by Leo Romero
I paid, leaving a nice tip for the waitress and straightened my leather coat. Although I was here on business, I knew there were vampires around who might consider my presence an intrusion. Fallen angels weren’t exactly welcome around here. We were light magic users, and the light magic had a similar effect on vamps as the actual sun itself. Although less devastating, it still hurt them. That was good for me in an emergency, but for them it was a pain in the ass. If they felt threatened, they could easily gang up on us. Excalibur, Bam Bam and the Deck of Death would be formidable against them, but when they came at you in packs, it was like hyenas surrounding a lion. You could get outnumbered easily.
I kept my wits about me as I strode through the streets of Chinatown. All around us, Chinese symbols spoke to me in an alien tongue, the aroma of ducks roasting in restaurant windows tantalized my nostrils, buildings shaped like traditional Chinese temples graced my vision with their elegant beauty. Beyond it all, the dark skyscrapers of the Loop dominated the skyline, watching over Chinatown like sentries.
Aurora skipped along behind me, gazing left and right, the lights reflecting in her irises. She was starting to take in the all the sights, the hidden world standing right alongside the real world like a shadow. Well, things were about to get that much stranger.
I moved past more restaurants, eyes suddenly on me like flies. I could feel them working me from the shadows. Every person I passed could be one of them. I caught weird stares, some friendly, some very unfriendly. Vamps could mask their true form just like shifters and ghouls. They could look like anything from a sweet, little old lady, to a supermodel. From an innocent kid to a wily hustler. I made sure to stay in the lights, my hands hovering by my sides in case I needed to whip out a weapon to defend myself. Innocent human tourists shuffled by, their eyes brimming with awe at the lights and exotic food on offer, totally oblivious to what was really going on beneath the veneer. The supernatural was staring them right in the face, yet they didn’t have the eyes to see.
I turned the corner and came to a stop. My eyes fell on the four-story green and red pagoda at the end of the street. It dominated the whole area, the importance of it obvious. It was the triad HQ. I took a deep breath and headed for it, my head bowed. Aurora darted up to my side.
“Let me do the talking,” I told her in a quiet voice.
Her response was to mimic zipping up her mouth. We neared the pagoda’s shadow and I noted the two goons on the door in sharp suits and shades. They stood there like statues, the surrounding lights reflecting off their shades. I felt my hands curl up into fists of their own accord. Old habits die hard. As we drew closer, one of the goons left his post and came marching up to me. He was sporting some nice bite marks on his neck. He put a hand right on my chest. I looked up from the hand to his shades.
“What do you want?” he asked in a stone-cold voice.
“I’m here to see Ming.”
He wagged a finger across the air. “No one sees her.”
I sighed. “Tell her Gabriel Stone is here to see her on business.”
The guy flinched back as if he’d been zapped. Without hesitation, he got on his radio. While he spoke in Chinese, ‘Gabriel Stone’ the only words I understood, I gazed up at the pagoda. The lights on the top floor burned. Good, she’s up.
Next thing I knew, the front door burst open and a whole bunch of goons came racing out. I sighed. Oh boy, looks like she hasn’t forgotten.
I placed a hand on Aurora’s shoulder and shoved her back behind me. She went with a small yelp. “Get ready,” I said to her as the first of the goons reached me. I threw open my jacket, letting them get a good look at Excalibur and Bam Bam. “Uh-uh, gentlemen!” I said. “Not so fast!”
They came to a stop in a semi-circle around me. I eyed them all at once. They were indekit guys. Suits, shades, bite marks on their necks. Fanged up to the eyeballs on Ming’s special drug.
Behind me, Aurora was cowering, clutching my jacket. “Gabe...”
“Just stay cool,” I replied, my stare not leaving the goons. “I’ll handle this.”
I wiggled my fingers on the air, ready to pull out Excalibur and Bam Bam and go to work. One of them stepped forward and I grabbed hold of Excalibur’s hilt. Aurora started with a squeak.
The guy threw up a palm and I froze. “Ming will see you,” he said. “But only if you hand over your weapons.”
“No deal,” I replied, my hand still clutched on Excalibur’s hilt.
A twitchy grin spread up the goon’s cheeks. “Then, you no see Ming.”
