Chrys took it on herself to explain. “Put your minds at ease; we have nothing to do with disco. We’re simply an offshoot of humanity; genetically bred to be superior in every way. Oh, and we have an ancient non-aggression treaty with your world that prohibits us from crushing your cities with our soul-shriveling shadow magic.”
I nodded. “Yeah, that about covers it, except for the fact that the vampire-killing Slayers were created by the Villagers.”
King’s eyes were no longer gray crystal. They flamed a bright red. “Slayers? They’re connected to these Villagers?”
King was as uninformed as his human security. I think, by now, he wished he knew a lot less than he did. I told him, “Your issues—fighting to be Master of the City—haven’t prepared you for the larger world I operate in. If you keep out of my way, and make yourself useful when needed, there’s a good chance you will hold more than just one hub—in time.”
The red light of his eyes dimmed with avarice. “You’re recruiting me?”
I shrugged. “Why not?”
King said, “From everything I’ve ever heard, you’re not to be trusted.”
I took out my phone and placed a long-distance call to L.A. The connection went through. Gloria answered. “Caine! It’s nice to hear from you. Are you back in town?”
“Sorry, no, still in Vegas. I have someone here I want you to talk to. I need a character witness. No, don’t laugh. I’m serious. I’ve got a vampire here I want you to talk to. I want him to understand that working with me is better than working against me. I want him to know that you and I have had a long-standing partnership that’s been beneficial to us both.”
“Put him on,” Gloria said.
I held out the phone.
King took the phone, asking me, “Who’s this skank?”
I widened my eyes. “You know she heard that, right?”
“Why should I care?” King asked.
In a hushed tone, I explained. “Gloria is not a made vampire. She was born that way. She is True Blood. Vampire royalty, a princess. She’ll portal into town, hunt you down, rip out your non-beating heart, and shove it up your ass. She will kill anyone who gets in her way—except me. Cause we’re friends. And I let her drink my blood upon occasion.”
“Daughter of the vampire king?” King stared at me, then at the phone in his hand. He put it to his ear and did a great deal of groveling while the rest of us drank. Eventually, with a trembling hand, he ended the call and set down the phone. I reclaimed it. He put his head down on his folded hands and shuddered. He said, “I never want to move in the circles you do. Surviving as Master of the City is probably my limit.”
I misquoted Dirty Harry. “A vampire needs to know his limitations.”
“Let me know how I can be of service. I will not hinder you,” King promised.
I smiled. “Great, I need a favor.”
His head came up. He looked at me, waiting.
“Part of the reason I’m here is because the Demon Lord Lauphram, my adoptive father, is planning to get married in your city. A couple hundred demon soldiers will be flying in. What I need you to do is to host a bachelor’s party. We’ll rent the nightclub for a night. I want you to make sure the Old Man has the time of his life. Strippers are a must.”
King’s eyes were back to glowing red again. “Do you know how much money I’ll lose, shutting down even one night?”
I looked at the phone in my hand. “I’m not good at math. Maybe I should call Gloria back, and ask her.”
King narrowed his eyes at me. “You are evil.”
“Thank you. So, we have a deal?”
“How can we not?”
I slid off my stool, leaned over him, and slapped him on the back. “Good man.” Chrys and Thule followed me outside. The thugs stayed behind to comfort their boss. I was slightly pissed that I still didn’t know what game Vivian played here. I consoled myself by counting the hundreds I’d surreptitiously plucked from King’s coat pocket, wondering how long it would take him to realize the money was gone.
FOURTEEN
“I should have remembered;
given time, everyone betrays you.”
—Caine Deathwalker
With the Old Man, Imari, and ever more security popping in, it was getting harder to find quiet for deep thinking. Fortunately, my hotel had an area where multiple levels were serviced by a pair of escalators. Staring up from the ground floor, multiple shops were visible as well as a number of quality restaurants. Izumi stood arm-in-arm with me, surveying our options.
“What are you in the mood for?” I asked.
