The Accords Triptych (Book 3): Heartlines

by Ian Thomas

  Rebecca took a breath. Jason wasn’t the only one having reality checks of late. While talking about the supernatural was becoming less…crazy, taking precautions – the actual physical actions required – seemed utterly surreal.

  “Okay so the other night at dinner, when you and your mom were off talking I got your uncle to bless my water bottle.” The words were ridiculous when given voice. She wasn’t about to admit she’d been sitting on the question for at least two hours. But given the scene at Matteo’s, she needed these precautions. God bless Alquin though. He’d smiled gently and carried out her request. No questions asked.

  “Portable and potable holy water,” McLachlan said, impressed. “Smart.”

  “We’ll see. The amount of swearing I do has probably cancelled it out.”

  “Wouldn’t be so sure about that. A priest’s blessing is basically a spell. Intent and belief. Powerful stuff,” he said. “What else?”

  “Well, there’s my cross which we’ve already fought over.”

  “It wasn’t a fight,” he replied exasperated.

  “I’m kidding, but it’s something at least.” She pulled her bag onto her lap and produced two small glass jars. “And these.”

  “Garlic powder and garlic salt? For bland French fry emergencies?”

  “No, for vampires.”

  “I know,” he smiled. “God bless Whole Foods, huh?”

  “I wasn’t sure which would work. Or whether either would. Hopefully I may never need to find out.”

  “Okay so that’s the vamps covered, anything else?”

  “The cross is silver so there’s that. And this.” She withdrew another small glass jar from her bag. This one didn’t seem store bought. “Wolf’s bane.”

  “Holy shit!” He baulked. “Put that away.”

  “Relax. It’s not like it’s activated,” she replied, quickly putting it away. “It’s probably deadlier to you and me than it is to Jason at this point.” Rattling off the different uses of wolfsbane from warding herb to binding agent to lycanthropic poison, Rebecca didn’t notice McLachlan had gone silent. “What?”

  “Just super impressed is all.” He smiled. “What else?”

  “Well I’m now on a first name basis with a Chinese herbalist. Lovely woman. She made up pouches of ground verbena and ground rye for me. My bag’s getting a little full. And funky smelling.”

  “Can’t believe you have wolf’s bane,” he said, sitting back in his chair stunned.

  “Because all wolves are such huggable creatures?” she asked. “I get that most of the ones I’ve met are pretty decent but come on, there’s always an exception to the rule. Somerset?”

  “Can you not be blasé about this?” he hissed, sitting forward.

  “I’m not. Believe me last thing on my mind, but I’m not gonna be scared. That’s when they win.”

  Quietly, he sat for a moment. “True. Just strange seeing this all from your perspective.” He lapsed into silence again. When he spoke his voice was uncharacteristically serious. “You got anything in there to repel me?”

  “My parents on speed dial, your parents on speed dial, a Dan Brown book, Twili–”

  “Alright, alright,” he laughed, palms up in surrender. “Point made.”

  “Thing is I don’t want to repel you,” she replied, reaching across the table to touch his hand. Earnestly, she added, “and that’s about as sentimental as I’m gonna get.”

  “So how much do you want to go over and crash Mouth’s date?”

  “Oh, so much,” she said, clenching her fists tightly. “I mean he’ll tell me all about it later, but it’d be great not having him filter things.”

  “Mouth filters things?”

  “He can. He does. He will. It’s rare but only when it’s about him personally.”

  “So he probably wouldn’t tell you if she’d kissed him?” McLachlan asked, looking over her shoulder.

  “What?!” she cried, turning to find Mouth standing right behind her. “Fuck!” Rebecca jumped in her seat, hitting the table and knocking McLachlan’s coffee into his lap.

  “Shit!” Jumping up himself, he pulled at the fabric to stop himself being scalded. “Deserved that.”

  “There goes sex for the foreseeable,” Mouth laughed.

  “Don’t laugh,” Rebecca said, grabbing napkins as Jason came over. She scanned the coffee shop but couldn’t see Kara anyway. “Where’s um…your, uh…”

  “Um is in the restroom. Much like Mac’s gonna be soon enough. Shit, I hope it doesn’t stain,” Mouth said, drawing a breath sharply.