I looked em over. I was outnumbered ten-fifteen to one, but I’d have no trouble taking em down, as they were human. I never liked killing humans and it was against Divine Law, which would score me negative points with the Big Kahuna if the Enforcers found out about it, and they’d definitely find out about this many deaths. And besides, these guys were brainwashed. They were playthings for Ming, mere henchmen who she’d replace in the blink of an eye if need be. I decided it was best to play along.
“Okay, you win,” I said with a sigh. I unsheathed Excalibur with a sharp shwing! sound to a round of gasps.
“Ah, the freedom of the outdoors!” Art said once he was exposed to the night.
I gave the immaculate blade one last look before turning it toward me and offering the goon the remainder of the hilt. With a nonchalant grin, he grabbed hold of it. I let go. Both Excalibur and the guy dropped to the concrete.
I shrugged. “You wanted my weapons,” I said as I pulled out Bam Bam.
“What’s all the ruckus, sugar?” asked Bam Bam.
“Nothing, Alabama. Just play it cool till I come back.” I held out Bam Bam to another of the goons, who stared warily at it from behind his shades. He looked down at his buddy who was straining with all his might to lift Excalibur from the ground. “It’s all right, pal,” I said. “The gun ain’t heavy.” The goon licked his lips and reached out for Bam Bam’s handle with a trembling hand. He took hold of her.
“Ooh, cold hands! Brr!” said Bam Bam.
The goon looked from her to me, his mouth turned downward. I let go and he pulled away, Bam Bam held up in his grip.
“See?” I said.
Meanwhile, three goons were now all trying to lift Excalibur from the ground to no avail. Aurora chuckled.
“Normies,” I said out of the corner of my mouth toward Aurora.
Aurora nodded. “Uh-huh. Normies.”
“Unhand me, barbarians!” Art demanded as the goons tried with all their might to lift him from the ground. No divinity, no go. Excalibur remained glued to the ground, weighing a ton for these guys.
The goon holding Bam Bam held out his free hand. “Cards!” he demanded.
With a hot sigh, I pulled out my Deck of Death and handed them over. The goon took a deep breath and reached out for them. I pulled them back at the last moment and he recoiled. I grinned. “Be careful with these, they’re more dangerous than TNT.”
The goon shook his head briskly. “Follow me!” He snatched them off me and spun away in a huff and marched to the pagoda entrance.
I glanced back at Aurora. “Follow me!” I said, mocking the asshole, and headed for the pagoda. She followed up, still clutching my coat. We breezed past the other goons still trying to lift Excalibur. Now there was five of them, all straining and groaning, their hands running along the blade.
“Release me, fiends!” Art shouted.
“It’s okay, Art,” I said as I went by. “I’ll come and get’cha soon.”
I left them behind to bicker and strain and reached the pagoda entrance. I stepped up to the open door and a shiver coursed through me. Without my weapons, I felt naked, vulnerable like a newborn baby. I still had light magic as a last resort, which could incapacitate any vamps long enough for me to make an escape. I prayed things didn’t go south.
I breached the threshold and entered a stylish interior, no expense spared. Ornate pillars etched with golden dragons held up the ceiling from which hung exqu
isite multi-colored lanterns. Elaborate carvings of gold and mahogany adorned the walls. Vampires sat with their victims on luxurious couches, spellbinding them with their hypnotic stares before they fed upon their blood. Soft giggles intermixed with traditional Chinese music filled the air. It was a den of pleasure. As I looked around, the aroma of incense hit my nostrils and my nose twitched. A spiral staircase led up to the next floor. The goon holding Bam Bam and my Deck of Death paced up them and we followed, leaving the vampires and their victims behind.
We were led all the way up to the top floor where a pair of blinds blocked us. The goon slid them open, revealing the room beyond. Low-lit overhead lanterns afforded the chamber a dimness that my eyes had to adjust to. More plush furnishings greeted us. A giant fish tank lined a whole wall. What looked to me like baby sharks swam around, sleek and dangerous. A chic rockery had been set up against an adjacent wall, complete with running water, the trickle pleasant in my ears. In the center of the room was a large desk decorated with various trinkets: small statues, bamboo plants, another small fish tank with a single Siamese fighting fish loitering inside.
