by Helen Harper
‘Kimchi!’ I say sharply.
He turns and bounds towards me. I motion him in my direction, dancing away until he follows me into the main bedroom. With one twist, I get him behind me so I can get out and shut him in. He barks delightedly three times before realising this isn’t hide and seek after all. Then he starts to paw at the door and whine. Sorry, mate.
Maria is still on top of the kitchen table. It’s as if she’s frozen in place. ‘It’s alright,’ I say softly. ‘He won’t come near you now.’
She doesn’t move an inch. I get closer and, ignoring her flinch, take hold of both her hands. Bit by bit, I coax her down. She’s shaking violently. When her feet are finally on the floor again and she looks at the table and the stain on its top, she cowers as if I’m about to strike her.
‘Don’t worry about it.’ Her expression doesn’t change. ‘Seriously, Maria. That’s why some clever person with too much time on their hands invented cleaning products.’ She still remains terrified and I sigh. ‘You don’t understand me and I’m being too smart-arsed.’ I look into her eyes. ‘The dog is Kimchi. He is friendly. He will not hurt you.’
She starts unconsciously rubbing her arm. My eyes follow the movement, noting the thick, ropy scars etched into her skin there. The ones that don’t look dissimilar to dog bites. I bite my lip. ‘Those bastards really did a number on you, didn’t they? I should have snapped Malpeter’s neck when I had the chance.’
Her teeth clench. ‘Not him. Not Malpeter.’
I watch her. ‘Someone else then. Someone worse.’ Maria nods imperceptibly. ‘Can you tell me who?’
She shuts down. I’m not likely to get anything else out of her tonight. I pat her arm and lead her into the bathroom, all but throwing her underneath the shower. Once she’s clean and returned to the apparent safety of the spare bedroom, I release Kimchi from his temporary incarceration and go in search of a bad lawyer.
***
Harry D’Argneau is in his usual spot in his usual bar. He doesn’t see me approach but the bartender certainly does. While Kimchi settles down in the corner, I hop up onto the nearest stool and a martini is immediately pushed in my direction.
‘On the house.’
I raise my eyebrows but don’t comment. Once upon a time being a vampire was enough to get me thrown out of here. Now it seems I’m back in favour.
‘You’re doing good things,’ the barman says unnecessarily, as D’Argneau finally registers my presence. ‘My cousin’s car was nicked last week and the police did nothing.’ He gestures in frustration. ‘Just signed his insurance report and said they’d look into it.’
‘I don’t have time to investigate carjackings.’
‘I’m not asking you to. I know there are other crimes that you can stop.’ He meets my gaze. ‘We need someone like you.’
I keep my body still, forcing myself not to shift around in discomfort. It’s not the first time in the last couple of months that someone has stated their approval of my actions. I’ve also had just as many hissed comments of disapproval, although those people think they’re being smart by not confronting me directly. It doesn’t sit well with me, though. I’m not responsible for the entire damn city.
The barman takes the hint and moves away. D’Argneau eyes me with something akin to glee. ‘The Red Angel,’ he breathes. ‘Good to see you.’
‘Don’t call me that,’ I snap.
He shrugs. ‘As you wish. I wouldn’t want to piss you off.’
I suck in air through my teeth in an obvious sign of irritation. D’Argneau is unconcerned. He takes out his phone and holds it up. I waste no time in sliding it out of his grasp before he can do anything with it.
‘No,’ I say clearly. ‘No photos. I’m not the poster child for your law firm.’
He folds his arms. ‘So why are you here then? Old times’ sake?’
I slide over a single golden pound coin. ‘I need a lawyer.’ I try to ignore the delight that flashes across his face.
‘You want confidentiality.’
I nod. ‘I do.’
‘You realise it only goes so far? Legal privilege only occurs in professional conversations and it’s nullified if those conversations are for the purpose of committing a crime.’ His expression turns serious. ‘That includes someone planning to commit a crime to stop a crime.’
I just look at him. I’m not stupid. D’Argneau purses his lips and pockets the money. ‘Very well. You are now my client.’
