by E. S. Moore
Needless to say, the people here were prepared.
When Mikael had given me Anton’s name and address, I immediately thought about movies in which the guy with all the info lived in a basement with computers hanging from every available space, where you had to duck beneath wires, and step over empty soda bottles. You’d find all of this after saying your pleasantries to his mother.
One look at the property and I knew that wasn’t the case.
I parked behind a blue Chevy in front of a white house with black shutters. The glow coming from inside told me someone was home and they were looking at either a television or computer screen. I glanced around and noted that many of the other houses were the same.
But despite the fact that they gave all appearances of being unafraid, I could smell blood in the air. I wasn’t sure if it was Pureblood blood or if it was the blood of a supe who’d strayed too close, but it was there. Across the street, someone peered out of an upstairs window and I caught a glint of light that could only have reflected from a gunsight.
I decided the blood must have been from a supe.
I walked slowly past the Chevy truck and glanced inside. There were a few discarded napkins on the passenger seat and a plastic bag stuffed with wrappers sat on the floor. Otherwise it was clean. There were no guns laying inside or blood splatter, or even a few stray wires from a computer. It looked like anyone’s truck, really.
The light from inside suddenly went out. I paused beside the truck and studied the windows. I couldn’t see past the curtains to tell if someone was moving around inside or not; they were too thick.
Mikael had said he’d tell Anton I was coming, but how much had he told him? As far as I knew, Anton knew just as much as Mikael, which meant I was still a threat to him and his neighborhood. He might not be happy to see me.
The back of my neck itched where I could still feel the gun pointing from the house across the street. I had a feeling there were more eyes than that on me. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that Anton was sitting inside, gun in hand, waiting to put a bullet through my eyes the moment I came too close.
I kept my hand away from my weapons as I strode toward the door. I couldn’t show fear here. I had a feeling fear was met with violent and abrupt force in the guise of a bullet through the head. The seemingly peaceful neighborhood was definitely not as peaceful as it first appeared.
A ceramic cat with the word “Welcome” painted across its chest sat beside the door. The door itself looked welcoming, outside of the peephole that looked to me to be a little too large and a little too dark. I had a feeling I was staring straight into the barrel of a gun.
With nothing else to do, I knocked on the door. If Anton was going to blow my head off, running wouldn’t do any good. He’d just shoot me in the back if I tried.
“Anton?” I called through the door when it didn’t open. “Mikael sent me.”
Four quick clicks sounded and the door opened. Standing just inside was a man who looked as if he’d spent most of his life in the gym. He was wearing tight bicycle shorts and a sleeveless shirt that exposed biceps bigger around than my leg. His head was shaved bald and a faint scar cut through one eyebrow.
He gave me a smile that could light up a room. “Come on in,” he said. “I was expecting you.”
I stepped past him, noting he stood a good two heads taller than me. He wasn’t wearing shoes and I vaguely wondered if he could even find shoes that would fit him. His feet were bigger than most people’s heads.
He closed the door and took a moment to hit the safety on the gun built into the door, right where the peephole should be. “Can’t be too careful,” he said with a grin as he turned. “Let’s head to my office.”
He led the way across a room that looked as if his grandmother had decorated it. The television sat across the room on top of a doily. In fact, every surface was covered by white crocheted doilies. Even the chairs and couches had them draped over their backs.
Anton must have seen something in my face because he paused long enough to run his fingers over one. “It’s a hobby,” he said. “Keeps my fingers nimble.”
He waggled huge fingers at me before turning and walking deeper into the house. With a grunt and one last look around the room, I followed him.
We went up a flight of stairs—dispelling any illusions that he would take me into his basement hideaway—and went to the first room on our left. He opened the door and flipped on the light.
It looked like any other office. The window was covered so that no light could possibly seep out, and if I didn’t miss my guess, the glass would be tinted as well. A pair of computer chairs sat in front of a large desk. In place of the mass of wires and computers I’d expected were two seemingly innocuous laptops sitting side by side on an otherwise clean desk.
He took the first chair and leaned back. He was still smiling and even though I was positive he knew I was a vampire, he seemed completely unconcerned. I glanced around, thinking he had some other weaponry he could trigger in a heartbeat if I were to attack, but there didn’t appear to be anything. And there sure as hell wasn’t anything hidden on him. There’d be nowhere for him to hide it.
“How do you know Mikael?” I asked when my scan of the room was complete.
Anton shrugged. “Saw him at the Bloody Stake a few times. Offered him my services.”
I glanced at the computers and he laughed.
“Not that kind of services.”
My brow started to crease and then I shook my head. I really didn’t want to know.
“Do you know why I’m here?” I asked instead.
“I do.” Anton’s smile fell. “I can’t say I like it. This isn’t the sort of thing I like finding, but what can you do?”
“So I take it you get information for Mikael?”
Anton laughed again. I’d expected it to be a deep rumble, but it was more of a pleasing chuckle than anything. I could listen to him laugh all day and not get annoyed.
“More like he tells me where to find stuff and I extract it for him. If anything hits the net and he has even the slightest interest in it, I get a call from him.”
