by Lou Harper
“Yeah. I guess he wanted to see me for himself. He asked me questions—who I was, what I did, what I saw. I told him everything. I knew I’d better not lie.”
Gabe nodded.
“He’s one scary dude. Sharp as razor wire too. He told me what he and his people were, like he was discussing the weather. Then he made me an offer—I could play nice, keep my mouth shut and be at his beck and call, and he’d make sure nobody bothered me. Or I could be an idiot and have my head chewed off. So of course, I picked the option where I got to keep my head.”
“Sounds familiar.”
“What do you have that he wants?”
“Beats me.” Gabe hesitated for a moment, then came out with it. “I used to kill them. That was my thing.” He kept his voice down.
Denton leaned back in his seat and stared at Gabe with something akin to awe. “And he let you live?”
“It didn’t happen here but on the other side of the ocean.”
“Still.” Denton slowly shook his head. “He must want you bad. What do you do for him?”
“Not much so far. Deliveries anyone could do, catching creeps. But he pays a retainer, and I even have health insurance, so I can’t complain.”
“Fuckin-A! I only get the ‘consultation’ fees,” Denton said, curling his fingers to make air quotes. “Although they’re generous.”
“Do you think many people know about Augustine and his…friends?”
“No, I doubt it. They have ways of making you forget stuff. Or disappear if you’re not the forgetful kind. You know, the funny thing is, I’d known they were around, I saw them, but I hadn’t known what they were. I’d thought it was simply another peculiarity of my condition.”
“What do you mean saw them? They’re not invisible.”
“Yeah, but for me, looking at one of them is like having double vision. I had a concussion once—it’s like that, except the two images are not quite the same. It gives me a headache if I look at them too long. I didn’t think much of it originally. There’s plenty of strange shit I see I can’t explain.”
“Did you ever find out more about your talent?”
“Not a thing. I finally gave up and accepted that I’m a freak of nature. I’ve been much happier since.” Denton gave a broad grin. His teeth and facial ornaments gleamed brightly at Gabe.
Gabe suspected that it was more of an embrace than mere acceptance but didn’t voice his point. “Would you do something for me?” he asked.
“Sure.” The gleam became outright suggestive.
“Come with me to this spot by the freeway. It’s not far. I’ll pay you whatever Augustine does.”
Denton looked disappointed. “Yeah, okay.”
They had to climb over a fence and down on a grassy downslope to get to the edge of the freeway. Gabe led them to the place. “Here.” They were on the side where the accident had happened, and, short of walking out into the traffic, they couldn’t get any closer. Gabe took a hold of Denton’s arm while Denton closed his eyes and stood still as cars zoomed past them a few feet away, belching exhaust fumes. They were rocked by the air turbulence of every passing truck. For a long while, nothing happened, and Gabe was about to call the whole thing off when Denton gasped loudly and staggered backward. He would’ve fallen over if Gabe hadn’t held him.
“Oh shit, that was sudden,” he gasped.
“What did you see?”
“Not fucking much. Something exploded through the windshield, and it was over.” His eyes were wide with shock as he turned to Gabe. Then they narrowed. “This is something personal for you, isn’t it?”
“My parents died here.”
“That probably explains the shadow following you.”
“What shadow? What does it look like?”
“Just a vague shape hanging about you. It got darker, and started sort of fluttering, like it was excited or something,” Denton said, staring slightly to the left of Gabe.
This information shook Gabe. The last thing he needed was some otherworldly shadow following him. He squinted at the empty space beside him but couldn’t see a damn thing. No—he decided—there was nothing there. Denton imagined it. The guy was a bit odd.
“How did it happen?” Denton asked.
“The accident? Someone dropped a cinder block from the overpass, right on top of their car,” Gabe said, pointing up at the slim bridge above.
His breath caught at the sight of a figure standing up there. They were too far to see much, but the man—Gabe was certain it was a man—looked straight at them. They all stood frozen for a moment; then the figure turned and walked swiftly away. Forgetting about everything else, Gabe scrambled up the embankment and over the fence. He sprinted to the overpass as fast as he could, but the bridge stood empty by the time he reached it. He looked down at the traffic below through the tall railing that hadn’t been there five years before. His whole body tensed with the old anger and frustration.