I tilt up my chin. ‘Don’t tell anyone.’
‘Of course not,’ he replies smoothly.
I harden my voice. ‘I mean it. I realise you may want to use this as an advertising opportunity, or to bolster your own reputation, but it’ll cause more problems for you than it’s worth.’
‘I represent one of the vampire Families, Bo. I don’t think Lord Stuart would be impressed to know that the most famous bloodguzzling rogue since Jack the Ripper is on my books as well.’ He smiles. ‘My witch clients wouldn’t be very happy either.’
I study him, eventually deciding that he’s on the level. For once. I jerk my head over to a small table in the corner. The music in here might be loud but that doesn’t mean we might not be overhead by anyone hovering nearby or wandering up for a drink. D’Argneau bobs his head in agreement.
‘Why do you keep coming here?’ I ask. ‘The floor’s sticky, the drinks are expensive and the music is bad.’ I glance over at the empty dance floor. ‘Unless you enjoy a bit of a boogie, that is.’
‘You didn’t come here to ask me about my social preferences,’ D’Argneau says, settling down into his new chair and neatly side-stepping my question. ‘What do you want?’
‘I think all the Families are changing their own rules.’
He leans back. ‘In what respect?’
‘Recruitment. They know that with Medici’s new vamps, they’re outnumbered. In order to keep the playing field even, they’re going to match him, bloodguzzler for bloodguzzler.’
‘Interesting theory.’
‘I need it confirmed.’
‘Then ask your little love bunny. You don’t need me.’
I glare at him. ‘If you’re referring to Michael, our relationship is not like that. Not any longer. Increasing the vampire population is a big deal and I need to know whether the rest of the legal system will permit it.’
‘You mean the human legal system. The vampiric legal system doesn’t.’
I don’t bother answering. We both already know that the most basic of vampire law is being run through with a bloody scythe. It’s been that way since Medici decided to fling open his doors to all and sundry and ignore centuries of tradition. In the past, the other Families would just have assassinated him and moved on. Up till now Medici has been too canny to allow that – and he’s also becoming too strong. Admittedly, the vast majority of his Family are now weak recruits so the other four Families could probably destroy them but Medici’s strong numbers mean the cost in lives would be high. For Gully, Stuart, Montserrat and Bancroft to match Medici in recruitment would make a kind of sense to solve the immediate issues but there would be far-reaching – and potentially devastating – consequences.
D’Argneau runs a hand through his hair. ‘You vampires don’t answer to human law, Bo, you know that.’
‘But there must be a breaking point. Otherwise, the Families could decide to recruit the whole damn country and no one would lift a finger. There must be something written down somewhere, even if it’s centuries old.’
He sighs. ‘There might be something.’ The cautious note in his voice suggests he already knows of it. For whatever reason, he doesn’t seem to want to tell me. That can only mean he’s already been commissioned to search for the answer by someone else, probably the Stuart Family.
I drum my fingers on the table top. ‘Medici managed to circumnavigate a lot of complaints when he opened up recruitment by stating that all his guzzlers would accede to human law. I doubt things will remain as calm when the r
est of the Families get in on the act.’
D’Argneau laughs harshly. ‘No matter what Medici has said, people are still unhappy.’
‘Public opinion matters hugely to the Families,’ I agree. ‘But three months ago the anti-vamp camp was close to rioting. Now there are virtually no objections, other than tabloid grumbles. I can’t believe that all those humans who were so keen to leave burning crosses on Family doorsteps and march in the streets are now going to sit back while the vampire population quadruples. It’s like the entire country is holding its breath and waiting for something else to happen.’
‘Some say that it’s because everyone really wants to be recruited, no matter what they state to the contrary.’
It’s certainly a workable theory. Until very recently, vampires were glamourised to the point of ridiculousness. People up and down the country clamoured to be recruited. Plenty still possess that desire – the ease with which Medici expanded his numbers proves that – but I’m not buying it. I saw with my own eyes how people were and how venomous they’d grown towards the Families. For all that antipathy to have melted away doesn’t make sense.
‘Has Stuart said anything to you?’
