by E. A. Copen
“He knows. It’s just a job, Judah. Pays better than flipping burgers.”
My mouth fell open. Everyone but me knew Mara was a stripper. I was too tired to be mad about anything else so I just let it go, deciding to focus on what was more important. “Okay, so now you have your reason. You and your biker buddies need to clear out.
Sal rubbed his chin, thinking. “I think there’s a way to work this to your advantage, actually. You can vacate the place and keep from pissing off the Kings.”
“Kings?” I said shaking my head.
He pointed to an emblem on his chest, the icon of a feathered tomahawk resting inside an embattled crown. “Tomahawk Kings. All those guys at the table are members. The other guys are friends in other clubs.” I started to say something but he cut me off before I could complain again about him keeping secrets. “Anyway, you could hire us.”
“Hire you?” I raised my eyebrows and leaned back in surprise.
“Istaqua—that’s the guy with the sunglasses you met earlier…He’s not going to clear out for you. If you kick him out, it’s going to cause you more trouble than it’s worth. I’m sure you’d rather put your effort toward whatever it is you’re going to do to defeat the actual bad guy, am I right?” He shrugged. “So, hire us to watch the doors or something. If people have a job, they won’t feel like you’re throwing your badge around. They’ll feel useful. And they’ll be happy to watch a good fight. Plus, it’s a show of goodwill on your part. Shows them you aren’t going to be a total hardass, that you can be reasoned with.”
The more and more he said, the more it made me worry about cutting any kind of deal with these so-called Kings. They must have been locally based. Otherwise, Sal wouldn’t have joined up. Any action I took now could have consequences that echoed through time. I had to tread carefully but I couldn’t let them think I was willing to take a bribe, either. I would have to shell out real money, my money because BSI sure as hell wouldn’t approve funds to placate a bunch of bikers.
I looked down at my watch. It was inching toward seven-thirty now, meaning time was ticking down. Creven would be here any minute. It was almost time for our real preparations to begin. Every minute I stood there, arguing with Sal over his biker friends, could cost Mara her life.
“Set it up,” I told him. “But I don’t have the cash on me.”
“I’ll tell them you’re good for it.”
I nodded and made for the door.
“Judah,” Sal called and I turned around. “Let me take you to dinner once all this shit is behind us.”
“Don’t try to wine and dine your way out of trouble,” I said pointing a finger at him. “Your name is still mud in my book.”
“You must really like the taste of mud,” he answered with a wink.
I hauled it out of the bathroom, wishing I’d at least stopped to splash some more water on my face. The whole place suddenly felt like it was on fire. I was fanning myself when I made it to the exit of the women’s room and had to pause. A big Asian guy armed with a katana was standing guard. Just a few feet away, Kandie was sitting on a folding chair, nose in the air, while another, older woman worked to patch up her face. The older woman shot a look of daggers at me between placing bandages.
The Asian guy uncrossed his arms, put them stiffly at his sides and bent himself in half. And I thought Sal was tall. This guy rivaled Sven in height. He could’ve been a pro basketball player if he didn’t look so much like a pro football player. “Agent Black,” he said and gestured with his right hand. “This way.”
Sal came out of the bathroom behind me and jogged on ahead, presumably to tell Istaqua about the deal. By the time my escort and I made it back to the VIP lounge, the mood had shifted. Kim and Robbie were in there, talking to the people at the head table. Kim was up on the table, one leg crossed over the other, leaning back on her hands and laughing. Robbie was by the door, handing out little paper coupons to the bikers who decided to file out voluntarily. Abe stood up front next to Kim, holding one side of his coat wide and gesturing to some of the spells he’d worked into the leather.
As I approached, Istaqua lowered his sunglasses. “Ah, there she is. Sal tells me you’re interested in a compromise.”
I nodded and watched my escort go and stand beside Istaqua, hand on the hilt of his sword. “I know this is an inconvenience to you. I’d like to make it worth your while. The one thing we’re short on is bodies to make sure no one goes in or out of the club that we don’t approve of.”
