by Jamie Craig
“No. I didn’t.”
“I heard that Gideon let everybody play with you but me.” Rina pouted. “Does that sound fair to you? After everything I’ve done? I’ve been good to Gideon, and he doesn’t even invite me to the party.”
“There was no party, Rina. But why don’t you take that up with Gideon? I’m sure he’d love to talk to you about it.”
She was close enough now that he saw her eyes flash yellow, though she still had her blunt teeth. “I don’t think we need to get Gideon involved in this, Jess.” She said his name like a hiss, dragging it out.
Jesse glanced down the road. He could almost see the office. Five, maybe six more blocks. He didn’t think he could win a foot race against a vampire, but if he could get closer to the office maybe he could…What? Scream until Gideon came to rescue him? Why hadn’t he thought to bring at least a stake? He had been so absorbed in getting back to Gideon that he hadn’t bothered with precautions.
“I think we do.” If she took another step, she’d be able to grab him. If she grabbed him, she would overpower him. He took an experimental step back, and she didn’t immediately close the space between them. “You do know what Gideon’s going to do to you, right?”
She vamped, her fangs startlingly white in the dark night. “I don’t care.”
That wasn’t right. Rina cared. Rina cared a lot about survival. Rina especially cared about not getting on Gideon’s bad side. “Are you high?”
“I’m not high.” She sprung at him without warning, grabbing his shoulders and dragging him to the ground. She swiped her tongue along his jaw. “I’m flying.”
Jesse jerked his head away, but she only chuckled darkly. Pinning him to the ground, she began to writhe, grinding against him. He tried to push her away, but she was too strong as he expected she would be.
Rina looked up, pouting. “Why aren’t you hard for me? Monique told me you’re one of the best trained pets she ever saw.”
Jesse caught his breath. “Oh?”
“Don’t worry, though. I know how to get a man hard every time.” She ran her tongue over her teeth before ducking her head. “It never fails.”
Jesse waited until he almost felt the point of her fang against his skin before jerking his head, smashing his forehead against her temple. She reeled back, howling, no doubt in surprise more than pain. Now that he could move his arms freely, he grabbed her shoulders and butted his head against hers a second time. Blood flowed from her eye and her nose.
He moved quickly while she tried to blink the stars from her eyes, yanking one of the bottles from his pocket and pointing it at her face. He squeezed the trigger with a silent prayer. Please let this work.
“Fuck!” She clutched her eyes and began jerking violently. Her elbow connected with his chin, smacking the back of his head against the hard cement.
Jesse barely felt the pain, though as she began to scream, he wondered if his hearing loss would be permanent. He pushed her away and scrambled to his feet, trying to run before he was even fully upright. His ankle throbbed, but it supported his weight. Jess knew he should flee but…did the antidote do anything other than burn?
“Rina?” he tried.
“Get away from me,” she shouted.
Enraged, injured vampires were just as deadly as high vampires. And she probably wouldn’t want to be interviewed about her current state. Still, he approached. “Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not okay, you fuck! You burned my eyes out.”
Jesse frowned. “Let me see.”
Rina looked up, but it wasn’t to show off her burnt face. She bared her fangs and growled, but the effect was decidedly weaker than she intended. Her eyes weren’t burned out, but she was still bleeding, and she suddenly looked very young and deflated.
“Are you going to tell Gideon?” she asked in a small voice.
“I am.”
“He’s going to kill me.”
“You don’t care, remember? But if you get up now, you can have a running start.”
Rina took off without hesitation, disappearing like another shadow. Jesse didn’t watch to see how far she would run. He hurried up the street, moving as fast his throbbing ankle would allow. He kept looking over his shoulder, expecting a vampire, not necessarily Rina, to jump out at him with every step. He didn’t stop running until he burst into the office, nearly tripping over his own feet to get into the door.
Gideon stood behind Jesse’s desk, leaning over the chair as he used the computer for some unseen purpose. When Jess stumbled inside, Gideon’s hand froze on the mouse, but the moment he saw Jesse’s dishevelment, he was around the desk, scooping his arm behind Jesse’s back as he led him to the nearest chair.
