Spirit Sanguine

by Lou Harper

  With the show over, Ilario wandered out of the room. Gabe wrapped his arms tightly around Harvey.

  Chapter Six

  It was close to dawn when the party broke up and Hector came to collect them. Aleksi and the two blondes were nowhere to be seen, only the half-naked human girls. A couple of guards were wrestling them back into their clothing.

  “What are you doing to them?” Gabe asked Hector in an angry whisper.

  “Taking them back to their hotel, what else? It’s time for you to leave too. Steve will walk you back to yours.”

  Gabe gathered up his coat as they headed out. At the door, they met another vampire guard, who had to be Steve. He led them back out the same way they had come, to their hotel’s main floor and left them there. Nobody said a single word the whole time. Harvey and Gabe went on their way in continued silence.

  However, once they got into the room, Harvey exploded. “I’m so fucking pissed.” His voice trembled with barely contained fury. He paced up and down the room. Rage radiated from every one of his tense muscles.

  Gabe had been aware of Harvey’s agitation throughout the night. He felt much the same, but he also knew one of them needed to stay cool. He drew the resistant Harvey into his arms. While he wound his arms tight around Harvey, he willed his own body to remain relaxed, to convey calm and confidence. Many long minutes later, the impotent anger straining Harvey’s whole being began to evaporate. Gabe slowly stroked Harvey’s back to soothe away the shudders running through it.

  Finally, Harvey gave up the resistance and melded into Gabe. “The asshole has Mr. Vega there—I could feel someone very sick nearby. It had to be him.”

  “That’s good to know for sure. See, the night wasn’t a complete waste.”

  “This is so fucked up,” Harvey mumbled into Gabe’s neck.

  “I know, kitten. I’m angry too, but we’ll sort this out. We were told to wait, and going off half-cocked won’t do any good. Right now I want to take a shower more than anything.”

  He wasn’t entirely truthful—what he wanted above all was to demand answers from Hector while holding a sharp stake pointed at the vampire’s heart. Since he couldn’t do that, a shower had to suffice.

  They shed their costumes swiftly and without any of the thrill they had putting them on. In the shower, Harvey scowled at the bruises on Gabe’s wrists. “I hated it when they bit you.”

  “Yes, me too, but that shit didn’t matter. They only had my blood. It was nothing like with you. You know that.”

  He cradled Harvey’s face in his hands and leaned forward. Their lips met soft and wet. Gabe had an inkling something inside him was shifting, but he couldn’t put a name on it.

  After quickly getting clean, they crawled under the blankets. Gabe wrapped himself around Harvey and closed his eyes. All the emotional debris of the night turned into exhaustion. He didn’t think he’d be able to sleep, but a few seconds later, he was out cold.

  An insistent tapping noise woke him up. There was someone at the door. The red digital glow of the clock told him it was well past noon. He crawled out of bed and ambled to the door.

  “Who is it?” he croaked.

  “Room service.”

  “I didn’t order room service.”

  Harvey was up too, looking alarmed. Gabe’s phone rang from under a pile of clothes on the floor. He dug it out.

  “What?” he barked into it.

  “Good morning, amigo,” replied a familiar voice.

  “I’m not your fucking amigo,” Gabe growled.

  Hector didn’t bother to address Gabe’s wrath. “I sent you lunch. Eat. You’ll need your strength. When you’re done, come see me,” he said and hung up.

  Gabe had half a mind to blow Hector off, but the urge to confront the vampire proved stronger. So after a lunch of steak and eggs, and a shower, he was ready to go. So was Harvey, despite the early hour. Without talking about it, they both put on what they called their hunting outfits—loose, comfortable clothing with lots of pockets. Gabe even tucked his special ropes into them. After a moment’s hesitation, he put the steampunk wristband on too. The stiff metal circle concealed the bruise on his skin. The sleeve of his leather jacket covered it, but he liked its caress.

  “You have some fucking explaining to do,” was the first thing Gabe said when the three of them were alone in Hector’s office.

  The vampire took on their furious glares like Gore-Tex takes on rain. “Sure. Wouldn’t you rather sit down first?”

