by N. P. Martin
But the light didn’t last long, and as it began to fade the vamp’s fiery eyes were on me again as it prepared to launch another attack. By this time, though, I had reached into my jacket and pulled out the dagger that Óisín O'Faelin had given me. When the vamp launched itself at me, I was ready. As it landed on me, I stabbed the vamp in the chest with the Druidic dagger, pushing the blade in as far as it would go. The vamp’s eyes registered its shock as it reared back and tried to pull the dagger from itself, but no matter how hard it tried, the dagger remained lodged in its undead flesh, and a moment later the vamp fell over onto its back and lay there with its clawed hands still gripping the weapon that was in the process of ending its life.
I stood and rushed over to the vamp, crouching over it as I grabbed it by the scruff. "Who sent you?" I demanded.
The vamp sneered at me as its hands slipped from the dagger. Vamps were barely intelligible at the best of times, so when it uttered something with its dying breath, I had no idea what it said. Neither did I have any more time to ask, as the creature’s body very quickly turned to ashes that were then carried away down the street on the gentle breeze.
"Fuck!" I said as I felt the side of my face, recoiling at the depth of the claw marks in my cheek and over my left eye. As I picked the dagger up from out of the remaining ashes, I looked around as I slipped it back inside my jacket. Luckily, there didn’t appear to be anyone else around to witness what had just happened.
And what did just happen? I thought. Why did the vamp try to kill me? Was it just a random attack, or had its master sent it after me like some undead attack dog? Given everything, the latter seemed more likely to me.
"Constantine," I muttered. It had to be. As if things weren’t dangerous enough, now the vampires had put a hit out on me it seemed. How long until more vamps showed up to try again?
Shaking my head, I quickly went inside the bookshop, locking the door behind me. As I sat behind the desk with a stiff drink, I took out the dagger and stared at it. "Well," I said. "At least I know it kills vamps."
But would it kill Iolas if need be?
Or Constantine for that matter?
Chapter 25
I used a healing spell on myself to heal the gouges in my face. The spell did a good enough job of knitting the torn flesh back together, but you could still see four reddish lines running from my forehead over my left eye and across my cheek. The scars would probably remain for a few days or so while the healing magic continued to work. In the meantime, I would just have to rock the scary-dude look, which I didn’t really mind. The scars, and the potential for violence that they implied, somehow helped to put me in the mindset I needed to do what I would soon have to do. Chance the easy-going musician had now been pushed aside, replaced by Chance the angel of retribution. Or at least, that’s how I saw myself as I gazed into the mirror. Whatever you gotta tell yourself, right?
Later that morning, I summoned Dalia and Monty to the bookshop, with Dalia arriving first. "It smells like elf in here," she said when she came inside. "You’ve been at it again, and after everything that happened. How can you trust that bitch?"
Sitting behind the desk, I shook my head at her. "You’ve really got it in for her, haven’t you?"
Dalia, dressed in a black hoodie, dark jeans and strapped leather boots that went just below her knees, stood glaring at me. "I just think you’re letting your lust get in the way of your judgement. Did she do that to your face?"
"Nope, that was… something else. I’ll tell you about it in a minute."
"I still don’t trust her."
"Well, if you don’t trust her, then at least trust me. Amelia has her own reasons to help us."
"I’m sure she does. She’s probably just reeling you in so she can betray you again."
"She didn’t betray me before."
"She looked on while Iolas killed an innocent man."
"She didn’t have a choice. Just relax, will you. Amelia won’t be a problem."
Dalia came and sat down at the desk. "She better not be, for her sake. I don’t care how strong she is or how much fun you two are having together, if she stands against us she will know pain like she’s never known it before."
I suppressed my laughter. "Don’t be so dramatic, D."
She was about to rebuke me when Monty suddenly entered the shop. He was dressed in dark jeans and an expensive looking shirt, looking like he’d just spilled out of some nightclub. "Morning boys an’ girls," he greeted us. "What’s de craic?"
