by AnonYMous
‘Afternoon, fellas,’ he said flicking the guitar case open. He reached inside and pulled out a sheet of white paper. He placed it down on the bar in front of the Kid. ‘There’s your contract,’ he said. ‘Read it and sign on the dotted line.’
The Bourbon Kid picked up the sheet of paper. It detailed all of the formalities of his deal with the Devil. Everything he required from the Devil was listed at the top followed by all of his obligations. Rodeo Rex held out a pen. The Kid signed his name on the dotted line and then handed the pen back to Rex.
‘Got yourself a good deal,’ he said as he picked up the contract and slipped it inside his sleeveless jacket.
‘So where’s my stuff?’ the Kid asked.
Elvis patted him on the shoulder. ‘Take your pick from this lot,’ he said.
He turned the open guitar case around on the bar so the Kid could get a look inside. It was full of weapons and ammunition. ‘We got everything here you could possibly need, and then some,’ he said.
Rex pointed at a small silver crossbow in the neck of the case. ‘Try some of the quieter weapons,’ he suggested. ‘They’ll be most effective for what you need.’
The Kid glanced up at him. ‘I don’t need any tips from you.’
‘You fuckin’ do. You might be a real badass, but if you go back to Santa Mondega and face up to those vampires and werewolves in your usual fashion, you’re gonna get your ass kicked.’
‘I doubt that.’
‘If they get their hands on The Book of Death, it’ll be beyond your control. They know your real name now. If Gaius retrieves the book, you’re outta the game, son.’
‘The Book of Death, huh. Where is it now? D’ya know?’
‘Last I heard it was back at the city library in the Reference section, but that book don’t tend to stay in one place for long. Make it a priority to find it and destroy it if you can.’
‘A priority? I don’t think so.’
Elvis intervened. ‘Listen to Rex, man. He’s tryin’ to help you get your woman back.’
‘Whadda you know about her?’
‘I know she’s still alive.’
‘You sure?’
‘Yeah man. For now anyway. But you go in through the front door with all guns blazing and they’ll kill her while you watch.’
The Kid pondered what Elvis had said. ‘You’d be surprised what I’m capable of when I’m in the mood.’
Rex stood up from his stool. ‘Well, it’s your choice how you go about it. But whether you go in quiet or loud, you’ve only got until midnight. Then your time is up. That’s when you repay the man in red.’
Berkley had finished refilling the Kid’s glass and stashed the bottle of bourbon at the back of the bar. The Kid picked up the drink and stared at his reflection in the glass for a second before downing the contents. Then he reached into the guitar case for a weapon.
‘Yo, bartender,’ he called out. ‘What’s your favourite colour?’
Berkley spun around and muttered one word. ‘Shit.’
The Kid pulled a gun from the guitar case, a gold Desert Eagle with a red laser sighter on it. It felt heavy in his hand, a good weight. He pointed it at the unfortunate bartender. The red dot from the laser appeared in the centre of Berkley’s head.
BANG!
Berkley’s head exploded, his brains flying out through the back of his skull and splashing against the wall behind him. His body crumpled to the floor in a heap.
Elvis peered over the bar at the corpse. ‘Why did he say shit?’ he asked, a confused look on his face. ‘Shit’s not really a colour is it?’
The Kid ignored him. ‘Silent weapons my ass,’ he said admiring the gun. ‘Get me some ammo for this muthafucker.’
‘Shoulda said brown,’ Elvis said, shaking his head. ‘Brown’s a colour. Not shit. Shit’s an object. Or a state of affairs.’
Rex placed a small case of bullets on the bar next to the Kid’s empty glass. ‘Fine, do it your way,’ he said. ‘But don’t say I didn’t warn you.’
Elvis walked off around to the back of the bar while The Kid rifled through the weapons in the guitar case, grabbing everything that took his fancy. Rex chipped in by handing over any ammo for each weapon. The guy had deep pockets filled with all kinds of stuff. After five minutes the Kid had an array of weapons and ammo laid out on the bar. Only problem was, how was he going to carry it all? He had a few pockets in his leather jacket and he’d picked out a few holsters from the guitar case, but concealing the weapons could prove tricky.
