Shades of Red

by T L Christianson

  A snort escaped my lips, “Gift? Like you’re psychic or something?”

  Tilting his head, the bounty hunter shrugged. “Eh, maybe I’m just intuitive.”

  “Give me the paddle, I’ll row for a while.”

  He passed it to me.

  I spun the boat around so I could follow Maria and Roman.

  “You’re saying you sensed something in me?” I asked, with a cheeky laugh.

  He raised his eyebrows, his mouth tight. “I do. You’re a woman on the edge of a precipice of some kind. Ready to jump but unable to let go.”

  A shiver went up my spine. His description reminded me of the bridge and my fateful fall all those years ago. Had I been ready to jump?

  Alexei leaned forward, catching my gaze as he spoke, “Aurev is a great puppet master. He’s cut your strings to give you freedom.”

  “I don’t feel free. I feel lost.”

  “No. I’m lost. Viktor was the one person to stand between my father and me. Without him, I don’t know how I can go back.”

  “What did he do?” I asked.

  “My father treated me as if I were moroi, I think he hated the thought that I was human in any way. Viktor is…was my mother’s moroi child. He raised me, gave me advice, helped train me.” His voice cracked, “He’d give me his blood if Vladimir hit me too hard.”

  “Where was your mother during all this?”

  “My father isn’t a monster, he didn’t abuse me if that’s what you’re thinking. But he wanted me to know how to fight, to be strong and hard. He wants me to join in the family business, oversee the family business endeavors.”

  “What do you want?”

  His smile didn’t reach his cold eyes, “All I ever wanted was a normal life, a normal childhood and Viktor was the only person who tried to give that to me. When I was a boy, he’d take me to the Zoo, to the park.”

  “So, you grew up with him in Russia?”

  “It was the USSR back then.”

  I frowned, I had no words for his loss. His actual loss highlighted how selfish and narcissistic I was. I brooded about being seventeen again, about being given precisely what Alexei wanted—a fresh start.

  The small splash of the oar became just another regular part of the jungle orchestra until the bounty hunter motioned to take over again.

  The jungle path I’d taken only two days ago leading to the bigger boat lay empty. My suitcase was gone.

  “Those were classic Louis Vuitton bags, from the 1950s,” I muttered when we passed their previous location.

  The Russian had the grace to look a bit uncomfortable, “I honestly thought they were knockoffs.”

  “They were monogrammed,” I said sadly, taking a deep breath. I tried to shrug it off.

  “Don’t frown like that,” Maria told me. “Alexei told us he’s giving you 50% of the bounty.” She spat on the ground symbolically and muttered what was probably a curse in Russian. “Your plan had better work.”

  Chapter Nine

  Outside the tall windows of the Iquitos airport sat the Chronos Corp Jet, conspicuously alongside a massive Star Peru plane. I hadn’t seen this place in the daytime and cringed at how our airplane sat on display to everyone in the main terminal.

  What if Amy didn’t show up?

  My mind began to race. Was this too clearly a set-up?

  Pulling out my phone, I checked the time.

  10:27 a.m.

  Would she come? What if she figured out it was a trap?

  The intense sun streamed into the air-conditioned building. A brawny security guard stopped me at the exit to the tarmac. Addressing me in Spanish, he said, “I’m sorry miss, but you can only exit here when your flight is called.”

  Motioning to the Chronos plane, I explained to him that the jet was for me. He eyed my borrowed hiking boots, dirty white camisole and yoga pants with amusement.

  “Ask them. My name is Hazel—Ellie Richards,” I told him.

  Shaking his head, he pulled his radio up to his mouth. “Sit down right there,” he told me, pointing to a row of chairs.

  Sitting as instructed, my eyes followed the security officer as he slowly made his way to my aircraft. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs gazing up. If he called out, I didn’t hear him. A uniformed Chronos guard stood at the top and strained to see into the tinted windows of the terminal building. He nodded as the two conversed in the mid-day heat.

  When the Peruvian man returned, he wiped his brow. Sweat now stained the pits of his uniform. “What’s your name again?”

  “Ellie Richards.”

