“I helped my family, sir,” said Ryoko.
Her lack of elaboration seemed intentional, so Jack didn’t pry any further. He put the mystery of Ryoko’s origin on the backburner as the car made its way to the bottom of the slope and into Lesser Town.
It was still early in the morning, and most of the pedestrians on the street were only just starting off the day. A woman pushed a baby’s stroller down the sidewalk with slow, unhurried steps. A man outside the town’s main grocery swept dirt off the concrete with an old straw broom. Everyone seemed to know their place and carry out their role as a matter of habit, or ritual.
The car drew a surprising amount of attention. Several people waved to them, though Jack suspected that they were assuming that it was Katie inside. Ryoko drove slowly, minding a group of grade school children walking half in the street and half on the sidewalk on their way to school.
She pulled the car into a small parking lot outside of a large, rectangular building with a fountain in the front lawn. Two flags flew from the pole near the entrance, the United States flag along with another that Jack assumed was Lestaron’s own banner.
“This is the mayor’s mansion, sir,” said Ryoko. “Are you ready to head inside?”
“Yeah,” said Jack.
He climbed out of the car ahead of Ryoko, who’d been heading around to his side to open his door for him. Jack smiled at her and let a little of his exasperation show through. She bowed and walked alongside him as he headed up the steps toward the main entrance.
There was a secretary behind the desk in the lobby. She wore glasses, and she seemed as though she’d been expecting them.
“Ryoko,” she said. “Is this the rumored Masterson grandson?”
Ryoko nodded.
“Hi,” said Jack. “I’m Jack.”
“Deborah,” said the secretary. “It’s nice to meet you. Mayor Stinson is expecting you. He’s upstairs, through the door at the end of the hall.”
“Thanks,” said Jack. “Ryoko, you don’t mind waiting, do you?”
“Of course not, sir,” said Ryoko.
Deborah, the secretary, giggled slightly at what Jack could only assume was some inside joke. He nodded to both women and then headed up the stairway in the back of the room.
Though Ryoko had called it the mayor’s mansion, it felt much more like a statehouse or court building. Jack passed by several conference rooms with windows set into the wall next to their doors. None of them were currently being used.
Something jumped out from an open door as he approached the room the secretary had indicated. Jack stumbled back in surprise as a large German shepherd moved to block off the hallway.
“Jeez,” he muttered. “Hey there. Who’s a good boy?”
The dog bared its teeth and let out a low growl. Jack tried to take a step forward by it, and it snapped out a bark. Its eyes were completely transfixed on him. He’d never gotten a reaction from a dog like that before, and couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with the recent changes he’d been through.
“Meadow!” came a voice from further down the hall. “Hey! I thought I told you to stop harassing our guests.”
A tall man stepped out from behind the door at the end of the hall. The German shepherd immediately went to him, letting out a small whimper and lying down protectively by his feet.
“Dave Stinson,” said the man, extending his hand.
“Jack Masterson,” said Jack, accepting the handshake.
Dave Stinson was younger than Jack had been expecting, probably in his late thirties or early forties. He had the build of an aging athlete, and he wore a dress shirt tucked into jeans. His hair was blond, and he had a roguish, friendly smile.
“You look just like him,” said Dave. “Not just physically, either, but in the way you stand and that look in your eyes.”
“Thanks,” said Jack. “I think?”
“Come on in, Jack,” said Dave. “We have loads to discuss.”
He turned and stepped back through the door of his office. Jack started to follow, hesitating for a second as the dog began growling and baring his teeth.
“Meadow…” said Dave. “Enough.”
The dog made a defeated noise and rolled onto its back. Jack stepped over it and into the office.
Dave was already pouring two cups of coffee from a table to the side of the large desk in the center of the room. The office looked like one that saw daily use, with papers scattered across shelves, and both a desktop computer and a laptop sitting side by side.
“How do you take your coffee?” asked Dave.
