"Oh, and let's not forget my crowning achievement—but, no, I don't think I'm quite ready to share that one with you all. You'll have to wait until I decide the time is right for the grand unveiling. Nice to see you again, Stone. Welcome aboard.” He aimed a jaunty salute at Shea, winked at Athena, and disappeared in a cloud of swirling color.
"That was Loki,” Shea muttered, quite unnecessarily.
"Oh, we know who Loki is,” Stone chuckled. “Out of all of you, he's probably had the most historical points of contact with humans. You could definitely say his reputation precedes him."
"He's not a bad guy,” Athena found herself objecting, “just—"
"—misunderstood? Uh-huh. You might find this difficult to believe, but I support what he's done. It'll make life particularly difficult for the run-of-the-mill government agent, and even push ‘I’ Division near to the breaking point, but if what you say is true—"
"—the human race is going to need all the loaded dice it can get,” Athena finished for him. “Our sentiments exactly."
* * * *
Loki nearly danced with joy all the way down the hall. Now that was fun, he decided. He'd thrown all of them a curve ball, all without showing what he had up his sleeve. The look on the fed's face had been priceless when he realized Loki couldn't be read. Renee's little mind shield had worked just like they'd thought it would.
As much as she'd hesitated at first in joining in his experiments, now she seemed to look forward to the next round as much as he did. With a steady supply of his blood her powers were growing exponentially. There was literally no telling what strange turn they might take next.
She'd already gained the ability to stay awake during daylight hours, even though it still seemed to be something of a strain, and she still couldn't dare the sunlight itself. Her telepathic powers were phenomenal, and just this morning she'd discovered she'd gained the ability to turn into a mist just like the legends implied.
Had it been anyone else at all Loki would never have felt comfortable allowing them to rummage around in his mind. But he'd never felt the way about anyone as he did about Renee. He trusted her implicitly, a state of affairs he'd certainly never expected to encounter. Loki trusted no one, not even himself.
But that was the old Loki. This Loki was in love—in love with a goddess. Immortality had never been so much fun, or held so much promise. Even with the shadow of the Enemy hanging over them, each day was a new adventure. Well, each evening, anyway. When he'd wanted their relationship to move to the physical level, she listened to his argument about ‘a new experiment, to test the vampire's sexual abilities and laughed long and hard afterward. He was, of course, transparent to her. He was curious, sure, but she sensed the deepening bonds of love the way few mortals could.
He strolled out of the Shea Industries building and into the parking lot, whistling some tune or another. He was on top of the world now. He couldn't imagine anything at all bringing him down. This evening they were going to go to Seattle and spend the night wandering the streets, just enjoying one another's company. He glanced up at the sun and actually felt depressed because it was still before noon—several hours before she'd be up to traveling anywhere.
The fist came out of nowhere, hitting him in the side of the head with the force of a jack-hammer. Being immortal, and astoundingly resilient, he tried to bounce back onto his feet, but for some reason he was pinned to the ground. And couldn't move. And couldn't breathe.
It took nearly ten minutes without oxygen for his starved brain to finally cut out, throwing him into a deep trance-like state that slowed his pulse and breathing rate to near stillness. Again, the immortal body's survival mechanism proved to be more than a match for what confronted it.
* * * *
Malice stared down at the unconscious immortal and giggled. That was easier than he'd expected. Now he'd get to see exactly how much punishment one of these wild immortals could take before breaking. Part of him hoped it would take years—but another part knew his orders required him to turn one of these immortals against its fellows within a matter of days. He wasn't sure how likely that would be, but he knew he'd enjoy the attempt.
* * * *
Renee arose before dusk, padding silently naked around the large, empty house. She almost wished Loki had at least a few servants, or someone else around for her to talk to when he wasn't around. She missed him terribly.
She waited for the sky to darken completely and stood on the deck overlooking the Sound, staring up at the stars as they winked on one by one. Where was Loki? He was generally home by now. She ran pale fingers through her long, luxurious hair, leaving the deck and moving slowly through the house. She found herself in Loki's bedroom, drinking in his scent.