  “No, I don’t wanna fucking sit down!”

  “Suit yourself.” Hector parked his own backside on the corner of his desk and folded his arms across his chest.

  The first question bubbled up from Gabe’s simmering anger. “What the fuck was last night about?”

  “You wanted to know more about Aleksi Radek. Now you know all you need.”

  “Where are the girls?”

  “Back at their hotel room, not remembering a thing. I drugged them when we were still back in the bar.”

  “They were raped. You drugging them doesn’t make the whole affair any less repulsive.”

  “True. On the other hand, they’re alive. If it wasn’t for the drug blanking out their memories, they’d be feeding the coyotes in the desert by now.”

  “Are you telling me you did a good deed drugging them and handing them over to that sick bastard?”

  Hector shrugged. “You two being there helped. Aleksi is not far enough gone yet to kill in front of a couple of strangers.”

  “He’s using dirty blood, isn’t he? How long?”

  “Let’s see. James showed up in town around July. Aleksi began to act strange soon after. He’d always been an asshole but used to be a smart asshole. Now he’s more and more careless. There’s lots of desert around here to lose bodies, but when people keep disappearing, sooner or later someone will notice.”

  “So what do you do for him, other than pimping?”

  “I used to do security. Now I’m keeping the shit from hitting the fan.”

  “How does Ilario fit into all this?”

  “He’s Aleksi’s right-hand man, handling his business dealings. Aleksi doesn’t trust him, but then Aleksi doesn’t trust anyone but the hell bitches.”

  “Frida and Greta?”

  “Yes, them.” Judging from his tone, he didn’t have much love for them either.

  “Where did Aleksi find them?”

  “The rumor is they used to be East German athletes, pumped full of steroids. It might even be true. All I know is that they’re sisters and devoted to Aleksi. He turned them, and they worship him. He never goes anywhere without them.”

  “They seem formidable as bodyguards.”

  “Vicious too. You saw their softer side.”

  Harvey, who had been standing quietly in a corner till then, stepped forward. “I don’t get it. Did you plan for us to get invited to the suite last night?”

  Hector looked Harvey square in the eyes. “Not you. Only him. The party with the girls was going to happen no matter what, but I knew Frida and Greta would want a bite of Wade, once they got a whiff of him.”

  “So what did you plan for me?”

  “We would’ve lost you along the way. Neither Aleksi nor the bitches are into fucking guys. I didn’t expect you to show up as a chick. That complicated things.”

  “What about Ilario?”

  “He’s a smart man,” Hector said noncommittally.

  Harvey’s tight expression and narrowed eyes showed how he was getting riled up. “Oh really? What did he think of the free show he got?”

  “Only he knows what he thinks.”

  “Did you see us too?”

  “We all did. Aleksi and the hell bitches were rather disappointed, but I thought you handled the situation smartly.”

  “Did it bother you knowing you were watching two men?”

  Hector snorted. “It doesn’t get me off, but I’ve been around too long to give a crap. However, you’re lucky Aleksi’s not a
s sharp as he used to be, and Frida and Greta are dumb as rocks. Shit would’ve hit the fan if they figured you out.”

  Gabe put a calming hand on Harvey’s shoulder. “Who knows Aleksi is using?” he asked.

  “Frida, Greta, Ilario and me,” Hector replied.

  “How about the guards?”

  “They don’t have a clue.”

  “C’mon. They spend time alone there. You’re trying to tell me they don’t go exploring?”

  “The whole place is rigged with cameras, and they know that—they don’t wander beyond the foyer.”

  So the knowledge about dirty blood was contained. That was good news, at least.

  “How much do you trust Ilario?” Gabe asked, because the handsome vampire with the hard eyes was still a mystery to him.

  “He can keep a secret. You don’t have to worry about Ilario,” Hector said with heavy emphasis.

  “So that leaves the sisters and Aleksi.”

  “I want the motherfucker dead,” Harvey growled.

  “So does Hector. Isn’t that right?” Gabe asked, focusing on the vampire.

  Hector held his gaze. “Aleksi is a liability. He must go.”

  “I need to make a call.”

