by Shéa MacLeod
Inigo joined me outside the club. He had lipstick smeared on his collar and his lips looked a bit swollen. “Lucky bitch,” I said, giving him the once over. He threw his head back and laughed.
“Gee, thanks Morgan. You’d probably get some, too, if you bothered to stop and smell the roses once in awhile.”
“Whatever.” I didn’t like to think about my lack of success in relationships with men. It was pathetically Freudian and I knew it. Didn’t need to go into a whole song and dance about it. “Sense anything, lover boy?”
He shrugged. “Not much. She gave me tinglies.”
I blinked. “Excuse me?” My mind was suddenly going places it really shouldn’t go. At least not with Inigo.
“Good ones. Cordelia gave me a good vibe. I think she’s somebody we should keep around.”
I shook my head. “We’ve already got a friendly neighborhood clairvoyant. We don’t need two of them.”
He chuckled. “She’s not clairvoyant. Well, not exactly. She’s a lot more than that. She’s sort of a … a mystic, I think.”
“Right, OK. Fine. Whatever.” I pulled one of the business cards out of my pocket and handed it to him. “She said this Eddie guy can probably help us find the Sunwalker. It looks like he runs some kind of mystic mumbo jumbo shop.”
“You’re a fine one to talk about mystic mumbo jumbo.” Inigo raised a brow at me. “You’re not exactly an average, ordinary human type yourself.”
“True. But I’m not about to start burning incense and dancing naked in the moonlight.”
He gave me one of those head to toe gazes that men give women they find particularly tasty. “Too bad.”
“Pervert,” I laughed. There was no way I was admitting that the thought of Inigo watching me dance naked in the moonlight was practically giving me a hot flash.
“Tease.”
“OK, can we be serious for a minute? We need to talk to this guy, find out what he knows, even if he is a loon,” I insisted.
“OK, but you’ll have to go alone. I know this place. It’s a strictly day time operation. And you know how I feel about getting out of bed before 6pm.”
“Right. I’ll hit the shop tomorrow then while you’re getting your beauty rest.”
He reached out and caressed my cheek. Sent a shiver all the way down my spine. Now I was the one with the tinglies. “You should think about getting some yourself. You’re looking a bit tired.”
“Gee, thanks,” I said dryly. “Just what every girl wants to hear. Some young stud muffin telling her she looks tired.”
He smirked. “So, you think I’m a stud muffin, huh?”
“Oh, shut up. Kabita would kill me if she heard us having this conversation.”
“What Kabita doesn’t know won’t piss her off,” he grinned. “C’mon. I got plenty of room for two.” He waggled his eyebrows at me.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Inigo, you are way too young for me.”
He just smirked some more. “Twenty-four is not that young. I’m certainly old enough for what counts.” His grin turned unbelievably lascivious and my mind went straight to some very naughty places.
Great, just what I needed. Out of control hormones in the middle of a hunt. And it wasn’t Inigo’s out of control hormones I was worried about. “Oh, yes, I’m sure you’re very, ah, good in that department. But I’m very busy and important and don’t have time for your nonsense,” I said loftily and I stomped off down the street. When in doubt, a grand exit was always appropriate. Especially when one was trying desperately not to jump one’s best friend’s cousin’s bones.
Dear gods, I was in some serious trouble.
***
It was just gone 2:30 a.m. when I got home. I stripped down to my underwear, yanked on a T-shirt, and crawled into bed. I was starting to think I was getting way too old for this shit.
Granted, twenty-nine wasn’t that old. It’s like the new nineteen, right? But I’d been hunting vampires for three years now and it never got any easier. In fact, it seemed like the more of these things I killed, the more new ones popped up.
And now this whole Sunwalker thing. As if my life wasn’t weird enough, I was suddenly on the hunt for a mythical creature that supposedly hadn’t existed, if it ever existed at all, for hundreds of years. Great. Just great.