She closed her eyes and sought him with her mind. Usually she could find him easily, just by thinking of him. She frowned. His spark seemed somehow distant, subdued, basically not normal. Loki cast a large shadow, especially for her.
She hurriedly dressed, finding a package in the bedroom filled with an assortment of clothes in just her size. A smile fled across her lips as she sorted through the clothing. He showed excellent taste.
She settled on a pair of black pants, a blue silk blouse, and a leather vest to go with the knee-high leather boots sitting in the closet next to the clothes. She snatched a set of keys off the rack by the door and slipped into the garage. Moments later she was on the move, her delicate hands wrapped around the steering wheel of the startling green Mazda Miata he'd apparently purchased for her just days before as she jigged her way through the traffic on highway 16 heading for the Narrows and Tacoma.
* * * *
Athena froze, sandwich halfway to her mouth. The small, pale, brunette woman slid into the chair opposite her and regarded her silently with large indigo eyes. She set the sandwich back on her plate and moved her mouth a few times before she could make words come out. “Loki said you were dead."
"I'm dead, and yet I move,” the mystery woman said, with a casual flip of her hand. Her voice carried just the merest hint of a southern accent. Georgia? Tennessee? Athena couldn't tell. She leaned forward, eyes seeming to whirl with some unexplained power. “Loki's in trouble. At first I thought he was dead, but I don't think that's it. He's being held prisoner somewhere in the city."
I'm dead, and yet I move? Where have I heard that before. Ah—a movie line. ‘The Crow,’ starring the late Brandon Lee. Athena gave her a sideways look. “First of all, I don't know you. I know who you are, but that's about it."
The woman sighed. “My name's Renee. You could call me Loki's girlfriend, I guess. And you are Athena—once worshipped as a goddess by the ancient Greeks, but lately a special operative for Deryk Shea of Shea Industries.
"Also, if you want to know the truth, one of Loki's favorite immortals."
Athena glanced around, assured herself no one was close enough to overhear. “Hasn't he warned you not to speak that word in public?"
Renee gave a curious tilt of her head and smiled. “No one will hear unless I wish it,” was her answer.
A shiver ran through Athena's body as she stared at this ... creature. She suddenly knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the woman hadn't exaggerated. She wasn't in any way actually alive. “What did Loki do to you?"
"You could say he made me immortal—but that's not important right now. What's important is that we must find him. He's in grave danger."
"No,” Athena said softly, “I think it is important. I need to know who—and what—I'm dealing with."
Renee affixed her with a steely glare, then relaxed into an almost shy smile. She seemed a strange contrast in herself, one moment supremely confident, the next like a sheltered girl thrust into a world beyond her grasp. “You want to know what I am? Fine.” She drew back her upper lip, revealing two dagger point canines. “Do these tell you anything?"
"Vampire?” Athena wasn't sure whether to be fascinated or horrified. She settled for both. “Did he do this to you?"
/> "Be careful with that word,” Renee hissed. “It could be more dangerous for me than my use of the word you prefer to avoid is for you.
"What Loki did was save my life. It's as simple, and as complicated, as that.” She smiled, a bit sadly, Athena thought. “Not only that, he gave me reason to be. He considers you his friend. I don't know if you feel anything like that for him, but know this—he needs your help as much as mine."
A vampire. By the Mother. Simply amazing. “Tell me, do you drink blood?"
Renee rolled her eyes. “Are you not listening to me, or is your curiosity as fierce as Loki's? I can answer your questions once we're on the move, but we need to start looking before it's too late."
Athena, you're being an idiot. She's right. Focus, wench. “All right. Where should we start?"
"Let's start at the top. Take me to meet your Deryk Shea."
Seven
"Well, boss, I'm not sure you're going to like this.” Athena said without preamble as she strolled into Shea's office. Renee followed her, a pale, silent shadow with dark eyes that seemed to take in everything.