Hearing the thumping of running feet and Denton’s huffing and puffing, Gabe made himself unclench. Denton stopped next to him, breathing hard.
“And here I was thinking we were on a date,” Denton said once he got his breathing under control.
Oh. Gabe was aware of Denton’s interest and was tempted to return it, but he said, “No. Sorry, not a date.”
“If you tell me you don’t swing that way, I’ll laugh my ass off.”
“It’s not that. I don’t think my…roommate would appreciate any swinging.” Immediately, he felt like a heel for using that term, but what else was he supposed to say?
“Your roommate?”
“Yes,” he said, even as the tip of his ears began to burn.
“He doesn’t have to know.”
“I think he would—he’s a vampire.” The vampire part wasn’t quite the real reason Gabe said no, but he suspected it was the simplest way to settle the matter. He was right.
“Now you tell me!” Denton said, taking a step back from Gabe. “I guess I was wrong thinking the old bat sent you to me as a present. Oh yeah, don’t tell him I called him that.”
“I won’t. C’mon, I’ll drive you home.”
“Oh, hell no. I’ll take the El. Smell you later.” Denton made an about-face and took off.
Gabe yelled after him. “Hey, wait, I haven’t paid you.”
Denton turned on his heels. Gabe was relieved to see his grin was back. “It’s on the house, but you owe me one.” Denton waved and walked away.
Chapter Four
Friday was Boy’s Night Out; at least that’s what Harvey and Dill called it. It had long been their custom to go clubbing, leaving Ray and Stan behind, as the older vampires had no interest in such activities. Gabe guessed they welcomed the occasional quiet night alone. Dill was a likable kid, but a tad high energy. No wonder he needed two “daddies”—as Dill called them—to keep up with him.
This time Dill directed them to Club 9, a trendy new nightclub in River North. It was one of those places where you had to be beautiful to be granted entrance. Gabe didn’t think he qualified, even in the snazzy new clothes Harvey had insisted buying for him, but the other two “boys” certainly did. In a deep red silk shirt contrasting against his pale skin, and with his polished features, Harvey exuded an exotic allure. Dill, with his unruly mop of blond hair and cornflower eyes, was a picture of youthful exuberance. The doorman looked them over and waved them in.
A cursory glance around informed Gabe the crowd was about evenly hetero and gay, with a few shades in between. He detected the presence of vamps too. He figured a place like Club 9 had to be an ideal feeding ground.
Gabe wanted to get a feel for the place first, so they found a table farther away from the dance floor and ordered their drinks. Harvey sipped his for appearance’s sake, Dill put his away with enthusiasm, but Gabe only held his as a prop. He had appointed himself the designated driver for the night, over Harvey’s protestations.
As Harvey and Dill chatted away, Gabe focused his attention on the cro
wd. Pinpointing vampires required him to tune out the distractions, the noise, flashing lights and the mass of people constantly in motion. It was a very different experience than finding his target in those deathly quiet Old World catacombs. If he was going to do more jobs like the one the other day for Augustine, honing his skill couldn’t hurt.
He zeroed in on an attractive woman: curvy, high cheekbones and caramel skin. She was also remarkably tall. Far too tall for a woman.
Harvey’s voice and a jab in the ribs roused Gabe from his observations. “Put your eyes back into their sockets. She’s not your type.”
“I wasn’t—”
“Jade is an eyeful, isn’t she?” Dill cut in.
“You know her?”
“Not well, but I’ve seen her around. Hard to miss.”
“Is she…?” Gabe didn’t want to say the V-word where they could be easily overheard.
“What, in drag?” Harvey asked, his face schooled into fake innocence.
“She bites,” Dill said helpfully, ruining the effect, and earning himself a look of reprimand from Harvey.
A vampire drag queen. That was…different.
“Hey, is that what I think it is?” Harvey pulled back Dill’s shirt collar.
