by Megan Derr
In reply, Jebediah Black stood up and hugged him tight. Jackie returned it, sighing. "I'm glad you ain't dead, Pa. Where the hell you been?" He drew back and examined his father carefully, but he didn't look worse than tired.
"I was stuck in a mess in China," Jebediah replied. "But I wasn't ignoring you, boy. I called in the oldest debt I got, made damned certain you'd be looked after."
Jackie made a derisive noise. "Ain't nobody come looking after me, and I don't need anyone to—all I needed was for you to answer your damn phone."
"Well, I'm here now," Jebediah said and dropped a twenty on the bar before picking up the coffee Jackie had set down. "Where you headed? This where you live now? What happened to Texas, and as to that, where's your city boy?"
Heaving a sigh, Jackie took the coffee and led the way through the club. "Yeah, this is where I live now. Roman and I done broke up. I'll move back to Texas when I feel like it, and right now I don't feel like it. Come on, up the stairs." He unlocked the door then pressed a hand to the wall, restructuring the wards to let his father pass without difficulty.
Inside, Ned and Wyatt were bent over the coffee table playing a game of cards. Emma was stretched out on the couch reading a book, and Phoenix was curled up in a chair reading as well. "Coffee," Jackie announced. "And this is my father, Jebediah Black. He's just gotten back from pissing off China."
"Ma'am," Jebediah greeted, tipping his hat to Emma before removing it and hanging it up alongside Jackie's by the door. He shrugged out of his corduroy jacket, taking it and Jackie's duster and hanging them both up. "Boy, you look a fright. Go get cleaned up."
Jackie ignored him 'cause no way was he going to get a shower before he drank his hot coffee. "Be quiet, old man," he said as he handed out the rest of the coffee. When his father didn't reply, he turned—and frowned when he saw his father and Ned having some sort of silent exchange. He held Ned's coffee out to him. "What's with the staring contest?"
"I thought you said he never showed to keep an eye on you," Jebediah said, and Ned winced.
Shock made Jackie freeze, his cup halfway to his mouth. He lowered it, stared hard at his father and then at Ned. "You know Ned."
"Ayah," Jebediah said. "Didn't he say?" He turned to Ned. "Didn't you say?"
Ned shook his head. "Of course I didn't."
"Of course you didn't," Jackie repeated and set his coffee down before he gave into an urge to throw it. He rounded on his father, hands balled into fists, not quite shouting but damned close to it. "You know Ned! Which means you know more about this situation than you ever bothered to tell me. We coulda had problems resolved by now, but instead of talking to me, you stay in China and send the demon right at the heart of this mess to babysit me?" He rounded on Ned, even more tempted to hit him. "You always get up and personal when you're protecting somebody? Were you ever gonna tell me my pa told you to come look after me? Was either damned one of you going to stop playing me for a fool?"
Jebediah huffed. "You ever gonna let us get a word in?"
"With all due respect, Pa, fuck you," Jackie said and stormed out, slamming the door good and hard behind him. Abandoning the club entirely, he hit the street and started walking aimlessly. He knew he was acting like an idiot, but damnation, those two had been keeping secrets entirely too long. If they'd said something sooner, poor Wyatt might not have spent his evening murdering nearly a dozen people. They might be a lot closer to knowing what in the hell was going on.
It didn't help even a lick that Ned had only shown up and tagged along because Jackie's father had cashed in a chip. So what the hell had all the rest of it been about? Why hadn't Ned just told him the truth?
Jackie scrubbed irritably at his hair, annoyed all over again as he realized he'd forgotten his duster and hat. To hell with it. He kept on walking, wandering through the city he'd lived in for nearly half a year but didn't really know. Would he stay long enough to stop feeling like a stranger? What was he gonna do when he finally wrapped up this thrice-cursed case? Hell.
His steps slowed as he realized he'd walked to Robin's house—or what was left of it anyway. He wondered what it would take to repair the poor thing. The damage seemed so extensive, it was probably better to tear it down and start over. Jackie sighed.
"You gonna be sulking out here all night, boy?"
Jackie lifted his eyes to the sky then turned and waited while his father walked toward him. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't knock you clear to next Sunday."
