by Jeff Hale
“Remind me never to cross you,” Lisa finally commented, wide-eyed, after we got to her car. It was a nice, smaller sedan.
“Yeah well, don’t become an Aetheric, and more than likely you’ll be fine,” I said, sighing. The anger was finally beginning to bleed away.
She glanced back at the Club and shivered. “I’ll remember that. Well, thanks for anything you can do. I hope you can find him, but if not…” she said, looking desperate again.
“Lisa. I promise you, I will find him. Don’t worry,” I said, trying to sound reassuring.
“Thank you. Really. Just, thanks,” she said as she got into her car then drove off.
Raven pulled up next to me a few seconds later, the driver’s side window rolled down. “You could have been nicer in there,” she scolded, shaking her head. “You know Katelyn had no idea about Malachai.”
“Fuck her! And fuck you if you think I’m ever going to forgive her!” I yelled. The rage I thought was gone came instantly back.
“Whoa! Hey! This doesn’t involve me!” Raven said, throwing her hands into the air.
“Yeah. Well, fuck this. Why don’t you go join your new friends? They like fucking everything that moves. You’ll fit right in, since that’s obviously what you want. Then you’ll have a whole fucking harem and you can let my friend go!” I furiously punched the side of her truck and it dented slightly. She glared at me. I backed down a little.
“That’s coming out of your check!” Raven promised coldly before she floored the gas and drove off. Part of me felt bad, but I mostly felt pissed off.
“Dude, you okay?” I heard Dave ask as he crossed the parking garage level.
“No,” I barked.
“Yeah, I know how you feel,” he said, holding a cigarette my way.
“You know I quit,” I protested, waving it away.
“Yeah. For who?”
“Kat,” I muttered.
“And?” Dave gestured with the cigarette again.
“Point,” I said as I took it. I didn’t wait for his lighter; instead I just produced a small flame on the tip of my finger.
“What happened with Raven?” he asked, motioning towards her retreating truck.
“She thought I should have been ‘nicer’.” I mocked her voice as I said the last word.
“She obviously doesn’t know the situation,” Dave muttered angrily. “Anyway, I’m off now. Want a lift home?” he asked, walking towards the elevator in the parking garage. He must have followed me and Lisa out of concern.
“Sure,” I said, following him. We took the elevator down a level and Dave led me towards his car. He’d gotten a new one with the money he earned working at Xtassy since it paid pretty well. It was a gold trimmed, midnight-blue Camaro convertible with the works: stereo system, tinted windows, running lights along the bottom, LED headlights, and a leather interior.
He beeped the locks. “I’m starved though, so I’m gonna stop and get some food on the way,” he said.
“Sounds good,” I agreed, getting into the car. “Wouldn’t be so bad if I wasn’t still in love with her I suppose,” I admitted as we got to the turn out from the garage.
“I know how you feel. So, fuck these shifter types. How about vampires? How’d things go with the Vixens. Especially that Kyra hotty?” Dave said as we pulled into traffic.
“Don’t even think about it,” I warned.
“Dude, are you insane?! She’s hot, a rockstar, and friggin’ hot, and a vampire, and oh yeah, spectacularly hot!”
“Yeah. That’s the problem.”
“She’s hot and that’s a problem?!”
“No. She’s a vampire. That’s a problem.”
“So?”
“Vampires, and shifters, have a certain way of viewing humans. It’s hardwired. They can’t help it, but it makes them dangerous to normal humans, and it makes them come with a set of predetermined prejudices that they cannot shake. But… you know what? Maybe Kyra’s different. Well, I know she is, but I mean, seriously. Maybe you should try,” I suggested, remembering what I had been told about the La’Mortes.
“How do you mean exactly? How do they view us?”
“As prey.”
“So Nina sees me as food now?”
“No. Not exactly. To her you would be a lesser creature. You’re weaker than her, thus you are a prey creature. That’s just how shifters see things. Now, Kyra there…. Well, to her you’re a Happy Meal.”
“Fuck that. I’m a goddamned triple Whopper, got it?”
