by Jon Herrera
Chapter Eighteen
“Do stop by again some night.” Carlo said as he walked me to the door. “I think we could become friends. And please mention to Kilestra that I would like to see her. One of those life or death kind of things.”
I turned and went back outside. The night air seemed a bit cooler than it had a few moments earlier. I had been standing still for several seconds and forced myself into motion.
I fired up the Dodge and headed back to the Mansion. A VW Microbus I didn’t recognize was in one of the parking spaces. Judging from the paint job’s soft glow, I could hazard a guess that it belonged to Billy. That and the hippie style paint job. Katie looked up when we came to a stop and peered suspiciously at the van.
“Vampires don’t usually do magic.” Katie said as we walked toward the house. She narrowed her eyes at me. “They usually get someone else to do it for them.”
“You mean the way I have you do a bit of healing now and then?” I said and looked her way.
“Yeah.” Katie said and looked me in the eye. “Or how you use Jackie to predict the future.”
“Sometimes things just fall into place.” I said and looked into Katie’s soft green eyes. Fire flared there for a moment and the Goddess peered out at me. She curled back Katie’s lips in a snarl. Then Katie was standing before me again. I was never going to get used to that.
We went into the house and found Billy and Shirley sorting several cartons of cigarettes. The packs were black with green lettering and a bright red seal across the top. The name in a stylized script was Whammy. A powerful and vaguely familiar odor was mixed with the smell of tobacco. Katie was shaking with rage next to me.
“Seriously?” Katie said in a voice that might have cracked glass. “You bring this shit in here?”
“Chill out, little sister.” Billy said and waved a hand over the cartons. “They’re harmless unless they’re burning. And these are seriously diluted. No chance of anything really bad happening.”
A pleasant mixture of joy and confusion filled my brain. I had to put a hand on Katie’s shoulder to combat the sudden weakness in my knees. It was The Little Death. My head began to throb at the mere thought of that much The Little Death, even if it was diluted.
“Get it out of here.” I said and stared at Billy until he saw the power in my eyes. “Now.”
Billy and Shirley packed the cartons into boxes. They were the usual cigarette suspects. Short and long, and filtered and unfiltered, and various flavors made to mimic popular brands. They took just enough time to sort them into larger groups. They had them stacked on a small hand truck in a few minutes. Billy motioned for Shirley to take them out to the Microbus. She pushed the loaded cart quickly past me.
“Times are kind of tough.” Billy said and scratched an itch behind his ear. “You know, since you basically sold my soul to Fedor and all.”
“Et tu, Brute?” I said and sat down on the sofa facing the one Billy sat on.
“What’s with the smokes?” Katie said and glared at Billy as she crossed her arms and shook her head.
“Not everyone has your charms, little Elf.” Billy said staring at her. “With a pack of these, and there are only three cigarettes in a pack, anyone can become interesting to a vampire.”
“You’re planning on selling these cancer sticks to Chosen?” Katie said and shook her head. “How’s that going to work?”
“Well, maybe not the already Chosen.” Billy said and rubbed his palms together. “But maybe for a few of those people who hang out in the Donor Bars and Galleries and want to become Chosen. Some of those people will buy, like, anything.”
“I’ve seen charms and talismans.” I said and shook my head. “But none of that stuff is real. The Little Death is different. Take my word for it.”
“This is just a touch of The Little Death.” Billy said and rubbed his fingers together. “A little smoke in the air, a bit of The Little Death in their blood. Just enough to get someone noticed. Not enough to turn a vampire into a drooling, mindless...”
Billy stopped talking and took a sudden interest in his fingernails. Shirley came back in and sat down next to him on the floor. She leaned her head on his shoulder and ran her hand up and down his sleeve. Billy tilted his head toward her. It occurred to me that maybe Billy knew firsthand about the effects of The Little Death.
“The cigarettes are just one possibility.” Shirley said and sat up excitedly. “I was thinking of a whole line of similar products. Snuff, dip, chewing tobacco, cigars, the whole nine yards. Carlo owns clubs all over the world and with his recent interest in Shadow Clubs, who knows?. This could be a big deal.”