He placed a lit cigar in his mouth and puffed on it. “Why don’t you just call more police?”
“Because this isn’t a police matter,” I said.
“You mean because you pissed off EPD by backing his rival in the election.”
I nodded. “Then there’s that. Yeah. They kind of don’t like me much right now.”
“A fed who’s made enemies with the police…” He tapped some ash into a dish. “They say you can judge a man best by examining his enemies. I wonder if that’s true for women, too?”
I put my hands flat on the table and leaned forward. “So how about it? Will you do it or am I going to have to remove you from the premises?”
“How dangerous of a job are we talking about here?”
“It’s guarding doors. How dangerous do you think?”
“I’m not stupid, Judah Black. I know you want the place cleared to minimize civilian casualties. I respect that.” He stood. Istaqua wasn’t tall, not like Sal or Valentino, but he had a way of filling up space. “But don’t think your badge means anything to me. Money talks. I listen.”
We stared at each other for a minute before I decided to sweeten the deal. “Drinks are on me when the bad guys are down.”
Istaqua grinned. “Girl, we haven’t discussed our fee. How do you know you’ll be able to afford drinks?”
“How much then?”
He looked around. “There are seven of us here…For the standard fee plus hazard pay, we’re looking at…” He shrugged. “Twenty grand in cash.”
“Holy hell,” I said before I could stop myself. I didn’t have that kind of money and there was no way I was going to be able to pull it together, either.
“Ten grand,” Abe countered, patting his coat, and Istaqua glared at him. “You and your gang are hardly doing any work at all and it is not specialized work. I could pull any idiot off the street to do the job for half of what I am offering you.”
“Eighteen,” said Istaqua. “Not every bum on the street is going to stand his ground when whatever you’re expecting charges through those doors.”
“Fourteen. That is two grand per person for standing in a doorway all night and pretending to see nothing. It is more than you’ll make if we throw you out.”
Istaqua grinned ear to ear. “You drive a hard bargain,” he said to Abe. “But can you put your money where your mouth is?”
Abe leaned on the table. “My name is Abraham Viktor Helsinki-Upyri. I am the half-blood brother of Sora Upyri, Mistress of the Upyri clan. Money is not an obstacle.”
I couldn’t help but be a little surprised. No wonder Abe had the power to negotiate on his sister’s behalf. As the half-brother of the clan leader, he must have been pretty high ranking in their hierarchy. What, then, was he doing working for BSI? He wouldn’t be in it for the money.
Istaqua nodded. “I don’t play vampire politics, but I know that name. And I’m sure you know Marcus Kelley.”
“I’m familiar with that name, yes,” Abe answered. “But this deal is between us for a relatively small sum of money. Accept my proposal or do not. I won’t negotiate further.”
“Very well, half-blood. I accept your offer.” Istaqua turned to address me. “You have powerful friends, agent. Be careful not to make equally powerful enemies.”
“Will it affect your judgment of me?”
Istaqua chuckled and pushed up his shades. “It will shorten your lifespan considerably.”
&
nbsp; CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
We got to work turning Robbie’s office into a base of operations for the night, complete with radios, an assortment of emergency tactical gear and, of course, salt, iron and wooden stakes. The office was meant to serve as a fall back zone, a place to make a last stand if everything went south. I didn’t think we’d need it, but I’d been wrong before. A worst case scenario had Crux killing Abe and Mara both, causing the ice giant to lose his shit and just start smashing things. If that happened, my plan was to set everything on fire and get the hell out, hoping the fire took the giant down. We could play damage control later.