“Sure. Whatever you say.”
“Hey, man, I’m serious.”
“Not what I heard from Nina.”
“Ouch, that was a bit below the belt.”
“Yeah. Sorry about that.”
“S’ok. Just, don’t anymore, okay?”
“Yeah, not a problem. Don’t know why I said it anyway. Speaking of Happy Meals and Whoppers, where are we getting food?” I asked.
“Dunno, dude, where ever is fine with me,” he said. We drove around a bit before he said, “Wait. You said go for it with Kyra? Seriously? Could you hook us up? All she seemed to want to talk about at the after party was you.”
“Well, she knows that isn’t happening, so yeah, I could get ahold of her for you. Set you up on a date or something. I’m sure she’ll give you a chance.”
“Oh, wow. That would mean so much to me, bro. I mean it,” he said excitedly.
“Hey, if I can’t set my best friend up on a date with a famous person, what’s the point of knowing famous people?” I asked rhetorically.
I felt a sudden pull, it was nearly imperceptible, but almost like the Aether was tugging at me. It was a familiar feeling. I guided Dave to Cheyenne Avenue between Buffalo Drive and Tenaya.
“There. The Sonic over there looks good,” I said.
“Excellent.”
“Pull into one of the carhops. I want to see what they have. Haven’t been here in forever. Oh, and drop the top, it’s a nice night out.”
“You got it,” Dave said, reaching for the switch that lowered the ragtop.
I turned up the radio a little while we both decided what we were going to have. David Draiman’s voice came across the radio as Disturbed’s “Decadence” started to play. I decided what I was going to have, the double cheeseburger and a large tater tot, while Dave got the chili cheese dog and some mozzarella sticks.
We engaged in some small talk while we waited for the food. I asked him how things at work were, and he regaled me with a few stories, including one guy who was twice Dave’s size trying to pick a fight with him in order to get in free of the cover charge. It hadn’t ended well for the poor idiot.
I glanced around from time to time, feeling a familiar pull. I saw a particularly attractive female and pointed her out. I only got a glimpse of her, but it was enough for me to map out her attributes from afar. She was wearing a pair of short cut-off denim shorts with black suspenders, and a white button-up shirt that she had tied up to show off her stomach.
“I’ll have one of her, to go, please,” I said, half joking.
Dave laughed. “No kidding! You see the size of her rack?!”
I had indeed. She wasn’t very tall, maybe all of five foot two in her roller-skates. She had light blonde hair, to the point of almost being platinum blonde, and a sizeable set of breasts. I shook my head and laughed.
“Wow, we are bad, bad people.” I laughed.
“And kinda pathetic.” Dave nodded.
“Yeah, no doubt there.”
“Still, you should ask her out,” he said, elbowing me.
“What? You are certifiable.”
“Am I? Or if you asked her out, would she say ‘yes’?”
“You are insane!”
“What?” he asked in his most innocent voice.
I wasn’t buying it. “She’s just our waitress. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t want to get hit on by a couple of losers while she’s at work!”
“Maybe she does?”
“I doubt it,” I muttered.
“Here’s your chance. Here she comes. Um… dude? Is that...?” Dave was looking at the carhop girl in complete shock, as was I. As she got even closer with a tray of food no doubt meant for us, I saw that it was her.
“Yeah. Not sure. I keep seeing her everywhere. It’s been driving me fucking insane,” I said in a low voice.
“No doubt.” Dave nodded.
I noticed she wasn’t wearing skates, but blades instead, and she expertly maneuvered so that she came up sideways next to the car. It was a move that Serena had perfected ice-skating years ago and had easily adapted in roller-blades when she got a pair.
As she smiled at us, her eyes sparkled emerald green. I knew that look meant she was in a pretty good mood and having a good time. I caught a faint whiff of lilac that mixed with the scent of food and the summer night air as she leaned over the car. I glanced down to her chest, noticing her name tag, which read ‘Celeste’. My heart dropped to somewhere in the vicinity of my stomach.
