And now the Fae wanted him for his powers. I thought about Tory, and how the hell she had done whatever she had done to forever change Alucard that night we fought Rumpelstiltskin.
She had used those newfound powers to save our bacon that night. She had whipped the women into order, controlling their previously out-of-control beasts, and pointed my girls – Indie, Ashley, and herself – at our enemies. The Huntress now sitting beside me being one of those enemies, alongside Baba Yaga and Van Helsing. And now they were all helping me.
Alucard feigned nonchalance as he took a sip of his drink.
“Now that we’re all paid up, where can I go to see a particular violent form of entertainment. Tomorrow night, to be precise,” I asked, leaning forward.
Achilles scanned the bar, pretending to wipe off the bar with an old rag. “Not the payment I was referring to, Maker. And you know it.”
I sighed, opening my mouth to attempt to guilt-trip him, but the Huntress spoke first. “How about this?” she asked, slapping a stack of money onto the table. It was $10,000, still in the bank wrapper that said so.
Achilles didn’t even look at it. “No. Wrong form of currency. Do you three not listen? You heard what I said at the mansion.”
The Huntress shrugged, shooting me an apologetic look as she pocketed the stack of money. Oh well. She had tried.
“I don’t have time to run to the Vaults,” I finally said in a low tone.
Achilles shrugged. “Then it looks like you’ll have a pretty uneventful night.” He folded his arms.
I threw my arms up. “Achilles, come on! We’re talking about kids, here.”
The Myrmidons shifted. That was all, but I calmed down, placating them with an apologetic look. Achilles nodded at me, his resolve breaking slightly. “I get that, Temple. Really, I do. But I have to pay the Beast Master in Gold, and the Vaults are too ritzy for my deposits. Ask too many questions. Which means that I can’t simply take her cash,” he pointed a thumb at the Huntress, “and exchange currency. They won’t let me. And if I try to pay the Beast Master’s cronies in cash, they will know something is up. Which you don’t want.” He leaned forward, not angry with me, but a desperate look in his eyes, urging me to do what had to be done. “So. Go to the fucking Vaults. Now.”
I stood from my stool, nodding in resignation before turning my back on him. It didn’t matter that he was right. I couldn’t risk drawing attention to myself or Achilles. Or else the Beast Master could just up and kill Ashley and the chimera, possibly fleeing town before I could get to him. Or changing venues, or a million other things. Then, I would find myself without power, totally helpless, and no longer a certified member of the supernatural community.
Which would basically be an invitation to every creature I had once pissed off that it was high time for a little payback.
But I didn’t have to like it. Might as well make this quick. But I had another problem with going to the Vaults. One I hoped the Huntress could help with. “You guys ever been to the super-secret, I’m not supposed to talk about it, Freak’s Bank of St. Louis? Otherwise known as the Vaults?” I said to my crew.
I caught brief shakes of their heads as I pushed open the door leading back outside. “I’ll need your cash. I’m kind of strapped right now. But I should be able to repay you very soon. If we survive, of course.”
She arched a brow at me. “Looks like I’ll need to protect my investment over the next few days, then,” she smiled, handing me the money. I leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, which made her flinch, and then blush in confusion, unsure how to take my response. She was like a wild animal, and I wanted her to get more familiar with being human. I nodded at her gratefully, and then turned away as I heard a horn honking at us from a few cars down.
Tory leaned out the window of the SUV that had dropped us off at Achilles’ Heel. “Did you get it?” I could see the Reds in the back seat as we approached.
I shook my head in defeat. “Plan B. He didn’t take the bait.”
Sonya squealed in delight from behind Tory. “We get to see Nate’s magical money spot!”
Aria’s groan was perfectly legible, and Tory’s face went crimson. Alucard just shook his head, shooting me a desperate look. I chuckled, as we climbed into the SUV, listening to Aria tease Sonya.
As Tory pulled out into traffic, I admired the interior of the car. Tory noticed my assessment and shrugged. “Gift from Raego. After…” she sighed, “everything went down. Figured I would need a bigger car to take the girls around town.”
I smiled. “That was very nice of him.”
Tory shot me a grin. “He also wanted to buy something he knew you couldn’t. Made him feel like the bigger man. It’s what he said, anyway.” I laughed. “Where to?” she asked, grinning. I told her. She shot me a curious look, not understanding, but she followed my directions, knowing my penchant for skipping on details.
This would be… interesting.
Chapter 29
We pulled up to the DMV, and parked in back. The Reds gazed in eager anticipation at the disheveled building. No longer caring about the super-cool wizard’s bank, but now imagining a future visit to this hallowed place where they would earn their first taste of true freedom.
A driver’s license at the DMV.
“I don’t get it,” Alucard said.
I smiled, and climbed out of the car. I waited for them to join me, and then began walking to the dumpster. “This one was closest. Some of them are more… elaborate.” I stopped in front of a brick wall, careful not to step on anything squishy near the dumpster, recalling Baba’s hideout. A wall of tall trees blocked the view of the street, and consequently, all traffic.
I turned to my friends to find them all frowning at me. Except the Huntress, who looked bored. “Been here before?” I asked, surprised.
She nodded. “I’m an assassin. How else do you think my clients pay me? I don’t accept checks. Or PayPal.” She grinned at each of us, especially the Reds. “It also lends a certain prestige among the community. They see me enter the bank, they know someone has been taken out. This cute little thing offed some badass monster again. For some reason, I get quite a bit of respect from the employees. I have no idea why…” she winked. The Reds stared at the Huntress as if seeing a Rock Star in person for the first time.