Ming sat behind the desk, her fingers interlocked, her gaze fixed on us, hawk-like. No, cobra-like. A predatory smile sat on her thin, red lips. She was wearing a tight-fitting Chinese style dress, exposing the exotic tattoos spread across her chest. Pearls adorned her ears. Her luxurious hair shone under the overhead lights like velvet. Her black eyes glimmered with intelligence, cunning and beauty in equal measure. She was dangerously attractive, especially if you were a human who caught her eye or she caught the heady scent of your blood. Her gaze remained fixed on us as if she was about to pounce.
The goon went and placed my weapons down on her desk and whispered something to her.
Ming didn’t move or even twitch. Her stare remained on me like glue. When the goon was done, she flipped a hand toward us. “Leave!” she said without even looking at him. And he did without hesitation. He marched past us, his head bowed. He slid the blinds shut and then we were alone. I took a dep breath and straightened my jacket. Next to me, Aurora was trembling. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea to bring her in here with me, but leaving her out there with those dogs and vamps loitering around was probably just as bad. The following five minutes or so would tell me if I’d made the best decision.
Ming sat there in that same pose, that same faint smile on her lips, her fingers interlocked, her dark eyes gleaming.
I cleared my throat. “Ming,” I said in a friendly tone, putting on a grin. I held my hands out to the sides. “Love what you’ve done with the place.”
“Sit down,” came Ming’s curt reply, her body unmoving.
Two chairs awaited us on the opposite side of the desk. I glanced from them to Aurora. “Follow my lead,” I said quietly to her before I led her deeper into the chamber, the sound of running water dominating the airwaves. As I approached that desk, my fight or flight response became lubricated with adrenaline. The thing sitting on the opposite side wasn’t what it seemed. I knew my half-angel blood would be like manna from Heaven on its tongue. If it got a chance to pull on my veins, it wouldn’t hesitate. And I was unarmed. Bam Bam sat on Ming’s desk, tantalizing me. Maybe I could snatch her up if need be. Even though the standard slugs she was loaded with wouldn’t hurt a vampire, they’d hopefully hold her back long enough for me to escape. I glanced back at Aurora. Her eyes were busy darting left and right as if she could see ghosts in the walls. She was taking pigeon steps, trepidation no doubt worming its way through her limbs. You wanted to see the world, kiddo, well, here it is.
I reached the chairs and the scent of Ming’s perfume hit my sinuses. It was sweet, intoxicating. But a lie. Vampires gave off a rancid stench when in their true form. Peat bogs mixed with long dead, fly-infested roadkill. And that was on a good day.
I put on a smile and reached out for a chair. “Thanks for the entry, Ming.” I pulled out the chair and offered it to Aurora. She hesitated. “Sit,” I said through the clenched teeth of my overly enthusiastic grin. Aurora took the hint and sat her cute ass down. I shoved the chair toward the desk and she went with a yelp.
I took my seat and lounged back, trying to play it cool, but actually wanting to shrink away from Ming as much as I could without it being obvious. Bam Bam stared up at me from her desk. My eyes flicked from her to Ming. She was still smiling, her fingers interlocked. Beyond her, the razor teeth of a shark were visible over her shoulder.
I clapped my hands with enthusiasm. “Well, long time no see. You look...fabulous as ever.” I almost choked on my words, but managed to get them out.
She shook her head. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Stone.”
I shrugged. “It’s worth a try.”
Ming grinned wider, revealing a pair of perfectly formed fangs. I felt Aurora twitch in her seat. I placed a surreptitious hand on her thigh and she instantly batted it away. I gave her a peeved look. Man, I was trying to calm her down and she thought I was hitting on her. Her eyes were suddenly erupting with both fear and anger at the same time. I briskly shook my head. Hey, it’s not like that, just calm down!
“Your friend looks slightly perturbed,” Ming noted.
I flipped a hand on the air. “Ah, she always looks like that, don’t sweat it.”
Ming licked one of her fangs. “Hmm. So, what brings you here, Mr. Stone? I thought I made it clear on your last visit that you’re not welcome in Chinatown any longer.”
“Come on, Ming. You’re not still angry are you? I’ve told you and your guys over a million times it was all a misunderstanding. I can’t help being the world’s best poker player.”
Her eyes momentarily flashed with anger. “And how is Lo Pan?”
I shrugged. “He’s called Godzilla these days. And yeah, he’s cool.”
“You know I should have you castrated for stealing him from me.”
I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t steal him and you know it. I won him fair and square.”