"Are you drunk?" Dalia asked him. "I can smell the drink off you from here."
"Drunk?" Monty came and sat on the edge of the desk, his eyes looking slightly bloodshot. "Half drunk maybe. I went to see Meshuggah last night at Vicar Street. I had a backstage pass, so I ended up drinking with those Viking gods of metal before moving on to that new nightclub in Hawkin’s street with two birds from the gig."
"Who the hell is Meshuggah?" Dalia said.
"A band who create a glorious wall of sound unmatched by any other band, that’s who."
Dalia shook her head. "They sound awesome."
"They are," Monty said with a yawn, before looking at me. "Jayzus, bro, what the hell happened to your face? You get into a scrap with an alley cat or something?"
"A vamp," I said. "It attacked me earlier this morning, right outside the shop."
"A vamp?" Dalia said. "Why?"
I shrugged. "I was thinking it was probably sent by Constantine to kill me."
"Christ," Monty said. "This shit is getting serious, man."
"I killed it."
They both looked at me for a moment. "Nice one, bro," Monty said, holding his hand out for a high five. I shook my head at him, leaving him hanging.
"You could’ve been killed," Dalia said.
"You’re telling me," I said. "It could’ve been a random attack for all I know. Vamp attacks have increased lately."
"I doubt that," Dalia said.
"So do I, which is why I need to get this situation with Iolas sorted."
"Do you have a plan?" Monty asked.
"I do, though it isn’t much of one."
"What is it?" Dalia asked.
For Monty’s sake, I went over all the recent developments first so that he was caught up on the situation. "So," he said. "You’re saying once you knick this book of death magic from Iolas, the Council will send a team in to arrest him?"
"Yeah, according to Benedict."
"You trust this Benedict person?" Dalia asked.
I shrugged. "He seems on the level. I guess we’ll find out."
"So how are we gonna knick the book then?" Monty asked. "Something tells me Iolas will have it locked up tight."
"He does, in a locked room that’s secured with magic, although Amelia said she would take care of the magic."
Dalia made a face. "Did she now?"
"Yes, she’s the only one strong enough to do it. None of us would be able to neutralize elven magic that strong."
"What if she’s leading you into a trap?" Dalia asked.
"She’s not, and if she wanted me dead, she’d have killed me by now, believe me."
"Maybe Iolas wants to kill you himself," Monty said. "You think of that? You were targeted by a vampire, after all. If Constantine wants you off the scene, you can bet Iolas does as well."
"That’s a chance I’ll have to take."
Dalia shook her head as if I was crazy. "Why not let the Council handle this? You don’t have to be involved."
"Firstly," I said. "The Council won’t move on Iolas until they have the book, and secondly, how could you even ask me that? You know why I have to do this."
A silence descended for a moment, then Monty said, "Well, we’re with you, bro. Whatever you need. Right, D?"
Dalia nodded. "Of course."
"Okay," I said. "I just need you two to create a distraction outside Iolas’ mansion, something to draw his security and hopefully Iolas himself away."
"What kind of distractio
n?" Monty asked. "I could show all the security guys me dick-dialin' trick, you think that’ll work?"
I shook my head at him, smiling despite myself. "You’ll have to think bigger than that."
"Wait," Dalia said frowning. "What is dick-dialing?"
"It’s using the old tool to dial the phone," Monty said, grabbing his crotch.
Dalia just looked at him and tutted in disgust. "Seriously, that’s a thing?"
"It was for me anyway."
"Monty got himself a little… tied up," I explained.
"I see," Dalia said nodding as if she still didn’t understand, and didn’t want to either. "Moving on then."
"Right," I said. "So you two create a distraction. Monty, you’re an expert conjurer. Conjure something…"
"Distracting?"
"Something big that makes a lot of noise and fucks things up."
I could almost see the cogs turning in Monty’s head. "Leave it with me, bro. I’ll come up with something crowd-pleasing."