His dismayed expression was at odds with Dill’s elated one. Gabe looked, but all he could see was a hickey.
“Oh, stop being such a sourpuss,” Dill sad, tugging his shirt out of Harvey’s grasp.
Gabe looked from one to another. “I don’t get it. What’s the big deal?”
“Stan and Ray fed on Dill,” Harvey replied. Gabe must’ve looked confused, because he added, “That’s what it looks like afterwards. No little puncture wounds like in the movies. The saliva heals the wound; only a bruise remains.”
“A love bite,” said Dill in a cheerful tone.
“I didn’t know that,” Gabe admitted. Something stirred in the back of his head, but he couldn’t capture it.
“Of course you don’t. I bet Harvey never bites. He really takes this vegetarianism too far, you know.”
In light of recent events, Gabe would’ve agreed, but not so much on this specific point, so he kept his mouth shut.
“You’re really missing out,” Dill added.
“Shut up, Dill,” Harvey snapped back at him.
“Why? He should know.”
“Know what?” Gabe asked, fixing his eyes on Harvey.
Dill too glared at Harvey, who looked outright sullen. “It enhances sex,” he grudgingly admitted.
“Getting fanged makes me cum like a geyser. It’s fangtastic,” Dill added with an enthusiastic smile.
Harvey groaned and rolled his eyes. Gabe smothered his surprise. Odd that Harvey had kept this detail from him, but it didn’t really matter. He had no desire to find out what Harvey biting him would feel like, right?
Dill prattled on. “Even better when you do it in a threesome.”
“You’re such a slut,” Harvey said.
Dill beamed back at him. “You say it like it was a bad thing. There’s nothing like a good fang-bang, trust me. You know, for who you are, you’re such a fuddy-duddy.”
“Am not!”
“Are too! You’re like one of those declawed cats. Even worse, you expect everyone to be the same. Spoilsport.”
Recalling Harvey’s scheme involving his tonic, Gabe couldn’t help but smirk. Catching Harvey’s glare, he schooled his features into a neutral façade.
Harvey narrowed his eyes. “Shut up, you two. Do you want me to bite you?”
Gabe preferred to think he didn’t, or at least tried not to think about it. Mainly, he was mindful of Harvey’s dislike of the subject. Even now, anxiety radiated from Harvey, and Gabe wanted to make the tension go away. An old memory flickered through his mind.
“Our sex life is plenty enhanced. Right, Shnookums?” The endearment popped into Gabe’s head and onto his tongue without a warning. His first and only girlfriend had called him that sometimes. They hadn’t lasted, but Julie Swinton had really liked him for a spell, until she figured him out for a hopeless case. She was the one who had given him that look before.
“Call me that again and I will bite you,” Harvey grumbled but couldn’t hide his relieved smile.
Dill made gagging noises. “You make me sick. Are we gonna dance or sit around and gossip like a bunch of old ladies on bingo night?”
They sauntered out to the dance floor. Forgetting their previous squabble, Harvey and Dill had a great time at Gabe’s expense. They had him sandwiched between them, rubbing and writhing from two directions. Gabe was hot and horny in no time, with nothing to do about it. If it were only him and Harvey, he would’ve dragged Harvey out to the nearest alley for some relief. He couldn’t do that with Dill there. Despite appearances, Harvey’s and Dill’s wanton ways were only an act. Gabe knew for a fact Dill was devoted to his daddies and wouldn’t have screwed around even if he dared.
At some point, Gabe had to excuse himself and withdraw to the sidelines. He needed to cool down and catch his breath. He kept an eye on the boys. They looked good together on the dance floor, young and lively, plainly enjoying being inside their own skins.
Gabe envied them and wished he could adjust to his new circumstances as easy. Especially Dill, who not only didn’t have an issue with his vampire lovers biting him, but he adored them for it. Then again, he was a young man, not a seasoned vampire slayer. Gabe had too many urges pulling him in different directions, and he didn’t know which one to follow.
Eventually Harvey and Dill joined Gabe at the sidelines, interrupting his ruminations.