Once the office was set up, we went down to the main dance floor and got it ready. It was here Abe had chosen to fight with Crux, and it was easy to see why. It was the biggest room in the club, giving them both lots of room to maneuver. Robbie and I stacked the tables and chairs against the walls with some help from a few of the bikers while Abe wandered up onto the stage and sat down, letting his feet dangle over the edge. He’d offered to help, but I didn’t want him to wear himself out. After all, getting Mara back hinged on him cinching a win against Crux. If Abe lost, Crux would kill Mara, reclaim Sven and leave the country, and there was nothing I could do about it. Even if he killed Mara right in front of me and I arrested him for murder, he would wriggle out of it somehow. Crux was a snake, but he was a snake with lots of connections. He’d never see the inside of a prison cell.
Creven showed up an hour late. The elf waltzed into the area we’d just finished clearing, leaning on his stick as if he were right on time. Abe frowned at him and hopped down off the stage. “Who’s this?”
“Creven O’Caiside,” announced Creven with a slight bow of the head. “I work for Mistress Kelley as her personal bodyguard.”
I closed on Creven before Abe could and put a hand behind his back, pulling him away. “How did it go?”
The elf checked behind him, making sure we were a safe distance away from Abe, and then answered in a whisper, “I can’t help but wonder if drawing his attention is a bad idea, even if it is to help you for the moment. This fae is not like any of the others you’ve met, Judah. He’s Unseelie. Unseelie are different.”
“A little late for that warning, is it? Tell me what happened.”
Creven sighed and then shook his head. “I gave the information to an old contact in Faerie. I’m sure it’ll get back to him if he hasn’t heard it already. If he makes an appearance, it won’t be to benevolently help you destroy a giant, though, lass. His quarrel will be with Crux.”
“So long as the vampire doesn’t walk away from here Scott free and the giant goes down, I don’t care how it happens.”
“Perhaps you should,” said Creven, his forehead wrinkled.
“Don’t be so worried,” I said, slapping him on the back. “If all goes well, Abe will kill Crux in their duel and it’ll be a moot point.”
“Duel?” Creven whirled around to face Abe. “What duel?”
Abe’s response was a smirk. “Crux may be a criminal, but he’s got his honor to defend. If he’d turned me down, I never would have let him or his family hear the end of it. He’d walk around ashamed. That’s the last thing Crux needs. Besides, the last time Crux and I crossed swords, he walked away the winner. He thinks he can beat me again.”
My eyes widened and my heart thumped a little harder. “You lost to Crux before?”
Abe shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “He is significantly older and stronger than me. I was surprised only that he let me live. I suppose he believed himself so far above me I wasn’t worth killing.”
“And you didn’t think to mention that before?”
“I was eager for a rematch. Things will be different this time.”
Above us, at the top of a curved staircase, the doors opened and Kim entered. She’d changed her clothes, opting now for a simple black lace up corset, leaving her arms bare, and black pants. I didn’t see her carrying any weapons when she came in and paused on the top stair. For a minute, I was worried until she turned and beckoned someone to enter behind her. It was two someones, in fact, and they came bearing an entire arsenal bound up in heavy cloth they carried in their arms. The wore a few small shields on their back and one carried a duffel bag. The men, who could have been dead ringers for the guards the giant killed earlier, plodded down the stairs as if the heavy roll of weapons weighed nothing, placing them on the floor in front of the three of us.
Kim came down behind them and gave each of them with a pat on the back. “I didn’t know what you wanted, so I brought everything,” she said as the men unrolled the collection of weapons.
There were knives, axes, maces, broad swords and a katana or two. There was even a whip in there. Abe passed it all over, opting instead to take up a long, slightly curved saber. Its scabbard was a simple one of black and gold, but the hilt of the sword itself was more than just a curved handle. It was cylindrical and enclosed much of his hand when he gripped it. Drawing the blade and dropping the scabbard to the side, he gave it a few good practice swings, stepping back and forth.
“This will do nicely,” he announced, going to retrieve the scabbard.
I don’t personally know a lot about swords, but I thought he looked like he knew what he was doing. Creven looked worried, though.
“What if he loses?” asked the elf, leaning into me.
“He’s not going to lose,” I answered confidently.