  All but McLachlan laughed at the comment.

  “Dick move buddy,” McLachlan said, walking past Mouth toward the restroom. As he passed, he clipped the sophomore across the back the head.

  “Hope it still does,” Rebecca called after him.

  “Whoa!” Mouth cried. “That is not okay.”

  “He’s right,” Jason said as Rebecca was about to protest. “Some info we never need to know about each other.”

  “Here you go,” Malcolm said, wheeling the bucket over by the mop handle.

  “Thanks,” Jason replied, as Rebecca and Mouth scrutinized the guy with the man-bun. Awkwardly, he backed away leaving Jason to mop up the mess.

  “I should probably do that,” Mouth said. When Jason offered him the handle, Mouth backed away. “Should.”

  “How’s Malcolm doing?” Rebecca asked quietly, once the other barista was behind the espresso machine once more.

  “Not sure,” Jason replied. “He’s quieter than before. Everyone’s putting it down to the family tragedy that supposedly took him out west.”

  “But you know differently.”

  “Yeah, well he hasn’t said anything so I don’t know if he remembers it all or what. Eddie reckons he’s gonna have him spend some time with Rowan.”

  “But she’s looking after Mills.”

  “Yeah, think Eddie’s coming in later to do a stocktake or some bullshit excuse.”

  “That I would pay to see,” Mouth said as the door opened and a couple entered the coffee shop. The Daily Grind attracted all sorts. One of the few 24-hour coffee shops, the clientele was eclectic at best.

  That said, Rebecca was unsure about the two vampires. Especially as she thought she recognized them. Was that more of a reason to be unsure, she wondered, or less?

  “You have customers,” Rebecca said to Jason as he mopped the floor.

  “Sure,” he said looking up, “oh hey, what can I get you?”

  “How about you open a vein there, pup?” the guy snarled, his face now deformed and fangs bared.

  “Not here,” Jason growled, his voice firm.

  “I only want a drink,” the vampire said. “You serve drinks here, don’t you?”

  “Drinks, yes. Blood, no.”

  “What’s going o–” Malcolm stopped himself when he saw the vampire’s twisted face. Yelling, he backed away, his words garbled protests.

  “Shit!” Jason tried to grab Malcolm but the other man fought him off.

  “You’ll do,” the vampire said, grabbing Mouth and biting down on his neck.

  “Hey!” Rebecca shouted, pulling a jar out of her bag. Hoping it was the right one, she threw the contents at the vampire. When the powder hit him, he reeled back, skin smoking where the dried garlic burned him.

  “Bitch!” the female vampire cried, lunging for her. Rebecca threw the empty jar but the girl managed to dart past it and grab her. Mouth was already on the ground, blood pulsing from his torn neck. Panic gripped the remaining patrons were panicking, driving them backwards. Behind the counter Jason struggled with a hysterical Malcolm.

  “Really sorry about this man,” Jason said then punched the other barista, knocking him out. “Wow, that hurt.”

  “Uh, little help,” Rebecca yelled.

  Swinging himself over the counter, Jason kicked at the female vampire. Apparently becoming a werewolf didn’t come with amazing fighting skills and he only managed to swat
her hand with his foot. Didn’t matter, she was angry and hungry, her face reshaping and fangs growing.

  “You got this?” Rebecca asked, seeing Mouth pressing the wound.

  “No,” he replied.

  “Try. I need a second.” She dropped beside Mouth. “Let me look. He missed the major artery. Now hold still.”

  “What’re you doing?” Mouth asked, as she rummaged through her bag.

  “Panty liner. There you are. Jason, duct tape?”

  “Little busy.” Grabbing the mop, Jason swung it at the vampire. He was surprised when she caught it easily. Further surprised when she pushed the shaft back into this his face. Jason reeled against the counter in pain.

  Meanwhile on the floor, Mouth saw the sanitary pad. “You’re shitting me, right?”

  “You’re shitting me, right?” Mouth demanded.

  “Got any other ideas?”

  “Vampire!” Mouth cried, looking past her at the male vampire, looming close. His eyes had all but disintegrated, skin puckered with sores.