“I’m torn between Italian and Chinese.”
“Then Japanese it is.”
Izumi stared at me. “Why ask if you’ve already made up your mind?”
“I was giving you the opportunity to be gracious. People should always think of what’s best for me. Don’t worry, this Japanese restaurant also has Chinese and American cuisine.”
“You live in such an interesting reality,” Izumi said. “Someday, it’s going to fail you.”
“I hear Tengoku No Mon has good bluetail.”
“Do they sell anything that’s cooked?”
I turned to stare into her pale eyes. “If anyone should be able to appreciate cold food—”
“Cold and raw are two different things.”
I dragged her toward the up escalator. “I’m sure they have orange chicken. These places always do. Then there’s the broccoli beef, and pork-fried rice…”
“Fine, but you’re paying.”
“You act like I’m made of money.” The escalator carried us diagonally upward, a great open space overhead, and skylights revealing the night sky.
“I happen to know about the secret vault in your Malibu mansion. I also know that as the head of your clan, you get a healthy tithe out of all clan business. Then there are your personal investments here and in Fairy—”
“Exactly who have you been talking to?”
“This lovely girl named Chrys. She was also kind enough to mention that your tattoos are gone, and that you are now able to sire children.” Izumi smiled sweetly at me. “Such wonderful news. We can get to work on getting me pregnant right away.”
My appetite evaporated.
Why the hell did Chrys spill the beans? Her own chances of getting me to knock her up go down if Izumi monopolizes my attentions. It doesn’t make sense. I’m missing something. Wait a second. If my potency is becoming public knowledge, then it’s only a matter of time before Selene finds out, too. With Chrys, Izumi, and the Red Lady in competition for my little swimmers, hell’s on the way—in a handbasket, on roller skates, with rockets attached.
Fuck!
I grabbed the sliding handrail for support.
“Caine, are you alright? If you aren’t feeling well, maybe we should skip dinner and get you directly to bed.”
Where I’ll be naked and vulnerable? No thanks.
My cock stirred in my pants, hardening despite the danger involved. I heard his voice in my head. You’re overreacting. What’s the big deal if I get off—and off, and off some more? I’m okay with that.
Shut up. I gotta think. I haven’t been in this much trouble since I tried to fuck my way through that nunnery when I was twelve. It’s not my fault half of them gave up their vows and formed that biker group: Sisters of the Road. I wonder if they’re still out there, searching for me.
We stepped off the escalator and Chrys was there, waiting. She’d changed into thigh-high black leather boots and a little black dress. Instead of the micro-clutch she usually carried, she had a full-sized purse dangling from straps on one elbow. The purse was glossy black with a diamond-stitch pattern.
“What a surprise.” Izumi said. Only there was no surprise in her voice. This was coordinated. They were working together. I felt like a lamb staked out at a tiger trap with two tigers sniffing around.
I need to stall for time.
“Joining us for dinner?” I asked Chrys.<
br />
“If you don’t mind.” Chrys eyed me like I was on the menu.
Actually, I was. Would they try something in a public place? The health department would certainly object, if we didn’t get kicked out right away.
“We don’t mind at all.” Izumi had one of my arms clutched in both of hers. Chrys fell in on the other side, taking my other arm.
Trapped. Damn this irresistible animal magnetism!
Chrys got the door. We angled through together since they refused to let go of me. They must have sensed I was going to run first chance I got.
A Japanese hostess in traditional garb greeted us, gathering up menus. “Table or booth?”
“Table,” I said. Getting hemmed inside a booth would limit my options.
“Let’s get a booth instead.” Izumi smiled at the hostess. “Some place dark and secluded.”
The hostess smiled back. “Come this way.”
Unfortunate choice of words, I thought.
My cock was quietly singing in the back of my head: Gonna get my rocks off, my rocks off. Gonna get my rocks off...
Shut up.
He ignored me, damned traitor.