“We’re off to the little boys’ room,” Harvey announced.
“Together?”
“Ray would kill me if I let him out of my sight.”
Dill rolled his eyes behind him. “Like, what are the chances I’ll get kidnapped again?”
“Knowing you, high,” Harvey replied, and they marched off.
Following them with his gaze, Gabe thought he spotted a familiar figure, but it was gone before he could be sure.
The summons from Victor Augustine came the very next day, at dusk. Gabe put on his suit and headed over without delay.
This time, Augustine cut straight to the chase and handed Gabe the police report. He waited silently till Gabe finished looking through it. The victim was Christine Lane, twenty-three years old, single, found dead in her apartment by her roommate. Melinda Holman had woken up in the middle of the night, seen light coming from Christine’s room and knocked. She’d gotten no answer, but, finding the door ajar, she’d peeked in and found her roommate in a pool of blood.
Even in the crime scene photos, Christine’s beauty was evident. Her lips were rouged red to match her hair. By comparison, the blotch of dried blood looked dark and dull. Her wrists were cut.
“A suspicious suicide?” Gabe asked when he was done.
“Yes. Even the police think so.”
“You believe there’s a connection to the other case?”
As usual, Augustine played his cards close to the chest. “I don’t know. It’s up to you to find out.”
Gabe nodded, lost in thought. He’d have to arrange for Denton to be at the scene to do his thing. “It’ll be difficult to get into the apartment.”
“Already thought of that. Ellie has a private detective license for you, to give you some credibility. The rest is up to your personal charm.”
Gabe doubted he had such a thing.
Gabe decided not to wait until morning. He called Denton, who accepted the invitation with his customary upbeat manner. Gabe picked him up, and the two of them drove to the victim’s apartment in Wicker Park.
The roommate turned out to be a plain brunette. She peered warily through the door crack. The clamor of television filtered out from behind her as she studied Gabe’s detective license.
“You’re not a real cop,” she said.
“Private detective. The family is suspicious about Miss Lane’s death.” Gabe gave her
what he thought was his most amiable smile.
Melinda Holman looked him over one more time. The sight of the suit seemed to ease her worries. She unchained and opened the door.
“This is my assistant,” Gabe said, gesturing toward Denton, who up till that point had remained out of sight.
Melinda’s whole body tensed in a show of alarm.
“Would you prefer if we left the door open?” Gabe asked to calm her.
She bit her lip, but then she shook her head. “No, it’s fine.” She let them in.
“Could we look at the scene, please?”
She waved her hand toward the far side of the living room. “The left door. You go ahead. I don’t want to see that again. The room’s still like the police left it. The landlord’s supposed to send someone to clean up. Some people do that for a living. Can you imagine?” She wasn’t really asking a question. Gabe figured she rattled on for the same reason the TV was on too loud—to keep herself from thinking. Gabe had been there before and could sympathize.
“Thank you. It’ll only take a minute,” he said.
He and Denton went to the indicated bedroom. It had an exaggeratedly feminine atmosphere. The walls were painted pale lilac and colorful, gauzy fabric hung from the ceiling around the bed. The pink duvet was soaked in blood. Gabe looked about, taking in the setting, but he didn’t learn anything he hadn’t already known from the crime scene photos. Brad Pitt stared down at them from a giant poster. For an eyewitness, he wasn’t any help at all.
“I want to talk to the roommate. Are you gonna be all right by yourself?” Gabe asked.
Denton nodded, eyes already closed in concentration. “I’ll be fine.”
When Gabe returned to Melinda, he found her standing in the same spot where they’d left her, chewing on her fingernails and not looking in the direction of the bedroom. Her hair stuck up in all directions, and dark shadows lined her eyes.
“Melinda, may I ask you a few questions?” He aimed for a light and comforting tone.
Her gaze darted at him, then away. “Call me Mel. Everyone does. Would you like a cup of coffee?”
Gabe didn’t. “Yes, that would be great, thank you.”
Pouring coffee and doing normal things appeared to relax her a bit. They sat down at the kitchen table.