  Without missing a beat, Rebecca snatched her bottle from her bag and splashed the vampire in the face. He screamed again and fell back.

  “Jason!” Rebecca yelled. “Duct tape?”

  “Behind the counter. Second shelf down.”

  “Thank you,” she replied, grabbing for it.

  “What is going on?” Kara demanded, exiting the bathroom.

  “Get back,” Mouth yelled.

  “What? Why?” Kara asked.

  “Him!”

  As the vampire reared up, the young woman punched him without thinking.

  “There!” Rebecca said, having taped the panty liner to Mouth’s neck, effectively sealing the wound. “Now get the hell out.”

  “C’mere,” Mouth said, scrambling to his feet and throwing himself at Kara.

  “What’re you doing?” Between his forward motion and light-headedness from the blood loss, he crashed into her and they tumbled to the ground. Further back the remaining patrons were cowering behind tables. Rebecca was thankful she couldn’t see a cellphone camera recording the debacle.

  “Get off me,” Kara protested.

  “Holy shit!” McLachlan shouted, running out of the bathroom.

  “Where the hell’ve you been?” Rebecca demanded, happy to see his face even if it was twisted like the vampires.

  “The usual.”

  “Memory moment?”

  “That’s the one.” He stopped to survey the scene. “Not that ya need me.”

  “Uh, little help,” Jason said, completely out of his depth with the female vampire.

  “Can you get the people out?” McLachlan asked Rebecca. “Out the back maybe?”

  “What about him?” She gestured to the vampire writhing on the ground.

  “You can handle both, can’t you?”

  “Typical,” she sighed, pouring the remaining contents of her bottle on the vampire. His skin started to slough away in sheets as the blessed water ate at him.

  While she went to the remaining customers, McLachlan took a swing at the female vampire. Problem was she had Jason as a shield, her grip tight on him.

  “Violet, right?” McLachlan smiled, putting on the charm. “This seems real out of character for you.”

  “Does it? We’re hungry. This place has good reviews on Yelp.”

  “Fucking Yelp?!” Jason cried, struggling against her.

  “Said the staff were real obliging. Tasty side of beefcake too.”

  “Fucking Mitch,” Jason growled. “you get we don’t offer a pierce and pour service, right?”

  “Who knows,” she purred, her fangs scratching his neck. “Could be a new trend.”

  “Like hell!” McLachlan said, grabbing a baggie out of Rebecca’s bag and tossing it at the vampire. The ground verbena exploded upon hitting Violet’s face. She gagged, inhaling a lungful of the powder as it burned her skin. Releasing Jason, she staggered back, trying to breath and clawing at her throat.

  “Fuck you,” she coughed, lips flecked with blood. Grabbing Damon, she pulled him to his feet. Between the garlic powder and holy water, his skull was peeking through the dissolving tissue.

  “Just go,” McLachlan said, a hand on Jason’s shoulder.

  In a blur, the door crashed open then shut and they were gone.

  Stepping over Malcolm’s unconscious body, Rebecca looked at the chaos of the now-empty coffee shop. Hadn’t taken much to get the frightened patrons out the back, she just hoped they weren’t too traumatized.

  “Everyone okay?” she asked.

  “Guess these accords are looking pretty fucked, huh?” McLachlan asked.

  “About as much as me getting another date,” Mouth groaned.

  “How’s your neck?” Rebecca asked.

  “Lacking any form of dignity,” he replied.

  “You should be used to that by now.”

  “Oh haha. But seriously – what the actual fuck?!”

  “I know,” McLachlan said, looking at Rebecca. She could tell he was worried. For vampires to attack so openly and at such an obvious wolf location, the accords must be all but dead.

  “I’m gonna call Eddie,” Jason said, pulling out his phone.

  “You okay?” she asked, seeing the vampire features fade.

  “If it hadn’t been for your precautions this could have gone very differently.”

  “Yeah, Bex” Mouth said. “That was bad ass. And the second time you’ve saved my life.”

  “Kara get out okay?” she asked, her hands shaking. Mouth nodded in reply, looking at the puddle of blood, holy water, and vampire skin on the floor.