“What the hell happened?” he demanded.
Jesse sank to the chair with a relieved sigh. He felt ten times the better the moment Gideon touched him.
“Rina…I ran into her about six blocks away. She was high on obsidian.” Jesse rotated his ankle, but the pain hadn’t dulled. “Apparently, Monique told her she was missing out. Anyway, the antidote works.”
Gideon knelt on the floor in front of him, picking up his foot and slipping off his shoe. “I’m going to have to have a talk with Monique,” he muttered. Though his words were angry, his touch was tender, one strong hand holding the back of Jesse’s calf as the other gently worked the joint. “This needs to be iced.”
“Yeah.” Jesse wasn’t terribly concerned about that. Now that he had a chance to process it, the implications of the attack were weighing on him. “I think Monique and whatever she’s saying is the least of our problems.”
Gideon paused and looked up. His barely controlled anger gleamed in his dark eyes. “You might not think it’s a big problem, but I don’t want just anybody thinking they can have a piece of you if the whim takes them. They need to know you’re off-limits unless I say so.”
Jesse nodded, though he still thought Gideon was missing the big picture. He didn’t want the vampires of Chicago to think he was free game—but he was surprised that these consequences hadn’t occurred to Gideon earlier. “You’re right, of course. I’m in full agreement with that. But, Gideon, this stuff is spreading. Rina’s one of the last vampires I expected to see using it. And I’m lucky she was alone. It’s not going to be safe for anybody to walk the streets anymore.”
Understanding dawned in Gideon’s face. Setting Jesse’s foot down, he straightened and began pacing the length of the room, his brows drawn together into a frown. “Henry’s stepping up his game,” he said. “This isn’t just about having fun in the clubs any more. He wants it everywhere.”
Jesse pulled the two spray bottles from his pockets and set them on the table carefully. “Right. Which means whatever we’re going to do, we’ve got to do it soon.”
Gideon stopped, his gaze on the antidote. “Is that it?”
“This is it,” Jesse said, with more than a hint of pride. “It’s in a spray bottle for fast, convenient delivery. The bottle is a little bulky, but I figure I can use something smaller for it, if need be.”
“And you’re sure it works.”
“One second she was trying to kill me, the next I was talking to her and she was just…herself. She claimed it burned, but that might have been because I nailed her in the eyes.”
Crossing to the desk, Gideon picked up one of the bottles, holding it up to the light. “So it works just like the obsidian. It can be absorbed through the skin or soft tissue.”
“Yes. It’s a stronger concentrate than I initially wanted, but I wanted to make sure a little contact would go a long way.”
Gideon swore under his breath. “I wish I knew why Henry was doing this in the first place. That would make it a lot easier to predict what move he’s going to make next. I think it’s a pretty safe bet we’re not going to find him at the warehouse again.”
“No, no probably not.” Jesse leaned forward. “John mentioned unlocking a cage and allowing vampires to rediscover their true natures. But by h
iding their so-called true natures, they can live like Rina, or Tricia…or even you. Henry doesn’t think vampires should be living with humans, he thinks humans should be…pets.”
“Then Henry’s an idiot.” Gideon resumed his pacing, though his anger was leaking back into his long strides. “I don’t blame him for feeling caged, but if he thinks he can control a city full of vamps who just want to chow down on the population, he’s got another think coming. They’re not going to be satisfied with pets. They’re going to want bloodbaths.”
“Do you think Henry will shed a tear over the slaughter? It’s probably all the same to him. He gets what he wants in the end. Humans will be gone, or reduced to nothing but slaves, and…if obsidian is addictive, he’ll be the center of power.” Jesse shrugged. “Of course, that’s just what he thinks will happen. If his plan is allowed to continue, another vampire will take him out and fill the power vacuum until he’s taken out and so on.”
