by Colleen Tews
“Okay, well,” He perked up a bit. His big eyes brightened not by much and nowhere near as close as they were normally, but it was a start. “It’s going to be a while before Raphe gets back. And since Lucian’s foot soldiers gave him the slip he asked me to have you escorted home. This whole night could’ve been a setup. We can’t be too careful.”
“That won’t be necessary. You have enough things for people to worry about. I’ll be fine.”
“You have a good night then. Take it easy.” He conceded faster than I expected. Then as swift as he came into the conversation he left.
“What a peculiar little man.” I said to myself.
“You can say that again.” She stood, hugged me and followed in Grump’s footsteps. When she reached the other room she gave Vinchenzo a warm hello.
I shook my head and retrieved my coat from the closet in the hallway. I slipped out quick and quiet. About five minutes into the drive I called Lucian and filled him in on Mr. Heidelberg, the Cabal’s retaking of Missouri and the discussion during the poker match.
“I will look into Heidelberg. As for the Cabal and the Order,” he sighed, “I’ll speak to my bosses and see what they think. They were supposed to maintain order down there while I was up here. That has apparently changed. Also stay away from Vinchenzo and Father Khel. Vinchenzo makes the human mafia look like the Brady Bunch and Khel is as slick as they come. Before he repented he was an interrogator for the Ubilazian Order. He specialized in torture and was revered for his Machiavellian style politics in mortal society. His skills made him a prized commodity to the Church.”
“You think he figures he’ll be able to stay squeaky clean if Brutus does all the dirty work.”
“I wouldn’t put it past him to order a bunch of battle hungry mongrels to do his killing for him, especially since it is a sin. But I don’t know what would be in it for him. As for the Kaiserian…I could see him thinking your friends as competition. If they could have taken me out before he had a shot he wouldn’t be able to rally the troops behind him. You mentioned he and Grump don’t get along?”
“Not one bit. They glare at each other like dogs fighting over a bone.”
“Then he sounds like your man, but without proof I wouldn’t confront him, yet.”
“Right. How do you know so much about the ‘Good Father’?”
There was silence on the other end. “We trained together.”
“When were you going tell me?”
“You needed to form your own opinion on every person there. I warned you they were all dangerous but you already knew that. What you needed to see was the depth of their nature.”
Great he made espionage into a philosophical melancholy. “Did you work with him in the church or the Ubilazian Order?”
“Does it matter?” He snapped.
“Would I have asked otherwise?” Though his reaction told me it did.
“Soon, in person. I have to go.”
“Fine.” I sighed. “Any thoughts about the vision?”
“I have no idea.” That, above all else, scared me.
Chapter 26
Bong. Bong. The bells at St. Paul's Cathedral rang through the chilled night air. The echo muffled the click of Stacey’s heels. A few brisk steps across the parking lot after the last chime cried out and her heel versus concrete mash-up gave way to a distinct sound of crunched snow and broken, frozen twigs. “Brutus?” She cupped her mouth. “Brutus.”
Camouflaged in a white and black flak jacket and ski mask, I stalked her from Raphe's house to the assigned rendezvous. I crouched behind a fallen tree high on a hilltop. I adjusted the blade holster on my thigh. The decay, halted by the cold, created the perfect cover. Peeking over a knot, I watched everything below.
Stacey lost her footing on a tree root, then caught herself on its trunk. “Jesus. Brutus, where are you? I don’t have all night.”
He emerged from behind a pine tree. A shred of moonlight filtered between bare branches and bleached his devilish grin. “Did you bring it?”
“Son of a bitch.” She fell back against the tree and clenched the video case to her chest. “You're a real bastard.”
“Yeah, but if I were in the woods with a bastard like me and in a shaky situation like you I’d learn the shut the fuck up before I pissed that person off.” He shoved his hands in jean pockets.
Clay stepped out from behind a tree to her right. Another jumped out of a tree along the path Stacey used moments ago. Together the three of them converged on her at a slow methodic pace.
Raphe’s ghoul shivered. Her navy pea coat scraped against the tree. I readjusted my footing, crouched on tiptoes and gripped the mushy bark.
