1 Dicey Grenor

by Grenor, Dicey

  Ordinarily, seeing this much blood would have thrown me into a blood thirsty tailspin. But no. I wanted to throw up instead, especially with his beautiful sapphire blues frozen straight ahead.

  I sure hoped he hadn’t suffered.

  Who could have done this to him? Couldn’t have been Max. First off, there would have been no blood left. Secondly, Max would be here to take me out too.

  Then it dawned on me: whoever killed him and left him here had intended to set me up. Boy, that really lit a match under my ass. I had to clean this mess up ASAP, get rid of his body…wait—what would I do with it? Dump him in the dumpster?

  I went to sit on the edge of my bed. Before I knew it, I was calling Franco and explaining it all to him. He was completely calm and after I told him where to find me, said he was on the way stat.

  Somehow, instinct told me he’d know how to handle this. And Saybree had said I could trust him.

  I could tell the moment he and Punch arrived because I started twitching all over, my body responding to Punch’s energy. Finding a spot on the floor to focus my eyes on, I meditated on darkness and void until the twitching was gone. I simply felt relieved they were both here to help. Franco made sure I was okay then they put on gloves and got busy. They wrapped the body in Aaron’s old blanket and loaded him on the back of Punch’s truck. Then they cleaned up the mess while I sat on the bed hugging my knees, wandering how much trouble I was in and what to do about it now.

  “Get your things. Best for you to come with us,” Franco said.

  I didn’t question it. Didn’t argue. Didn’t stall. I’d asked for his help and I was taking it.

  Once at Hades, I numbly followed them through a secret passageway and down to the basement, which had another secret passageway. It was like this place had been built for secrecy. I wondered only for a moment why we were taking Ivan’s body to Hades but then I saw why. Behind a large stone door was an incinerator. With no hesitation, they lifted the body-filled rug and hefted it inside.

  “Wait!” I’d become sentimental, realizing I should say parting words or pray before Ivan was nothing but remains. But it was too late. Fire had spread all around the rug, eating it, devouring it whole.

  “It’s best this way,” Franco said.

  “How are you so certain what’s best?” I said. I appreciated his help but I was still peeved, maybe even grieving. Who would tell Ivan’s mother? His dad had been a racist piece of shit, but his darling mother had always been kind to me. “Come to think of it, you didn’t seem too surprised when I told you he was swimming in my bathtub.”

  Franco motioned for Punch to leave us. When we were alone, Franco said, “I’ve been around a long time, Willow. I know what’s best here and you know I do. That’s why you called.” I nodded slowly. “I’m sorry for your loss,” he said. I searched his eyes. “Yes, I know of your history with him. And no, you cannot contact his mother. It would only bring heat your way.”

  The frustration I felt must have shown on my face because he led me to the stonewall and told me to sit. There were no chairs in the small room so he squatted next to me.

  “You weren’t surprised were you? Franco, what is it you’re not telling me?”

  “I was surprised that his body was in your bathtub not that he was dead. I knew the moment he died. His soul came back to me.”

  My eyes narrowed. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  “Ivan and I had a deal.”

  Oh, no. This was bad. My skin started crawling. “What kind of deal? He was a Christian. He wouldn’t have made a deal with a demon.”

  “I wish he could be here to explain himself to you. The deal was I would help him get what he wanted most and he would give me his soul.”

  I gasped and clutched my throat, feeling like he’d just slapped me because somehow I knew I was to blame for this. “Please tell me I have nothing to do with this.”

  He cleared his throat. “I collect souls. It’s not just what I do, Willow, it’s who I am. It’s the reason I exist…and I’ve existed as long as dirt. I bargain for souls and I keep them for eternity when the time comes.”

  “You mean when they die.”

  “Yes.” He jacked his thumb back towards the incinerator. “I wasn’t expecting to collect on him so soon since I’d only recently made good on my end of the bargain, but shit happens and I’m not the Grim Reaper. I have no say on when they go.”

