Enrai (Blood Sealed Book 2)

by Jet Lupin

  “It’s entirely up to you. I don’t need you to do it. I don’t think it matters, but if you want to test what Chiyo taught you without revealing who you are, have at it.” He smirked. “Chiyo told me you could use the practice.”

  “Oh, yeah? What else did she tell you?”

  “Things I’ll tell you later.” His hands settled at Phil’s waist, drawing him closer. “After this, we’ll have a long talk and I’ll tell you that and other things.”

  “That sounds serious.” Uncomfortably so. He didn’t like the sound of that.

  “It’s not anything you can’t handle.” Shige cupped Phil’s cheek and drew him down for a kiss. “Go, have fun with them. I’ll keep an eye out for you as much as I can, but stay aware.”

  They walked in together, but parted soon after. Shige continued his tour, Bas at his side. Phil found a quiet corner and did his best not to appear as conspicuous as he felt. The chair was comfortable at least. The apartment was probably a comfortable space when it wasn’t crawling with people.

  A server came by with a tray laden with goblets of blood and delicate flutes of champagne with strawberry slices floating amid the bubbles. Phil secured a glass, sat back, and let his eyes go out of focus.

  Breathe in. His skin tingled. He could take his time, no Chiyo here to hurry him through the exercise. Breathe out. Frost rushed up and froze everything it touched, every occupant in the apartment held in its grasp for an instant before being let go.

  Though brief, he was able to get a read of the room. All the different minds bubbling away with their own concerns, but one stood out from the others. It snaked out like an eel, picking at pieces of the other minds as it swept the room, thrashing about carelessly. That very carelessness was what led Phil right to him.

  He was on the other side of the apartment past a throng of minds drenched in pleasure. He—Phil was certain from the impressions the mind left that it was male—was aggressive in his search, but Phil wasn’t sure what he was searching for.

  Phil zeroed in on this person, concentrating on shielding his thoughts. At this level of experience, there was no way this person could keep track of this many minds at once.

  Phil nudged them back, the equivalent of a tap on the shoulder. The other consciousness recoiled and walled itself behind its shield. They didn’t know he was here, so he wasn’t their target. Phil could hammer away and break down such weak defenses, but he had time. He would be patient.

  He opened his eyes and took stock of the room. Shige was nearby, chatting with the Polynesian vampire again, while the rest of the room went on in their own little clusters, blithely unaware of any goings on outside of their bubbles.

  The odd snippet of conversation occasionally reached him, none of it of note. He listened in on some minds, but it was like that time in Nasu, where everyone was concerned with feeding or fucking. Words like delicious, decadent, and tasty were thrown around haphazardly, but that appeared to be just how vampires talked in times such as this. It was like those period movies about the wealthy standing around without a care, nibbling on cheese and wine, unconcerned with the poor mounting an uprising outside their door.

  He pictured himself like an octopus, his power stretched out, sampling here and there, keeping an eye on Shige and the now reclusive sensitive in equal measure. It was invigorating.

  From the thoughts that seeped through the poorly made barrier, the other sensitive was conferring with whoever had brought him here, like Phil had done when they first made contact.

  He was doing his best to seem nonthreatening, but he was nearing the end of his patience. He nudged again, pushing forth a question: What are you looking for?

  After five minutes with no reply, Phil called it. Now he was left on his own. He finished his champagne and flagged down a server for another. For a room full of some of the most powerful creatures on Earth, this party was the way he imagined any other rich party full of rich people: dreadfully boring.

  He was three flutes of champagne in when the chattering of the crowd quieted to a simmer. They parted around Bas. He’d loosened up his tie and appeared in more of a party mood. In a booming voice, he addressed the crowd without a microphone.