She tossed the surveillance disc at Brutus’ feet. “Here.”
They stopped.
Brutus’ smile vanished. He picked it up and read the side label. Then cracked open the holder and confirmed that the dvd we both needed was indeed inside. He tucked it under his arm. “Thanks Stace.” And he turned to leave.
Stacey reached out to him without leaving the tree. “Now you’ll keep your end of the bargain.”
He peered over his shoulder. “Raphe will never know what happened.”
“’Cause I did what you asked?”
“’Cause you did what I asked?” In a flash he spun around, covered the distance between them. His forearm pressed across her throat. “Really it’s ‘cause you’re weak. Not only are ya a ghoul but a whore to boot. You do whatever yer told whenever yer told to do it, by whoever -so long as they got fangs.”
She let out a low whimper. “Please, just let me go. You have what you want. You don’t have to do this.”
“Duh.” He laughed in her face. “This is why Raphe would never have sired you. You don't get the big picture. I want to do this. Sure, I could hold this over yer head, too, but eh.” He waved the disc. Then tossed it to the Maarten that blocked Stacey's path.
“I –I won’t tell anyone.” She fought against Brutus’ arm with no avail.
He malicious grinned played across his face. "I know." He struck, eager to devour his prey.
Not again. He made clear it he planned on killing her. I couldn't stand by and let her be another pawn trapped in his hands. Could I?
The decaying stump crushed under the weight of my body as I shoved off. I darted down the hill. I didn't care about being sneaky. This was a headlong rush into danger. Stupid? Yes, but it was necessary, and I was fast enough to pull it off.
Another stump halfway down created the perfect launching pad. I stepped up and off it as I leapt into the air. Branches snapped as I soared down onto Clay's back. He bucked and danced and clawed at me any which way he could. All it took was a quick twist and his neck snapped.
It didn't kill him, simply incapacitated him long enough for me to save Stacey. I never wanted to him dead. That murderous rage that grew within me was saved for one vampire in particular.
I rode Clay's lifeless body to the ground with a thud. I untangled my legs and rolled away. As I got to my feet the other Maarten slammed into me. He was a giant of a man, who apparently felt he was trying out for a linebacker position on his favorite team as he steamrolled me against a tree.
The grunt that escaped upon impact couldn't be stopped. Punch after punch pummeled my stomach. Chunks of wood sliced through the jacket and penetrated the ski mask. The sharpest pieces pierced my scalp. I was stuck. If he didn't beat me into ground beef the tree would penetrate my heart, Silencing me, and leaving me way too vulnerable.
I blocked any attempt at my face by shielding with my forearms. Until that last hook hammered my temple. I fell sideways, landing on my hands and knees. For as much as it hurt I was free to move.
I looked back in time to see him coming at me like a grizzly bear. There was no time to think or plot or plan, just act. I kicked high. The heel of my boot knocked him square in the chest. He stammered back. I scrambled to my feet, and with as much force as I could muster I jumped and kicked his face. Again, all he did w
as fumble back a step. Son of a bitch!
A simple pebble would not have brought this giant down. I needed something stronger than me, something as solid as him. I scanned the woods. A twinge of pain at the base of my neck told me what was required.
I pulled out the glock, undid the safety, and fired three rounds into his chest. He did not go down, like I assumed he wouldn't. The bullets put him off his game long enough. I climbed the trunk of the tree to the first big branch. Perched at its base I held the branch steady with one hand and thrust the other through it. Voila! Now I had my own handy-dandy stake.
"So ya brought back-up after all." Brutus said. He whirled Stacey around in front of him. He was fond of human shields.
Her eyes were glazed over. As blood leaked from the bite wound on her neck she lost the spark that kept ghouls alive. Deep crow's feet etched out around them. Her lips quivered. She wrinkled and grayed before my very eyes. Stacey stared beyond the woods until she found me high in the tree.
The fog in her lifted. "Run. Run! Just get out of-" Brutus jerked her by the neck and she shut up.
"Come on. The more the merrier, right? Tis the season. So who do we got up there? Hmm? Another one of Raphe's whores?"
