Nathan was sporting a black leather jacket and had a couple cronies behind him Leo didn’t recognize. Vampires, he assumed.
“Hey, mate.” Malice dripped from Nathan’s words. He took a draw from his cigarette and smirked.
Leo took a tentative step back. There was no way he could outrun them. There was no way he could fight them. His hand still twinged where he struck Nathan in the head two weeks before. It hadn’t hurt Nathan, only Leo.
“Oi, mate, a little finicky there,” Nathan laughed coolly. “Not so strong without that bitch to fight for you.”
“How’s it going, Nathan? See you’re confident in yourself, needing so much back-up . . .”
Nathan crossed his arms over his chest, glancing left and right at his friends.
“How’s your spleen?” Leo prodded.
Nathan hissed. “You. Are. Chum.”
“Yeah, so why are you coming after me, then?” Leo stalled, sweat dripping from his temple. “It’s nothing off your back.”
“I can’t let a little scene like that ruin my reputation in this city,” Nathan said. He flicked his cigarette onto the street and smashed it under his boot. “So, I decided to make you pay. First by blacklisting your name in the city so you couldn’t get a gig. It was brilliant watching you get frustrated and desperate. Poor little Leo!”
“How? With Cosmic Reed . . . did you hypnotize them?” Leo’s heart sank, and he gritted his teeth.
“I didn’t need to,” Nathan cooed. “Humans are so easy to manipulate. They heard you were blacklisted, and they dropped you like a rock. Wouldn’t fight for their pathetic bass player. Replaceable, that’s what you are.”
“Fine. I get it. You’ve had your fun.”
“Oh, but I’m far from done.” Nathan smirked. “That was just the psychological torture. Now it’s time for the fun part.”
Nathan took a few steps toward Leo. His heart pounded wildly in his chest.
“The funny part is, we were gonna turn you into a vampire soon. Poor Bea was rooting for you to be part of our little group. It’s going to break her heart, this is.”
Leo swallowed hard. His throat was dry, his hands shaking in his pockets.
“I’m going to rip the spleen from your gut,” Nathan purred. “And then I’m going to suck you dry.”
I had a good run, Leo thought. I only wish I could have told my family goodbye. Monette, Mom, Dad . . . Leo stood his ground. He couldn’t run, couldn’t fight. He was resigned to die. He only hoped he would black out from the pain quickly.
Nathan paced a few feet from him now, his dark eyes glinting in the moonlight. Leo felt a chill. He took a deep breath, anticipating the pain of his spleen being ripped from his body. Of sharp fangs on his neck.
A dark shroud seemed to envelop them. Suddenly, Nathan was frozen. His eyes darted from side to side, but his body was immovable. His cronies also appeared frozen. Leo tried to lift his arm, but he was stuck, trapped in the darkness which blocked out the city street lamps and silver moonlight.
A child skipped toward them and stood in front of Leo. She had dark ombre curls which partially covered her eyes, umber-brown skin, and couldn’t have been much more than six or seven years old. Her large eyes were a striking deep magenta.
“Hi!” she exclaimed cheerfully, tiny fangs protruding from her mouth. “I’m Eshe.”
She touched Leo’s arm softly. He felt warmth spread through him, and he could move again.
“Uh, hi,” he gasped. “I’m Leo.”
“I know! Ari told me to watch over you. I’m here to rescue you!”
“Ari . . . Arachne?”
Eshe nodded enthusiastically, “Did I do a good job?”
“So far, so good.”
Eshe giggled and then tugged on his jacket sleeve.
“It’s time to go. They’ll be stuck here until daylight,” she motioned to Nathan and his friends. “Ari told me we have to go straight home.”
Eshe took Leo’s hand and led him out of the dark shroud, past the park, and to the apartment entrance. When they arrived in the courtyard, Leo got down on a knee so he didn’t crane his neck, Eshe’s hand still grasping his. “Thanks, Eshe.”
“You’re welcome!”
“I don’t know what I would have done without you,” he murmured.
