God In The Darkness

by S T Branton

  “Jules? No, I really haven’t spoken to her.” I made a face. “Has it been weeks? Man, I’m a terrible friend.” I mulled his words over in my mind. Jules had always been a web fanatic, even back in college. The fact that she wasn’t updating her accounts was troubling to say the least. “She’s probably just super busy. I’ll try to get in touch.”

  A car pulled up alongside us, and Deacon moved toward it. “Good luck,” he said. “Stay safe out there, Vic. Be in touch.” He slipped into the back of the car, the door slammed, and I watched the Uber drive away. Walking down the sidewalk, I fished my phone from my bag and punched in Jules’s number, which I still knew by heart.

  The call went through. On the other end of the line, her phone rang. And rang. And rang.

  “Hi, you’ve reached the voicemail box of Jules Lugnor. Please leave a message, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!” Beep.

  I hung up without leaving a message. Yes, it was a little weird that she hadn’t answered the first call I’d made after finding out she wasn’t updating her online presence, but the lady was an in-demand public defender. She had her own shit to take care of, and I knew most of it wasn’t going to be on the phone. She’d see I called and call me back when she got a chance. That was how our friendship had worked for years.

  Resolving not to worry about it, I set my sights for home and spurred my pace into a leisurely jog. Nothing like a little cold-weather exercise to clear my mind. I’d stretch my legs before grabbing a bus back to Brooklyn. The city, all asphalt and concrete and squares of glittering glass, streamed by. Slowly, my worries fell away. Things might have been crazy, but at least I was home.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “No name?” Maya sat on my bed, her eyes following the speed strikes of my hands against the old, beat-up mattress I was still using as a punching bag. “I’d think that’s the least he owes you.”

  I shook my head. “He seemed pretty squirrelly.” I told her how he was dressed and how he wouldn’t even spare me a glance from the park bench. “I wouldn’t necessarily call it a disguise, but he was definitely taking pains not to stand out. And after seeing what the gods can do, I kind of understand not wanting to take the risk.”

  “Yeah, but why should you take the risk.” As she spoke the cat jumped into her lap and settled in. Despite Maya’s canine nature, she seemed to have no problem with my friendly pet.

  “I don’t know.” I moved away from the punching bag and picked up the sword. “He has some serious insider information—something that’s in short supply on team Kronin. I’m going to have to trust his instincts on this. I have to know what kind of shit we’re in.”

  “Deep shit,” Maya said quietly as she gave the cat a deep back massage. “Way deep. Like, up to our necks in it.”

  I made my voice as cheerful and encouraging as possible. “That’s okay. Nothing I haven’t waded through a hundred times before.”

  The vet wasn’t buying it. “Have you thought about leaving New York?” she asked, somewhat tentatively. “I know it’s your hometown, but this stuff is crazy, Vic. Unless you’ve got something binding you here for personal reasons, wouldn’t it be better to get out while you can?”

  I brought the sword up with a little more force than was strictly necessary. Her talk put me on edge, despite knowing that I couldn’t expect her to think any differently. “No. I’d spend the rest of my life thinking about all of this and wondering what it would have been like if I stayed.”

  “Fair enough.” She gazed out the window. “I’m just saying, this doesn’t have to be your problem. You don’t need to fight. Let the FBI handle it.”

  I snorted. “They’re not handling shit, Maya. Mister Stranger even implied that they could be compromised. Who knows?”

  “Not even your friend?”

  I thought for a second, then threw another punch. “No, he’s clean. But he’s just one agent. He is not going up alone against the entire organization. I can’t ask him to forfeit his job in the name of helping me bring down a plot he didn’t even know about until very recently.” I shrugged. “You get used to flying solo if you do it for long enough. It doesn’t faze me anymore.” I dropped into pushups. Her feet bobbed in and out of sight.

  “Well you’re not flying solo any longer.” Maya ran a hand through her dark curls. “You’re my friend now, and I just don’t want to see you get hurt. Get consumed by all of this.”