Kim gestured for her men to pick up the rest of the weapons and take them away. Then, she turned to me. “It’s going to be difficult for you to make this exchange if Sven isn’t here,” she pointed out.
“Tindall should be bringing him any minute,” I told her. “But he’s not up to date on the situation. He wants to go back to his master, even after all Crux has done to him. I don’t get it. The guy’s totally dedicated to his abuser.”
“It’s more than that.” Kim gestured to the two men who had followed her in. “Not everyone takes good care of their people, Judah. Before BSI laid down the laws and punishments concerning the treatment of our food, there were many vampires who would leave them weak and constantly on the brink of death, unable to defend themselves. Many had no mind or will of their own and, in fact, my kind once sought out those your kind rejected and placed in asylums. They were easy prey, and you certainly didn’t miss them.”
When she beckoned to one of the men, he came over without even a hint of hesitation and stood in front of her as she continued speaking. “It’s easy to develop a preference for a type of food. We all have our favorites.” She scraped a fingernail under his chin, drawing blood. He didn’t so much as flinch. “But, feed too often on your favorite and his mind becomes mush. Pleasing you is all he comes to think about, completely. The instinct for self-preservation all but disappears. They are blind, willing slaves, all too happy to please their masters.” She brought her bloody finger back to her lips and sucked on it, shuddering before she dismissed the man. “This is what has happened to Sven. The Stryx like their food mindless, unable to resist.”
I turned my head away as she licked at the blood on her finger, my stomach doing flip flops. “That’s sick.”
“And illegal here,” Kim pointed out with a smile. “American law now requires us to see to the mental and physical health of any and all humans we feed on. The documentation we have to provide just to be able to eat is astounding.”
“With good reason.”
She conceded the point with a tilt of her head. “I didn’t say I disagreed. But some do. Personally, I think easy prey is no fun. That’s why I keep a fully stocked pantry at all times. My father taught me to be picky, proud and magnanimous with my humans. After all, without a sustainable food supply, my kind would quickly fall into war with each other over meager scraps and who wants that?”
“How pleasant for you,” I said, my gut still churning at the idea of vampires feeding on the helpless. That’s what the world would be like without BSI, what it
must have been like for anyone who knew what was really out there. Sure, BSI wasn’t perfect but it was the best idea I’d heard of so far. It was certainly better than what a lot of places had.
I looked past Kim and saw Abe chatting with Robbie, the perfect escape from standing there talking to Kim. I approached them and overheard the end of the conversation.
“It depends on what you want,” Robbie said as Abe stood by, jotting a phone number down. “But if you call the second number, ask for Jasmine. She does the kinkier stuff. Angel’s less keen on the whole biting thing.”
“I hate to ask,” I said, cringing. “But what’s going on?”
“Ah, good,” said Abe, putting away the pen and paper. “I was hoping you could do me a favor. Robbie here tells me you know a priest. He is a good priest, yes?”
My gaze shifted from Abe to Robbie and back. “Why do you need a priest?”
“For confession and last rights if needed, of course.”
I hesitated with my answer, deciding how to tackle it. “Like, a Catholic priest, right?”
“You act surprised.”
“No. I mean…I guess. I just…” I leaned forward and said in a forced whisper, “You do know the church teaches all vampires are going to hell anyway, right?”
“How many times do I have to remind you,” growled Abe through clenched teeth. “Half-vampire. Half!”
“That’s kind of a technicality, don’t you think?”
Robbie sniggered.
“Don’t laugh. I’ll take Heaven on a technicality if that is all I get.”
I sighed. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to Father Reed and bring him into this situation in any way, but I didn’t know any other priests. Any I found in a phone book or online would just refer me to Reed anyway. It was his job to give absolution to supernaturals, they’d say. Why not call him? What’s it going to hurt, I guess? I can’t fault the man for doing his job.
“Fine,” I said. “I’ll call him.”
“You’re a saint,” said Abe, patting me on the back.