“You know that it’s against the law to roofie a vampire.” I said and let out a sigh. “Just as it’s against the law for a vampire to use vampire powers to seduce a human.”
“I didn’t say we were going to sell them at the corner drugstore.” Billy said and winked. “These are more custom products for the discerning client. Part of our job was going to be to refill the machines.”
“You really liked it down in Fedor’s dungeon, eh?” Katie said as she picked up a broken The Little Death cigarette and tossed it in the trash.
“So your advice would be to stay out of the Whammy business?” Billy said and looked at Katie with a bit of disappointment on his face. “That’s a bummer. Because I got these cigarettes on consignment from Fredric. And what with him being dead and all, it looks like I would get, like, 100 percent of the profits.”
“Fredric was selling these cigarettes?” I said. The Jangling Spurs was a mixture of bad smells and dark corners. Then there were all those old vending machines I’d seen outside his office.
“Not personally.” Billy said with a well duh look. “He was going to sell Distributorships.”
“And let me guess.” I said and looked at the stoner vampire and his stripper Chosen. “He let you in on the ground floor.”
“Yeah, man. Vampires and Supers are pretty much the last of the big markets for these things.” Billy said and nodded to give his statement more authority. “Smoking like kills humans. For a vampire, it’s nothing. They’re already dead, man. Fredric said he got ahold of a lot of old Vending Machines. He was going to distribute these particular smokes to all the places vampires and wanna be Chosen might hang out. He was going to put the machines in the bathrooms, where the Vamps wouldn’t see them. These little beauties, as you well know, make a vampire... a little more devoted.”
“You’ve sold these before?” I said and let my opinion about Billy sink even lower.
“Not these.” Billy said. “These are new. I just sold stuff like charms before. You know, like your ring, Dude.”
“What do you know about this ring?” I said and held up my hand.
“Not much. I got a box full of them,” Billy said and rubbed the perpetual three day beard on his chin. “They’re one of those things I kind of found one day. After I came to without really remembering much. Must have picked them up while I was in Mexico breaking Beth out of jail. I don’t remember much about that trip at all.”
“And when did you get these cigarettes?” Katie said as she stared at Billy. But he wasn’t easy to intimidate, he wasn’t that in touch with reality.
“There’s a drop off in the alley behind Carlo’s garage.” Billy said and closed his eyes to think. “It’s across from his main palace. There are always boxes full of trash sitting around waiting to be collected. One more box doesn’t look out of place. That was the last time I saw Fredric, too, now that I think about it.”
“You spoke to Fredric?” I said and perked up a bit.
“Nah.” Billy said and waved his hand as he blew air out of his lips. “Fredric didn’t know me from Adam. He worked through what he called ‘intermediaries.’ I got my orders from some striper. No offense, Shirley.”
“Yeah.” Shirley said and sneered at Billy. “Why would that offend me?”
“I was in the alley, looking for the right box.” Billy said and made a show of lookin
g this way and that. “When the back door opened and an old panel truck rolls out. Not exactly Carlo’s kind of ride, but it was cherry. Must have been about a 1963 or so.”
“Did it have any writing on it?” I said.
“Well, yeah.” Billy said and waved his hands. “It said The Vending Authority in big block letters on the door.”
“What makes you think Fredric was driving it?” Katie said and adjusted her hoodie so she could see Billy.
“Fredric got out and put a padlock on the door.” Billy said and nodded in thought. “He looked a little nervous to me. You know, like maybe he had tried one of the Whammy’s but then remembered he was alone. A Whammy totally sucks when your alone dude. Totally.”
“Then what happened?” I said and looked at Billy, who seemed to be studying the cracks in the stonework of the walls. He blinked and turned his attention back to me.
“He drove off.” Billy said. “I found the box with the stash of cigarettes and hauled them back to my bus.”