D’Argneau frowns at me. ‘I represent Stuart and I represent you. You wouldn’t want me to go running to him and blabbing all your secrets.’
‘You made it pretty clear last time we spoke that you represented Stuart in name only.’
He stands up. ‘Let’s just say he’s starting to trust me.’
I narrow my eyes. What does that mean? Before I can ask him more, however, he wanders back to his original seat by the bar. I curse under my breath and follow him. ‘What are you doing?’ I ask. ‘I’m not finished.’
‘Bo, this is my time. I’m enjoying my drink. I love my job but even I need a break.’ He gives me a meaningful look. ‘I’m going to be here until three.’ He lifts up his phone from where I’d dropped it and makes a show of turning it off. ‘I don’t want to be bothered by anything. I’m also too drunk to drive, so take my car keys for me.’ He reaches into his pocket and dangles them in my direction. Slowly, I take hold of the key ring and frown at him. He takes another sip. ‘Don’t lose them. My office keys are on there too. It’ll be a pain in the arse if I have to get another set cut.’ I look at him. He smiles. ‘How is your grandfather doing now?’
‘Same,’ I mutter.
‘I thought I might go and visit him. I know he’s in Brighton Hospital but which ward is he in?’
I don’t answer. D’Argneau flashes me another smile. I pocket the keys, grab Kimchi and leave.
Chapter Five: Legal Action
D’Argneau’s office sits in a large gleaming building that’s all style and no substance. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for the tired-looking doorman who immediately recognises both Kimchi and me. Not because of my fame as the Red Angel but because last time I was here I set Kimchi on him in order to gain access to the upper floors. As soon as I push open the glass door, his eyes widen and he comes out from behind the desk.
‘We meet again,’ I call out, plastering a cheesy grin on my face.
‘You can’t be here.’
I lift my eyebrows. ‘Why ever not?’
‘I got into a lot of trouble when I let you in last time. Why do you think I’m working the graveyard shift now?’ His expression is taut.
‘You didn’t exactly let me in. I didn’t give you much choice in the matter.’
‘It doesn’t matter.’ He holds up his palms as if to ward me off. ‘You can’t come any closer.’
I take a deliberate step forward. ‘Can’t I?’
‘I mean it,’ he babbles. ‘If you do…’
His protest is interrupted by the squeal of an alarm. I cock my head. ‘Your company has upgraded their security.’
His shoulders sag. ‘I tried to tell you.’
Kimchi pants in excitement. Apparently my dog remembers our last encounter as well as the doorman does. I lay a hand on his coat and his quivering energy subsides slightly but his ears still remain pricked and alert.
I wander up to the doorman. His nostrils flare in obvious fear but he doesn’t move. At the last second I veer off and hop onto the desk, perching myself on the edge with my legs dangling. He exhales loudly. I reach into my jacket and take out another lollipop. This one is blue.
‘What do you think?’ I ask, waving it in his direction. ‘Blueberry?’
He stares at me like I’m a mad woman. I unwrap it and take an experimental lick. Then I shake my head. ‘Raspberry. That’s ridiculous. I mean, when have you ever actually seen a blue raspberry?’ He whispers something to himself. I cup a hand to my ear. ‘I didn’t catch that. Speak up.’
‘Rubus leucodermis,’ he says. ‘White-bark raspberry. It’s where the colour comes from. The fruit is more black than blue, and blue dye is still added to things like that, but it helps to differentiate from strawberry-flavoured sweets.’
I stare at him. ‘No shit.’
He looks away, uncomfortable under my gaze. ‘I read a lot.’
A van pulls up outside and four men jump out wearing army-style camouflage. They appear to be carrying some kind of silvered weaponry. As all four turn in my direction, I frown. ‘Do you think they’re carrying silver because they believe I’m a werewolf in disguise?’
‘They’re specially adapted tasers,’ the doorman informs me, backing away. ‘They’ve been developed by…’
‘Let me guess,’ I say drily, ‘by Magix.’ The vast magical store possesses little love for vampires. They were never very keen on us but after I put their CEO behind bars they seemed to become even less enamoured. In reality it’s all about their bottom line; if there’s a market for something, they’ll manufacture and sell it. I’m not exactly surprised that people are on the lookout for anything that’ll stop a vampire. Even if the protests have subsided, we’re still considered dangerous. ‘Why won’t they just give you one? You could have zapped me the moment I opened the door.’