Elvis reappeared with the answer to the problem. He threw a long dark hooded robe over to the Kid. ‘There’s a real shitstorm coming the way of Santa Mondega. You might wanna wear this.’
The Kid caught the robe and laid it down on the bartop. He slipped his arms out of the sleeves of his leather jacket and tossed it over to Elvis. The new robe would be perfect for carrying and concealing a small arsenal of weapons. He slid his arms into the new robe, admiring its snug fit. Then he began strapping weapons and ammunition to himself and utilising all the concealed pockets and holsters within the robe.
When he was done he turned to face Rex. ‘What now?’ he asked.
Rex pointed at the saloon doors. ‘Head through there and you’ll be right back where you started. Good luck.’
The Kid nodded at Rex and Elvis. ‘I won’t need luck,’ he said.
He walked towards the saloon doors. When he reached them he pushed them open and walked through, pulling the hood on the robe up over his head as he went.
Thirty-Three
Rameses Gaius arrived at the Santa Mondega City library in a murderous mood. He’d received no word from the Santa Claus regarding the recovery of The Book of Death, and now the fat child-killing freak wasn’t even answering his phone. It seemed he’d had the good sense to leave town rather than face the wrath of the Lord of the Undead.
Gaius strode up the stairs two at a time and barged through the double doors at the top into the reception area. Sat behind the reception desk was a teenage boy with scruffy dark hair and a white shirt that was in need of a good press.
‘Where’s Ulrika Price?’ Gaius asked, avoiding any pleasantries.
The boy looked up. ‘She didn’t come in today. I’m covering for her.’
Gaius removed his sunglasses and slipped them into the top pocket on his silver suit jacket. ‘Are you Josh?’ he asked, glaring at the young librarian.
‘Uh, yeah. How’d you know?’
‘You’re the one who gave The Book of Death out to a member of the library the other night, aren’t you?’
‘The Book of Death?’
‘Yes. You know the book I’m talking about?’
Josh nodded and swallowed hard. ‘I didn’t give it out to anyone the other night though,’ he said nervously. ‘I just put it on a shelf like Miss Price asked me to.’
Gaius leaned over the desk to get into Josh’s personal space. ‘Take me to it then,’ he snarled.
‘I can’t,’ Josh replied. ‘The cops took it away this morning.’
‘What?’
‘A cop came in and took it. Said he needed it for Police business.’
‘What cop?’
‘Sanchez Garcia. Used to be the bartender at The Tapioca.’
‘Fucking fuck!’
‘Everyone’s after that book today,’ said Josh with a shrug.
Gaius frowned. ‘Who else has been in looking for it?’
‘A fat Santa Claus came in looking for it just after Sanchez. Spat piss all over me.’
Gaius sniffed the air. ‘I can smell it.’
Josh blushed and lowered his head to sniff his shirt. He turned his nose up as the stench of stale piss wafted up his nostrils. He glanced back up at Gaius. ‘Anything else I can help you with?’ he asked.
‘Actually yes,’ said Gaius. ‘Could you show me which shelf you put the book on the other night?’
‘Yeah, okay.’
Josh lifted a wooden flap on the reception desk and w
alked out through it. ‘It’s this way,’ he said gesturing to Gaius as he led the way over to an aisle of books in the Reference section.
Gaius followed on behind him, taking deep breaths through his nostrils, trying desperately to control the rage that was burning within him at the revelation that The Book of Death was now in the hands of the police. Josh led him down a tall aisle full of thick hardback books and pointed to a row just below eye level.
‘I put it here,’ he said, proudly. ‘Under A for Anonymous.’
Gaius pointed at a thick book with a green spine on the bottom shelf. ‘Could you pick out that green book for me, please?’ he asked courteously.
Josh shrugged. ‘Sure.’