  “ID?”

  I pulled out my brand-new passport and gave it to him.

  “Okay.” Holding the door open, he motioned outside. “Go.”

  “Do you have a list of passengers?” I asked him.

  He pulled a sweaty crumpled paper from his breast pocket, I examined it and nodded. It had the three Russians and Amy on it.

  “Bueno,” I said, shouldering my bags and sauntering into the heat.

  Adrenalin poured through me like the moments before a big negotiation or trial. It was all I could do to keep my feet from running toward the looming jet. As I neared, Karsten, Sarah’s boyfriend and Chronos guard, poked his head out the door.

  Shaking my head, I bustled up the steps, “Oh, Karsten! You’re not supposed to be here!”

  Motioning me to take a breath, he spoke, “Calm down, Sarah doesn’t know about this. If I’m here, it will sell it to Amy…”

  Shaking my head, I cut him off, “If she shows. I don’t… I’m…”

  “I’m chief of the Chronos tactical squad, and I want to catch Amy just as much as you. Besides, I feel responsible for letting her escape.”

  “No, that blunder was a team effort. Besides, we all were taken in by her charms…” Looking around, I asked, “Is everything in order?” as I walked down the aisle. “Good, good, nice scent trail.” I followed the reddish purple ribbon I associated with Sarah. Turning, near the rear where a long couch sat built into the plane, I inspected the ‘Sarah’ replica.

  “What do you think?” Asked my old assistant, sitting meekly across the aisle from the Sarah mannequin.

  A smile curved my lips, then I sighed, “I’m not your boss anymore, Caroline, but yes. You did an amazing job.” I spun, taking in Karsten and his four soldiers. “I think this will work.”

  Turning back to Caro, I sank into the seat opposite her, “I hate to ask, but… I’ve lost all my luggage.”

  A grin spread across her face, and standing, she held up a black bag. “I brought you an overnight bag just in case. Go take a shower in the back, you’ve got time.”

  “You’re my savior, I don’t know what I’ll do without you.”

  I emerged from the small bathroom feeling like myself again, with heels and mascara and hair swept up into a roll.

  The time was nearing noon.

  My phone picked up WIFI from the plane, and I texted Alexei.

  Me: Just waiting for her to show.

  Alexei: Think you can give me a ride?

  Me: No problem, we’re going to The Hague first. Just you or?

  I wanted to drop off our cargo as soon as possible and claim credit for the bounty in person.

  Alexei: It’ll just be me. Maria and Roman need to fly back to Russia.

  Alexei: What are you going to do after this?

  Me: I’m thinking of going to Thailand. I’ve been looking up flights. Would you want to come?

  Alexei: More jungle, no. How about the beach?

  Me: I’m game. Where?

  Alexei: Croatia or Spain?

  Me: Sounds like a plan.

  Alexei: Any sign of Amy?

  Me: Not yet.

  Alexei: If this doesn’t work, I’ll be on the hunt again. I’ve already paid out $ to get info. I can’t give up, especially after what happened at the camp

  Me: It has to work. Have faith.

  Alexei: It’s not in my nature to have faith

  Me: Have f
aith in me.

  Alexei: How about I think about kissing you instead?

  Me: Really? You’ve been hot and cold lately.

  Alexei: Yes. It’s been difficult, but I wish I’d done more than kiss you.

  Me: Yeah me too, but, I’ve never been in a relationship with a human.

  Alexei: I won’t break. Maybe I can teach you a few things ;)

  Me: *Blushing* Maybe I’d like to learn.

  Alexei: Pick the place, we’ll go.

  Me: Okay. I’ll look for tickets.

  Alexei: I need to go to St. Petersburg before I leave Russia again.

  Me: Why?

  Alexei: I need to check on my grandmother.

  Me: Awe…very sweet.

  Alexei: Not as sweet as you taste. Too bad all those people will be on the plane.

  Me: I’m rolling my eyes, but very turned on.

  I chuckled to myself when Karsten’s stern voice interrupted me. “Hazel?”

  “What is it? Is she here?” Standing, I peered out the window, then at my phone, 12:37 pm.