  “Ladies, gentleman, and others. I hope you’ve been enjoying your evening, but I must admit I didn’t invite you here solely for the pleasure of your company.” He called a server forward, liberating a glass of blood from the tray. “Tonight’s meeting is bittersweet. After decades apart, my brother and I have reunited. He’s returned, not only to me, but to us all.” Shige stepped beside the man and they embraced, sloshing wine on the floor. “Join me. Raise your glasses and welcome him back to the fold.” The crowd erupted into applause, some more polite than enthusiastic. No one stood out in open opposition. Bas kissed Shige on the cheek before hugging him, their limbs intertwined. At least that kiss missed his mouth.

  “And in a bit of sad news, it is with a heavy heart that we announce that Shige’s son, Toshinori has left us for the great hereafter. We toast to his memory for he will be sorely and dearly missed by us all.”

  The crowd fluttered with shock, people murmuring amongst themselves. The number of raw reactions of surprise was staggering.

  The men embraced, and the crowd, again, cheered. Conversation picked up once the announcements were done, and the moment passed. Phil sat, a new drink in hand. He was more relaxed and ready to pick at the other sensitive again, but he wasn’t alone.

  Two figures manifested on the opposite side of the table. The man sitting in the chair didn’t appear pampered or polished the way his peers did, no matter how much his outfit cost, and it looked like it hadn’t been cheap. He was clean shaven aside from his bushy brows and a thin mustache that resembled catfish whiskers. He looked like he’d lived a hard life before he changed. Just how hard depended on how long ago that changed occurred. His rough features morphed into a grimace of distaste as he glared in Shige’s direction. He looked like he wanted to get up from that chair and wring Shige’s neck. Phil did his best to appear unaffected by the pure hostility radiating from him.

  The worst part of all this was that Phil hadn’t noticed them approach. He’d have to slow down on the champagne. But stopping completely might make him appear too conspicuous.

  “Disgusting,” the man said aloud, though, the crowd drowned him out to anyone further than the table. “He hides from us after all this time, and now he just comes back like things should be fine? And only after he’s killed one of his own? Someone who once called him brother?”

  The woman who’d been standing beside him dropped into his lap, lips curled with amusement. “Pampa got what he deserved. He was disrespectful and an idiot. Anyone would have done the same in Shige’s shoes. Even you.”

  “But if he would kill someone he’d been close to, what else is that mongrel capable of?”

  Phil forgot the other sensitive for now and focused on these two. These were the first signs of trouble. Someone arrogant enough to talk openly about their grudge against Shige here? And they both seemed personally familiar with him. They were both worth watching.

  The woman helped herself to the glass of blood that sat untouched at the man’s elbow. “Then what should he have done? Pampa stole his property. There are lines you don’t cross.”

  “He could have gotten a new human. Vampires… he knows the value of such a long life, the knowledge, the wealth, the experience. And he decided the human was worth more. He’s a fool if he truly believes that.”

  “That’s the question to ask, isn’t it?”

  Their conversation drew the attention of others within earshot, but no one confronted them, only listened.

  Phil was the only one here capable of defending Shige’s actions, but he wasn’t foolish enough to do that. He tried to peek into their minds, but they were unlike anyone he’d ever met, fragmented, more pictures than words or complete strings of thought. Navigating the woman’s mind was more difficult than the man’s, but between them both, Phil was able to
piece together the bigger picture.

  They knew Toshinori, both of them. And they’d met with him on several occasions. Phil couldn’t tell if they’d been there for that fateful appointment, but this was big news. He had to tell Shige.

  “You came with Shige, didn’t you?” The woman’s sudden attention shocked Phil so that a bit of champagne got lodged in his windpipe. His barrier faltered, and he lost the trail of information he’d been piecing together.

  The woman smiled as she handed him a napkin. She was aware that he’d heard and not responding would be unwise. Shige had never told him what the protocol was for a human meeting an unknown vampire on his own, but this felt right, like avoiding eye contact with a feral dog.

  He was able to catch a glimpse of her before he averted his gaze, but like most everyone else here, she held an appeal that he couldn’t explain. Her hair was an odd pink-gold, clipped close on the sides, and she sported a tan that cover models would have died for. “Don’t think about lying to me. We can all smell him on you.”