“I see.”
“Please,” Anton said. “Take a seat.” He gestured toward the other chair.
I considered declining. If I were sitting, I’d be in a more vulnerable position. If Anton had some other trick up his sleeve, I’d want to be prepared.
But Mikael wouldn’t have sent me here if he thought Anton was a danger to me. I was sure the guy could take care of himself, or else I wouldn’t be here. This was probably one of the few places I could go and actually be safe.
I sat down and let my coat fall open. The hilt of my sword poked out and Anton’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second before he was grinning again.
“Now,” he said, “this isn’t going to be pleasant.”
He opened his laptop and a video player was already up. The screen was dark, but I could tell it wasn’t just a black screen. It looked as if he’d paused the movie just as it was fading in.
I braced myself. Mikael had said this wasn’t something anyone should watch. I wasn’t looking forward to this in the slightest, but I definitely could use a visual description of my target. It would make my job far easier, especially if Mikael was right and I wouldn’t find him alone.
“Ready for this?” Anton asked, finger poised over his mouse button.
I nodded.
He clicked Play.
The screen rolled dark for a moment and then came into focus. It showed an empty room that looked to be some sort of hotel room. The bed was stripped of its sheets and pillows. They’d been tossed into a chair and left there, telling me this wasn’t exactly a high quality production.
There was faint music playing, but I couldn’t make it out. I wasn’t sure if it was supposed to have been heard on the video or if Anton had the volume turned way down. It didn’t seem like the right kind of music for a porno, even a blood porn like this was supposed to be. The
music sounded like it belonged in a dance club or perhaps a party house somewhere. The pulse-pounding beat caused my own heart rate to pick up despite the fact I couldn’t really hear it clearly.
“They always start like this,” Anton said. “And are always in the same room.” He pointed to a spot on the screen. “Bloodstains,” he said, indicating a darker spot on the wall.
I grimaced. “How long before he shows up?”
“Not long,” Anton said. “The guy thinks this is his establishing shot. Needs a lesson in moviemaking, if you ask me.”
I continued to watch the screen. I scanned the room, hoping I could make something out that would help me, but there really wasn’t anything to see. I could make out the bloodstains on the wall, and the mattress itself looked as if it had seen its fair share of blood, but otherwise, there were no identifying features that would tell me where the film had been shot.
Before I could ask Anton if he knew, a girl walked over to the bed and sat down. She was pale and shaking. Her eyes were terrified as they found the camera. She stared pleadingly into the lens, as if hoping that someone would see her and come rescue her. She couldn’t have been any more than fifteen.
I almost told Anton to shut it off. I was not going to watch this girl get defiled by anyone, even if it would help me take the man down. Rushing out and searching for Boris Stevenson wouldn’t do a damn bit of good for her, though. I was pretty sure the girl in this movie was already dead.
“You won’t have to watch him hurt her,” Anton said. “I chose this one because it takes him some time before he gets into it enough to bite.” Anton cleared his throat. He looked as uncomfortable as I felt. “But you do get a good look at his face, which is what you wanted, right?”
I nodded. I felt sick to my stomach. The girl’s eyes were jerking back and forth, like she wasn’t sure if she should be staring into the camera or looking at the person approaching. I could hear the sound of his feet on the carpet, but he’d yet to walk into the frame.
“Death is just another form of life.”
The voice coming out of the speakers made me jump. It was louder than I’d expected. The girl hadn’t made a peep and the music stayed just faint background noise. I’d been positive the volume had been turned way down, but I guess that wasn’t the case.
“That’s Boris,” Anton said.
A moment later, a nude man strode into the frame.
He wasn’t muscular or all that well built, to be honest. He had a bald spot on the back of his head and while he wasn’t overweight, he looked flabby. Just because someone is a vampire, doesn’t mean they suddenly become ripped. This guy looked like he enjoyed sitting around eating potato chips far more than doing anything strenuous.
He walked toward the girl, who cringed away from him on the bed, but she didn’t try to run. I’m not sure if she’d wanted to do this or if she was being compelled somehow, because if it were me, I’d have kicked him in the nuts and bashed his face in by now. I don’t care if there was a guy standing off screen with a gun aimed at my head. If I was going to die, I was going to go down fighting.
My hands were clenched into fists as I waited for Boris to move so I could get a better look at him. I wanted this over with already.
He sat at the edge of the bed, back still to the screen. He was facing the girl who was trembling so badly, I was afraid she might die of fright right then and there.
Boris reached out a hand and gently touched her cheek. She winced, but didn’t pull away.
“I’ll take you to your new life,” he said and the girl nodded.
“How much longer?” I asked through gritted teeth.
“He turns in a sec.”
I bit my lip. Why couldn’t Anton have simply paused the video on a shot of Boris and left the rest to my imagination? I really didn’t need to see this to know the guy needed to die.
Boris pulled back his hand and then turned. He looked directly into the camera, giving me a perfect view of his face. He was showing fang with his smile. He had a bad goatee that was uneven on the right side, as if he accidentally shaved too far up and didn’t bother fixing it. His eyebrows were thick and bushy above beady little eyes. His nostrils were huge black holes in his face. The guy’s nose was as big as a Buick.