"Disrespectful," Jebediah replied and handed Jackie his coat and hat. "You know better than to go storming off in a snit. Too old for that nonsense."
"Me? What would Mama have to say about the way you been acting since she passed? I can barely get a damn phone call out of you, and when I do, you've always got somewhere else to be. Don't you lecture me on behavior, Pa." Silence fell, and Jackie turned away, glaring at the house, annoyed he had nowhere to go that his damned father wouldn't follow. "Nosy old codger."
"Being nosy keeps me alive," Jebediah said lightly. "I am sorry I been gone so long. Her death hit me even harder than I knew it would, but that's no excuse to be ignoring my own son."
Jackie shrugged. "I ain't a boy no more. Haven't been for a long time. You don't need to look after me." He hadn't needed to send a demon to look after him, either, but Jackie wasn't in the mood to deal with that quite yet. "I'm just sore you got knowledge I could have used to put this whole thing to rest. That if you'd told me some of what you know sooner, Wyatt wouldn't have needed to kill all those people tonight."
"I'm sorry, especially about Wyatt. But I don't actually know all that much, and what I do know ain't my secrets to tell," Jebediah replied. "Neither of us meant you any harm, Jackson. You know that."
"I know that about you," Jackie replied. "Don't mean I ain't still sore with him." He sighed at the look his father gave him. "What?"
Jebediah shrugged. "I saw the way Ned looked at you. I know how hard it is for him to be out here, instead of safely tucked away in his cabin."
"That cabin was the saddest thing I ever saw."
"He took you to his home, and you think he don't mean all the things clearly going on between you? I know you're dense, boy, and got too much of my recklessness, but you ain't dumb."
Jackie sighed again, tugging on his hat, and let the anger go. "I know, I know. I'm just sick of this whole damn mess and tired of being the last to know anything."
"Sometimes it's best to leave well enough alone, but your mother never listened when I said that either. I might be reckless, but she was too curious for my piece of mind." He smiled, soft and bittersweet, then shook himself and motioned to the house. "So this is where Robin wound up?" Jebediah asked. "Poor bastard. Never knew him well, but he was a gentleman all the way through. Don't make'em like that, anymore. Damned shame."
"Ayah," Jackie agreed. "Wish I had gotten back here in time to save him. Hope I do right by him in putting this whole mess in the ground."
Jebediah gave a soft snort. "If anyone can, son, it's you."
Rolling his eyes, Jackie said, "Don't try to make nice now, Pa. I ain't mad, but don't think I'm done being cranky. You had information I could have used a lot sooner, mighta saved some lives."
Sighing, Jebediah replied, "I'm sorry. I thought sending Ned was the best solution. Didn't occur to me he wouldn't just tell you I sent him to look out for you while you messed with shit you should be smart enough to leave alone."
"Yeah, I'm the one who does stupid stuff on a regular basis," Jackie muttered, turning around and sitting on the steps that were all that was left of Robin's house. "Is there anything you can tell me?"
Jebediah sat down next to him. "You know most of it—I came upon Corrigan and shot him dead."
"Then you had to go and left Robin and Phoenix to clean up the rest of the mess," Jackie interjected. "Ayah, I know all that. Something else took you away, but you've never said what."
"I killed Corrigan and started to break down the wards on the h
ouse and grounds. Didn't stand a chance in hell of getting inside until I'd done that much. It was dumb luck that Corrigan had ventured outside at all and put himself in the path of a bullet. While I was trekking around looking for traps, I came across a fellow near starved to death and out of his mind with pain and grief. It took me a bit to sort out what had broken him so badly, and I can tell you I've never come across something so awful before or since. I got him the hell out of there after I left word with Phoenix to take care of the rest. I worked my ass off making certain that poor bastard I found was hid away good. I took care of him until he was back to full health, helped him ward his home, left him with all the creature comforts I could muster. Swore I'd take his secret to my grave. When I finally left, he gave me this…" Jebediah reached beneath his shirt, but Jackie knew what he was referring to before he pulled it out: an amulet made of copper, shaped like an autumn leaf, hanging from a black leather cord. His father had worn it for as long as Jackie could remember; he'd always said it was given to him by an old friend.
"That's one of Ned's amulets," Jackie said and pulled out his own, running a thumb over the gleaming ruby in the middle.