  “Yes,” Phil said, his chest raw and burning. “I came with him.” As he spoke, Phil tried to find Shige in the crowd which was a challenge on its own. He was lucky enough to get his shield back up.

  She came around the table to study him, giving Phil a better look at her. Her looks could pass as modern, but her style was another thing. Phil was pretty sure his mom had worn the same pants that came up to the bottom of her rib cage, and the layers of jewelry that hung from her neck was beyond gaudy in the 80s. She sipped at the blood again. “Are you his cat?”

  A… cat?

  “I’m not sure how to answer that.”

  “The human he killed to keep. His pet, his cat. You bottom for him, don’t you?”

  Wow, blunt. Phil’s face burned at her brazenness. “I…”

  “God only knows why,” the man huffed. “He’s not pretty, and Shige looks so small next to him.” He shivered. “I could never be with someone bigger than me.”

  “Because you’re small minded and have no imagination,” she chided her companion. “That’s just more to enjoy for the rest of us. I’m sure, if he’s caught Shige’s eye, he’s got his talents.” She grinned, bearing a set of double fangs. She bit her bottom lip. “I bet he looks amazing riding dick.”

  Phil swallowed more champagne, fighting to pretend that he didn’t care. He was a powerful sensitive! He had control of his powers and by some extension, his life! Yet, in front of this vampire, his new title meant very little.

  I found something. Hurry up and find me! Phil pushed the thought out, hoping Shige came over straight away.

  “How cute!” the woman cooed, brushing her fingers down Phil’s flushed cheek. “I wonder if I should ask Shige if I can watch. I can set it up. Just once, and I’ll die happy.”

  Her companion didn’t say a word, but he didn’t look pleased.

  “OK, I’ll stop,” she tossed over her shoulder. She leaned closer to Phil, her hands tight on the arms of his chair, boxing him in. “But if you ever change your mind, I’ll be in touch.”

  Mercifully, they moved on to bother someone else. In all that, he hadn’t gotten their names. But they’d stand out anywhere.

  Shige and his brother strode over soon enough, fast, but casual, not hinting at the urgency that brought them here. The smiles they’d put on for the crowd were long gone.

  “I heard your call, but I couldn’t find you,” Shige said simply. “What happened?”

  Phil filled them both in on his encounter, describing the pair to the best of his ability. It would have been easier to show them, but he ran the risk of revealing himself to Bas. Maybe, if he was careful…

  He reinforced his words with a mental picture of the pair. It was so subtle, Bas didn’t notice. The deep crease between Shige’s brow said he did.

  “An Asian man and a white woman?” Shige said.

  “I guess? I’m not sure, but she definitely wasn’t Asian.”

  Bas and Shige exchanged a look that didn’t give Phil any comfort.

  “So they were crazy enough to come,” Bas nicked a glass from a passing server’s tray. Everyone here was constantly drinking, like a bunch of alcoholics. “How brazen!”

  “Well you thought they might show up. They proved you right.”

  “But I didn’t actually expect them to! I thought we could case the room, ask others and see what they might have heard, someone bragging or the like. That they would actually be here themselves is…” He seemed offended that they’d crossed his threshold.

  “It’s not too late to back out,” Shige said. “You could leave the country for a while? They already took out Toshinori to try to get to me; they might come for you next.”

  “They can try. Unlike your poor child, I don’t have any weird vices that might get me killed. I didn’t live to this age being reckless and stupid.”

  “We have some things going in our favor. They don’t know that we’ve identified them yet, as Toshi’s killers if nothing else. We’ve got to press that advantage.”

  Bas finished off his drink with a satisfied smack. “We can do it my way.”

  Shige raised a brow. “You have a plan?”

  “Brother, I always have a plan. But we can talk about it after we wrap up here.” He drifted off to mingle with his guests. Phil was glad for the break. Bas was simultaneously intense and underreacting so hard that Phil was immediately frustrated by him. Mere minutes in his presence had left Phil drained.