“Small splash of milk,” said Jack. He took a seat in the chair in front of the desk. Dave finished prepping the coffees and set one in front of him as he settled into the chair behind his desk.
“I know you’ve probably heard this from, well, just about everyone you’ve talked to in town, but I offer my sincere condolences regarding your grandfather,” said Dave. “Peter was a member of our community, but he was also one of my trusted friends.”
“Thanks,” said Jack, with a nod.
“How have you been settling in?” asked Dave. “Is there anything you need? The island can be a little spartan when it comes to meeting the needs of someone used to the services you’d find in a real city.”
“I’ve been managing okay,” said Jack.
“That’s good to hear,” said Dave. He took a slow sip of his coffee, letting the silence linger for a moment. “I’m sure you’re probably wondering why I asked you to come by today.”
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t,” said Jack. “The island is small, but not so small that I buy that you need to meet every person who passes through here.”
Dave smiled. “It’s funny you should say that. Do you know what Lestaron Island’s nickname is?”
Jack shook his head.
“They call us ‘Layover Island.’ It’s kind of appropriate. We get as many people stopping through here off weather-diverted flights as we do through natural tourism.”
Jack took a sip of his coffee, unsure of what to say in response.
“Personally,” continued Dave, “I’ve never taken it as an insult. Lestaron is a waypoint, of sorts. A place that many people of many backgrounds pass through. It’s also a place that doesn’t turn people away. A place for exiles. A place for people who, for one reason or another, don’t have the option of going anywhere else.”
There was something in the mayor’s voice that triggered Jack’s full attention. He was choosing his words carefully and holding eye contact in a way that made each syllable feel heavy, almost cryptic.
“And I don’t mean to paint the island in a negative light,” said Dave. “Just the opposite, in fact. But it is true that our remote location seems to make us a cradle for… unusual events and circumstances.”
Jack slowly nodded. “I think I catch your meaning.”
Dave grinned at him. “Then I hope you understand how much losing Peter really meant for us, here. Are you planning on staying, Jack?”
He should have known that the mayor was building up to that question. He hesitated for a second, scratching the back of his neck.
“For now,” he said. “I’m not sure that I’ll be able to fill my grandfather’s shoes.”
“You don’t have to fill anyone’s shoes but your own,” said Dave. “Peter mostly helped us out when it came to practical problems. Helping out around town. Sometimes locating missing people.”
Dave opened one of his desk drawers and pulled out a small photo. “This is one of the townies that went missing a few days ago. Any chance you’ve seen him around, anywhere?”
He passed the photo over to Jack. It was of Bert, the homeless man turned ghoul that he and Katie had fought against in the abandoned warehouse. His heart skipped a beat, and he tried to keep his reaction from showing on his face. They hadn’t been the ones who’d really killed Bert, but it wasn’t as though he could explain that in a way that made sense.
“I haven’t,” said Jack. “But I’ll keep my eye out for him.”
“I’d appreciate that,” said Dave. There was something in his tone that put Jack slightly on edge, along with the way his eyes carefully sized him up.
“This seems like something the police would typically handle,” he said. “Is it an unusual case?”
Dave let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair. “No, and that’s the problem. The local sheriff is a good soul, but he’s old, and nearing retirement. His deputy is a drunk, and between the two of them I’m lucky if they resolve one problem in ten.”
Jack frowned at that. Katie had said her fiancé was the sheriff’s deputy and judging from the conversation he’d overheard about her picking him up from the bar, he was the drunk that the mayor was referring to.
“Anyway,” said Dave. “I also wanted you to drop in so I could formally invite you to the Mayor’s Ball happening this weekend. There will be quite a few people there that I think you should meet. Trust me, you’ll fit right in.”
“Sure,” said Jack. “Just send the details to Ryoko.”
The mayor nodded and stood to shake his hand again. Jack headed back down the hallway, stepping warily over the growling dog. Ryoko was sitting with her hands in her lap, and immediately rose as he approached her.