  “I don’t think of it as something that consumes me. It’s a calling. Shit’s not always easy, and I don’t always have the time of my life, but at this point, I can’t imagine doing anything else. And besides, without me the whole world would be consumed by this. Might be anyway despite my help.” I rolled my body into a side plank. “Maybe it’s too corny, but Marcus sometimes gives me pep talks about living up to the fullest potential of my name.”

  Puzzled, Maya asked, “Vicky?”

  “Victoria.” I swept my hair off my neck. “He says I have an obligation to it, even though everyone calls me Vic these days. Something about living into my name.”

  Motivation is stronger when orated properly, Marcus said. There is more power behind the words, Victoria.

  “Well I’m happy to be on the side of the victorious. Even if it means staying in this shitty apartment.”

  “Hey!” I yelled and fought the temptation to tackle her.

  “Just kidding…mostly. It is cozy in a weird, unfinished way. Could use a bathroom door, though. And, like… a wall or two.”

  I laughed. “Fair enough. Maybe we could do some remodeling eventually.” Opening my personal space, the area I thought of as my sanctuary, was another thing I never thought I’d do again. But Maya had a charm about her, an innate warmth that helped me feel comfortable in a way I was missing with everyone else except Jules. I’d already gotten used to seeing her clothes around, her toothbrush, her minimalist makeup kit.

  She was becoming another fixture of my life that I never knew I needed. I was grateful, even if I didn’t know how to tell her.

  “Ooh, girl, you know I am all about the remodeling. We could turn this place into a real estate magazine ad.”

  “Except, you know, we actually have to live here. Also, it might be slightly falling apart.” Last winter, the roof leaked every time snow melted until I crawled up there and patched it.

  Maya shrugged. “Between you and me, I think we could figure most things out. We make a pretty decent team.”

  “Yeah.” I hid my smile, and the fact that my heart was in the process of growing three sizes. It was both embarrassing and tragic to really understand how much I’d missed the sort of organic friendships that just grow from whatever they’re given. So much of my life was in near-constant upheaval that the seeds of any sort of relationship never really stayed planted. That, and I was always too vengeance obsessed to tend to them.

  But now, Rocco was dead, and I was slowly finding ways to reinvent and reclaim my life. Apparently, bringing home a new person was one of them. She filled a lot of the long, cold silences in my day-to-day life with fun and laughter, the same way Marcus had when he had a body. And even though her experience with the Forgotten had been very different than mine, just knowing she was going through it helped me to feel less alone.

  Maybe that was what I wanted more than anything, deep down in my heart. I just wanted to feel less alone.

  After my workout was finished, I washed up in the poor excuse for a bathroom, and then I checked my phone, fully expecting to see a response from Jules, my other friend of note. Nothing. I made a face at the screen. What was with her? Usually, she’d get back to me within the hour, if not within the minute. She was a brilliant, driven, hardworking lawyer… and she was also attached to her phone.

  I debated trying her again, then decided if I wasn’t careful, I might start to come off as a little bit insane. Jules was one of the most responsible people I had ever met. If she wasn’t answering her calls, she was probably asleep. And if she was still working crazy late hours,
she needed her sleep.

  Satisfied, I settled down and closed my eyes. “Everything is fine,” I whispered into the gentle dark. “Everything is fine.”

  That’s the spirit, Marcus hummed in my mind. I rolled my eyes, then placed his medallion on the bedside. Maybe I had enough people in my life as it was.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  As dawn filled my loft with light, I woke up ready for whatever hell the day had planned for me. Maya was sleeping on a mattress we purchased from a Salvation Army store, and I decided to let her be. It seemed like she was having a pleasant dream, although her legs kept twitching like she was running. It was royally pissing off the cat who was trying to snuggle up against her.

  I grabbed the sword, Marcus, and the peacock feather that signaled my safe passage into Lorcan’s domain. Today was our parley atop the One World Trade Center. The thought of being face to face with the god who killed Kronin filled me with equal parts apprehension and excited adrenaline.

  Maybe today would bring this whole campaign to an end.