  I thought about asking him if he knew G.R. personally and decided to stick to the subject at hand. What the hell did Ivan bargain with Franco for and what did I have to do with it? “You’re going to torture Ivan for eternity?”

  “No. He just won’t be able to enter the pearly gates. No streets of gold. No mansion or crown of jewels. No respite. Just an eternity of mental unrest. Because he met his demise before getting what he wanted most out of life, he’ll torture himself for eternity. I won’t have to. He’ll spend eternity pining for it. For you.”

  Oh God. “For me?” Terrible. Terrible. Terrible.

  “Yes. You’re what he wanted most in life. I saw him here the other night and his desire for you was strong. He said he’d done everything he could humanly do to get you back.”

  Oh hell. This was worst than I thought. Not only was I the reason he’d forfeited his soul to Franco to begin with, but I’d planted the seed in his mind to want me so badly. Before that mental plant, he’d just wanted to hang out. Five minutes before that he’d been busy enjoying Sushi in the fetish room with the hot blonde. If I’d just said hello and left him alone, none of this would have happened.

  I’d bet my left titty Franco knew I’d planted the desire in Ivan. He had capitalized on it as soon as he’d gotten the chance. Was probably what he did at Hades every night on unsuspecting folks. Was probably the reason he even opened the club. “You knew I planted that desire in him, didn’t you?” He nodded. “So you’re like a genie who grants wishes, only you take the most important thing from people when they die and make them suffer. You are pure evil, Franco.”

  He laughed, which shocked me. Then I thought about it. Yes, I was being all high and mighty like I wasn’t an evil predator. Like I didn’t use Hades for my personal gain. Like I didn’t prey on unsuspecting folks for sustenance too, draining their life force because I could, because I had to. Bloodsucking was not just something I did, it was who I was. At Hades, I had home-court advantage and Franco knew it.

  “Yes. I know what you do here night after night. You and me aren’t so different. Look, I know you feel guilty. And I know it’s easy to blame me, but Willow, he understood the details and consequences of our arrangement. He knew the sacrifice. He knew. Trust me. It’s what he wanted.”

  “He didn’t know what he wanted. No one wants to spend an eternity like that. It’s cruel. That’s why when people die humans say ‘rest in peace’. Peace is what they want after death.”

  “Is that what you wanted? When you allowed your maistre to cut your heart out and bind you to him in exchange for your supernatural existence as an almighty fucking vampire? Is that what you wanted? Peace? No way. You wanted to be a vampire and you were willing to suffer the consequences. No more sunlight. No more church. No more garlic or silver or food. But who cares. Look what you got in return.” His voice had continued to rise until it was loud by the time he was done.

  He had a point, but it didn’t matter. I was already responsible for Aaron. I couldn’t be responsible for Ivan too. “What if I bargain to get his soul back?”

  “Sorry. Doesn’t work that way. The minute I started making good on my end was the moment he became mine. It was a tragedy he was murdered before making good on his.”

  My mouth felt dry. “What effort did you make?” I had a feeling I already knew.

  “I gave him a job. Made sure he was going to be working closely with you. First guy I ever hired to perform here.”

  “Fuuuuck!” I screamed and slammed my fist into the wall. Damn it hurt, but I didn’t give a shit. All Ivan’s effort
s at getting me back had occurred years ago. Why had he gone straight to supernatural involvement this go ’round? Why didn’t he just pursue me like a sane person?

  “Love makes you insane,” Franco whispered. “And because you used your supernatural influence on him first.”

  I was tired of him reading my mind and tired of discovering how bad I screwed up. Franco, on the other hand, looked pleased with himself. “I bet you just love your job,” I said hoarsely.

  “I love my power. Don’t you? Don’t you love being more powerful than humans? Don’t you love being higher on the food chain? Don’t you relish in the power you receive from their blood? Each soul I take elevates me, and yes. I love that.” He reached for my wounded hand and rubbed my fingers and palm. “There, there. It’s okay. Don’t worry. You’ll see him again.”

  He was dropping all kinds of bombs tonight. “What do you mean?”