“Are you ready to head back to the mansion, sir?” she asked.
Jack thought about it for a second.
“No,” he said. “Let’s go for a walk.”
CHAPTER 13
It was cloudy outside, and probably for the first time in his life, Jack appreciated it. The conversation with the mayor had left him wondering, both about his current role on the island and what the future had in store for him.
It felt as though there was another responsibility that he’d inherited along with his grandfather’s mansion and money. It was likely the role that Katie had been groomed for, and then dismissed from, if what she’d told Jack about his grandfather deciding to let her to have a normal life was true.
It was a little overwhelming. He’d only been on the island for a single night, and yet here he was, caught up on the wrong side of the supernatural and trying to decide if he was supposed to take the place of a grandfather he hadn’t really known. It made Jack want to do something normal, for a change. Ryoko was following behind him, and he slowed down a little, letting her draw even at his side.
“Let’s get some food,” he said. “Are you hungry?”
“If you’d like to eat, sir, I can prepare something once we’re back at the mansion,” said Ryoko.
“No, I’d rather eat out.”
In truth, Jack was still sated from the breakfast she’d made for him. He wanted to eat more for the experience, rather than because of his appetite. He wanted to feel like an aimless twenty something again. Like a regular guy with problems limited to job prospects and apartment rentals instead of blood and broodmothers.
He spotted a small pizzeria in between a busy laundromat and an arts and craft store and made for the entrance. Ryoko slowed down, lagging behind him, then hurried to catch up as he approached the door.
“Sir!” she said, sounding worried. “Are you sure I can’t make you something? A sandwich? Please?”
“It’s fine, Ryoko.” Jack frowned, noticing how worked up she was. “Come on. You can relax for a minute.”
He saw her start to reply and then stop, biting back whatever she’d been about to say. She had a small frown on her face; her body language looked slightly uncomfortable. Jack waited for a second, but she didn’t say anything.
He walked into the pizzeria, followed by a reluctant Ryoko. An older Asian man was taking orders at the counter, and he bellowed out a laugh as he saw them approaching.
“Ryoko-chan!” shouted the man. “So this is your new boss? He is pretty handsome, just like you said!”
Jack furrowed his brow and smiled.
“A friend of yours?” he asked Ryoko. Her face had turned bright crimson, and she avoided both his gaze and the question.
“Family of hers,” said the man. “I am Ryoko-chan’s embarrassing uncle, Kurt. And you’re Jack, if I’m not mistaken?”
“Correct,” said Jack. He smiled and looked over at Ryoko. “I assume this is why you didn’t want to come inside here?”
“She’s like a completely different person when she puts on her work uniform,” said Kurt. “She’s usually so bossy. I’m sorry, Ryoko-chan! I know this must be torture for you.”
Kurt was grinning from ear to ear. Ryoko was still blushing furiously, but her hands were now balled up into small fists. She looked so emotional that it made Jack worry a little, both over what she was going through and what she might decide to do.
“Can you find us a table, Ryoko?” he asked. “And do you have any topping preferences?”
“Sir,” she said, stiffly. “I am not hungry.”
“Pepperoni it is,” said Jack.
Ryoko picked out the table nearest to the door, and after buying a two slices of pepperoni pizza, Jack made his way over to join her. He set Ryoko’s down in front of her, and after a few stubborn seconds, she picked it up and took a bite.
“Do you live with your uncle?” asked Jack. “Or are your parents on the island, too?”
“With my uncle, sir,” Ryoko said, quietly.
“I lived with my aunt and uncle before I came here,” said Jack. “I guess I will again after I leave. Though I’ll be able to get a place of my own with the money from the inheritance.”
Ryoko didn’t say anything. Jack sighed and took a bite of his own pizza. The last thing he’d wanted was for her to become even more closed off.
“Do you ever feel like you’re just tangled in up in life?” asked Jack, opting for raw honesty. “Like the problems you have are what ends up dictating what happens, instead of you having the control?”