Sally walked in with a little cup carrier that held three cups from the Coffee Spot. She looked at Billy and Shirley and then at Katie and me. Billy focused on Sally and stood up. He lost his balance and tipped back into the wall behind him. He reached out to steady himself on Katie’s shoulder, but she brushed his hand away. Shirley got up and helped Billy to stand up.
“Hey.” Sally said and gave Billy and Shirley the once over.
“This is Sally.” Billy said and pointed Sally out to Shirley, who was standing three feet away from her. “She’s a human liaison for the Vampire Commission.”
“So she enforces laws and stuff.” Shirley said and squinted at Sally. “Master Walengrave has a really nice place, doesn’t he?”
“Yeah.” Sally said as she handed me and Katie a cup and kept the last one for herself. She looked at Billy and raised her eyebrows in a way that clearly said-why are you still here? Billy grabbed Shirley by the hand and headed for the door. He nodded his goodbye to Katie and me and then he was gone.
“So the fire didn’t destroy the espresso machine?” Katie said and she sniffed her coffee.
“Stay away from the Coffee Spot.” Sally said and gave Katie her thousand yard stare. Katie rolled her eyes and looked away.
Sally pushed Katie over and sat on the sofa next to me. Katie sipped her coffee and nodded her approval. Mine smelled good and had just a touch of Sally in it. I took a sip. Sally warmed her hands around her cup.
“What was Billy doing here?” Sally said.
“I think his Mom was nervous about his latest business venture.” I said and followed Sally’s lead by placing my fingers tightly around the paper cup. “So he came here to sort out his inventory.”
“He did a bit of gossiping, too.” Katie said and slurped her coffee loudly.
“Gossiping about what?” Sally said and cut her eyes to me.
We told Sally about The Little Death cigarette business and Fredric driving off in The Vending Authority truck. She looked from one of us to the other and shook her head.
“And you thought it was a good idea to let Billy leave with a trunk load of drugged cigarettes?” Sally said. “I’d think the two of you would know how bad this stuff is.”
“He said it’s a pretty mild dose.” I said and Katie nodded in agreement.
“Let me make a call to The Captain and Fedor.” Sally said and took out her phone. “Before that idiot gets somebody killed.”
“You have The Captain on speed dial?” I said and let my eyebrows rise a bit.
“Yeah.” Sally said as she stepped away. “I’m special.”
“Yeah.” Katie said and leaned in toward me. “Special needs.”
Sally gave Katie a slap to the back of her head and Katie scrunched down into the sofa. When Sally finished her calls, she walked back and sat down beside me.
“The Captain has video of Kilestra leaving The Jangling Spur with a tote bag and a large book.” Sally said and blew out a breath. “But this whole mess gets more complicated the more we learn.”
“You think that’s why Carlo wants to talk to Kilestra?” Katie said and fiddled with her headphone cord. “He thinks she took some of his toys?”
“I’ve seen more than one Supernatural who can’t let things go.” Sally said and let her eyes roll toward me. “Kilestra was carrying an old army duffle bag, could have been anything in there.”
“An army duffle bag you say?” I said and told Sally the tale of Billy and the vanishing money.
“Fredric was selling drugs to humans that want to be Chosen.” I said and let the sweet aroma of coffee fill my face. “The problem with drugging a monster is you end up with a stoned monster that can’t be controlled. Maybe Carlo had second thoughts about that.”
“Billy’s Whammy cigarettes don’t make vampires crazy.” Katie said as she sat her empty cup down and looked at her phone. “So that whole uncontrolled monster thing isn’t what they’re looking for.”
“So maybe people who suddenly have a new vampire in their life?” Sally said “I haven’t paid that much attention.”
“Maybe Fredric was thinking about using this stuff in a more targeted way.” I said. “Maybe he wanted to assassinate someone and make it look like a vampire power struggle. Most people think we’re all crazy anyway, so they wouldn’t even notice the difference in a really mad vampire.”
“They might notice one that ripped everyone it met to pieces.” Sally said.
“You think?” I said. “Unless a couple of Hunters were always nearby, just in case.”
