by Diana Graves
I laughed, “I must have reeked if you could smell me from ten miles away, in a burning house clouded in black smoke.”
He smiled, “It’s a good strong scent, but no. I’m just one hell of a bloodhound, and as I said before, I wanted to get to you before that demon put Adia’s soul inside you.”
“So, you love me because you feel protective of me?” I asked. I didn’t like that and I couldn’t help but frown.
“No, that’s not it. Because of Adia, I was always protective of you. When I found out you were a demigod, I was even more so. But I wasn’t in love with you. Time and time again, you showed me just how big your heart was. You put yourself in harm’s way for your brother, for your ex-boyfriend and for countless women and children, but what did me in was when you saved me.” He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. “Look, Raina. See what I see and you’ll never question why I love you.”
Suddenly I was thrust into his memory of a battle. Huge beasts called Larvae that consumed human fluids, leaving behind mummified corpses in their wake were pouring out of a tall faerie mound located deep in the Olympic National forest. I remembered the fight well. Witches, vampires, trolls and police officers fighting side by side against an unrelenting ancient evil that plagued Western Washington; stealing away young women to be their brides and bear them offspring. The Larvae were inhumanly beautiful creatures who were truly nasty. All they knew in life were fucking, feeding and breeding and all three were deadly. The sound of gunfire, swords clashing and people screaming roared around me. I smelled blood, mud, sweat and death.
I was seeing the battle through Alistair’s mind, as he remembered it. He fought hard and skillfully with a long silver sword, cutting into the beasts with powerful blows. With a whoosh of speed, he grabbed a Larvae by his throat and slammed him onto the ground before bringing up his sword and slicing down, straight into the beast’s head. Every move was vampire fast, every thought faster still. The ferocity of his motions left me breathless. I remembered myself stumbling like a child through the battlefield, getting by on mostly luck. I couldn’t walk two feet without falling on my ass in the mud. I chopped at the monsters like a grade school kid smacking a piñata…Compared to Alistair, there was no comparison.
But skill was no use to him when six larvae ganged up on him all at once. He killed off two of them as they tackled him to the ground and tore his own sword from his strong grasp. With his bare hands he could do little to these ancient beasts as they tore into his flesh with claws, silver and teeth. He screamed in pain and they tossed him to the ground to let him die of his injuries. He was alone in the chaos, bleeding out and unable to heal fast enough to avoid true death. He thought, “This is the end.” His eyes went to the sky. He wanted the last thing he saw to be the stars, not the carnage of war.
“And then I saw you,” he said, still holding me close.
He could smell me as I ran toward him in the midst of war, my hair flying back, red like my eyes. My skin had an almost luminescent quality as I fell on my knees by his side. He tried to get rid of me, but I was stubborn. I heard myself say, “No! I won’t leave you to die!” It shocked him beyond words to hear me say that. He stopped fighting me, but he knew that he was still going to die of his injuries. It was only a matter of time. If he could help me end the battle by setting fire to the faerie mound before that, then all the better.
We were hidden near the mound, waiting for our men to fall back and clear the field before we set fire to the entire place, when he looked down at me and said, “These wounds were made with silver. I might not make it.” Through his eyes I saw myself tear up, large eyes overflowing with too much emotion. Again, he was shocked. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had ever cried for him, even before Adia took over his body. He moved his hand to wipe away my tears, fighting against the pain of torn muscles. And then, without warning, I kissed him. Feeling the kiss from his perspective was an odd thing. I felt the fevered thoughts of compassion and love run through his mind. And then I put the metaphorical nails in the coffin. I asked him to drink from me, hoping that my blood might give him a fighting chance at life. And I didn’t pull away or wince when he dug his teeth into my neck. I held onto him and let him drink my life’s blood. For Alistair, it was the most beautiful moment he’d ever shared with another person. He fell in love with me right then and there. He promised himself that if he lived to see another night, he’d spend the rest of his life being everything I needed him to be.
“Whoa,” I said, and I looked up at him. Tears fell from his eyes. I wiped them away, and then I kissed him. I had to stand on tip-toes to do it, but I gave him probably the most passionate kiss I’d ever shared with anyone; long and loving.
NICK VS ALISTAIR
I FELT UNCOMFORTABLE with Alistair walking into Kamaria’s Café with me, but he insisted on it. The bells on the door chimed as we walked through. It was late at night and the place was empty, not that it was ever particularly full. Kamaria was cleaning when we approached the counter. She saw us enter, but she didn’t say anything. She smiled and returned to her work.
“Is Nick mad?” I asked her.
“Yup,” said Nick from the doorway that led to the back living space. His arms were crossed over his chest. He didn’t look happy. His whole body was tense.
“I’m sorry. I’ve never been good at doing what I’m told.” He had to know that by now.
He shrugged his lean shoulders, but the gesture looked off; such a carefree movement on someone who was anything but carefree. “I get it. You wanted to see your family. Why the hell is he here?” he asked, looking not at me, but at Alistair.
I didn’t get a chance to think of something clever or diplomatic to say before Alistair stepped up with his head bowed. “I can’t ask you to forgive me…” he began but Nick interrupted him.