  “No, the airport needs us to leave.”

  “We need just a little more time. Amy’s going to show.” I clenched my jaw. “Bribe him if need be.” I pulled a few American hundred-dollar-bills from my pack, pressing them into his hand.

  Peering out each side of the plane, I shook my head. According to what I knew of Amy and Sarah’s relationship, Amy would come.

  Amy had to show.

  Throwing my phone back onto the seat, I whispered, “Come on Amy. Where are you?”

  Amy had thrown the entirety of moroi society into a tailspin with her designer diseases. Fear had spread throughout, making us dread every sip of human blood that passed our lips. According to the statistics, the disease wasn’t that widespread. However, the sky-high mortality rates did little to ease our fears.

  Only one person had contracted the disease and lived—Emilie, a member of Chronos who lived in Colorado.

  My eyes searched the surrounding area again as the minutes passed.

  We waited and waited until I felt the plane engines begin to churn up.

  A notice came through from the Captain, “Hey everyone, we’re getting a not so polite demand from the tower to leave. We’ve worn out our welcome, so prepare for takeoff.”

  My phone rang; it was Alexei, “It looks like you’re taking off, I’m coming! I don’t have a plane ticket home!”

  “Hurry, I’ll tell the pilot!” Dancing through the Chronos guards aboard and the galley, I peered into the cockpit. “We need to wait, Alexei is coming.”

  I pointed toward the terminal where the dark-haired bounty hunter came running toward the Falcon 8X.

  As he leapt up the steps, I took his hand and pulled him through, and we made our way to the rear of the plane.

  “Everyone, this is the bounty hunter I told you about, Alexei Vasiliev, from the St. Petersburg Clan.”

  A few of the soldiers waved in hello as we passed.

  Karsten and Alexei hugged, pounding each other’s backs and speaking in Russian.

  When we came through to the semi-secluded back area, Caroline blushed and sat speechless, watching the bounty hunter.

  Alexei motioned to the long seat that had the mannequin, “What’s this?”

  Pursing my lips, I said, “I’m trying to sell it.” I hung my head in defeat. “I thought…I was certain she’d come.”

  The jet was being pulled back into a different position once again.

  “It looks like you must’ve bought us more time,” Alexei said.

  The Captain, a blond, sun-tanned woman, smiled at me as she approached, “I’m sorry, I got that wrong. My Spanish is a bit unused and their dialect is tough to understand. We’re just moving for now.”

  I laid my head in my hands.

  Had Alexei running to the plane given us up?

  Would Amy identify his scent?

  My Russian knelt before me, his hand on my knee. “We have more time, what’s wrong? What are you thinking?”

  Shaking my head, I licked my lips, “I hope I haven’t ruined it. Does Amy know your scent? Have you been around her before?”

  I could tell he mulled my question over. “I don’t think so. I’ve never seen her or been near, but I can’t say that our paths haven’t crossed.” The corners of his mouth curved up in a sad smile. “It has to be okay, she’ll come.” Squeezing my eyes closed, I leaned into him. The scent of the Amazon jungle and river still clung to his skin and hair along with his natural woodsy human scent.

  My fangs began to run out, and I leaned away, pushing him back at the same time.

  “I need blood,” I said, standing, then stumbling.

  Alexei gripped my arms and helped me sit back down.

  “No, stay here. They have to have some on board.”

  I nodded, “Always.”

  Closing my eyes, I hoped with every fiber in my being that Amy would appear.

  A moment later, a cold pouch was set in my lap, and my eyes snapped open.

  “Here we go.”

  Alexei took a long gulp from his own green bottle.

  “If you’re part moroi, do you drink blood?” I asked him.

  He shook his head before we sat there in tense silence.

  The plane turned off, and the cabin began to heat up from the hot sun outside and the warm bodies inside.

  Motioning for one of the cabin crew, I asked, “Are we all fueled up and ready to go when she shows up?”

  The steward nodded, and said, “Yes. We refueled shortly after landing.”

  Then there was nothing to do but wait.

  And wait.