"Nah." The bullet-ridden vamp said in a deep base. "That ain't no ghoul. Smells different."
Brutus agreed with a nod of the head. "Lester's gotta nose for this sort of thing. Come down. I won't hurt ya."
I did not dare respond verbally. Instead I made my point when I twirled the branch.
Brutus threw Stacey aside. She tripped and dropped to the frozen ground. "Let's party."
I tapped into my childhood and acted like a crazed monkey. I held onto the broken stump and swung down. Using the momentum, I beat Lester with the splintered stake. That knocked the bastard off his feet. It was about fucking time.
He laid prone at my feet. I knelt to one knee and plunged the weapon straight into his heart. The forest drew its nourishment from the blood that spilled. His muscles stiffened. His skin hardened. It took on the cracked patchwork of old, brittle bark. The light in his eyes faded. Though he heard everything, saw everything, he was nothing but a hollow trunk.
Brutus unsheathed his katana. I rolled backwards. His blade sliced the empty air. He attempted another lunge. Again I sidestepped. He moved too fast for me to shoot. We danced around the fallen Maartens, the silent trees, and Stacey as her life spilled into the snow. That thought of her drew my attention off him for a split second. Which was all he needed to slice across my chest.
Searing pain made me groan. I collapsed onto the closest pine tree. The cut stretched from above my right breast through cleavage and under my left ribcage. It was deep. Blood poured freely. It soaked the jacket. The warm blood mingled with the sticky sap.
I got so close, but I was overzealous. No, I was arrogant. I took on three experienced Maartens. Sure I took down two, barely. But what damn ass took on all at once? Me. Now I paid for that stupidity with my life. Not just mine but Stacey's, too.
Brutus pointed the tip of the sword to the sky. He readied his final blow. My final thought went to Lucian. I was sorry. Sorry I hadn't done this the smart way. Sorry I wouldn't finish the job he sent me in to accomplish. More importantly, I was sorry I never said how I felt about him.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Stacey move an inch. She looked right at me. Tears streamed from her desperate bloodshot eyes. Her skin paled as the life and magic in her veins tarnished the white snow. Behind all that there was an ounce of strength in her gaze. Vertigo crushed over me like a sudden tidal wave, then it vanished just as fast. She winked.
Footsteps sounded in the distance. Dozen of them marched closer. They crunched through the snow, heavy and loud. Brutus forgot about me. He turned in search of the oncoming army. "What the hell?"
Not wasting my moment, I stood and grabbed his leather jacket. I pressed the barrel of the gun under his chin.
His eyes widened. "You fucking cu-"
I fired. The bullet exploded out his cheek. Blood sprayed out the wound, splattering snowy ground. Brutus’ gurgled screams made no sense at all. The fact that he was still standing was a bit of a shocker. I slammed his head once against the pine tree. That extra jolt to the cranium knocked him unconscious.
Stacey extended a shaky, wrinkled hand up to me. As I ran to help her hand fell limp to the ground. She passed out. The horde of oncoming footsteps fell silent. The silence was not gradual but sudden. There was no one on the way.
Not knowing how long Brutus and Clay would remain down I rushed over to Lester. I scrounged through his pockets for the surveillance DVD. It wasn't until after I got through two pockets that it occurs to me I might have shot the blasted thing. I sighed with relief when I did not find it in his front jacket pockets.
My feet slipped in the frozen mud when I rolled him on his side like a log with a really big branch growing out the top. The strain of moving someone as colossal as Lester with a gigantic laceration across my chest made my eyes water. The pain was not in vain. His back left jean pocket bulged. After I pulled out the disc I let him flop back on his back. He crunched and cracked under the strain like scraped bark. "Sorry" I cringed.
Now Stacey needed my help and she did not have a moment to lose. I tucked the disc in my pants at the small of my back. With two free hands I rolled her over, which was much easier this time. I huffed and groaned as I cradled her in my arms like a baby. I could do this. I had to do this. Three quick breathes later I heaved and found my footing.