“Which puts us back at square one.” Abruptly, he turned on his heel and headed for the door. “How far away did you say you ran into Rina?”
“It was about six blocks south. She was bleeding pretty good, so it should be easy enough to follow her.”
That was all Gideon apparently wanted. With a sharp nod, he left the office.
* * * *
If it had been anyone other than Rina, Gideon would’ve gone out with the intent to kill. It was one thing to share Jess at Sangre; it was something else entirely for vampires to think Jess was fair game just because they came across him on the street. Jess was his. It was entirely unacceptable for them to treat him as less than he was.
But he wasn’t going to kill Rina. She’d run as soon as the antidote hit, Jess had said. It wasn’t her fault, but the drug’s. Besides, he needed her. She’d already helped him find Tricia. Now it was time to put her to use again and locate Henry.
Her trail was easy to find, the blood still fresh. Gideon broke into a run, following it down a side street and into a squat. He didn’t have to go far. She was huddled in a corner in a west-facing room near the front of the building.
Gideon blocked the doorway, arms folded over his chest as he waited for her to notice him. Slowly, Rina lifted her head. Her gaunt features were more pinched than normal, and blood oozed from a scrape at the corner of her eye, but what surprised him was the scent of salt he detected. Her cheeks were dry, but at one point, she’d been crying.
It was even more reason to let her go this time.
“Will you at least make it quick?” she said. Her voice was flat, her eyes even more so. She had already prepared herself for the worst.
Gideon took a step inside, kicking the door shut behind him. Rina flinched at the sharp echo. “No,” he said. “This isn’t going to be quick at all.”
Her lower lip wobbled, but her chin jutted out, the last of her strength surfacing. “He fucking got away! That should count for something.”
“He came limping into my office, Rina. You know better than that.”
“It wasn’t me. Did he tell you that? It was that shit obsidian. Trust me, if I hadn’t been high, I wouldn’t have gone near him. He’s not even my type. Shit, he’s way too old, for one thing. And he got away. You got him back. Please, Gideon, just give me one more chance.”
He didn’t move. He didn’t blink. He simply waited, to give her the impression that he was actually only now reaching the decision not to hurt her.
Rina broke first, sagging backward as she slammed her head against the wall. “For fuck’s sake, Gideon, either do it or don’t.”
“I won’t,” he said evenly. Her attention snapped back to him, and he held up a hand in warning. “On one condition.”
“Anything. You name it.”
It was the only way he could think of to put a stop to this chaos, once and for all. “Get me a meeting with Henry.”
Chapter 16
There was no need for a valet this time. Instead, Gideon had Jesse drop him off a block away from Sangre and instructed him to stay there as they had planned. He didn’t even look back as he strode along the sidewalk toward the club’s entrance, but every step closer left him a little bit tighter, his mood a little bit darker. It felt like he had been waiting a long time for this particular meeting.
Trent rose from his stool as Gideon approached, exchanging a nod as he held the door open. Gideon wasn’t sure if it was good or bad that the bouncer knew of his appointment. There wasn’t time to consider it, though, before Sangre’s pulse sucked him in, slowing his steps as he breathed in the musky scent of sex and blood coating the air. Memories of the night with Jess blurred the visions before him until he thought he could actually feel Jesse’s ass squeezing around his cock, taste the texture of his skin the second before his fangs split the surface and Jesse’s blood flowed over his tongue.
Gideon was hard before he reached the edge of the main floor. It was probably a very good thing he’d left Jess behind.
He spotted Henry right away, balls deep in a double-D blonde. A female vampire was astride the girl’s face, but Gideon didn’t recognize any of the others who surrounded the scene. There weren’t even any of Henry’s usual hangers-on lurking nearby. Wending through the crowd, Gideon came to a stop at one end of the couch, putting himself in Henry’s sight line if he ever decided to look up from the pussy he was pounding. He wouldn’t interrupt. That was the surest way to piss Henry off before they even started talking.
“We don’t stand on ceremony here, Gideon,” Henry said, without looking up. “Tawnie, get out of Gideon’s way.”