To top that off, I had some mystic palm reader telling me that the guy I was supposed to execute might not be a bad guy, after all. Wasn’t quite sure I bought that. I mean, a vamp was a vamp, even if he could walk around in daylight. I know about all of the fairy tales Hollywood likes to produce about the sexy undead, but the truth was, vamps would just as soon eat you as do anything else with you. The bloodlust was all consuming. I’d never met a vamp where it was otherwise. How could a Sunwalker be any different?
I jerked the fluffy duvet up to my chin and stared at the ceiling. If Sunwalkers did exist, then how on earth did one kill them? And why would a centuries old vampire that could walk around in daylight steal a worthless necklace from some rich guy? I was starting to think there was a lot about this case that wasn’t going to make any sense.
So many questions and not a lot of answers. In fact, the further into this thing I got, the more questions I seemed to have.
I let out a sigh. Sometimes I wished I was back living my old life, before the vampire attack that changed everything. Just doing the day to day thing at a regular nine to five job. Going about life doing all the normal ordinary things that normal ordinary people did.
Then again … naw! I wouldn’t miss this for the world.
I fell asleep with a smile on my face and dreamed of a man with golden skin, eyes like the ocean and a mouth made for sin.
***
I was up to my armpits in dirt. Digging was hot, dirty work, plastering strands of long, dark hair to stubbled cheeks. I swiped a forearm across a sweaty brow. Two of my fellow knights worked beside me, their dark eyes gleaming with excitement in the torchlight.
We were all convinced there was something under the Temple, something of great value. Some said it was the Ark of the Covenant. Others whispered rumors it was the lost writings of Mary Magdalene. Whatever it was, if we could find it, it would change everything and bestow on our Order power greater than that of kings and even the Church.
My shovel went through the floor, chunks of dirt falling through to another level below. There was a cavern under there. I gave a shout to my brother knights and we all began digging furiously. “Bring a light!” Torches were brought and the three of us clambered down into the cavern below, leaving our falchions behind in our haste.
It was a small, naturally formed cave. The walls were painted with brightly colored murals depicting, at a brief glance, a terrible battle. The cavern was otherwise completely empty except for two corpses in the middle of the room.
I cautiously approached the bodies, followed by my fellows. The two bodies lay sprawled across the floor, one cradling the other like a child. One was nothing but bones, ancient beyond belief, and dressed in some sort of armor. The other …
The other looked as though he’d died just hours ago. His body was perfect, though his clothes were rotted nearly to dust, and he cradled the bones of the dead warrior like a child. In his hands he clutched an amulet. It appeared to be made of gold, but dulled by age and dust. One of the others leaned down to pick it up. Some part of my brain screamed at me.
“No, stop!”
It was too late. The corpse became horribly and suddenly alive, fangs I hadn’t noticed before sinking deep into my brother knight’s neck. The living corpse dropped the nearly dead knight and grabbed the next, rearing back to strike again. The screams were hideous and chilled me to the marrow.
I ran for the ladder leading up to the entrance to the cavern and my sword, but it was too late. I felt the fangs enter my neck like needles of red fire, the blood draining from my body as surely as my life drained away. Strangely, at the same time my life left my veins, I felt something enter and begin growing inside me, a living thing.
As panic surged through me, I tried again for the cavern entrance, but my body had no strength. I slumped to the floor and the world went black.
***
I sat bolt upright in bed, fighting with the duvet which had managed to wrap itself around my legs. Shit, shit, shit. I glared blearily at the clock. 4 a.m. Way too early.
I flopped back down on my pillow and touched my neck with the tips of my fingers. Smooth skin. No blood. Gods, it had felt so real.
It was like reliving my own attack. Except that’s not how it happened. I hadn’t been digging in an underground tunnel by torchlight. There hadn’t been two corpses, only the one vampire. And I’d never held a falchion sword in my life. I certainly wasn’t male. Or a knight.
I rubbed my nose. This was way too weird. Just a dream, that’s all. A really weird dream. I shut my eyes and willed myself back to sleep. It was a long time coming.
***
Majicks and Potions was on the northeast side of town, sandwiched in between a used car lot and a burger joint. It was a ramshackle building with a huge Third Eye painted dead in the middle of the wall above the entrance and arcane symbols in day-glo colors scattered around the rest of it. It looked like it had barely survived an attack by spray paint.