  I patiently picked lint off my wool suit skirt. My sweat slowly made small drops form on my skin only to roll down my cleavage and into my bra.

  Alexei tapped his lip ring against his teeth, raising an eyebrow at me whenever our gaze met.

  I picked up my laptop that Caroline had brought and began to look at different tourist destinations.

  But the weight of what we were doing around my neck like a ball and chain.

  Thinking and browsing, my mind still remained on the Egyptian girl.

  I found a little beach house on the north shore of Oahu.

  “Alexei? Should we go to Hawaii?”

  “Sure, I’ve never been there.” His gaze was still out the window. “You don’t want to go to a European beach?”

  My mouth formed a tight line. “I’ll look.”

  More time passed as I occasionally showed the Russian a new destination, making a list of places we might want to go.

  When the sun’s light began to dim as it slowly sank into the jungle, Alexei spoke, “I don’t think she’s coming. Look, Roman and Maria are boarding their flight.” He pointed across the tarmac to where a stream of people paraded in a row toward a new Star Peru plane.

  “Crap.” Shaking my head, I stood and paced the small area between the mannequin and the Russian. “I thought she’d show. She has to show!”

  “Look, I appreciate what you’ve done to try and help. I hope you aren’t in too much trouble with your boss for bringing this plane here.”

  I smiled reassuringly, my lip twitching with the effort. “It’s okay, I was fired anyway, remember? I might get a bill though.” Making my way toward where the Squad Leader sat, I felt tears prickle the backs of my eyes. “Karsten? Should we leave? What should we do?”

  His muscular form loomed ahead; he wasn’t as tall as the slim and athletic Russian.

  “It’s your call. This is your party.” The soldier’s heavy Danish accent hung in the air.

  “Okay, I’m calling it. The sun is going down. I don’t want to take off in the dark.”

  One of the pilots looked up from a paper she was reading, “Sounds good. Shall we go then?”

  Nodding, I replied, “Yeah. Let’s go.”

  Walking back to the rear of the plane, I pushed the mannequin off the bench.

  “Can we put this somewhere else?” The steward
rushed up and began to drag the thing toward the rear, placing it into a storage closet.

  I flopped down onto the empty bench and crossed my ankles. Covering my eyes with one arm as the air conditioner began cooling the plane, I hid my face.

  “Maybe this is why Aurev fired me. Maybe I’ve lost my edge or lost my mind.” My eyes overflowed, but my tears were hidden beneath my sleeve. “Maybe I’m just incompetent!” I sobbed.

  He had kissed me one time, and I wanted to run away with him.

  “What’s wrong with me?”

  Warmth enveloped me as Alexei pulled my arms from my face and helped me sit up. “It’s okay. It’s fucking shit that she didn’t come. This was a good plan, it just didn’t work.” Then he told me something in his native language.

  “Why do you always talk to me in Russian when you know I don’t understand?”

  His lips twisted, “I guess I’m hoping that one day you will.”

  Shaking my head, I chuckled silently. “Okay, I’ll take that as a challenge. What does it mean?”

  “It means literally, there will be a holiday on our street too. Like your idiom, ‘every dog has its day. Our time will come. We might not have got Amy now, but we’ll catch her.”

  I leaned into him, my cheek on his chest, his arm around me, our fingers interlaced.

  The plane wobbled as it drove toward the runway.

  “After we get the Butcher, what will you do?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t know where I’m going to go. Aurev is evicting me from my apartment. I’ve lived there since that building was erected.”

  He took my hands. “Come with me to Russia. My parents have a small Dacha, like a cabin. Come live there until you can figure things out.”

  Reluctantly I shook my head, “I can’t. That’s sweet, but I have to stand on my own two feet.”

  The jet came to a stop, and our Captain came on the speaker, “Please fasten your seat belts and get ready for takeoff.”

  Alexei narrowed his silver eyes, “You need to create a new life for yourself. You said it, you’re very young now, go to University. Figure out a new plan. You might not want to do law anymore.”

  Law had been my dream and my life for as long as I could remember, but plans change along with experiences. I’d become a different person than I had been all those years before when Leo died.