meet up with Arrigo, he wasn’t sure where else to find him. Las Vegas was too big to go looking at random. He could go to the Veer Towers, but no one was going to let him do a waltz past the guards or whatever it was between the front door and the suites beyond. It probably had one of those keyed elevators like he’d seen on TV, and Luc had no clue what apartment number he was looking for. He didn’t want to go to the front desk and ask someone to call up to Arrigo. He looked and smelled like he’d been rolling on a bar bathroom floor. The only people they’d call would be the cops.
So, no phone, no Arrigo, no bar, no home. He’d have to figure something out. Sighing, Luc went off looking for something to do. He’d see if Lily was at the diner. Maybe she’d let him call Arrigo from there? Nah, he didn’t want to come off as desperate for another date. In the back of his mind, he wondered if he should listen to Hanako and get off the street. Maybe he should have followed her, but something told him that’d be a mistake. The woman obviously didn’t want his help. He wondered if Arrigo knew any ordinary women. Shrugging, Luc went to see what sort of pie was on special today at Delilah’s.
HANAKO PULLED her phone out as she jogged down the sidewalk. It was scary enough on this side of town, hardly any people around. The area that the Alibi and Delilah’s Diner occupied was barely blue-collar, edging onto it-should-be-condemned. Tourists didn’t come there, and it was between shifts for most of the people who would be there normally. Eleni had to have spotted her. While Hanako had fought many a vampire before, she was used to having nature to pull on. There was precious little of that there. Hanako could tap the trees on the Strip, but they might be too far away to help.
She made her call as she watched Eleni’s back. Eleni sauntered down the street. “Arrigo, I found her. I’m a few blocks from the Alibi.”
“I’ll be right there. Don’t get too close,” he snarled, tension thrumming in his voice.
Hanako wished her eye roll could be seen via the phone. “I don’t need you protecting me. She won’t be the first vampire I’ve killed. It should be over by the time you get here. I’ll leave this on. Listen in.”
Hanako didn’t warn Eleni to stop or any of that Hollywood nonsense. She put all of her power in one hit. To hell with shooting someone in the back being without honor. Save that sentiment for someone without a vampire’s abilities. Hanako pulled power into her core before sending it radiating out of her hands. Her blast took Eleni right off her feet, bowling her over into the trash bins. Cursing in a language Hanako didn’t know, Eleni rolled up and charged at her.
Maybe it had been foolish to engage Eleni alone. Hanako reached to gather more power. This scuzzy side of town didn’t even have potted plants to tap. Desert scrub put out a weak echo from the hills. Hanako pulled it to her, focusing the power. She whipped it into Eleni, knocking the vampire down again. Eleni’s blonde hair flipped into her eyes.
Eleni snapped her head back, flinging the hair out of her face. She sneered, her blood fangs poking into her own lips. “I hate witches.”
“Feeling’s mutual, leech.” Hanako reached out again, feeling a tickle of that faraway, thin power. She thought she heard Arrigo chattering on the still-open phone but couldn’t make sense of it. One more blast, tightly focused, and she should be able to stun Eleni long enough to get the stake in her purse through the bitch’s cold heart. She hated to do that. It was so much harder than they made it look in the movies. So much damn bone.
As she focused her power, Hanako heard a sharp noise. She stumbled, something burning in her chest. She tried to catch her breath but choked. Blood splattered her lips. Hanako toppled, crying out for Arrigo, or at least she tried. Her head swam too much to be sure.
Eleni stood over her. “That’s the thing about you Chiaroscuro do-gooders. You never expect the mundane. Witches aren’t bulletproof.” She smiled, glancing away. “Thank you, George.”
Hanako thought a man’s voice gave a cheery response before the world fell away.
Chapter Twenty-Two
DA CRACKED Luc’s head against the cheap plywood wall, screaming, “What did you do?”
His temple exploded on contact, fire eating his brain. Luc tried to squirm away. Not a single one of the losers in the bar even bothered to come to help. “What? Da, what did I do?” Luc jerked back, stumbling away from Da. He touched his head, feeling blood. His da usually never hit him around witnesses.