He watched Ryoko. She wasn’t looking at him, and a few silent seconds passed. Long enough to make him think that she wasn’t going to offer an answer.
“Sometimes,” she said, quietly. “Pretty often.”
“What do you do when you feel like that?” asked Jack. “Is there even anything you can do?”
“Not every problem is actually a problem,” said Ryoko. “Sometimes it depends on your perspective. Sir.”
“That’s good advice,” he said.
He only took a few more bites out of the pizza before finishing with it, and Ryoko didn’t eat much of hers, either. He spared her from having to engage with her uncle again by making a quiet exit, and the two of them walked back to where they’d left the car at the mayor’s mansion.
The sun made a reappearance just as Jack was climbing into the backseat. He winced at the brightness of it, suddenly feeling the familiar itchy throat and dizzying rush of his bloodthirst. The car’s windows were tinted, which was a small blessing, but he still felt the compulsion growing as they drove back to the mansion.
“Sir?” Ryoko turned to look at him as she parked the car in front of the mansion’s main entrance. “Are you okay?”
“…I’m fine,” muttered Jack. “Just feeling a little tired.”
Ryoko hurried around to his door, opening it and extending her arm to help him out. Jack accepted it, and almost immediately regretting putting himself in such close proximity to her. She had an incredible smell to her, almost like fresh crushed mint. A crow cawed from somewhere in the cliffs beyond the mansion, and Jack felt the sound reverberating through him.
“You look so pale,” said Ryoko. She set the back of her hand on his forehead. “And you’re so cold! Sir, I think you’re coming down with something.”
“It’s okay,” said Jack. He did feel cold, and he was even shivering a little. Ryoko put her arm under his shoulder. She was so warm, and her neck was right next to him. An insistent, dull throbbing began to pound against his temples with the strength of a hydraulic piston.
“You should rest in your room,” said Ryoko. “I can bring one of the electric heaters up
to help you stay warm.”
“Stay…” muttered Jack.
Stay away. That was what he’d been trying to say, but even just having his mouth open felt dangerous with Ryoko’s neck so nearby.
“Of course, sir,” said Ryoko. “I’ll stay with you.”
Jack closed his eyes as she slowly walked him upstairs, trying to bring himself back under control. Each step seemed to sap at his willpower. Ryoko pulled his sheets back, even going as far as to take his shoes off for him as she helped him into bed. Jack wanted to shout for her to run, but his mouth was no longer on the same page as his mind.
He felt the draw of his bloodthirst as though it was an inevitability. Like the wax and wane of the moon, or the shifting of the tides. His bloodthirst was on its way up. Jack tried to form words. He wanted to warn Ryoko, to say something to get her as far away from him as he could. He wanted to go to sleep. But most of all, he wanted her. He wanted to pull her close to him, gently, and bring his lips as close to her neck as he could. He wanted to taste her. To experience her.
“I’m going to call Ms. White, sir,” said Ryoko. “This seems like it might have something to do with your condition.”
Jack still had the energy to nod his head. Katie would be able to help. She’d let him drink her blood again, and then he’d be able to go back to normal. Katie’s blood. So thick and sweet. It had such a perfect consistency to it, and that delicious, sweet and sour taste.
Did he really have to wait for her? He thought about what Ryoko had said about being able to take care of the needs of his condition in Katie’s absence. Was it that big of a deal? Maybe he was overthinking the consequences. It might take Katie a while to arrive, and Ryoko was right there. And he was so thirsty.
“…Sir?” Ryoko leaned over him on the bed. Her smell was all Jack could think about, so sweet and compelling.
His body moved on its own as his willpower broke. Jack leapt up from the bed and seized Ryoko by the shoulders. She let out a small squeal, but didn’t pull back. Jack blinked, trying to reassert control over himself through the fog of his bloodthirst.
“Mr. Masterson,” whispered Ryoko. “You aren’t yourself right now.”
Blood Mage (Dark Impulse Book 1) Page 7