Shea peered at her suspiciously. “What now?"
"Loki's missing, maybe captured,” she told him. “This is Renee, his ... lady friend."
Shea didn't blink. “Loki's notoriously fickle and impetuous,” he said, dismissing the suggestion he'd been kidnapped without a moment's hesitation. “You're better off without him,” he told the woman briskly. His eyes flicked back to his computer monitor.
Athena opened her mouth to object but never got the chance. Renee brushed past her and slammed her hands down on Shea's desk. “That might have been true in the past,” she said through gritted teeth, just loud enough for him to hear, “but that's not true now."
He shook his head, obviously unconvinced. “I'm sure other women thought the same thing about him."
"Believe me. I'm not like other women."
"Small, dark, pretty, in a plain sort of way. A little pale and underfed, but, yeah, you're a lot like other women.” His tone and smile both bordered on insulting.
"Deryk. Don't be an ass. Do you really think I would've brought her here if I didn't think this was different?” Athena gave him a pointed look over Renee's shoulder. Or do you think I'm that stupid?
He considered this for a moment. “Okay. Suppose for a moment I do accept that he's been somehow snatched right off the street. I seriously doubt it, but I'll give you at least that much. What do you propose we do about it?"
"We track him down and kick his captor's butt,” Renee answered firmly. “What else is there to do?"
"Who is this woman?” he asked Athena blankly.
"She's the secret Loki's been keeping,” she growled in response. “And on hell of a big one at that. Deryk, she knows all about us. I doubt there's anything he hasn't told her."
"What? He knows the rules. He can't just—"
"—I think you'll agree he was well within his rights to do so in this case. Renee, if you please?"
Obviously deciding a display of her fangs wouldn't be enough, she did a disappearing act, transforming into mist in a swirl of moist wind. He stared at the space she had been with a slack expression. “She's not one of us,” he stated firmly.
He would know. He had the image of every immortal who'd traveled here on the Mythrender locked up in that amazing brain of his.
Athena shook her head. “No, she's not one of us. She's one of Loki's experiments."
Renee rematerialized behind Shea and lightly tapped him on the shoulder. He barely reacted, simply turning his gaze on back to Athena after a single brief glance back. “Nice trick. What do you mean, one of Loki's experiments?"
"Renee was dying. Loki wanted to make her into one of us. You know how he is. He did it basically to see if he could. He failed, but ... well ... this was the result."
He shook his head. “I must be missing something."
"Obviously you don't spend near enough time watching bad late-night television,” Renee interjected with a grimace. She eyed Athena over his shoulder. “Should I just bite him?"
"Uh—don't think that's a good idea. He'd probably taste bad."
The conversation broke off abruptly as Stone came skidding through the doorway. “Deryk—I just got a call from one of our precogs. Loki's been taken."
Shea straightened. “I heard,” he replied casually.
The fed frowned, scanning the three of them. “I don't understand. How could you possibly have...” His gaze settled on Renee. “I don't believe we've met.” His hand had extended halfway into position when his eyes grew wide. He gasped, jerking his hand back. “You! Deryk, she's the one who was shielding Loki!"
Renee's lips sketched a tiny smile. “And what level telepath am I, Ian Stone?"
He drew back, eyes widening in horror. “Deryk—do you have any idea what she is?"
"We were just getting to that,” Shea grumbled, leaning back in his chair. “Before we were so rudely interrupted."
"She's not really alive,” Stone said, in a voice not much louder than a whisper. “My God. On our scale she'd rate an eleven."
"Only an eleven?” Somehow Renee seemed a bit disappointed by that.
"The scale is figured exponentially,” the Fed explained, eyeing her warily. “A level eleven is twice as powerful as a ten, which is twice as powerful as a nine, which is twice as powerful as an eight. She stands about eight times above Bladesworth's power."
Shea just stared at him. “What do you mean, she's not really alive?"