“You would have died.” She cocked her head to the side, blinking in confusion. He smiled weakly and tried to pull his hand from hers, but she shook her head.
“You have to come back to our home.”
“Yours?”
“Come on!” Eshe tugged, and Leo nervously followed her to Arachne’s apartment across the courtyard. She opened the door and they stepped inside.
The room was more spacious than his one bedroom, with high ceilings and a granite countertop kitchen bar. The furniture and decor were sparse. The only decoration on the wall in the living room took up almost the entire wall, an intricate tapestry that looked like it was ripped and re-sewn together in several places.
Arachne sat at the kitchen counter, twirling a glass of red wine. She took a sip as Leo locked eyes with her. His heart nearly jumped out of his chest.
“Good work, Eshe,” Arachne smiled. “I knew that pest was lurking around our neighborhood. If he doesn’t learn from this, it’s really no use letting him live.”
“Don’t joke about that,” Leo chided.
She glared and twirled her wine glass several more times.
“Need I remind you, he tried to kill you. Twice. He’s crossed the line several times. No one else is keeping the peace around here.” Arachne drummed her fingernails on the counter.
Leo’s shoulders slumped. “He also blacklisted me so I can’t get any gigs.”
“See! If you had just let me kill him in the first place, none of that would have happened.”
“And if I hadn’t saved that woman.”
“Exactly!”
Leo sighed. “I don’t regret what I did that night. Even though I’m working a fu—” Leo glanced down at Eshe and cleared his throat—“a damn bar job instead of playing music. But I did the right thing. We did the right thing, and that’s all that matters.”
Arachne motioned toward Eshe, who skipped over to the kitchen.
“Honey, it’s time for bed—it’s nearly three a.m.”
“Yes, Ari!” Eshe beamed. “Goodnight, Leo! It was nice to meet you.”
“Goodnight, Eshe.” Leo waved as Eshe yawned and sauntered over to the stairs. She climbed them lazily. Arachne waited until Eshe’s door closed upstairs, then faced him again. He saw pity in her eyes, and he winced.
“I’m sorry that happened to you,” she murmured.
“It’s whatever. It’s over.”
“No. He’s going to continue this madness if you insist I don’t take care of it. I know you have some moral high ground, but it’s not worth the hassle.”
“It’s worth the hassle.” Leo’s eyes narrowed. “Look, if there’s nothing to do about it, then I get it. No vampire government, no enforcement of any laws? Fine. But you can’t kill him. Vigilante justice isn’t justice.”
“Everyone is on their own.” Arachne sipped from her wine again. “Some creatures of the night are more organized, but vampires usually only form small covens. Vampires just have one code, and that’s to never leave a trace. They can’t be seen, and if they are, they need to make sure as hell they’re not remembered.”
“That’s it?”
Arachne nodded. “But this is my city and my neighborhood. If I don’t like something, I take care of it myself.”
“So you do have a lot of power here, kind of like a governor?” Leo suggested. “Maybe you can bring some order to the city so guys like Nathan aren’t hurting people. But please don’t just kill people if you don’t like what they’re doing . . .”
“That’s not my prerogative.”
“You’re stronger than Nathan, and other vampires, too, aren’t you?” Leo squinted, scrutinizing her as she sipped from her wine.
“Please, Arachne. If you can do something like organize the vampires here, why wouldn’t you? You seem to care about humans . . .”
“I don’t care,” she spat and placed her hands on her hips.
Leo crossed his arms over his chest and raised his eyebrows. “Really?”
“And I’m not responsible,” Arachne blushed. “I’m not responsible for what vampires do!”
“Okay,” Leo sighed.
“Please leave,” she pointed at the door. “You’re safe for now. Just don’t let Nathan into your apartment.”
“Innocent people are dying across the city at the hands of vampires, aren’t they?” Leo reflected on the murder and disappearance rates in his home city. New Orleans was sometimes referred to as a murder capital. It wasn’t so far-fetched, now that Leo thought about it. “Arachne . . .”
“Leo. Leave. Now.”
Leo left Arachne’s apartment, briskly walked across the courtyard, and slammed his front door behind him. He angrily flopped into bed with his clothes on and drifted to sleep.