Jebediah seemed faintly amused by the star, but said only, "Ayah. He said he owed me a debt, no matter I said he didn't, and that if I ever wanted to call it in, I had only to hold this and call his real name."
"That…" was incredibly powerful magic and a level of trust demons did not grant lightly. "Whatever you did, he must have been grateful as hell."
"He deserves to be happy, but I'm pretty certain he ain't ever gonna be," Jebediah said.
Jackie heaved a long sigh, jerking off his hat and scrubbing at his hair before shoving the hat back on. "I wish someone would just up and tell me his big secret. If I have to keep on with all this mystery talk, I'm gonna shoot you all and enjoy the peace and quiet."
"Not my secret to tell," Jebediah said with a shrug. "I can tell you that you won't be hearing anything if you don't stop sulking around the city instead of talking to him. You're seventy years old, boy. Act like it."
Shoving him lightly, Jackie said, "Try acting your age, old man. How long you in town?"
"Long as you need me. But I ain't staying in that apartment of yours. It's fit to burst already."
Jackie smiled, drawing down the brim of his hat, staring at the sidewalk. "Yeah, it's a touch over-crowded, but most will be moving along soon. Just stay somewhere safe, hear?"
"I will," Jebediah said and gripped his shoulder tightly before standing and walking off. Jackie sighed, taking his hat off and raking a hand through his hair again.
"Hell," he muttered and shoved the hat back on his head as he stood up. He need to speak with Amr and work out how to make up for murdering a Dracula and leaving his territory wide open, then he'd find Ned and have a talk. Jackie wrapped fingers around the star talisman, soaking up the warmth and magic of it, before he tucked it away again.
Leaving Robin's house, he headed for Amr's building, wishing he'd had enough sense to bring his coffee with him. Ah, well. He could stop off somewhere. When he spied a coffee shop that was still open despite the late hour, he did precisely that, ducking inside and sighing as the smell of good coffee washed over him. Jackie ordered his coffee, a large black with no milk foam or vanilla or spice anywhere near it, and left a tip in the jar at the counter. He turned around—and froze when he saw Finn Wayland striding toward him casual as he pleased.
He smelled like black licorice and expensive silk as he moved in close, smile cold as he leaned in and murmured, "Come along quietly and no one gets hurt, Sheriff."
In reply, Jackie drew his gun, cocked it, and fired all in a single, swift movement. Finn dropped to the ground, but then he just laughed. Jackie barely noticed the suddenly flurry as people vacated the premises. "I didn't think you'd do it, but I've been told before that you Blacks are crazy. Your father sure put up a fight a moment ago." He picked himself up—and grunted when Jackie punched him square in the jaw. Jackie fired again, going until the cylinder was empty, but if Finn was affected by the bullets, he gave no sign.
Jackie was beyond fed up with people not being harmed by bullets that should have been dropping them like rocks. Clearly it was long past time to devise new bullets. He holstered the empty gun and drew the other. "What the hell did you do with my father?" Finn was digging bullets out of his torso, but he paused long enough to point a thumb over his shoulder. Jackie's heart jumped up into his throat when he saw Firebrand standing outside, Jackie's father slung over one shoulder. "Let him go."
"Come with us and we might just let him live, though I wouldn't count on it," Finn replied, throwing aside the last of the bullets. The wounds closed up like mud filling a hole, sending a chill up Jackie's spine. He holstered the gun he'd just drawn and grabbed the empty one again, swinging the cylinder open and dumping the casings. He pulled black bullets from the pouch at his back and filled it quickly. "Firebrand has hunted a long time for the man who killed Corrigan."
"I would think he'd want to extend his thanks," Jackie replied as he swung the cylinder shut, aimed, and fired, catching Finn right between the eyes. He turned to Firebrand, still outside, grinning like a mad fool in front of the picture window, and fired. Jackie couldn't really say he was surprised when Firebrand caught it. "Give him back, you bastard!"
Firebrand threw out a hand, and Jackie just ducked in time to avoid the worst of the spray of glass that came flying at him. He looked up to see Firebrand throw his father's prone form aside, but Jackie couldn't spare a moment to fear for him, far too busy trying to keep himself alive. He stood up and tried to fire again, but Firebrand was on him and Jackie's gun went skittering away as he was shoved up against a wall. Fingers dug hard into his throat, choking him. "You smell like demon. Can't say I'm surprised. Stupid bastard is probably desperate for whatever he can get seeing as his consort is dead."