“Hey, boys! How’re y’all doin’ on this fine night?” she asked brightly.
“Um… fine,” I answered, completely distracted. The voice, the accent. It had to be her. But it clearly wasn’t. Or was it? I felt the Aether pull at me, directly in her direction. It had to be.
“Good ta hear. Here ya go,” she said, rattling back the order as she handed us the food. Every time she handed something to Dave, she glanced in my direction. When she did, I thought I saw something, a flicker of recognition perhaps, pass through her eyes. Every time she looked, my heart skipped a beat, and I glanced away hurriedly. I didn’t know how to act now, so I defaulted to quiet and moody.
“Hey, you look like someone we used to know. Your name isn’t Serena, is it?” Dave asked, and I wanted to reach out and punch him.
“Nope. I’m sure yer friend figured that one out with as much as he’s been staring at the girls here.” She laughed as she tapped her nametag. It sounded to me like the most perfect music ever produced. It was a sound I never thought I’d hear again. Ever.
“Oh, well. That’s just weird. You look just like her. Talk like her, too,” Dave said, obviously trying to strike up a conversation.
“Skates like her,” I muttered.
“Now that’s an odd claim,” she said, giving me a perplexed look. “Who was this girl?”
“Oh, she was… Aerick’s girlfriend a long time ago,” Dave said, glancing at me with a worried look.
“What happened?” the waitress, Celeste, asked in curiosity.
“She uh… died… a few years back,” I said softly.
“Oh. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. Now I feel like a colossal idiot,” she apologized, flustered.
“Oh! Don’t worry about it. Just like you said, you didn’t know. It’s okay. Really,” I said, trying to make her feel less awkward about the situation.
“Let me make it up ta ya. Is there anything I can do?” she asked innocently. She didn’t realize just how many ways that one simple question could be taken advantage of. Luckily for her, I wasn’t that sort of person. Not entirely anyway.
“A date? Say Friday at seven?” I asked, hoping. My heart thudded in my throat as she thought about what I had just asked for what seemed to be an eternity, when it was really just a few seconds.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I cain’t. I have a boyfriend.” She frowned a little. “Besides, wouldn’t that be… I dunno, weird? Since I look like this girl? Serena?”
“Yeah. I guess. I don’t know what I was thinking. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. Hey! I know, there’s this party at mah boyfriend’s frat house not too far from now. I could give ya an invite since I’m on the plannin’ committee.”
“How are you planning it if it’s a frat party? Those things are pretty chaotic, aren’t they?” Dave asked.
“Oh, it’s a joint thing between his frat house and mah sorority. It’s fer the beginnin’ a summer. We’re gonna have a pool party and a big barbeque. It’ll be a blast, I promise!”
Serena in a sorority? Didn’t fit. Then again, maybe it did. After all I had no idea what she would have done in college, except for one thing….
“So you’re in college, huh?” I asked, curious myself now.
“Yeah, are you?” Her green eyes lit up in interest.
I looked around and noticed it was pretty dead, being a Monday night, and well past dinner time. Then it hit me. Of course. I would enroll in Kent’s classes and start my investigation that way. Then maybe I could keep this girl in my sights better. Dammit. I was actually using an investigation to stalk this poor thing? I really was pathetic. I should be locked up.
“Well, about to enroll actually,” I replied, ignoring Dave’s sudden confused look. “I know its summer, but I want to get a head start on next year. Let me guess. Your major is either in marine biology, veterinary practice, or med school.”
“Med school. I’m minoring in veterinary practice. I was thinkin’ ‘bout being a marine biologist, but I didn’t want ta move away from Travis. That’s mah boyfriend. How did ya’ll know that?” She gave me that perplexed look again. “Wait. Do I know ya from somewhere? Oh wait! I know, you’re that fella I’ve seen around town a couple ‘a times. Oh! And at the concert backstage!” She looked a little pale for a moment.
“You never told me you saw her before!” Dave whispered towards me. “And what’s this about starting school?”
“Later,” I responded under my breath. To her I said, “Yeah, I was security for the Vixens that night.”