  “As a supernatural, you’ll see his spirit soon enough. He’ll wander the earth, still trying to gain his heart’s desire even as a ghost.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat and jerked my hand back. That was worst than him just being dead and Franco having possession of his soul. “When? When will I see him?”

  “When he’s ready.”

  “That’s great. That’s just great.”

  “You’ll learn how to tune him out.” He walked to the wall opposite me and propped his foot against it. “We have bigger fish to fry, Willow. Ivan was murdered. Any idea who would do that and leave him in your place?”

  Ahhh. Yes. That was definitely a bigger fish. “Not a clue.”

  I told him all the lengths I went through in order to stay hidden. Apparently, frequently changing motel rooms wasn’t enough. Someone had been watching me, but for how long? Scary thought.

  The last thing I wanted was for my story to turn in to a murder mystery. I was freaked enough with the idea it was about to fit in to romance, but that was better, and more exciting than trying to figure out who killed my ex. Besides, discovering his killer wouldn’t bring Ivan back. But romance could fill some lonely nights and satisfy my carnal desires.

  “You need to stay here until we figure it out,” Franco said as a command not a request.

  He held his hand out for me to grab it. I stared at it a moment then took it, stood, and followed him to an empty bedroom where he gave me the combination to the door and said I had everything I needed here, including a bathroom. He reminded me he was preparing a sanctuary for supernaturals and was ready to accommodate me. His only rule was no humans. Fine. I could do that. Tomorrow night I’d see Remi upstairs anyway.

  I had to admit my room was secure, soundproof, completely dark, cozy. Not much furniture or decorations, but I didn’t mind minimalism. It wouldn’t be permanent. Couldn’t really stay here long-term. Franco collected souls and probably hid them somewhere underneath Hades in one or more of these locked rooms. And one of those newly soulless ghosts was my ex-boyfriend, Ivan.

  Just seemed all wrong.

  Chapter 26

  No use trying to sleep after you’ve found your ex’s body and then watched it burn.

  Saying I tossed and turned all night was an understatement. When I did finally get sleep, my parents were there. Brothers too. And this time we were at a family reunion when I was sixteen and forced to wear a helmet in case I fell asleep…and fell. It was an absolutely ridiculous get-up, but not as bad as when I wanted to listen to Johnny Gill sing “My, My, My” in my cousin’s headset. I’d taken my helmet off long enough to listen, sing along, and get caught. My oldest brother went squealing to my parents…who came squealing to me. I had to spend the rest of the day standing in a corner, holding one foot up…with my helmet on. All because I enjoyed “satan’s music”.

  Completely humiliating.

  Not as humiliating this time around, more maddening. Couldn’t have a restful sleep that way. Was setting myself up for some nasty narcoleptic episodes later tonight.

  I also spent time pondering who could have murdered Ivan and tried to frame me for it. Remi and Aaron knew where I was staying. I just couldn’t see how either of them could have done something like that. But what about another personality? I hadn’t met them all. That Vlad guy seemed like a murdering douche. Maybe he’d done it. But with what motive?

  It just didn’t add up. None of my scenarios did.

  Just meant that it was someone I was totally oblivious about. Someone I didn’t know was watching me, stalking me, planning my demise just like they’d planned Ivan’s.

  I dressed in a hurry so I could get upstairs. Couldn’t wait to see Remi. Last time we were together, he’d been pissed with me. But after the night I’d just had, I needed his friendly, loyal face. And he needed to know he was important to me. Conditions were perfect for hot make-up sex.

  Fate would think differently.

  Because for the first time in a year of seeing his sexy ass with the I-dare-you-to-fuck-me-hard eyes, he was a no-show.

  Unbelievable.

  I looked, sniffed and listened for him everywhere. Then I panicked like a mother-fucker. I’d seen close-up what Ivan looked like as a corpse. Had the same thing happened to Remi? Oh, God, no!

  Bursting into Franco’s office like a madwoman, I demanded he look up Aaron’s membership info and give me his address. Stat. No time for playing around. Hopefully, I wasn’t too late.