  “You do that.”

  Gabe dialed and asked for Ruby. Before he got far, she interrupted him. “I have a message for you: Trust your friend.”

  “Is that it?” Gabe asked.

  “Yes.” The phone went dead.

  Fucking cryptic messages, he thought. He preferred a simple do this, don’t do that, but he supposed it was Augustine’s way of giving him free rein. So be it.

  First he had to find out what he was dealing with. “Okay. Suppose we agree to go up against Aleksi. It should be a child’s play, right? You coming with us?” He didn’t bother to keep the sarcastic tone out of his voice.

  “No, it’ll have to be the two of you, but there are ways I can help.”

  “Such as?”

  Hector produced a rectangular piece of plastic. “I can provide you with access. And weapons, of course.”

  “Seven vamps for only the two of us to deal with.”

  “The regular guards won’t be there.”

  “Hmm.”

  Sticking his hands in his pockets and hanging his head, Gabe took a moment to reflect on the situation. On the one hand, what went on in Vegas was none of his business. All he knew of the lay of the land was what Hector had shared with him. Acting upon the word of a vampire he barely knew called for a helluva lot of trust. Or foolhardiness. On the other hand, Aleksi was exactly the kind of vamp in need of slaying, and that was Gabe’s calling. Right?

  However, it wasn’t his decision alone. He had a partner. He looked at Harvey, who replied to the wordless question with a determined, hard nod.

  Gabe turned back to Hector. “All right. We’ll do it. On one condition.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You make sure the old guy, Mr. Vega, is taken back to the hospice where he belongs.”

  “Deal.”

  “Weapons?”

  “This way.”

  Instead of taking the SUV, Hector transported them in a van bearing the name of a local package delivery service. Harvey and Gabe sat in the back, in blue overalls over their regular clothes. They even wore matching baseball hats, with the same logo as on the van. The cardboard boxes at their feet contained a crossbow each.

  “You’ll be taking a more direct route this time,” Hector explained while driving. “I’ll drop you off in the loading dock. You walk in, don’t look at anyone. The service elevator will be straight ahead. You’ll need the access card to get it moving. The card will also open the door to the suite.”

  While Hector was busy negotiating the traffic, Gabe turned to Harvey. “You need to bite me.”

  “No, you’ve donated too much blood already.”

  “I’m good. You know why I want it.”

  If Gabe’s blood made Harvey more alert, more aware during daytime, that was exactly what Gabe wanted. He knew Harvey understood—he didn’t need to explain it in front of Hector. Their secrets were their own.

  Gabe brushed his thumb over Harvey’s lips. “Just do it, stupid.”

  “You and your idiotic slogans,” Harvey groused, even as he leaned forward and pulled open Gabe’s collar.

  Harvey sucked Gabe’s blood for a few seconds.

  “Is that enough?” Gabe asked.

  “Plenty. Trust me.”

  The familiar buzz rushed through Gabe, mixing with the adrenaline. Under the circumstances, the last thing Gabe needed to think of was sex, so he pushed against it. He’d done it the night before when the bitches bit him, so he could do it again. Surprisingly, it didn’t take much at all. Maybe, he thought, he could’ve always done it, if he’d tried. Heightened awareness of his environment and Harvey remained. Without the distraction of sex, he recognized something simple yet shocking. Sylvaine and Augustine had been right. He desperately needed to process this realization, but there was no time. The van pulled into the underground loading dock of the hotel.

  Hector looked at his watch. “Wait. One more minute.”

  “You really planned this out, didn’t you?” Harvey asked.

  “Of course. When you’re done, come back down. I’ll be waiting here. “

  “Won’t anybody be suspicious?”

  “No, they’re used to seeing this van parked here. One more thing, the elevator has a security camera. It’s in the ceiling. Don’t look up.”

  “How about the hallway?”

  “Aleksi had that one disabled. Okay, go now. Remember, you have twenty minutes max till the guards get back. Good luck.”