The bell above the door jangled merrily as I entered the shop. That, at least, was normal. Nothing else was. Row upon row of shelves lined the room, jammed with crystals, colored glass bottles, bowls of candles, and gods knew what else.
The place reeked of incense and the stereo system was playing something I was pretty sure was a pan flute and wind chimes. Maybe even a gong in there somewhere. Chinese/Andes fusion gone horribly wrong. I like fusion music, but I wasn’t sure you could call this music. I winced as a dulcimer was added to the mix.
The shop was otherwise empty. No customers and no Eddie. Not even a bell to ring for service, so I decided to wander. There was a second room toward the back. It, at least, looked somewhat normal. Books, mostly, and a few packs of tarot cards, some CDs, DVDs and other knickknacks. The books were all on various spiritual and magical topics. I picked one up. Sex Majick: Majickal Spells and Potions for a Fulfilling Sex Life.
Hmm. Now there was something that might come in handy, if I actually had someone to have a sex life with. I slid the book back onto the shelf.
Maybe there was something in here about Sunwalkers. Doubtful, but one never knew. I quickly scanned the shelves. There was an entire section on mythical creatures. Lots of stuff on vampires. Most of it utter rot. Nothing at all on Sunwalkers. Too bad.
There were two doors along the wall to my right. I turned the knob on the first and pushed the door open carefully. Toilet. Always good to know where the nearest toilets were.
The second door led to a storeroom. Instead of the antique wood shelves out front, back here they were cheap metal and filled with boxes of unpacked goods. There was a proper work desk stacked high with books and papers, nearly drowning a PC that looked at least 10 years out of date.
Still no Eddie. I was starting to get a little concerned. People didn’t just open up their shops and then leave. So, either Eddie was bloody stupid, or something was wrong. Maybe he knew I was there and was hiding or something. Yeah, right. I was so scary. I gave myself a mental head slap.
I cleared my throat. “Ah, Mr. Mulligan? Eddie Mulligan? Cordelia Nightwing sent me. Eddie, are you here?”
A head popped down from the ceiling. I nearly let out a yelp. Fortunately for my sense of self-respect as a badass vampire-hunter, I held it back.
“Oh, hey,” said the head. “Didn’t hear anyone come in. Cordy sent you, huh? Haven’t seen her in a while. Crystal ball must be working a treat. Be right down.” The head disappeared before being replaced by a pair of feet, followed by legs, and then the rest of what I presumed was Eddie Mulligan.
He dropped to the floor and turned to face me, dusting his hands off on his trouser legs. He was short. A good five inches shorter than me, and I wasn’t exactly tall. A fringe of curly gray hair surrounded a cherubic face, set off with a burgundy bow tie at his throat, which unfortunately clashed with his mustard yellow vest and olive green pants. He was either color blind, or he liked to make an impression.
“Mr. Eddie Mulligan?”
“Yep, that’s me,” he said, holding out his hand.
I took it. His grip was firm but not hard. The grip of a man secure in himself and at one with the world. Cordelia was right. I could sense the gift in him as surely as I’d sensed it in her.
Eddie Mulligan was no ordinary human. “So, how can I help you? If Cordy sent you, it must be important,” he said, leading me out to the front of the shop.
“It is,” I assured him. “I’m looking for … well, a Sunwalker.” I was embarrassed to even say it out loud.
He went utterly still for a moment then let out a little laugh. “Good one. Sunwalkers are extinct.”
“So, they did exist then?” I was on the right track, from the sound of things.
“Oh, yes indeed. Once upon a time.” He waved me to the front counter before ducking behind it.
“Can you tell me about them?”
His gaze was sharp on me, measuring me, judging me. Then with a little nod, he lifted a package wrapped in silk from behind the counter. He carefully unwrapped it to reveal an ancient book complete with leather cover and brass fittings. It was kind of what I always imagined the Doomsday book would have looked like.
“All right,” he said with a gentle smile, opening the cover, “let’s see what this little baby has to say about your Sunwalkers.”