"I'm not sure. It struck me out of the blue.” Stone made his way around her carefully, not taking his eyes off her for a second. “What can you think of that seems alive, but isn't?"
"This is getting old,” Renee hissed. “Loki's in trouble and you idiots can't see what's staring you in the face. Do I have to hit you with a copy of Bram Stoker's ‘Dracula’ to make it any clearer? I'm a fucking vampire!"
"That's ridiculous,” Stone and Shea said in unison. “There's no such thing as vampires,” Stone stated firmly.
"There is now,” she snapped. “I'm the first."
"That makes no sense,” Stone argued. “How can legends exist for something that didn't come into being until now? Are you sure you're a vampire?"
"Are you sure you're conscious?” she growled in disgust. “Let me see. I drink blood, need SPF one million sun block to go outside during the day, and, if I'm not careful, I would turn a mortal into the same thing as me if I bite him. What the hell does that sound like to you?"
Stone froze. “You've done this to another mortal?"
She nearly flinched, but only Athena saw it. “We had to know, didn't we?"
Stone drew himself up. “Where is he?"
She shook her head. “Uh-uh. I'm not telling you so your ‘I’ Division lackeys can descend on the place and spirit him away. I will not have you making your own vampires. I may not be able to maintain control over this for long, but I'll damn sure choose my own time-table while I still can."
Stone didn't like that at all. Expecting at least some measure of support from Shea, he shook his head in dismay when the head immortal shot him down. “I'm not backing you on this, Stone. I don't know the lady, but Athena seems to support her, so I'm going to have to rely on her judgment. There are some secrets too powerful to simply hand over to the government, and I happen to believe that this is one of them.” The look in his eyes as he regarded Renee seemed to say he wasn't sure anyone at all should have this power, but he said nothing.
Stone seemed inclined to argue, but one look at the steely determination on Shea's face convinced him of the futility. He settled for a shrug and what appeared to be a silent resolve to win the next one. “Well, if we can't have that,” he said with a sudden grin, “we'll have to settle for Loki owing us one. So what's our first move?"
* * * *
"Our first sighting of the Enemy agent was here at the mall,” Athena said, sticking a pin in the large city map taped up on the corkboard. “T
he encounter with Bladesworth was here—” she placed another pin “—in Lakewood on Lakeview Drive, close to the Clover Park campus.
"It's not much to go on, but it's a start. I'm tempted to assume he's holed up somewhere on the south end."
"That's still a lot of ground to cover,” Stone grumbled, leaning back against Shea's desk. “Are you getting anything more concrete?” he asked Renee. Once he'd gotten past their initial conflict over control of the vampire virus, he had seemingly settled into thinking of her as just another member of the team. Better than Shea was doing, as a matter-of-fact.
She just shook her head, looking even more miserable. “I don't know how he's managing it, but he's shielding Loki better than I could have imagined. I'm getting a wide, diffused signal. Usually I can pinpoint his location within inches."
"Sounds like some sort of device, not the result of an inherent talent,” Shea observed. “Wouldn't even take much—just some sort of broad-band blanket transmitter that used the telepathic frequencies."
Stone nodded. “That would be my guess. There does seem to be some kind of electro-magnetic basis to telepathy, though it generally isn't restricted to what we think as the normal rules of space and time."
Athena found, much to her disquiet, that she hadn't really understood a word of that. Apparently the psychic version of techno-babble. Great, something else I won't be able to follow. “So it seems we're going to have to do this the old-fashioned way."
"In a manner of speaking, yes.” Stone turned back to Renee. “Some legends have it that vampires have extremely sensitive senses of smell. Is this true?"
She nodded. “Seems to be. I know I can smell blood quite a ways away."
"How about a person—say, Loki?"
"You want me to act as a bloodhound?” She thought about it. “It might work, especially if I try to integrate that sense with my telepathic readings."
"Hey—I just thought of something. What about Hermes? He seems to have an uncanny ability to find people."
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