She gave me a dark glare, her eyes appearing to ignite with blood. “Mr. Stone, the words ‘won’ and ‘fair’ in the same sentence will never apply to you, especially in the context of a card game.”
“Well, you shouldn’t be betting with things that are most precious to you.”
Ming thumped her fists on the desk and her face contorted into a snarl. A forked tongue darted out of her mouth, her prominent fangs now even bigger and more twisted than before. Her brow transfigured into a bony, disjointed slat that overhung her face making her look like a Klingon. Her eyes flushed pitch-black from corner to corner, swimming with inky darkness. Her nose retracted into her face, two flared holes remaining, her ears jolting skywards in jagged peaks. Gray, leathery skin, riddled with black veins like branches of trees in wintertime, spread up her cheeks. The twisted bat-like creature rasped down at us, the noise bubbling up from its chest.
Aurora let out a scream.
My eyes fell on Bam Bam. I went to make a move for her when Ming regained some semblance of control. Like soft wax, her face melded back to its previous form, and now the attractive young Chinese lady with the perfect hair and eyes stared at us once more.
Everything went eerily calm.
“Temper temper,” I said in a cool tone, even though my heart was pounding. Man, Ming’s true form looked like something that came straight outta Godzilla’s ass.
“If you think I’ll ever forget being cheated in a card game of my favorite pet, then you are sorely mistaken, StoneAngel. I’ll never forget the indignity of you entering my home and cheating.”
“I never cheated!” I met Aurora’s stare. She had a skeptical eyebrow arched. “I didn’t,” I told her.
“However, what’s in the past should remain there,” Ming said.
“I wholeheartedly agree!” I said with much enthusiasm. I puffed my cheeks in exasperation. That was a close call. Next to me, Aurora’s legs trembled.
“So, what is it you want, Mr. Stone?” Ming asked.
I sat
up in my seat. “I’m here about what happened the other night.”
Ming shook her head. “The other night? I don’t follow.”
“Yes, you do. Over at Lincoln Park. The battle between you and the Russians.”
“Hmm, I see. Well, Mr. Stone, unless you are suddenly some kind of law enforcement, I don’t think it’s wise of you to interfere with matters that do not concern you.”
“They concern me when a fire demon’s involved!” I said leaning into her.
Her eyes flashed with fear and she blinked rapidly to mask it.
A-ha, gotcha!
A grin broke out on my face. “See, demons are my concern, Ming. And you’re gonna help me out with my investigation into this particular demon. Now, I want you to tell me about this.” I reached into the pocket of my coat, pulled out the holy water dart and threw it down on the desk. Ming recoiled with a sharp scream. No doubt the remnants of blessed water in the dart glowed like toxic waste to her.
“Get that thing away from me!” she demanded, cringing away from it like I’d just shown her a crucifix.
A grin played across my lips. “Sure thing.” I reached out slow and snatched up the dart. Ming gasped in revulsion, turning her head away. The grin remained on my face as I pocketed the dart once more. I glanced at Aurora and gave her a wink.
Ming grabbed her chest, her breathing ragged. “Don’t ever do anything like that again!” she growled.
I pushed my tongue firmly in my cheek. I quite enjoyed watching a five-hundred-year-old vampire squirm, it was rather satisfying.
Ming regained her composure and stared at me with ice in her eyes. “Where did you get that?”
“Lincoln Park. Found it embedded in an old oak tree. A holy water dart. Never seen one like it before, but I bet you and your guys have. Especially during the fight the other night.”
Ming remained silent.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Do you know what I think’s going on, Ming?”
She took a deep breath. “Please enlighten me.”
“I think the Russians wanna get in on the heroin trade. So, they had these holy water darts developed specifically and made a move for your turf. You knew you were on the losing side, and so you had to do something drastic. You also know bear shifters are susceptible to fire, so you hired one of the Crazy Four to summon a fire demon to take the Russians out once and for all. Now, as a fallen angel and a member of the Angel Guild and one of the Big Kahuna’s favorite demon hunters, you can see how bad this all looks. Raising demons is a serious violation of Divine Law, Ming, you know that. I can come down hard on your sweet ass if I really want. But, I’m willing to offer an olive branch. You tell me where the fire demon is right now and which of the Crazy Four summoned him, and I’ll forget to put your name in my final report to the Guild.” I flicked my eyes at Aurora. I gave her a wink and a sure nod. I had this in the bag.