Chapter 5
Leo awoke to knocking. He panicked a little, thinking it might be Nathan, back for his revenge. Slowly, he padded to his door to look through the peephole. It was Arachne.
Leo sighed and opened the door. Morning sun illuminated her rose gold hair like a halo. She stood there with her arms crossed, consternation saturating her face.
“Hi.”
“Hey.” Leo leaned on the doorframe.
“I’m sorry about last night.” She looked up into his widening eyes. “None of this should have happened to you. And after some thought . . . you’re right.”
“What was that?”
“You’re right,” Arachne repeated, rolling her eyes. “If there’s something I can do, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to look into it.”
Leo stood in disbelief for a few moments. Then he noticed a bug crawling in her hair.
“Hey, there’s a . . . uh . . . something in your hair,” he pointed.
“A what?”
“Don’t freak out,” Leo said tentatively. “I think it’s a spider.”
She waved her hand lazily at him and said, “I’m not worried about it.”
“Oh . . . kay. Would you like to come in for a cup of . . . coffee?” Leo asked, realizing she probably wouldn’t be interested in drinking anything non-blood related. Then again, he vaguely remembered her drinking bourbon with him at the bar.
“I could,” she mused. He stepped aside and she walked in. He curiously looked for the spider in her hair as she strolled by, but it was gone.
“Please excuse the boxes,” he laughed. “I started moving in weeks ago and never finished.”
“Been there. Why I don’t carry much anymore.”
Leo offered her a seat at his small dining room table tucked near the kitchen. He prepared the ground beans in the machine and sat down across from her as they waited for the coffee to percolate.
“So . . . why do you live here, of all places? It seems like you could live anywhere.”
Arachne smiled softly and replied, “I’ve traveled the whole world many times over and have many homes. It’s nice to settle down here, though. Eshe appreciates some consistency in her life. This is a beautiful part of town, and honestly I prefer to keep it low-key.”
“That’s chill.”
The coffee sputtered to a finish. Leo grabbed a couple mugs and poured the coffee out for each of them. Arachne took her mug and warmed her small hands around it, staring intently at the wisps of heat dancing above the malty liquid.
“I ran from every single problem in my life.” She frowned. “I wanted so desperately for the stars to align and for all my worries to just melt away. Now I need to take responsibility for my mistakes.”
“It’s never too late.” Leo smiled warmly. He blew on his coffee and carefully sipped.
“I know it’s hard for you to understand.” She bit her lip, looking up into his amber eyes.
“I’m here. I’m listening.”
“I’ve got an old friend in town. He’s a connoisseur of the occult, and he may know of a solution that would help both of us.”
“Sounds promising!” Leo leaned in, enthusiasm setting his nerves alight.
“If you want to come with me, you can.”
“I will. I’m happy to be your accountability buddy,” he chuckled.
“I don’t need . . .” she grumbled, then huffed. “Fine. Thanks.”
Arachne brought the mug to her full, pink lips and sipped the coffee.
“I’m surprised you drink coffee” Leo cocked his head to the side. “And bourbon.”
“I can eat and drink whatever I want. But I must supplement with blood. Often it’s just easier not to concern myself with human frivolities.”
“But you’re doing it for me?” Leo’s heart fluttered.
“Don’t get excited,” she scoffed. “I merely took you up on your simple hospitality.”
Leo couldn’t wipe the grin off his face. Arachne apologized, came in for coffee, and invited him to see her friend. He felt that morning was a victory. Although he was second guessing whether he should be thrilled for any progress, as her saltiness was somewhat discouraging. Still, Leo couldn’t help the way his body reacted to her. He remembered the spark when they first touched and how the energy flowed through his very being. He was sure there was something there, something he shouldn’t surrender.
“Why are you trying to help protect people?” Leo smirked slyly. “Aren’t I just an annoyance to you?”
“You’re certainly annoying,” she muttered, a blush on her cheeks. “The reason is . . .”
She wavered for a moment and stared back at her coffee cup. He leaned in, watching her intently.