“Wow! Really? That must have been a blast!”
There was call over the intercom as that moment. “Celeste. We have another order up, get your cute little ass back up here,” said a tired male voice.
“Fine! Fine. I’m comin’! And don’t cuss at me! Next time ya do, I’m contacting corporate! Besides which, that’s sexual harassment! Don’t make me tell mah boyfriend, he’ll rip ya a new one,” she said as she pushed the button on our intercom.
So will I, I thought to myself.
She smiled at us. “Alright. Here’s the address of the party. It’s next Saturday at five, okay? Please show up. It’d mean a lot since it’d mean ya forgave me messin’ up earlier.” She jotted the info down on a napkin and handed it directly to me, giving me that look again. She skated off, waving behind her as she did so.
“Let’s go,” I said, feeling even more depressed now than when I thought she was dead. She was alive and well, but she didn’t remember who she was. Or who I was. Or what we had. And she had a boyfriend.
“You gonna be okay?” Dave asked, extreme concern obvious in his look and voice. He was there in the aftermath of Serena’s death. He was the one who had recognized how I felt about Serena long before I had. He’d been there the whole time. Supporting me and her through it all.
“Yeah. I think so,” I muttered.
“I wasn’t seeing and hearing things. That was Serena, right?” he asked, trying to confirm what he had witnessed.
“Yeah. No doubt in my mind. It had to be her,” I said, sighing.
“How come she didn’t…?”
“I don’t know. She must have some form of amnesia or something. Or it really isn’t her, but I can’t buy that. Too many coincidences there,” I said, thoughtful now.
“I agree. I knew Serena pretty well, and that was almost like old times back there. What are you gonna do?” Dave asked, obviously not believing that I was okay with all of this.
“I guess I have a party to go to.” I shrugged.
“Good point. So… this school thing?” Dave asked curiously.
“Yeah, it’s for a case,” I said off-handedly.
“Got it. And the party?” He sounded hopeful.
“Yeah, you’re coming too. Don’t worry, I wasn’t gonna leave you out,” I said, giving him a sideways smile.
“Sweet!” He fairly glowed. “I can hit on college chicks!”
“Damn. I was hoping you’d be my wingman. Support
and all. I don’t know if I can talk to her…” I said, suddenly nervous.
“Sure ya can… oh wait. Nevermind. You never could talk to her. You’re fucked.”
“Hey, now! I could talk to her, just not about… those… things.”
“I know. And that’s why you’ll be fine. I mean, you can fight demons, and those fae things, and kill vampires and were-things. You gonna let one little mortal girl bring you to your knees?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow, you are so sce’reeewed.” He laughed.
I just glowered at him and munched grumpily on my food.
The rest of the car ride was quiet as I sat and thought about what I was going to do. Dave knew better than to push me at this point. He’d been around me in my brooding moods often enough. When we got back to the apartment I went directly to my room. I meditated and practiced for a couple of hours then went out onto the balcony.
Once there I let the summer night air wash over me and let the Aether flow through me. I directed my visions towards Celeste. Her scent, the sound of her voice. I connected with her and pin-pointed her location. I could find out where she was easily enough now.
It still felt like I was stalking some poor teenaged girl.
SEVEN
It seemed anymore that I was not able to get a full eight hours of sleep without people calling me. I awoke once again to the sound of my phone ringing. Swearing to destroy the infernal thing, I answered it.
“Yeah?” I said somewhat irritably.
“Flame. Lucien’s Office. Two hours,” a rough male voice said before hanging up.
Fuck.
When Lucien summoned you, you didn’t keep him waiting. I rolled out of bed and got dressed, then headed out of the apartment, noting that Dave had fallen asleep on the couch watching TV again. I took the bus again, riding in silent contemplation for nearly an hour and a half before getting off at the stop near the Flame. I made for the side entrance into the club, inside the small parking garage that Lucien had built on the side of the main building. You could enter without exposing yourself to the outside world. It let those AEs who wanted to remain anonymous stay that way.