He doesn’t answer, just scoots further back against the wall.
I nod to myself. ‘They don’t trust you.’ Idiots. I flick a look at Kimchi. His hackles are raised and he’s growling at the men. He’s smarter than he looks.
Two of the men hang back while another two stride in, the vampire tasers pointed in my direction. They take up position on either side of the door. I pop the lollipop into my mouth and watch.
‘Leave,’ the one to the left growls. I smile sweetly at them. ‘We’re not going to ask you twice.’
I take the lollipop back out and wave it in their direction. ‘You know,’ I tell them, ‘chocolate used to be my teeth-rotting food of choice. Now I’m trying out new things. It’s never a good idea to get stuck in a rut. This is raspberry flavour.’ I glance back at the doorman. ‘What did you say it’s called? Rubus something?’
They raise their weapons; apparently they’re not very chatty. I keep an eye on their hands. The moment I see their tendons tighten, I push myself up on my hands and somersault into the air. Two sizzling bolts of electricity smack into the wall behind me. I land back down on my feet. ‘That wasn’t very polite.’
The door opens again and the other two goons rush in. Four against one. They’re all burly, all armed, and all over six feet tall. I like those odds.
Kimchi’s quivering focus remains pinpointed on the doorman. Make that four against two. I whistle and jerk my head in the direction of the nearest taser-holding man. For once, Kimchi understands, wheeling round and leaping towards him with his teeth flashing. He latches onto his arm and the man squeals like a girl at a Justin Bieber concert. The taser clatters to the ground. Kimchi growls and digs in harder, causing the man’s blood to splatter round the pair of them in an arc. The dog has got this one. That just leaves three.
Another bolt of light zaps towards me. I throw myself down into a roll to avoid it but it nicks the edge of my shoulder and I feel a shot of stunning pain that sets my senses on fire. I jump back to my
feet and crick my neck with a smile.
When I first moved into X’s apartment and I was waiting for him to give me an assignment, I had little to do but cool my heels. I freely admit I spent two entire nights wedged on the sofa watching crappy television – including an old Steven Seagal movie where he managed to take out six assailants with some impressive hand-to-hand skills. Ever since I saw it, I’ve been wanting to try it out myself to see if it was mere Hollywood artifice or actually possible. As the man on the right rushes me, I prepare myself.
Using the balls of my feet, I feint left when he’s barely inches from me. The floor is shiny so, when he doesn’t slam into me as expected, his shoes skid and he goes flying. I spin round and vault forward, grabbing his collar and heaving him round in the air. The initial grab is difficult – I’m fighting against the laws of physics after all – but with a few hefty swings, I gain the momentum I require. A second later, I’m tossing him headfirst into his nearest companion, ten-pin bowling style. Strike!
The sound they make when they crash to the ground is quite extraordinary. I waste no time in flinging myself at the pair of them and wresting their weapons from them. I point both tasers at them and fire. There’s a slight groan from the man who is pinned down but nothing else happens. The remaining goon laughs coldly. I wrinkle my nose. I guess the damned things only work on vampires. Magix knows their stuff. Unfortunately.
As the weapons are useless to me but could still do me some damage, I quickly bend both barrels to render them fully incapacitated. While I’m doing that, idiot number four takes his next shot. I duck just in time. The electricity – or whatever the hell it is – only just misses me. I’m almost disappointed but it’s probably just as well. Even though it only just skimmed my flesh, the shot that hit my shoulder is causing me considerable difficulties. The longer this fight goes on, the more numb my arm grows. I quite like pain but numbness isn’t something that helps.
He resets the weapon and points it towards me once more. I get ready to dodge the shot but there’s nothing more than a hollow click. Ha. Now it’s my turn to laugh. The man recovers quickly, throwing the taser aside in favour of attacking me with his fists.