"What about me?" Dalia asked.
"You bring down the darkness, as you do," I said. "Surround the whole place with it if you can. The whole idea is to create chaos and confusion."
"So what are ye going to do while we put on a show?" Monty asked.
"He gets the book," Dalia said.
"Yep," I said. "Once Iolas is distracted enough, I’ll make a move for the book. In and out as quickly as possible."
"You make it sound easy," Dalia said.
"It will be, as long as everything goes to plan."
"You know what they say about plans, bro," Monty said, sucking air through his teeth. "Men make them and God laughs at them."
Both Dalia and I looked at him. "Shut up, Monty!" we both said at the same time.
Chapter 26
So the plan was set. Monty and Dalia went off to Monty’s place to get organized and also to pick up Monty’s car. When I was ready, they would meet me about a mile away from Iolas’ and we would go on foot from there. In the meantime, I called Benedict as I walked down Capel Street heading toward Haknet’s pawn shop. "Benedict," I said when he answered. "It’s Corvin Chance."
"Corvin," he said in his English accent. "I’m glad to hear from you. How are things going? Are you ready to make a move yet?"
"I’m ready. I’ll be trying to get the book today."
"Excellent. I’ll get my team on standby."
"I’ll call you when it’s done."
"Perfect." He paused. "And Corvin?"
"Yeah?"
"Be careful, won’t you?"
"I’ll do my best."
By the end of the conversation I had reached the pawn shop. There were no customers inside when I went in, so I walked straight to the sales counter. Haknet’s round face dropped when he saw me, and then hardened up as I reached the counter. "What do you want?" he asked. "You aren’t welcome in here anymore."
"Calm yourself, Haknet," I said, trying to keep things as civil as possible. "I’m not here to cause trouble."
He eyed me suspiciously. "Then why are you here? Did Iolas send you? My debt with him is cleared… mostly."
"I’m not here on behalf of Iolas, but I’m here about him."
Haknet frowned. "What do you mean?"
I leaned one elbow on the counter, much to Haknet’s annoyance. "How would you like to get Iolas off your back for good? You know as well as I do that when you clear your debt with him, he’ll just force you down the same path again. How many years have you been doing business with him?"
"Too many."
"Well, there you go. I’m here to tell you that if you help me out now then you won’t ever have to do business with Iolas again." I smiled. "Now doesn’t that sound awesome?"
"It sounds risky, not to say suspect. I thought you worked for Iolas?"
I shook my head. "No, I’ve never worked for that bastard. That was just me… working an angle."
"So what angle are you working now then? One that’s going to get you killed probably, I’d say."
"There’s a possibility of that happening, sure, but I’m hoping it won’t. Outside forces are gearing up to move against Iolas soon."
"Like who?"
"The Council."
He stared at me a moment. "If you’re telling the truth, I’m surprised. I thought Iolas was their Irish golden boy."
"He may have been at one time, but not anymore. Anyway, the point is, he won’t be around much longer, but for that to happen, I’ll need something from you."
"Like what?"
"A gift for Iolas, something he’ll appreciate. You have anything like that in the back there?"
Haknet’s eyes narrowed as he stared at me. "How do I know this isn’t some con you’re running here?"
"Trust me, it isn’t. You knew my mother, right? Teresa Chance?"
He nodded. "I was acquainted with her, yes."
"Did you know Iolas had her killed?"
"No," he said, sounding shocked for a moment. "I’m sorry."
"Yeah, so am I, but I intend to get justice, and for that, I need your help," I said. "Just give me something to take to Iolas. I’ll be in your debt then."
Haknet’s dark eyes stared at me a moment, then he nodded. "Okay, I’ll see what I can find."
I smiled and tapped the counter with my knuckles. "Good man yourself."
Haknet disappeared into the back of the shop while I waited impatiently at the counter. He emerged five minutes later holding what seemed to be a cardboard tube. "This should please him," Haknet said, handing me the tube. "As far as anything is able to please an elf like Iolas."