“Forgive!?” Nick raged. In an instant Nick was on him. He crashed into him and pushed him clear across the café and against the far wall, breaking a picture that hung there. Glass shattered around them. Nick beat him, pummeling his face and Alistair did nothing to stop him. He didn’t even attempt to fight back. He just took it, getting bloodier by the second.
“Nick, stop!” I shouted at his back as I came up from behind him. I pulled at his arm to stop him, but he pushed me away with force enough to send me crashing over a table. “Son of a bitch,” I breathed through the pain and frustration. I got to my feet and ran to his side again, but this time I didn’t try to stop him by force. I touched his head and then Alistair’s. “I won’t let you kill him,” I said as I opened myself up and let myself become like a conduit between them. Again, touch and closed eyes weren’t necessary, but the physical helped me focus the mental.
I picked up thoughts, feelings, and fragmented memories from Alistair and gave them to Nick. I had to cut through his hate and show him the truth. I had to show him how Alistair truly felt about what Adia forced him to do. Though, I tried hard not to probe too deeply. I so didn’t want to see what happened to my brother. Call it cowardice, but my mind did not need to see what could not be unseen if I had a choice in the matter.
When I was done, Nick growled loud with frustration and hung his head. He’d heard the real Alistair yelling with anger and horror as Adia did what she did to Nick. He heard Alistair’s inner voice cry out. He knew the man he hated for so long would never have done those things to him. Hell, Alistair saved his life twice since Adia’s soul was taken from him. Once when Nick let the sun set him ablaze, and again when he sent Nick to Canada to avoid an automatic death sentence.
Nick climbed off of Alistair and moved away from him. I scooted closer to him and used a table napkin to clean the blood from his face. His shirt was torn and stained beyond repair.
“I’m,” Nick began.
“Don’t apologize, Nil,” interrupted Alistair. “Don’t. If I had been stronger, none of that would have happened to you.”
Nick didn’t say anything more as he stood up and moved around the counter
to wash his hands. Kamaria slapped his chest weakly and bitched about her broken picture, cracked wall and stained napkin. Nick mumbled his apology.
“Is Adia really that strong?” I asked him.
“I fought her every minute of every day for three years and she still had energy to spare to take night trips into your mind while you slept, so yes, she is.”
Nick was leaning against the counter now, “Adia’s that vamp whose blood we got infected with?” he asked. Elegantly put, brother…
“Yes. I asked you about her, remember? You said you had nothing to say about her. Michael said the same thing when I asked him,” I said.
Nick nodded, “I remember. I can’t speak for Michael, but to me she was just a name on a piece of paper before tonight. She never contracted me, no letters, not even a post card.” Nick’s brows pinched in thought for a moment, while Kamaria set a large cup of steaming blood on the counter in front of him. He wagged his finger at Alistair, but he couldn’t bring himself to really look at him. “But if what I just saw in your head is true, Adia’s your sister? She died and possessed you. She did those things to me.” He bit his lips and shook his head, “and she’s our maker.” He scoffed. “Guess we’re all members of the messed up family club,” he said softly before he chugged the blood down fast.
“And now she possesses Isobel,” Alistair said.
Nick almost spit his blood out in surprise, but managed to keep it all in through tightened lips. He looked at me with wide eyes.
“It’s true. I have an appointment with Master Melvern tomorrow night. He’s going to send me into her head so I can confront Adia myself.”
“You think you can reason with that fucking psycho?” he asked.
I looked to the floor and shook my head. “Maybe not, but it’s the best I can think of. The last time I saw her, she was still playing mommy to me. Maybe I can play that against her if she still wants me.”
Alistair pulled at my arm to get my attention. “You can’t mean to let her possess you, Raina. That’s what she wanted all along!”
“Exactly, only I don’t think she can handle me.” I stripped the glove off of my left hand and showed Kamaria and Nick the blinding light.
Nick used a hand to block the light and looked at me, confused. Kamaria covered her eyes entirely. “What is that, dearie?”
“A demon, Raphael.”
“Oh, goody. I was afraid y’all forgot about me,” he spoke up in my head. “There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about."
“If I can safely contain a demon inside my physical body, I sure as shit can contain the soul of some vamp, maybe even destroy it entirely.”
“Nice plan, sis. Can you put the glove back on now?” I did. “So, why are you two here? You didn’t just come here to settle old grudges and show off new bling.”
Alistair and I stood up and joined him at the counter. What wounds Alistair had, were healing. Kamaria offered us blood and we both turned it down. As far as I knew, we were still going out to dinner after this.
“I came here for two reasons. I wanted to let you know I was okay. I had a little run in with Raphael. I came out on top, I think. But something’s been bothering me. Why, after all these years, did you bring me back from the dead? Five years, Nick. Why now?”
Nick looked at Alistair and the look was one of stubborn silence, but it reluctantly melted away with a sigh. “I know how this sounds, but for as long as I can remember I’ve always had vivid dreams, and they almost always come true. A couple weeks ago I had a dream of you. You were fighting something big that I couldn’t quite see, but it felt massive. When I woke, four words kept playing over and over again in my mind. ‘The sun is rising’,” he recited with an involuntary shudder.