I was dragged toward the back of the restaurant, to an out of the way booth half-concealed by a giant lobster tank. A sign on the tank said: PLEASE DON’T TAP THE GLASS. The lobsters had rubber bands on their claws, making them safe to handle. Their eyestalk eyes bobbed in the water as they watched me go by. There was pity in those cold stares.
I so wanted to tap the glass.
“It will be all right,” Izumi said. “Relax, and you might even enjoy yourself.”
Well, at least I still had the Glock 17 tucked in my back waistband, under my coat. I could always shoot my way free.
Sliding into the booth, Chrys went first. As I followed, I felt Izumi’s hand on my butt, sliding under my coat. She took the Glock.
“Hey! That’s mine.”
Damn. She knows me too well.
“I wouldn’t want you to go off half-cocked. You’ve fought me too long on this. Give in gracefully, damn it, or we’ll hurt you.”
Hell! All I need now is for Selene to crash the party.
As soon as I thought it, I knew it was a mistake. One should never tempt Fate. Especially me. A shudder of premonition went down my spine; somewhere in the wings, another shoe was waiting to drop. And the damn lobsters were still staring.
Izumi slid in after me.
The hostess set the menus down. “Someone will be with you soon to take your order.” She strolled away like vanishing hope.
I’ve still got my dragon strength and speed. If I have to, I can fight my way free and… Odd. I can’t seem to move. What the hell?
Chrys whispered into my ear. “Resistance is futile. Have you wondered what element my shadow magic lets me control?”
I willed my right arm to move. Nothing. It was just dead weight with the bones locked into place. I could still speak; at least my vocal chords worked. “You’re using shadow magic on me?”
She answered her own question. “Bone. I control calcium. Those mercs that I finished off at the bar where we met? I took over their bones, shattered them into a jillion shards, and made them fly apart at high velocity. Not pretty, but effective. Izumi and I are going to get what we want. Don’t doubt it for a moment.”
I am fucked. And about to get more fucked. Just one chance left to avoid fatherhood…
Izumi whispered into my other ear. “Give up. We’ve planned this quite well. And as long Chrys’ shadow magic flushes your body, you’re not going to be able to access your own shadow magic.”
Damn. Where’s a mercenary attack when I need one?
Chrys had her purse on the table. She dug inside and pulled out several specimen jars. They were white plastic and sealed. “I have permission to harvest your genetic material. I wanted to impregnate myself the old-fashioned way,” she shot a glance toward Izumi, “but apparently, that’s a deal breaker.”
Izumi said, “Once I’m with child, I will allow you indulge yourself as you wish with Caine.”
“Awful generous of you,” I muttered, “pimping me out. This is rape, you know? Where’s your moral center? No means no!”
Leaning in, Chrys’ breasts pressed against my arm. She licked my earlobe and tugged with her teeth. Her hand slid into my lap, rubbing my crotch. “Your cock seems willing to me. Is he saying no?”
My cock moaned with pleasure, hardening even more. Oh, yeah, baby, I’m yours!
I didn’t want to do it, but I was going to have to play hardball or I’d wind up with a full nursery. “Izumi…” I faked a choke, as if in terrible emotional pain. “I-I thought you loved me. This isn’t how you treat someone you love.”
Izumi’s voice trembled. “I’m sorry, Caine. If there were some other way—”
“Hang tough!” Chrys said. “You’re an ice princess. Act like it!”
“Do it, quickly!” Izumi’s breath emerged as an icy cloud as she averted her eyes.
Chrys slid under the table and positioned herself on her knees, between my legs. I now understood why she wore the thigh-high boots; this was the closest she could come to kneepads without actually having them. She opened my coat, parting it, unbuckled my belt, and unzipped me. I normally go commando, sans underwear, so I’m always ready to unleash my manhood. This gave her quick access.
She seized me, fingers wrapping tightly, and froze like a statue as a waitress walked up to the table. The white table cloth hid what was going on, or the manager might have been summoned, and a bribe paid to allow things to continue.