  Sam, my friend with the floppy hat lay in his customary spot outside the door, his hat pulled down to block the first encroaching rays of sunlight. I bent to drop him an apple I snagged from inside, and he peered out at me through one eye. “Good morning,” he said in his quiet voice. “Bless you.”

  “Morning.” I straightened up to hurry on, and he stopped me briefly.

  “Have the devils been keeping you away?”

  I laughed sheepishly. “Just off visiting friends out of town. That’s all.”

  “I see.” He retreated under his hat. I lingered a moment, debating if I should give him some kind of warning. He could easily get caught in the crossfire if things went south at my impending meeting.

  “Do me a favor and watch yourself,” I said. “Keep an eye out. Things are a little crazy in the city.”

  He smiled slightly. “Crazy’s the only thing that doesn’t change here. But sometimes it’s hard to see.”

  I wanted to stay and ask him what that meant, but I didn’t have any more time to spare. After a quick nod, I hurried out to the street to begin the familiar trek into downtown. Above the subway station, I decided to call Jules one more time.

  She answered on the third ring. “Hello?”

  “Jules!” A smile burst across my face. “There you are. I’ve been trying to reach you since yesterday.” A wave of relief washed over me. I felt myself breathing easier.

  “Oh, sorry, love. I’ve been insanely busy. Haven’t even had time to check my messages!” She laughed breezily. “What did I miss?”

  “Not much, at least on my end of things. I ran into Deacon yesterday, weirdly enough.” Jules didn’t sound nearly as tired as I would have expected from someone too busy to return calls, but I brushed it off. Maybe her caseload was finally winding down, and she’d snagged a moment to rest.

  “Deacon…” She paused. “Right. You guys do the deed yet?”

  “It’s not like that,” I pushed back. It wasn’t like her to be this forward.

  “Ok, fine.” Jules rustled some papers. “Anyway, I’m glad it’s working out for you, sort of. Want to meet up soon? It’s been forever.”

  “Yeah, of course. The usual spot?” It was a bar we’d started frequenting in our college days. It was one of the few places that could still put me at ease, despite everything.

  “Which one?” Jules asked absently.

  “Park’s? The same place we always go?”

  “Yeah, sure.” More papers rustled in the background. “Sorry, Vic. I’ve got to go. We’re still pretty swamped. See you… tomorrow night for dinner?”

  “You’ll be unswamped by then?” I asked, somewhat doubtfully.

  “Maybe not, but by then, I’ll need a couple hours off or else I might go insane.” Her laugh was wry now. “Okay, see you later.”

  “Bye, Jules.” I ended the call and stood for a moment at the top of the subway stairs, looking down at my phone. Jules seemed a bit off kilter, but it was comforting to have her to look forward to. A bastion of normalcy amid the whirlwind I sensed I was about to enter.

  The financial district loomed around me, casting every one of my steps in shadow. My mind was still revolving around Jules when I stopped at the very base of my destination and tilted my head all the way back. One World Trade Center towered far above, its spire blocked out by the emerging glare of the early sun. I shielded my eyes. From down here, the windows of the top offices were nothing more than a suggestion of a gleam.

  I took a deep breath. My heart thumped in my chest, the adrenaline renewing its course through my veins. The thoughts of my dinner with Jules took on a different, darker tint. Instead of looking forward to it, I wondered if I would make it there at all.

  ***

  The ride up was long and quiet, underscored by soft elevator music that brought my mind back to Palo Alto. Not the best headspace to be in as I rose to meet the god who’d started all this nonsense, but I couldn’t keep my brain from drawing parallels. Another elevator making its way up another tower. I half expected to see Brax at the top.

  Then the car let out a dainty little ding, and the doors slid open to reveal a wide, sprawling office space. Huge, floor-to-ceiling windows flooded the area with morning light. Every desk was occupied as far as I could see. I inhaled another deep, stabilizing breath.

  They were all vampires. They had to be. Most vamps could pass as human, and there was nothing physically off about the people on this floor. But there was something undeniably predatory in the way they stared at me. The sensation of all their eyes on my flesh made the hair rise on the back of my neck. I fought hard not to let it show.