Stacey curled into my chest as I ran through the frozen woods away from the church. A branch snapped. The sound came from behind us. Right? I wasn't certain. Every crack, every thump of fallen snow, gust of wind or rodent shuffle made my skin jump. I wasn't about to turn around and confirm anything. I tried not to imagine Brutus as he tracked us down and just ran.
My focus drifted even more as her fresh blood pooled in my arms. Injured as I was it took all my will not to stop, say screw it all, and feed. That familiar cold burn crept up my throat. The smell was intoxicating.
The scent broke its own spell over me. Our bleeding wounds were a beacon for Brutus.
I stopped and surveyed our surroundings. All I saw were trees. Her blood skewed my sense of smell. I collapsed to the ground. My grip on Stacey faltered. My ribs and head throbbed. I closed my eyes and rested my brow atop her head.
She whimpered softly. Instinctually I stroked her hair. A tension eased from between Stacey's shoulder blades. She shank deeper. Her heartbeat weakened. Its rhythm faltered. What blood she had left chugged through her veins with all the gusto of toy train as its battery died.
Another crack and shuffle came from somewhere. I tensed. Stacey whimpered because I accidentally squeezed her.
Now that we weren't on the move I pinpointed the location of the noises. Two distinct sounds in particular stood out. One scared the bejesus out of me. While the other gave me renewed hope. About a mile back a muffled, but determined, crunch of snow bounded our way. From the hastened pattern I assumed it was Brutus. Hard to run quietly in the snow while one wore biker boots. The second was the slow trickle from the east, The Cuyahoga River bed.
If memory served me the bridge was nearby. It was a far better hiding place than out in the woods. At least until I figured out a solution that didn't blow my cover.
I readjusted my hold on Stacey. As I stood I missed a step and about fell on top of her. Vertigo bounced my vision around. The moan couldn't be stopped. I bit my lower lip and ran for the banks.
The river moved with all the vigor of a slug. Chunks of ice and snow clumps bunched as they floated away. The rocky banks were slippery, but there was too little snow to leave an impressionable footprint. On tiptoe I quickstepped along the edge. Up ahead was the bridge that led out of downtown into suburbia.
"They've got to be here somewhere." Brutus' muffled voice came from back in the woods. "Need to get back that fuckin' disc. Raphe finds out what I did...Shit!"
"I'm
on it." Clay's vertebrae healed faster than anticipated.
I backed away from the river's edge and closer to the bluff. Hopefully the high mounds hid us from view. I wasn't about to stand still long enough to find out. Heaven forbid Stacey whimpered and gave away our position.
The bridge was a few feet away. I peered over the bank. They were far enough away that I felt safe enough to sneak out of the coverage of the mound.
"Breath through your nose." I said with a low gruff whisper in her ear. I covered Stacey's mouth. We made a mad dash for the underpass.
Within the bridge's shadow, the tension between my shoulders relaxed. I hopped from stone to stone deeper inside. Stacey moaned. The vibration tickled my hand. The tension seized back again. I froze. There was no way in hell they could've heard that sound over the running water. I feared turning back to look, but I had to know. There wasn't another soul on the river.
"Maybe they went downtown?" Clay said.
"Maybe? Maybe? I don't want maybes. I want those bitch's heads on pikes and that disc in my hands. You don't get it, do you? I show up tonight without that little piece of evidence and we're dead or worse." He roared. There was a loud crash and crumble. The bridge shook.
Stacey whimpered. I cradled her against my chest and stroked her hair.
"Boss, we'll find 'em. I swear it."
"I'll go downtown. Double-back and pick up Lester, but leave him Silenced. And keep a look out for Stacey. Her car is still at the church."
"Got it."
"And Clay, do not fail me. Remember we're in the middle of a war. The Cabal won't miss one more Maarten."
Their footsteps faded away. I rested my head back against the underpass. The sharp stabbing pain of wooden splitters jerked me back. Duh. On the upside it cleared my head for a second.
I slid out from under Stacey. She moaned when I laid her flat. I rested a finger on her lips. The flesh around the bite mark on her neck aged rapidly. The process spread from the site over her whole body. Old age claimed her life faster than the blood loss. She needed Raphe.