Tawnie snarled in frustration, but did as she was told, leaving the girl lying there with her cheeks glistening from the juices of Tawnie’s pussy. For a moment, Gideon was tempted. His cock ached just from reliving the night with Jess, and coming would take the edge off his mood in order to deal more effectively with Henry. It only took a single glance at the girl’s dulled eyes for him to decide against it, though. She might be willing, but she had long ago checked out of the events of the evening. He had no interest in making it worse for her.
“Maybe next time,” he said. “There are some things that are a little more important than getting off, don’t you think, Henry?”
“No,” Henry said, but he stopped and straightened, tucking his erection back into his pants. “But I don’t mind delayed gratification.” He turned, like he was going to leave the girl, but he paused. “Tawnie,” he snapped, “don’t touch her.”
“But…”
“Leave her alone. None of you touch her until I get back.”
Gideon followed Henry around the crowd, ignoring how the girl just lay there even after the vampires dissipated. He had no fears that she would get hurt in Henry’s absence; in Sangre, his was an iron fang. Nobody would dare argue for fear of losing their head. It didn’t make Gideon feel any better about it, though.
Henry led him through a door marked “Employees Only” and up a narrow staircase. Gideon waited to speak until they were both ensconced in Henry’s office, a room deceptively large for Henry’s position. A leather sectional filled one corner, but it was the familiar scent of obsidian in the air that drew Gideon’s attention. In his pockets, he balled his hands into fists in order to keep his uneasiness at bay.
“You’re a hard man to get a hold of,” Gideon remarked casually.
Henry gestured at the couch before settling behind his desk. “Really? You could have just picked up the phone, Gideon. I’ve been waiting for your call.”
Gideon weighed his words as he sat down. “Well, you finally got it. I didn’t know until a couple days ago that you were the man I was looking for.”
Henry pulled a small vial of black fluid from his desk, and set it beside two small glasses. That was soon joined by a decanter of scotch. “Oh? How could I be of service to you?”
“I want to talk about the obsidian. I know you’re dealing it. I know you’re manufacturing it. And I know it’s getting people killed. Now I don’t care how you make your mone
y, Henry. What I care about is when my pet gets attacked by some random vamp on the street who’s hopped up on your shit. That’s not acceptable.”
“That sounds like a personal problem, Gideon. I can’t be responsible for what vamps do outside of the club. Hell, I’m not even responsible for what they do around here most of the time.” He opened the vial and dipped into it with an eyedropper. “But there is a way to keep your pet safe, and get a bit of the action yourself.”
Gideon’s gaze didn’t waver. “Let’s hear it.”
Henry carefully counted five drops of the inky fluid into each cup. “We all know the influence you have out there.” He waved vaguely. “You’ve got contacts that I don’t, contacts that I would love to have. I think we could go far together.”
“A partnership. Now why didn’t I think of that?” He pretended to ponder the question for a moment. “Oh, yeah, maybe because your boys jumped me the other night when I tried to come see you at the warehouse. Not very conducive to thinking you’d want to play fair, don’t you think?”
Henry shrugged, filling each cup with a shot of scotch. “I apologize for that, but they weren’t after you. They smelled humans, and we can’t have strange people poking around the warehouse. They’ve been instructed to shoot first and ask questions later, if you know what I mean.”
The corner of Gideon’s mouth lifted. “I’m a little familiar with that brand of thinking, yeah.” He watched Henry rise from the desk and carry the two tumblers over to the couch, holding one out in offering. Gideon took it, but didn’t drink right away, instead swirling the golden fluid around in the glass and watching as it darkened with the obsidian. “And what exactly do you want from me in this partnership?”
“Gideon, you used to own this city. It could be yours again. Like it used to be, like it’s meant to be. You could have that sort of power again, but this time, it won’t take you years and years to secure. In fact, we can do it all in one night. With this.” Henry lifted his glass. “I’ve been releasing the obsidian in trickles, but I think it’s time to flood the city.”