Inside the tube was a scroll, written in a language I’d never seen before, though I thought perhaps it could be vampire script. "What is this?"
"A death magic spell. Iolas is very into that stuff."
I stared at him a moment and then laughed to myself. "You gotta be shitting me."
"What?"
"Nothing." I put the scroll inside the tube again and put the tube inside my jacket. "Thanks for this, Haknet, and apologies for chasing you across the rooftops the other day. No hard feelings, eh?"
"Whatever," Haknet said as if he couldn’t care less. "Just bring that scroll back to me. It’s a valuable item."
"I’ll do my best."
Outside the pawn shop, I took out my phone and texted Amelia:
B THERE SOON. B READY.
Her reply was a thumbs up.
"All right then," I said as I put the phone back in my pocket, and then started walking again, stopping after only two steps when I was suddenly overcome by a wave of anxiety. It hit me then full force what I was about to do, which was walk into the lion’s den and hope that the lion didn’t eat me alive. For long, intense moments, I actually considered abandoning the whole plan and getting on the next flight to London, or even America.
Suddenly, the idea of taking on someone like Iolas and actually winning seemed not only completely ridiculous, but also incredibly stupid and dangerous. Who the hell was I kidding? Iolas would make me suffer for the rest of my life when he inevitably realized what I was up to. And then there was Dalia and Monty, who I was taking along on this death-ride with me. What the hell was I thinking?
On the verge of just walking away from it all, I happened to look across the street to a little cafe that my mother and I used to go to. We used to sit outside, her with her latte, me with my cappuccino, just chatting and watching the world go by, enjoying each other’s company. My mother would smile and greet so many people as they passed by, some of them stopping to talk, all of them clearly taken by her radiant personality. I would feel proud that she was my mother at those times, when I saw the positive effect she had on other people. It was wrong that her life was cut short when she clearly had so much left to give, to others, and especially to me, her only son.
There were tears in my eyes when I finally looked away from the cafe. Taking a deep breath, I started walking again, filled with renewed resolve.
Don’t worry, Ma, I thoug
ht. I’ll be your avenging angel.
He won’t get away with it.
Chapter 27
Monty’s dark blue BMW was parked by the side of a gate that led into a farmer’s field. I pulled the Spitfire up behind it and got out, with Monty and Dalia getting out of the BMW to meet me.
"Al’ set?" Monty asked me, half smiling and coming across like he was getting ready for one of his magician gigs instead of a possible fight to the death.
I nodded as I stood next to Dalia. "As set as I’m ever going to be. Are you guys ready?"
"We’re ready," Dalia said. "Ready to reign down darkness."
"You sound like you’re looking forward to this," I said to her.
Her face was dark under her hood, despite the blazing late afternoon sun. "Maybe I’m just looking forward to getting some payback."
"You aren’t the only one," I said. "I’m going to drive up to the house now. You guys get a bit closer without being seen. I’ll send a text to your phone, Monty, when I need you to move."
They both nodded as they looked at me, and Monty stretched his hand out to clasp mine, pulling me into a hug as he did so. "Gran luk, bro."
"Thanks, bro. You too."
Dalia hugged me as well after a brief hesitation. "Please don’t die," she whispered into my ear.
I hugged her tight. "I’ll try not to."
When I drove up to the gates of the Tasar residence, I was stopped by two orcs on guard there, both of whom I recognized as the two who dragged me from my flat that night. "I’m here to see Iolas," I said to the blonde one.
"Are you now?" the orc said. "What if he doesn’t want to see you?"
I sighed and shook my head. "Why don’t you call through and ask. I have something for him. A gift."
The orc eyed me suspiciously, but took out a radio as he turned his back and spoke into it. When he’d finished talking, he turned around and stared at me, and for a moment I thought he was going to send me away again. But then he signaled to his mate to open the security gates. "In you go, Chance," he said, as though ushering me into Hell.