As the young librarian bent down and reached for the book, Gaius grabbed him by a thick clump of hair on the back of his head. He hauled him up off his feet and then in one swift move slammed his face into one of the hard wooden shelves. There was a sickening crack as Josh’s nose broke. The boy barely had time to scream out in pain before Gaius smashed his face into the shelf three more times. Blood began pouring from Josh’s nose and mouth as some of his teeth were smashed. Gaius hurled him down face-first onto the hardwood floor and leaned over him. The young librarian attempted to climb to his knees, but Gaius quickly hit him hard in the ribs, knocking him over onto his back.
Josh’s eyes had filled with tears very quickly. His bloodied face revealed a look of terror. His hands were trembling and he looked ready to burst out crying at any second. Gaius leaned down and pressed his left knee into his terrified victim’s chest.
‘This is what you get for giving my book to the police,’ he said, raising his huge right fist high above his head. Josh winced and turned his head away, clearly fearing the impact of the forthcoming blow. He had time to sob just once before Gaius rammed his fist into the side of his face, shattering his cheekbone as if it were made of glass.
For almost a minute Gaius pounded his fists into Josh’s face. The boy was most likely dead after the third or fourth blow, but Gaius found himself enjoying the violence too much to stop.
When his adrenaline had calmed, Gaius paused and took a look at his bloodied fists. As he stared at them, marvelling at their power, the swelling and pain in his knuckles subsided. The Eye of the Moon, wedged firmly in his right eye socket, ensured that any pain or injuries he sustained healed up almost instantly.
He reached into his top pocket and slipped his sunglasses back on. Then he pulled out his cell phone and made a call to his daughter.
Jessica answered within one ring. ‘Yes father.’
‘The Book of Death is gone for now,’ said Gaius, catching his breath. ‘That idiot Sanchez Garcia has it.’
‘Sanchez has it?’
‘That’s what I just said.’
‘Don’t worry then. That idiot will bring it straight to me. He’s probably on his way here with it right now.’
‘You think?’
‘I have no doubt.’
‘How can you be so sure?’
‘Because that loser is infatuated with me. Don’t worry father, if Sanchez has got it, then it’ll soon be ours. Start putting your plans into action. I’ll have your book for you in no time.’
‘Finally, some good news,’ Gaius said triumphantly. ‘In that case, put the word out to everyone, it’s time for us to start taking over the city. Tell them to go into the streets and kill whomever they choose, including kids.’
‘Including kids?’ Jessica sounded surprised. ‘Why the sudden change of heart?’
Gaius wiped his free hand on Josh’s white shirt, in an effort to get rid of some of the boy’s blood from his knuckles. ‘I just bashed a teenage boy’s brains in,’ he said, taking a deep breath. ‘And I gotta tell you, it was exhilarating. At one point I think I even heard him cry out for his mom.’
He could practically hear Jessica’s approving smile down the phone. ‘I’ll get the word out to everyone,’ she said. ‘Most of them are already on their way here anyway. Are you coming back now?’
‘No, not yet,’ said Gaius. ‘I have an appointment at the museum first. Got a couple more people to kill.’
Thirty-Four
‘It’s no use,’ said Kacy. ‘He’s not answering.’
Dante was sitting on the bed in their room at the Swamp, wearing his Shades jacket over a white T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. He rubbed his forehead in frustration. Kacy had been trying to call the Bourbon Kid all afternoon. The unreliable sonofabitch wasn’t answering.
‘Fine. Leave him a message then. But send him a text as well. We can’t just blow him off without knowing why he’s not answering.’
Kacy walked over and sat down on the bed next to him. She had her cell phone pressed against her ear. When she heard a beep she reeled off her message.
‘Hi, this is Kacy, Dante’s girlfriend. Just so you know, we’re heading to the museum tonight with Vanity. We won’t be at the Casa de Ville. Vanity says that Rameses Gaius is going to the museum to have his eye polished or something. So we’re going to go there and try and get it from him when he’s taken it out of his head. If you want to meet us there, give me a call back. Vanity is on our side so if you do show up, don’t kill him or anything. Okay, thanks. Bye.’
Dante rubbed her back. ‘Good message,’ he said. ‘Send him a text too though. Just in case.’
Kacy handed him the phone. ‘You send it,’ she said. ‘I need to get changed.’