  Shige brought the chair around the table and sat close enough that their knees touched. He sat there, just looking at Phil, though he said nothing. Tonight had been more than they’d bargained for. But Phil was more than OK with leaving any talk about the night’s happenings for later.

  Chapter 12

  SHIGE

  Dreary, rain slicked Tokyo streets greeted them when they finally emerged from Bas’ apartment. Most of the guests departed long before, cleared out in the hopes of finding the pair who’d approached Phil. But a thinner crowd to sift through yielded no better clues. Other than Phil, two others reported seeing the pair, but Phil as the only soul they’d spoken with. Lucky him.

  They broke up for the night with plans in place to meet the next evening and reexamine everything they’d discovered. There was only so much time Shige would commit to this while in Japan. His priority was getting those most vulnerable out of harm’s way. He would have boarded a plane that night, but he wouldn’t dare leave Chiyo behind after tonight. Not even for an extra day. He had to hold out just two more days. Then they would be free to address this threat from a distance.

  Their SUV stopped at a traffic light, the rain falling anew. Phil had drifted to sleep as soon as they started moving. The trip from the hotel to Bas’ home had taken 30 minutes in light traffic. The return trip was shorter, rain and all. Most stores were closed and the roads abandoned at this time of night.

  One or two pedestrians crossed in front of them, but the light remained red long enough to sour Shige’s mood. He was ready to rest. The hotel would do for now, but, home was better, where he could sleep in his own bed, or Phil’s. He could go another 50 years without coming back here as far as he was concerned.

  Red changed to green, but instead of continuing on this street, Junpei made a sharp right turn. He kept his hands firmly on the wheel like he’d meant to head this direction all along.

  “A car’s been following us, Shige-sama.”

  The muscles in Shige’s neck twitched with the urge to look back and confirm for himself, but that would be stupid. “Since when?”

  “Two blocks after we left Bas’ house. I wanted to be sure before I said anything.” Jupei’s massive hand covered half the mirror as he adjusted it. “Sir, watch. Five, four, three, two… There.”

  Shige watched as a black sedan turned the corner a block’s length behind them.

  “Any idea who that is?”

  As a group of tough looking individuals, they sometimes got mistaken for other “organizations
” by the police and factions of their own. Shige fostered a distant hope that this was a case of mistaken identity. Not so deep down, he knew better.

  Naoki pressed his face against the glass, checking the side mirror. “I don’t recognize the car. It’s too shitty to be from an organization. Cops aren’t this subtle.”

  “Plus, we haven’t had any incidents for a few months,” Junpei confirmed.

  “I’m going to see if I can shake them. If that doesn’t work, there’s a warehouse close by that I can lead them to if that fails.”

  “Do it.”

  Shige sat forward until his head was between the two front seats. He tapped Naoki on the shoulder. “Call Abby. Tell her to meet us at that warehouse. Tell her what’s going on.”

  Naoki nodded. “Wakata.”

  “Keep driving. Don’t let on that we’ve figured them out. Just keep everything calm.” Panicking wasn’t going to get them out of this. He thanked whomever would listen that Phil was still asleep for this.

  The car kept on their tail as they wound through the heart of the city. It maintained its pace, staying a block length behind them, never out of sight for more than a few seconds. Their surroundings grew dark and gritty. The salty smell of the sea permeated the car as they neared the harbor. According to Abby, they owned several warehouses down here for storing goods before they were shipped to the states. They must be close to that.

  Without warning, their tail sped up as if to match their speed. The road was too narrow to support two standard sized cars side-by-side. Junpei’s SUV dominated its lane. But that didn’t stop the smaller car from forcing its way alongside them. It revved its engine, flooring it to squeeze between the SUV and the row of shuttered warehouses. Junpei pressed on the gas, but the other car was built for speed. It threw itself at their left front wheel. Metal crunched against metal as the SUV veered towards the water’s edge.

  Junpei was a flurry of movement as he course corrected, sped up, slowed down. A sharp left turn made them fishtail; they swerved across both lanes before they were able to separate the cars and pull out in front of their tail.