  “You okay?” McLachlan stepped closer to her, taking her shaking hands in his.

  “Yeah, I guess. Still…processing.”

  “You were amazing,” he said, his voice full and warm.

  “I don’t feel amazing. Think I’m gonna–” Doubling over, she vomited onto the floor. Her nerves completely shot. What had she been thinking? Taking on a couple of vampires like it was nothing. She felt McLachlan’s hand rubbing her back soothingly. How did he do this on a regular, she wondered.

  “Eddie’s on his way,” Jason said, then saw the mess on the floor. “Guess we really are closed tonight?”

  “Least of your concerns,” McLachlan said. “Nice work holding it together though.”

  “What do mean?” Jason challenged. “I was trying to wolf out.”

  “You’re not the Hulk,” McLachlan replied. “It doesn’t work like that.”

  “But–”

  “Not yet anyway,” McLachlan said. “Listen, none of us wanted you guys in harm’s way. Ever. But you did – you survived and that’s pretty big.”

  Before anyone could reply, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, his brow creasing.

  “James?”

  “Now don’t yer be angry wi’ me but I may or may not have broken into yer flat.”

  “What’re you talking about?”

  “Best ye come here and I’ll catch yer up on a couple tings.”

  “Little busy.”

  “Dat’s not a problem. We’re not going anywhere.”

  “We?”

  “You’ll see. Ah and can yer bring beer?”

  “Fine, sure, whatever.” He hung up, frustrated. When Rebecca straightened up, he asked, “all better?”

  She didn’t reply, instead accepting the glass of water Jason offered her. “Do you have to go?”

  “Not yet. I’ll wait for Eddie to get here. Then take you and Mouth to the radio station. Will see if Rowan can meet us there to look at Mouth’s neck.”

  “I’m sure she’ll do way better than a sanitary pad and duct tape,” Rebecca said.

  “Gotta hope so.”

  “Hey,” Rebecca said sharply. “If they’d been two puncture holes like the movies, you woulda got a tampon in each.”

  “Panty liner and duct tape’s not looking so bad now, is it?” McLachlan asked, trying to calm their nerves. “Jason, put the c
losed sign up and you guys sit down.”

  Quietly, she sat between Mouth and Jason, shock and adrenaline fraying her nerves. Jason slipped an arm around her. He was the least affected of the three of them, almost an old hand at these sudden and strange occurrences. Elsewhere, McLachlan busied himself making three cups of herbal tea.

  “Tea?” Mouth snarled.

  “Shut up and take it,” McLachlan replied. Before Mouth could reply, there was a groan from behind the counter.

  “Malcolm.” Jason set his tea down and rushed to the other man, McLachlan next to him. “Hey, sorry about that.”

  “You hit…what happe– were they…vampires?”

  “Fraid so, but you’re all good. You’re safe. We got you.”

  McLachlan left Jason to talk to Malcolm, trying to settle his friend’s mind. Crouching in front of Rebecca, he cupped his hands around hers holding the hot mug. She could tell he was shaken but holding it together for their sake. From what she knew of the accords, this attack was devastating.

  XXII

  The hammering on his door took Rufus out of the moment.

  “Stop,” he told the beautiful blond man above him.

  “Not yet.”

  “Stop!” Rufus shoved the man off him and stood up. What now, he thought gruffly, the pleasure he’d been enjoying now gone. Pulling on his pants, he strode to the door ignoring the pouting naked vampire on his floor.

  “Rufus!” Carys cried in relief. “You have to help.”

  “What is it?” he asked anxiously, concern for the panicked woman taking over. “What’s wrong?”

  “Is Seth with you?”

  “He wishes,” the blond vampire sneered, pushing past them in the doorway and stalking off down the corridor. Arrogant, sour and flawless, Charles would eventually get over it. Rufus knew that much to be true. He knew he could do better as well, but given how he liked the dalliance to be perfunctory, choosing the least liked vampire in the hotel suited him.

  “I haven’t seen him,” Rufus replied. “Are you alright?”

  “I’m fine, but it’s not me,” she said, quite distressed. “Damon and Violet! They’ve gone after the hunter. The Pack Lord’s friend.”

  “McLachlan?”