  As usual, Franco didn’t look surprised to see me. After mumbling something about violating club policy, he unlocked a cabinet near his desk and retrieved a file folder. He knew better than to argue with me on this. I stood directly in front of him with my hand out, waiting as he wrote everything down.

  Just as I was about to walk out the door in a blur, I stopped and eyeballed him. “Please tell me you haven’t made a deal with Remi.”

  “Who’s Remi?”

  “I mean Aaron.” His name was on the driver’s license to apply for membership, after all.

  “I’ve made no deal with him.” He leaned back in his chair, smirking. “Given the way you’re running out of here like a bat outta hell, I’m preeeetty sure he’s closer to his heart’s desire than I could ever get him.”

  Wincing, I looked down at the folded paper in my hand. I knew the location. It would take me two minutes to get there if I ran. “You think I’m foolish to go after him, don’t you?”

  “Heck naw. He spends a shitload of money here. Go get him.” He crossed his ankles over the desk casually. “But Willow? Take one of the bouncers with you. Not Punch. I need him tonight, but somebody else.”

  “No can do. Gotta do this alone.”

  His eyes penetrated mine, letting me know he knew what I was up to. Tonight’s plans for Remi did not include a third-party tagalong and Franco knew it. “Isn’t your maistre going to have your head on a stick for fucking that human?”

  “Yep.”

  He shook his head like I was up the creek without a paddle and swiveled his chair around so that I faced his back. “Well, be careful.”

  I didn’t respond. Just ran across town with the strength of ten horses, the speed of hurricane winds. I had to get to him in a hurry. Just in case.

  Wow. My eyes popped when I saw his high-rise building. Very ritzy. Made me look at the address again to make sure I had the right place. Yep. This was his residence all right.

  I surveyed the place to see what I was up against. Cameras everywhere. A concierge. Valet. Two maintenance workers and three guests…

  Good thing I was good and fast at climbing because I certainly wasn’t going through lobby security. Didn’t have time to sign-in, get frisked, get approved, and get escorted to the key-activated elevator before going to his door. So after one last cursory look around to make sure no one was watching, I ran around back and scaled the wall like a four-legged spider. Since I could enter a building without personal invitation, just not individual apartments, I broke a hall window on his floor and climbed in. Smart enough to know the break would set off a silent alarm, I scaled the hal
l ceilings until I got to Aaron’s door to avoid security cameras.

  Dropping to the floor like a thief in the night, I banged on the door like Remi’s life depended on it. If he didn’t answer, I was fresh out of ideas. I couldn’t get inside without his invite and I wouldn’t know the first place to go look for him. Didn’t even know if there was still a him to look for.

  No one answered and there was no sound from inside.

  I banged again, risking waking his neighbors and getting caught because sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do.

  Then it dawned on me—maybe this was a good time to see how strong our bond was. Since he was the first human I’d fed my blood, I wasn’t quite sure what we were capable of metaphysically. What were our limitations? How strong would our blood connection be now considering he had used most of its power to heal?

  No more wasting time. I owed it to him to at least try to find him psychically, use my blood in his body like a tracking device.

  But I could only track him if he was still alive. His energy could only be picked up if blood was flowing through his veins, if there was brain activity.

  Closing my eyes to concentrate, to alleviate tension from my body, I shut down my physical senses and opened up the psychic ones.

  Opening my mind, I threw out a short psychic net to test the waters. Not like ringing a telephone. More like my energy traveling through the walls, through space, searching for his energy. It wasn’t the same connection Max and I shared, but I reached Remi’s energy source quickly because of his close proximity.

  The link to his aura was stronger than I expected given how much time had passed since he’d had my blood. Alarmingly so.

  My energy tickled him lightly like a feather, awaiting access to his mind, seeking an opening as though he were in a deep sleep and needed gentle prodding to wake. His subconscious responded with despair and sadness and self-pity.

  I pulled back sharply before I got images to go with the emotions. Didn’t need his turmoil floating in my head too. At least I knew he was alive.