Anton reached out and hit Pause. “I’m guessing you don’t need to see any more?”
“No,” I said. “This is good.” I couldn’t take my eyes off the vampire. I wished I could reach through the screen and wring his neck.
“It isn’t pretty,” Anton said. I glanced at him and noticed he was pale. “I had to watch a few of these for Mikael. I didn’t eat for a week after.”
“I can imagine.”
Anton turned in his chair and looked hard at me. I tore my eyes away from Boris’s smug face and met his gaze.
“Are you going to kill him?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Are you going to make him suffer?”
“I am.”
Anton pressed his lips together and his eyes became hard. He suddenly looked like someone who could crush a man’s skull by simply thinking about it. No wonder the neighborhood appeared mostly untouched. They had a terrifying protector.
“Good,” he said finally. “I want him to scream for mercy.”
So did I, but I kept that to myself.
Anton sighed and then turned back to the screen. “Can I shut this off now?” he asked. “I can’t stand looking at him any longer.”
“Yeah.” I stood. “I’m done.”
Anton hit the keys like he was trying to hurt Boris through the computer. The screen went dark and he lowered the laptop lid.
“I hope you get him,” Anton said. “You look like someone who can take care of herself.”
I wondered how much he knew about me. It didn’t sound like he knew who I was exactly, which suited me just fine. I didn’t want anyone to know I was the one whom the supernatural world called Lady Death.
“I can.” I took a deep breath and started for the door. “I can show myself out.”
Anton didn’t follow me as I left his office and headed downstairs. I glanced at the doilies strewn about his living room and it only made me angrier. Why couldn’t more people be like Anton? Why did there have to be people like Boris, whose hobbies included butchering young women in front of a camera for profit?
I just about tore Anton’s door from its frame as I stormed out of his house. I wasn’t waiting around.
Boris Stevenson was a dead man. He just didn’t know it yet.
18
Boris’s house was in a part of town I knew well. The place was thick with vampire rogues who had too little power to advance through the ranks. None of them had Houses of their own. They simply did what they could to make a living for themselves. More often than not, they were killed by counts or countesses when they fed from someone in the wrong territory. Many died when they refused to join a vampire House as a mere minion to someone far more powerful.
But just because the vampires here were rogue, it didn’t mean they were any less dangerous. In fact, if I made too much of a scene when taking Boris down, I could have a dozen angry vamps descending on me.
I smiled as I approached the address Mikael had given me. Rogues used to be my bread and butter. Thomas and I worked together to take them down, one by one. We occasionally went after the Fledgling Houses, but that was about our limit. When we’d tried to go after a bigger House, it had ended up with both of us becoming something other than human.
The smile slid away at the memory. Thomas was no more. I was doing this on my own.
I could see the lights of High Street glowing over the tops of the buildings as I turned onto Boris’s street. Brownstone tenements had gone up here recently, yet they looked as if they’d been built over a hundred years prior. Shattered windows were covered with plywood to keep out the light, as well as the cold. Crumbling foundations had become home to graffiti of all sorts, including the kind painted in blood.
&nbs
p; Eyes watched me from open doorways, many of them bloodshot. While drugs didn’t affect vampires and werewolves like they would a Pureblood, it didn’t mean the supes couldn’t still try to reach that high. Often, they’d pump their bodies so full of narcotics, they’d fry their brains long before they ever felt the effects. Addicts had it hard when turned.
I knew some of the people watching me were Purebloods. The vampires would feed on them in exchange for more drugs, and sometimes more victims. These were the type of people who got high on being fed upon. They reveled in the pain, of the feeling of their lives being drained from them. It gave them a perverse pleasure I never understood.
But while they watched me as I rode past, I knew none of them would do anything to stop me. Half of them were too dazed to do much more than keep breathing. Those that could would only bother me if I started trouble.
Which was exactly what I was there to do.
I wasn’t sure who ran this part of town anymore. I’d lost track long ago. When I’d stopped hunting rogue wolves and vamps as my main targets, I’d let things go. Even without me killing them, the vamps and wolves here didn’t last long. No one did. This place was a wasteland of life.
Boris’s house came into view and I slowed down. I couldn’t just leap off my motorcycle and go charging in unless I wanted everyone to be waiting for me when I came back out. I coasted slowly by and took it all in, looking for a weakness I could exploit.
The house looked much like the other single-family homes in the area. It was standing, which was a plus, but looked as if it hadn’t had anyone even try to keep it from collapsing. The grass—what little of it there was—was brown and dead. The wooden front porch was leaning, as if slowly sinking into the concrete foundation beneath. The windows had bars on them and the front door looked sturdier than the rest of the house. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be getting in that way.
I sped up once I was past the house and turned down a side street. There were a few people here, but they weren’t paying me any mind.
I found an abandoned gas station and pulled in behind the crumbling structure. I shut off the engine and sat there a moment, contemplating my course of action.