  Keep cool, Victoria. This hive of villainy is nothing you have not seen before.

  True, in theory, but it was nonetheless daunting to see so many. And to wonder at the things I wasn’t being shown.

  The large door in the back opened just enough to let Delano and his familiar black duster slide over the threshold. His eyes fell over me, and he smiled that thin, toothy, Cheshire Cat grin that I had come to know and loathe.

  “Welcome, sword wielder. You are precisely on time.”

  I scowled. “Far be it from me to keep a sociopath waiting.”

  Delano chuckled. “Worry not. Your crude levity is much appreciated. Lord Lorcan gets awfully bored waiting for things to happen. It is quite fortunate for you to fall into his lap at a time like this.” His vaguely saccharine tone of voice made my skin crawl. Niceties just didn’t wear well on him.

  “Our parley is still on, right?” I pulled the peacock feather out of my bag. “That’s all I’m here for. Don’t bother with the sweet talk.”

  Delano turned toward the big door. “Yes, I see the effort was lost on you. No matter.” He opened the door and strode in before me, coming to attention in front of a desk the size of a small car. “My Lord,” he intoned. “Your guest of honor has arrived.”

  Behind the desk was the biggest chair I’d ever seen, currently facing away from me. It was so big that I could only get a hint of Lorcan’s reflection in the glass beyond. “Most excellent.” The god’s voice was smooth and cold as ice. I shivered involuntarily. Then subconsciously reached for the medallion around my neck.

  Lorcan laughed without turning around. “Ah yes, the Roman is here as well. Last time I saw him, he was bleeding out on the golden floors of Carcerum. It seems he was more resilient than I gave him credit for. But I wish to hear your words, not his. Put him away, or I shall consider this parley void.”

  Delano moved a step closer, and I could feel the presence of the vampire horde on the other side of the wall. One flick of his finger, and they’d descend upon me. Not even the sword could save me then.

  It is alright, Vic. You know what to do. I believe in you.

  I took a breath, then removed my chain.

  “I’m playing by your rules, Lorcan, but you should do the same.” I said, stuffing the medallion into my pocket. “A parley demands respect from both s
ides.”

  “Ostensibly, yes.” I could tell Lorcan was smiling on the other side of that chair, and it pissed me off.

  “Then turn and face me or I walk.”

  Deafening silence fell over the office. Delano’s whole body stiffened. I stared hard at the back of the office chair, daring it to turn around, wanting to look this scumbucket in the face. My heart pounded. I resisted the urge to ball my hands into fists. At the moment, self-control was the name of the game; even I knew that.

  Unfortunately, it was a game I’d never been very good at.

  “Look.” I reached into my bag and brought out the peacock feather. “I’ve been told this means something to you. So, I expect you to honor it.”

  “Hush, girl,” Delano hissed. “Your impudence has no place here.”

  My eyes bored a hole in the side of his face, but I bit my tongue. Yeah, part of me wanted to settle this right here, right now, but I couldn’t ignore the fact that Lorcan was a literal god. He might obliterate me in the blink of an eye if he decided I wasn’t worth his time.

  Still, I had killed gods before. Well, technically only one god. And an oversized vampire.

  Lorcan raised a hand. “Let her be, Delano. She has a point. And we do have need of her.” He paused. “For now.”

  “You don’t scare me.” I held the feather tightly, like a weapon. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t help to know I had a real sword with me.

  “Ah, the empty bravado of mortals.” The chair on the other side of the desk swiveled, finally revealing the profile of a god. Like Lupres and Lysiani, he was tall—unnaturally stretched like he was left on the drying rack for too long. He looked human upon first glance, but the longer I stared at him, the longer I could see the proportions were off. It gave me vertigo.

  He flicked his pale gaze, so much like Delano’s, to me. I suppressed a shudder at the way he looked me up and down. Like he was a dealer appraising an antique or some shit. In an instant, it became abundantly clear what he thought of me.