“The god of the sun, Apollo,” Alistair quietly suggested.
Nick grimaced, “What about him?”
“He’s created something that’s supposed to end human civilization as we know it, and he’s unleashing it on Washington first.”
“Well, that’s it. When shit hits the fan, I leave the room,” said Kamaria. “I think it’s time I finally take that vacation I’ve been promising myself.”
“If you’re looking for a safe place to stay, you’re welcome at Bastion Fatal, Miss Kamaria,” said Alistair, sounding ever so charming.
Kamaria batted her eyes at him. “Well, how can a woman refuse such a generous offer?” Then her face went sternly sour. “But how is your palace safer than my shop or anywhere else in Washington?”
“Guards,” I offered.
Alistair moved in closer to Kamaria, putting his hand on hers in an intimate, reassuring manner. “There are places in Bastion Fatal, so deep and hidden that no human has seen them in over a hundred years.”
“Pack up, Nilly boy. We’re moving!”
PARTS UNSEEN
AFTER KAMARIA AND Nick packed their things, she closed up shop and we escorted them to Bastion Fatal. We helped them settle into an apartment that hadn’t been in use since the late 1800’s. It was located four floors down. I didn’t even know Bastion Fatal had four stories underground, but Alistair assured me it had seven. The first five used to be apartments for Adia’s old legion. The first three stories underground were in use, but the other two stories of living quarters were abandoned, as these days vampires didn’t usually live with their master. They had their own homes, jobs, families, and what have you. The last two floors were locked up so well that not even Alistair could enter them. There was no telling what Adia had down there, and he wasn’t in any hurry to discover it.
We had to take the cold stone stairwell down, because the elevator hadn’t yet been extended beyond the third floor.
The apartment’s themselves were just adorable. Everywhere I looked I found little treasures worked into the craftsmanship; stained glass, etched wood, porcelain accents, small murals of picturesque landscapes. All of this was badly lit by vintage hairpin style light bulbs in brass ornamental floral light brackets that hung along the walls. The furniture was as equally charming in every way. A bit dusty and cobwebbed, but lovely.
I could have stayed there all night, admiring the vintage charm and searching for hidden treasures left behind by the previous tenants. People always leave something behind when they move and these vamps moved out in a hurry. But I had a dinner date. Oh, how I envied my brother in that moment as Alistair and I were walking out the door.
“Wait!” Nick spoke up just before the door closed. “There’s no television. What am I supposed to do all night stuck in this place?”
I just shook my head, but Alistair looked around the room until he spotted the bookshelf in the far corner by two Victorian arm chairs. He took four long strides over and grabbed a book and threw it at Nick.
Nick caught the book inches from his face. “Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens?”
Alistair shrugged, “’The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again.’ It’s worth a read, Nicholas.”
I looked at Alistair with awe. Everyone but me called Nick, Nil; a name he adopted after turning undead because it meant nothing and he felt like nothing. He felt like he was already dead; his body just hadn’t gotten the memo yet. Everyone went along with that, everyone but me. He’d always be Nick to me, and it felt good to hear someone else call him by his name, damn good.
“Hold on. I’ve been meaning to ask, since when did you have a British accent?” Nick asked.
“Since before I had an American one,” Alistair answered, and we left on that note.
VAMPIRE DATING
WE EXITED THE freeway and took James Street west. At night, Seattle was a quiet metropolis, with light traffic and beautiful architecture against a dark backdrop. We drove through the labyrinth of roads, plants growing where they could, in Alistair’s Porsche at zipping speeds until we reached First Street. Then his driving slowed as we drove through the heart of Pioneer Square. It was a little oasis of life in a sleeping city of over
half a million. Mostly nonhumans walked the narrow streets lined with unique shops and eateries, and decorated with tall totem poles, painted trees, bronze statues, bulbous street lamps and art-deco metal and glass arched walkways. A crowd was gathering around some live jazz musicians as they played their hearts out on the sidewalk. But we drove past all that lively action. We made a right a few blocks down at the Seattle Art Museum, with its gigantic steel statue of a hammer man standing out on the corner, and drove up University Street. We parked along the curb and a very happy-go-lucky valet took the keys. Alistair made his way around the car to open my door, and I actually let him. What can I say? I wanted to be pampered for once in my life. I tried and failed to hide my cheesy smile behind tight lips.
“We’ll be dining at Nox,” Alistair said as he held his hand out to me.
I took his hand and looked up at the tall older building, which seemed a Beaux combination of Roman and Renaissance architecture. “Wow.”
“Indeed. It’s brilliant, really. They serve blood such as I’ve never tasted before, and in such a clever way. Their chefs are true culinary artists.”
I felt fully underdressed in my little blue dress and self-cut hair as we walked hand in hand through the restaurant and to our reserved booth. The restaurant had a 1920’s craftsman appeal with dark mahogany paneling, rich colored fabrics and antique brass light fixtures. But what kept the atmosphere from being over the top were the beautiful oil painted portraits of contemporary artists and figureheads, like Jimmy Hendrix and Bruce Lee.