‘What’s wrong with what you’ve got on?’
Kacy had on a sleeveless black top and a pair of denim shorts. ‘If this plan of ours works and we end up human again, I bet it’ll be freezing out there. We might need to make a quick getaway. With all that snow and hail out there, I think I’ll need something more appropriate.’
‘But you look hot like that.’
‘The weather forecast says it’s minus three out there.’
‘Lightweight.’
‘Fine. You can wear these shorts then.’
Dante grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards him. He kissed her firmly on the lips. ‘You just look hot, that’s all I’m saying.’
She kissed him back and then pulled away. She walked over to the corner of the bedroom and bent down to pick some new clothes from her suitcase that was open on the floor. ‘Just send the text,’ she said.
Dante began typing a message into her phone. It would take him ages and not just because he couldn’t spell some of the most basic words. He was rubbish with phones in general. As he tried to fathom out the texting system on her phone, Kacy began flicking through the clothes in her suitcase, occasionally holding something up to get his approval. He nodded at anything that would show plenty of flesh, but generally turned his nose up at anything sensible. It was all good fun though. She knew he loved watching her undress, and she in turn liked trying on new outfits in front of him. It was one of many reasons they made such a great couple. And Kacy hoped to God, they’d still be a couple come the end of the day. If anything went wrong, and it was highly probable that something would, she couldn’t bear the thought of being apart from him. The moment she had seen him bitten by a vampire on Halloween still played over and over in her mind. Holding his head as blood poured from a wound in his neck where the vampire bitch had bitten him was the worst moment of her life. She dreaded the thought of going through anything like it again.
She was stripped down to her matching pink bra and panties and holding Dante’s attention pretty well when Vanity suddenly burst into the room. He looked anxious, but the sight of a half naked Kacy caused him to do a quick double-take and raise a quizzical eyebrow behind his sunglasses. After staring for a little longer than was necessary he revealed the reason for his intrusion.
‘Big news, kids,’ he said. ‘It seems that Gaius has given the order for everyone to get out in the open. The streets are already full of vampires. As of now we are at war with the whole world. There’s vampires everywhere, killing any humans that aren’t locked indoors. It’s fucking carnag
e out there. And everyone’s headed to the Casa de Ville.’
Kacy grimaced. ‘That’s where the Bourbon Kid is heading.’
Vanity nodded. ‘That’s why they’re all heading there. Gaius knows that’s where he’ll go.’
‘You mean it’s a trap?’
‘Of course. And probably the main reason Gaius’s is getting out of there and heading to the museum is just in case it goes wrong.’
‘How could it go wrong?’ Kacy asked.
Dante answered. ‘The Kid might kill everyone. I suspect he’s capable.’
‘Of killing a whole army of vampires?’
‘Wouldn’t put it past him.’
Vanity smiled. ‘He’s good, sure, but Gaius has covered all angles. There’ll be an army of werewolves as well as vampires waiting for the Kid when he gets there.’
‘How do you know all this?’ Kacy asked.
‘I got people on the inside, remember? I’m well connected. That’s how I know that Gaius has already left the Casa de Ville. He’s headed for the museum right now. This is our chance.’
A loud screeching noise from the streets outside punctuated the air.
‘What the hell was that?’ Dante asked.
Vanity shrugged. ‘Like I said, the vampires are taking over the streets. It’s murder out there.’
Dante jumped up from the bed. ‘Fuck me. Let’s take a look.’
Kacy grabbed a pair of jeans and began slipping them on while Vanity watched on with a wry smile on his face. Dante brushed past him on his way out into the pool hall to get a look out of the windows. He returned moments later as Kacy was slipping on a black sweatshirt. His face revealed a look of great concern, which was unusual for him.
‘Vanity’s right,’ he said. ‘He’s fucking right. There’s vampires everywhere out there. I just saw a gang of Sunflower Girls being chased through the streets. The vampires are picking them off one by one. Fucking horrible!’
‘Sunflower Girls?’ Kacy couldn’t hide how horrified she was at the mental image of a group of terrified little girls being savaged by bloodthirsty vampires. ‘We should do something!’