“Did they want to kill you?” Katie said and squinted at me in an appraising way. “You keep telling everyone you’re not really the Master of the City. What if someone else just stood up and said they were? Would there be some big battle to settle the score?”
“Once you’re Master of the City it’s pretty much a lifetime gig.” Sally said. “Real Masters like the power and glamour. Few Masters are as laid back about the title as Wil.”
“But it would be easier to kill him than to challenge him, right?” Katie said and tapped on her phone. “What would have happened if, say, Wil and Fedor had both died during the battle over Jackie?”
“Well, I’d have tracked you down and killed you for starters.” Sally said and looked at Katie. “That was your work, right, little Elf?”
“I was just a courier.” Katie said and slunk deeper into her hoodie. “I didn’t know it was going to be used on the Consulate.”
“Of course not.” Sally said and pursed her lips. “All your motives are pure and innocent.”
“It’s getting late.” I said and held up a hand.
“Why don’t you go for a walk, Katie?” Sally said as she slipped her shoes off. “I think we can handle the rest of the evening without you.”
“Maybe you can take the day off.” I said in Katie’s direction. “Go shopping or something.”
Katie got up and walked out. She pressed her lips together. She gave me an angry look that had a flicker of green in it as she passed. Sally put her arms around me and I pulled her into me. We kissed, and kissing lead to other things. And the last hour or so before dawn was put to good use.
THE NEXT NIGHT I swung by the Consulate and picked up Andy. He settled into the seat next to me and stared out the window. I could tell he had something to say and told him to spit it out.
“Well.” Andy said in his East Texas drawl. “It’s considered polite to call a lady the next night after you rock her world.”
“Rock her world?” I said and took my eyes off the road for a second to stare at him. “Do the rules still apply when you’re under a magic spell?”
“Just saying.” Andy said and raised his hands in surrender. “Jackie thinks you might be avoiding her.”
“I’ll talk to her later.” I said. “Jackie will have to wait.”
“I told her you wouldn’t forget about her.” Andy said and slumped back into his seat. “So where are we heading?”
“Thought we migh
t look around Carlo’s place a bit.” I said and headed across town.
“Is Carlo going to be there?” Andy said.
“Pretty sure he’s spending all his time in Azle these days.” I said and drummed my fingers on the steering wheel. “Or in the Shadow Realm. The place felt pretty empty last time I looked in.”
“Breaking into the house of a powerful vampire and going through his sock drawer.” Andy said and nodded sagely. “I regret that I have but one life to give.”
“You can wait outside.” I said as I pulled into a parking spot not too far from Carlo’s castle.
“That’s a good plan.” Andy said. “But I’m not sure what the growing number of women in your life would do to me if I let you go in alone.”
We walked toward Carlo’s place and we weren’t even alone on the street. It was still early and there seemed to be many people wandering around. I went to the small courtyard off to the building’s side. A low wall and a lot of trees and plants blocked the view from the street. We were invisible after we walked five feet. A small hallway was visible through the lead glass door. I tried the handle and the outer door was open. Well, who would be dumb enough to try to rob a vampire?
Somewhere inside a loud buzzer sounded. Carlo didn’t like surprises. We froze, but no one appeared in answer to the buzz. I put a hand on the inner door. It was locked. Andy rapped on the door with his knuckle.
“This is an old door.” Andy said and looked at it appraisingly. “Solid construction and those locks look new.”
“What are you doing here?” Katie said from behind us and we both jumped. “You could have told me you were stopping by.”
“I thought this was your night off.” I said and looked at Katie. “You don’t spend all your days off here, do you?”
“Yeah.” Katie said and tilted her head at me. “All one of them, I’ve spent here.”
Katie pushed past us to the door. She reached into her messenger’s bag and took out a large ring of keys. She quickly worked the locks and pushed the door open. She walked to the alarm, but just flipped the open lid back and forth. The alarm wasn’t set. She turned and bowed with a wave of her arm.
“Thanks.” I said and looked around the vast hallway.