He flipped through the pages, sending dust flying everywhere. I sneezed. “Oh, sorry,” he gave me an apologetic smile. “I don’t consult the book too often. Most people are more worried about your average, run of the mill vampires, werewolves, that sort of thing. Not much call for Sunwalker info.” I wondered just exactly what sort of clientele Eddie Mulligan catered to. It was very rare that I ran across a civilian who knew such creatures were real. One who wasn’t bat shit crazy, anyway.
“Okay.” He stopped at a page with a sketch of a handsome, muscular man. He looked human, but it was obvious he wasn’t. The fangs sort of gave it away.
“That’s a Sunwalker?” He looked suspiciously like the guy I’d dreamed about last night, the knight with the ocean eyes.
“Yes, indeed,” he grinned up at me. I noticed his eyes were a slight almond shape. Might explain the huge section of books on Chinese folklore and dragons. I really hoped I wouldn’t need his help with any dragons.
“What does it say?”
His fingers ran down the page. “All right, according to legend, the Sunwalker is essentially a vampire that is able to withstand daylight.”
Great. I knew that much.
He continued, “It also says they are descendants of an ancient race that was destroyed long ago.”
“Does it say who they were? The ancient race, I mean.”
He shook his head. “No, it says nothing about this ancient race. Very interesting. I wonder … In any case, it says the last of the Sunwalkers was killed during the 1300s when the King of France slaughtered the Knights Templar.”
I blinked. That was not something I’d expected. “Excuse me? Did you say Knights Templar?” I swallowed hard. Surely my dream about the knight was just a coincidence.
“Yes, apparently the Knights were in league with the Sunwalkers. Protected them, something like that. The gods only know. In any case, when the Templars were killed off, so were the Sunwalkers. Not a single one has been seen in over 700 years.” He shut the book with a thump, sending up another dust cloud.
I sneezed again. “But I thought some of the Knights survived the Purge?” They certainly never mentioned Sunwalkers when they were talking about the Knights Templar in history class.
He shrugged and wrapped the book back up in its silk covering. “That’s the rumor, but no one really knows. It was such a long time ago. Records have been lost, truths have been cove
red up.” He frowned as he stuffed the book back under the counter. “I would have thought, though, that this book would tell the truth. It usually does.” His face brightened. “Then again, it has a mind of its own, most days.”
Riiiiight. “Sure. But theoretically, if some of the Knights Templar survived, a Sunwalker could have survived, too, right?”
He gave me a rather shrewd look. “Theoretically, yes. If any Knights truly survived, it’s entirely possible a Sunwalker could have survived as well, though one would have thought that there would be rumors of such a thing.”
“You don’t think he would have gone underground for 700 years?”
He laughed. “I wouldn’t have thought so.” He grew thoughtful. “Then again, the bloodlust could have been disguised as a vampire attack, if Sunwalkers have such a thing as bloodlust. And if he’d been careful not to turn anyone, then it would be less noticeable. No one’s exactly sure how the Sunwalker ability was passed, or if it could be passed. Some think they were an entirely different species from vampire, though the book says otherwise.”
I sighed. “Right, so how do I find this guy, if he exists? Look up Sunwalkers in the Yellow Pages? Take out an ad in the Oregonian, better yet, the Willamette Week? ” I named the two biggest newspapers in Portland.
He threw his head back and laughter spilled in waves. There was almost a magic to it. Certainly nicer on the ears that whatever he was playing on the stereo. “Now that would be interesting, but no, I don’t think it works that way.”
“What then?”
He stroked his lower lip. “Well, you obviously won’t be able to count on the usual vampire haunts, seeing as how, if he exists, he can walk around in daylight.” This guy really knew how to state the obvious. “Your idea might not be that bad after all.”
“What, taking out an ad?”
He chuckled. “Maybe not that exactly, but something similar. Imagine you are an ancient, mythical creature that’s been able to hide out for centuries without detection. Then some nosy person comes along and starts blabbing all over about looking for you. You might get a little nervous that her investigation would be heard about in certain circles, putting your very existence in jeopardy. What would you do about it?”