I tried to tell the waitress I was in trouble and to call 911, but my jaw locked up. My voice came out a muffed mystery.
Izumi smiled at the waitress. “Don’t mind him. He has Tourette syndrome. He’ll be barking like a dog next. It’s why we asked for a secluded table.”
The waitress stared at me with pity. Much like the damned lobsters. “I understand. I have a cousin who’s retarded. We can’t take him anyplace without him banging his head into a wall. It’s so embarrassing.”
Izumi said, “We’ll have sake, and two waters, the bluetail sushi, and an order of orange chicken with white rice.”
The waitress wrote it down and left.
Golden eyes opened in the back shadows of my mind. I heard the sound of churning coils as my inner dragon stirred awake. You know, if you really don’t want them to ravage you, there are still a couple things you can do.
I’d considered turning into a dragon. Having giant bones might make them less susceptible to Chrys’ control. Of course, that would destroy the restaurant, but…
Chrys’ hand pumped my cock. Highly distracting. She pushed it away and licked up the underside. She ran her tongue around the crown. My cock began to sing the Hallelujah Chorus. Also distracting.
Even my inner dragon laughed. He said: You can’t craft spells any longer, but your body is a reservoir of golden dragon magic. We already know shadow magic is weak against dragon lightning. Flowing raw magic through your bones will probably free you. But you need to hurry before…
Chrys’ head bumped the underside of the table. She pulled my butt closer to the edge of the seat. Her warm mouth enclosed me. My turgid length thrust to the back of her throat. She swallowed, deep-throating my cock. As she moved on me, her tongue slathered my cock, whirling around in a display of fellatio that spoke of years of practice. My balls tightened. Nerve endings grew ever more sensitive. As my will to fight drained away, I knew I was lost.
Damn! Too late. My inner dragon closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
My own eyes sagged shut as I moaned encouragement.
As I built toward an explosive release, Chrys pulled off me. I heard the sound of a sample container opening. And then her hot, wet mouth was back, falling upon my sword with reckless abandon. My bones were still locked in place but my muscles were jumping. My breath was fast, my pulse pounding.
My cock changed songs, dropping Handel for somethi
ng that wasn’t quite Devo: Whip me. Whip me good!
Izumi patted my hand in sympathy. “I know it’s a terrible ordeal, but bear with it.”
And then I came in a glorious rush. Waves of pleasure rolled me away. Below the table, Chrys and her specimen dishes were left to deal with the ropy spurts that surged out of my monster cock. With satisfaction, I knew she was going to be a complete cum-covered mess by the time she emerged.
Serves you right.
And still the damn lobsters stared.
FIFTEEN
“The moon bled, stars fell from the
sky, and Death laughed from the
shadows: my typical Friday night.”
—Caine Deathwalker
I saw the universe through a veil of red. No, I wasn’t angry. My cock was limp with happiness, minutes away from being functional again. The gloomy restaurant air had simply taken on a dark, bloody tinge. The same hue crept over the table. The nearby aquarium deepened. The lobsters appeared to have become imbedded in a block of red crystal.
Izumi’s stared around. “What’s going on?”
“Extra-spatial dimension,” I said. “I’ve been falling into these a lot lately.”
“A merc attack?” Her breath was a banner of white fog. Her skin layered with frost. Where she touched the table, a thin layer of ice formed.
I’d seen this red-out effect before; I knew matters were far worse than Izumi supposed. All sound in the restaurant had vanished except for our words. Chrys climbed into the seat next to me, abandoning the area under the table. She had three specimen dishes she placed on the tabletop. More cum dripped on her face and streaked her hair and dress.
I said, “I’d recommend you go to the lady’s room and make yourself presentable, but I’m not sure it’s still there.”
“What’s going on?” Chrys asked.
“You should let me go,” I told her. “The shadow magic restraints on my bones might be misconstrued as a malicious act.”
“You’d run off,” Izumi said. “And I haven’t had my turn.”
07- Black Blood Brother Page 11