Da grabbed Luc’s shirt, dragging him in front of the crappy little TV in the corner of the bar. He stabbed a thick, nicotine-stained finger at the screen. “What the fuck did you do?”
“Nothing! I….” Luc got a look at the news trailer. His mouth dried and his knees wobbled, the pain in his head forgotten. Hanako’s face hovered above him on the screen as the reporter talked about how she was found a few blocks away, shot to death.
His hand shook as he pointed toward the TV. “You think I did that? How could you? I’ve never hurt anyone in my life. I barely fight back unless I have no choice.”
Da scowled. “Don’t I know it. You’re pathetic.”
“And you think I killed someone!”
That got some of the patrons’ attention. His father backhanded him across the mouth, drawing more blood.
Luc wiped his lips. “How can you think that?”
“You left here with her. So what did you do to that whore?”
Luc flushed. “She wasn’t a whore.”
“Right, she wasn’t. You needed someone to help pretend you don’t suck dick,” his brother said, sauntering over. His father gave him a sour look for announcing that so loudly in public.
“She was a friend of a friend. We’ve gone out once or twice.” He couldn’t help telling that lie. He’d had far too much shit from his brother. “We were going out last night, but you knew that when you were trying to push mop duty on me.”
“And what? She laughed at your little dick, and you got pissed?” Henri smirked at him.
“And shot her with what? I don’t work here armed.” Luc shoved him. “I didn’t hurt no one. She saw someone she had to catch up with and told me to go on ahead.” No, she had told him to get off the street. She had seen trouble. She had to know her killer. Hell, was it Arrigo’s ex? “I didn’t do anything to her. I need to go tell the cops what I know.”
His father grabbed him again and dragged him toward the bar. Luc thought Da was going to ram his head into it, and Da was stronger than him. Da stopped short. “You don’t talk to the cops. We never talk to the cops. You know that.”
“But I didn’t do anything. Not one damn illegal thing happened. It can’t hurt.”
Da grabbed Luc’s neck, shoving his face onto the sticky bar top. “I will snap your neck like a twig if you go to the cops. You get it?”
“Yes,” Luc mumbled, struggling to lift his head. “What if they come here looking?”
“Then I throw you to them. You better pray they
don’t come back looking at me or yer brother offa something yer stupid mouth says.”
“I get it.”
The pressure eased up on his neck, and Luc stumbled back so quickly, he nearly fell over. He caught himself, spun on his heel, and stomped toward the door.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Henri snapped.
“Out.”
“Like hell. You’ve got a shift starting.” Henri ran after him and snatched up his arm so hard, Luc thought a tendon tore in the elbow. He yelped.
Luc tromped next to his brother’s toes in warning. “You want me to get an in with you-know-who. He’s going to be mourning the murder of his friend. If I go there now, I bet I can get invited to his house. He’ll want a friendly face around,” Luc snarled, wishing that hadn’t come so quickly to mind. He didn’t have any such plans, but whatever lie got him out of there was a good one.
“Go.” Da jerked a thumb at the door. “And don’t fuck it up.”
“I ain’t making promises.”
Luc fled before Da could change his mind. He hoofed it back home. Luc changed his clothes and tried to make the cuts and bruises on his face look less horrific. Luc wondered what was wrong with Arrigo that he wasn’t grossed out by how much of a mess Luc always was. It occurred somewhere on the bus ride to Taabu’s shop that maybe Arrigo took that to mean Luc wouldn’t fight back much. Maybe Arrigo was looking for a punching bag. That would make so much sense, because for the life of him, Luc had no fucking idea why Arrigo would want a nobody like him.
The idea made him miserable, churning up his gut for the whole ride. It did distract him from his fear over what happened to Hanako. Luc didn’t want to think about it because the guilt would eat him alive. He never thought for a moment she had been in danger. If he had, she might be alive. Or he’d be dead too. He hadn’t even thought much about why she had hustled him off the street, mostly because she’d seemed so strange to him. His guilt over being so quick to judge added to the acid bubbling around in his belly. If she hadn’t shown up in a halter with a back full of piercings would he have been more attuned to there being something wrong? He’d never know.