  They had a long walk to the elevator, past the laundry. The place was bustling like an ants’ nest, workers busily scurrying about. As Harvey and Gabe made their way across the floor in purposeful strides, nobody looked at them twice. They shed their deliveryman personas and overalls only after stepping out of the elevator on the twenty-seventh floor. With their crossbows and the ammo belts fitted with spikes across their chests, they looked like a couple of low-tech Rambos. Gabe would’ve laughed if his heart wasn’t in his throat.

  He grabbed Harvey by the arm. “Okay, as we agreed—I go in first. You stay by the door, make sure nobody gets out.”

  “While you take on everyone else by yourself?”

  “I’ll be careful. It’s essential nobody gets out that door.”

  Gabe lied. A place as big as that had to have at least one other entrance, but he figured Harvey would be safest staying in the foyer. Making sure Harvey got through this scrape unharmed was even more important to him now than half an hour before.

  They found nobody outside the suite, so Gabe swiped the card and swiftly moved inside. There were no guards inside either. So far Hector was good to his word.

  “Do you feel any regular people around?” Gabe asked.

  Harvey shook his head. “Only the old man. Must be Mr. Vega. He’s somewhere toward the left.”

  “Good. Give me fifteen minutes.”

  Gabe took off in the direction Harvey indicated—he felt Aleksi’s presence that way. Heavy drapes covered the windows, creating a permanent gloom. Gabe’s eyes gradually adjusted as he navigated among the bulky shapes of furniture. He wished Hector had provided them with a map for the fucking place. He kept his senses peeled for the three vampires. Aleksi remained static, but Frida and Greta kept moving around, making his job hard. He almost became trapped when he dead-ended in a guest bathroom. For a hair-raising minute, only a thin door separated him from one of the sisters. Gabe wanted to find Aleksi and deal with him first, so there would be no chance of him calling for help. Finally, she moved on, and Gabe could continue his silent hunt.

  Backtracking and following the trail of nastiness, he crept up to a closed door. He felt Aleksi close behind it. The bodyguards were farther away, although not far enough for his liking. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the luxury of time, so he barged into the room, wea
pon raised.

  Someone had converted the bedroom into a hospital room. On a white bed lay a shrunken old man, plastic tubes feeding him with oxygen and drugs. His eyes were closed and his head tilted to expose his neck. Aleksi Radek towered over him, blood still fresh on his lips. He stared at Gabe, stupefied for a nanosecond. It was Gabe’s chance to act, but Aleksi stood sideways, making a heart shot impossible. In the absence of better options, Gabe opted to target the vampire’s throat.

  The momentum of the spike knocked Aleksi back. Gabe swiftly rearmed the crossbow, but before he could shoot again, one of the blondes barreled in through the door behind him. He couldn’t tell if it was Frida or Greta, and frankly, he didn’t give a rat’s ass. He whirled around and let the stake fly. The sharp piece of wood nailed her right in the chest, and she burst into a cloud of dust. An enraged shriek announced the arrival of her sister.

  Gabe had no time to rearm, so he hurled the crossbow at her, hoping to slow the furious vampire down at least. He might as well have thrown a tennis ball at a charging rhino. She came at him with a butcher knife raised high above her head. What the hell does a vampire need a butcher knife for? The stupid question popped into his head. Reflexively, he blocked the knife with his left arm. He heard and felt the sharp, metallic clank. To make things worse, at the same moment, Aleksi grabbed him from behind, curling his fingers around Gabe’s throat. The blonde reared up for another attack.

  “Hey, bitch! Hands off my man!” Harvey shouted from the doorway.

  As she spun around, the wooden spike shot by Harvey impaled her with such force the tip of it poked out of her back between the ribs before she turned into dust. Gabe pried Aleksi’s hands off his throat and wrestled the vamp to the ground. Aleksi fought back with every ounce of his daytime strength, but Harvey jumped in to help hold him down. Gabe grabbed a fresh stake and unceremoniously plunged it into Aleksi’s heart. The vamp dutifully turned into a pile of dirt, and Gabe sat back on his haunches. His own heart beat harder than a conga drum. From the look of him, Harvey was equally high on adrenaline or whatever vampires had instead. Gabe’s heartbeat slowly returned to normal.

  “We did it,” he said.