“The reason is, you remind me of myself.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “Of you?”
She nodded quickly and met his gaze. “You’re not unlike me when I was younger. Wanting to protect people. Wanting to challenge the status quo . . . You just want to play your music freely. It’s not your fault everything is working against humans. It’s our fault. It’s . . . mine.”
“You blame yourself a lot.” He smiled kindly at her. “But the important thing is making things better right now, not living in the past.”
“Oh?” She swept her curls from her face, her violet eyes intense. “You believe in me, yet you barely know me?”
“I try to believe the best of people, even if they’ve been assholes.”
“Like Nathan.”
He nodded. “He doesn’t deserve to die just because he messed up. Maybe he’s redeemable.”
Arachne snorted out a laugh. “Unlikely. But I admire your optimism. I’ve certainly been an . . . asshole . . . a lot.”
Leo took a sip from his coffee and then grinned as he set it back on the table. “You’re redeemable. I can tell.”
She blushed and narrowed her eyes. “How? I’m a monster. Monsters don’t get redeemed.”
“You’re not a monster. You care about humans. You want to be better. You have to make mistakes to learn from them and grow. That’s very human of you.”
Their eyes met, and Leo couldn’t help but feel his stomach flutter and his heartbeat quicken. Her gaze was intense, prying, almost as if she could read his mind. She didn’t deserve to feel so badly about herself. Maybe she wasn’t an angel, but she wasn’t a devil, either.
“I can hear your heartbeat.” She shook her head, frowning. “You are smitten. And I warned you not to be.”
“I suppose I can’t help it,” he laughed, blushing slightly.
“I’m not going to feel bad for breaking your heart.”
“I don’t expect you to.”
Arachne led Leo down Bourbon Street, lined with colorful restaurants, bars, and shops. Residents and tourists bustled down sidewalks, eyeing trinkets in dusty windows and stepping inside restaurants for breakfast.
Leo followed Arachne onto a side street and into a dingy alley to face a walnut door encrusted with runes. Arachne twisted the gilded handle and they stepped inside the shop. A small bell rang from atop the door.
The shop was cramped and crammed full of occult items: tarot cards, spell books, orbs, crystals and gemstones, wands, jars of assorted minerals and innards on shelves, and parchment paper strewn about the floor. A slender man with a pleasant demeanor stepped out from the back and up to the wooden check-out counter. His long, ink-black hair was tied back into a ponytail, his skin of smooth alabaster and eyes of deep maroon.
“What can I do for— ” he caught a glimpse of Arachne and exclaimed, “you!?”
“Good morning, Saint-Germain.”
“Salutations! Fair mademoiselle!” Saint-Germain strolled from behind the counter, bent on one knee, and took Arachne’s hand. He kissed it delicately. Leo gaped down at the man in confusion.
“Please.” Arachne blushed and looked away. “That’s not necessary.”
Saint-Germain stood and looked Leo up and down.
“And who do I owe the pleasure?” He bowed deeply. “I am Master Rákóczi Compte de Saint-Germain.”
“Leonidas . . . Gaumond, but you can just call me Leo.”
“Splendid, Leo, welcome to my humble shop! What can I do for the two of you this fine morning?”
“We aren’t here to shoot the shit.” Arachne smirked. “I came for a favor.”
“Of which I owe you many.” He smiled whimsically. “Come, come, to the back for a spot of tea? Or is it too early for wine?”
Leo prayed for the former. He hadn’t had a drop of booze since that fateful night, and working in a bar on top of it, he really didn’t have the stomach for any more alcohol at the moment. They stepped into the back room, which was even more cramped than the store and lined with dusty bookshelves. Arachne and Leo sat at a small round table while Saint-Germain brought a teapot over and poured them each a cup of loose-leaf tea.
“It’s an ancient recipe I learned from a Buddhist monk in the Himalayas centuries ago. He was a quiet man, but had a deft sense of humor, like that time with the yak . . .”
Blood Moon (A Louisiana Demontale): Book 1 of the Crescent Crown Saga Page 4