"Fuck you," Jackie gasped out, pulling his other gun and emptying the damn thing right into Firebrand's gut. It wasn't enough to hurt him, but it was enough to get him to let go. Jackie punched him, landed a boot right in his damn nuts, then grabbed a chair and slammed that down on him for good measure.
Hastening out of the way, he drew out his bag of runes and reached blindly into it—but the runes were scattered and lost to the mess on the floor as Firebrand came at him again, faster than Jackie had anticipated. His vision fuzzed out a moment as he was slammed around again, losing his hat and the rest of his runes in the scuffle.
Firebrand jerked with a surprised grunt of pain as a shot fired. He slumped forward, and Jackie stared past him to where his father was standing, pale and shaky, but his aim still true. Jackie bolted, stumbling more than running. He held fast to his father's arm as they hastened out of there. "We need to get somewhere safe—and fast."
"I tried calling for help, but he melted my talisman like it was wax," Jebediah replied.
"I'm impressed you had a bullet that could knock him on his ass." Jackie paused at the entrance to an alleyway. "This way." He kicked garbage and loose bits of stone out of the way, clearing enough space for a spell circle. Pulling out his chalk, he started drawing, handing another piece to his father so he could help.
He felt a prickling along the back of his neck just as they were nearly finished and turned in time to see Firebrand appear at the mouth of the alley. "Damn it—"
"Get behind me," Jebediah snapped.
Jackie ignored him, standing—and yelping as he was yanked back and thrown onto a heap of foul-smelling garbage bags. "Damnation." He struggled to his feet, watching as Firebrand came at them and Jebediah started firing both his revolvers. Jackie wished he had remembered to retrieve his at the coffee shop. He was a sorcerer, though, and he could make do.
Pulling another piece of chalk, he started sketching runes on the brick wall behind him. Not bothering to look the spell over, he spoke the activating mark, drawing out a spell of ice and flinging it at Firebrand right as he reached Jebediah.
But th
e bastard was just plain unstoppable, knocking Jebediah to the side like he was made of rags and straw, the ice spell hitting him and running off like rainwater. Jackie glared as he found himself once more pinned to a wall, fingers digging into his throat, brick biting into his back. "You should stop fighting, Sheriff. It's not doing you a lick of good." He pressed a hand to Jackie's chest—then hissed and jerked back. "What was that?"
He let Jackie go and then backhanded him hard enough Jackie tasted blood and spit out a tooth. Firebrand grabbed his hair, slammed a knee into his gut, and laughed as Jackie sank to the ground. Pushing him over, Firebrand straddled his hips and tore his shirt open. His eyes were like a bonfire flickering wildly in a summer breeze. "Did he give you a present? How sweet." His eyes burned hotter than ever, turning that soft but brilliant blue unique to fire as he picked up the talisman.
Jackie smelled copper and burned matches, felt a pang as whatever magic Ned had laid in the talisman was burned away. "What the hell do you want?"
"Ned," Firebrand replied. "Usually he's smart enough to stay hidden. The years must be getting to him because he's never given us something as useful as bait before."
"I ain't nobody's bait," Jackie replied and tried to buck him off, but that only got him another backhand.
Firebrand laughed, the sound as cold as his eyes were hot. He fisted the talisman, and Jackie felt real terror at the way his mouth curved, the way the metal heated up—and screamed as Firebrand pressed the heated metal to his flesh. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he tried futilely to twist away from the unbelievable pain.
Tossing the amulet aside, Firebrand laughed again and said, "I think that will make a nice invitation, don't you? Let's see if our errant demon will come riding to rescue his cowboy. I think it's time for you to go to sleep."
Jackie tried to protest, but there was a flash of pain in his head and the world went black.
*~*~*
When he woke up, the world was a dull gray, the only light bleeding in from a thin bit of window high up on the wall. He was in some sort of basement, it seemed. Sitting up, gritting his teeth against the pain in his poor, beat up head and the throbbing wound on his chest, he looked at his surroundings.