“I still don’t understand. The DMV is the epitome of evil. Satan’s Asshole, as I once heard it nicknamed. Why would there be a secret bank here?” Alucard asked.
“Because no one ever wants to go to the DMV. Anonymity, but still centrally located. Hidden in plain sight. The other branches are also equally dreary government building types.” And I turned to knock on the brick in an exact, complicated sequence.
The wall shimmered, and was suddenly an antiquated oak door with a glass window that read The Vaults – no soliciting, dragon fire, or Fae.
I frowned at that, never having really paid attention to it since it hadn’t ever applied. But this time I had two dragons and someone who might be considered a Fae with me.
I could read the uncertainty in their faces as they shared the same thought.
But instead of talking about it, I pushed open the door.
And we entered a twinkling, ebony marbled throne room. Dozens of black pillars stretched all the way to the ceiling, a good seventy feet above us, despite the DMV only being single-storied. The ceiling was stained-glass windows from end to end, absolutely breathtaking as the colored light shone down on the lobby, reflecting off the black and gold flecked marble floors. There were maybe a dozen people inside, and several of them frowned, recognizing me or the Huntress, I wasn’t sure. They looked concerned, so it could have been either of us.
Twin lion statues crouched on either side of the three steps leading up into the lobby, and they sniffed the air as we passed. “No fire, my sweets…” one of them snarled politely at the Reds.
The girls flinched, obviously not having noticed they were alive.
The other sniff
ed the air, and tensed. He cocked his head sideways and sniffed some more. Then he shook his head with a confused look, and stared at us with distrust. I began to grow very nervous until the Huntress stepped up. “I’m here to make a withdrawal.”
The other lion started upon seeing the Huntress. “Of course, my Lady Huntress. I didn’t recognize you in… such company,” he added, very respectfully. He turned to Alucard, and pointed a paw at a covered hallway leading towards the teller line. “The vampire will want to use the Hallway of Blood, of course.” I hadn’t ever known what the covered hallway was for, but I had also never entered the Vaults with a vampire. It made perfect sense. They couldn’t stand sunlight, so of course they would need a safe way to get to the teller line.
The Huntress gave the lion a curt nod, and strode up the short set of stairs, heading towards the solid row of old-school wooden teller windows beyond the vast lobby. The marble floor was decorated with carved runes. So many, that they seemed decorative, as if creating their own piece of art.
Or one hell of a defensive spell.
As the Huntress stepped into the light from above, I slowed, paying very close attention. Alucard gasped as her form… shimmered into something else entirely.
You see, the glass above wasn’t just decorative, as the lions hadn’t just been decorative. And as I was sure the Hallway of Blood hadn’t been purely decorative. And why I was certain the runes on the floor were not just decorative. They were all safeguards and defenses.
The Huntress was suddenly a fur-clad shadow with orange eyes atop a fiery steed of living vines and tree bark. She clutched a bow in one fist, and a hood cloaked her from forehead to rear, falling over the horse’s rump like a waterfall of quivering shadows.
The Huntress, in her true form. The second she was out of the light, she returned to her normal-looking self. She hadn’t even slowed, continuing on to grab a spot in the line.
But the other customers definitely noticed, and for obvious reasons, let her take their places, moving her up to the next spot in line behind a disheveled, hairy man speaking urgently to an unseen person behind the teller line.
The Reds hadn’t noticed the Huntress’ transformation, focused on the scenery itself – the ornate carvings in the obsidian walls around us, depicting battles, landscapes, and glittering kingdoms and castles. Which meant they hadn’t noticed when the light struck them, and two adolescent-sized red dragons burst into view for the other customers.
Tory turned to blink at me, stunned. I shrugged, and motioned her forward. She did, and a faint green fog began to form around her, then snap back out of view. The veins on her arms flashed golden, and remained that way, but the green fog momentarily flickered back into place before disappearing again, as if not quite sure whether it should reveal itself. I frowned. I had never seen the spell falter, but apparently, it didn’t quite know what to do with Tory.
Alucard watched with sudden interest, before taking a breath and striding into the sunlight.
One of the lions grunted in disbelief, no doubt fearing that a customer had just tried to commit suicide in the lobby. But what they saw instead silenced them completely.
Golden rays of light burst free from his suddenly tan skin, like the spines of a porcupine…
Alucard was a porcu-shine.
Which definitely trumped Count Sparkula.
But all jokes aside, Alucard looked stunning. Like a god come down to earth. Apollo himself making a deposit.
He glanced down curiously, but of course the spell couldn’t show you yourself. He shot a questioning look at Tory who was staring at him in wonder. Then she clasped hands with him, smiling as her eyes grew damp with sheer appreciation at his previously unknown beauty, and she led him out of the light. The Reds were oblivious, now standing beside the Huntress and bickering back and forth lightly, like teenagers do.
I pointed at the teller line, noticing the Huntress had sidled up to another window beside the disheveled man. My friends all turned to look, and I quickly made my way through the light, not wanting them to risk seeing a Maker in true form.
One, because I wasn’t sure what I would look like.
Two, because I had a Dark Presence inside of me, and absolutely didn’t want them seeing something horrific.
Alucard quickly spun around, no doubt realizing that he had a chance to see me in my true form, but he was too late, as I was already out of the light. He was beginning to scowl in understanding of my deceit when the alarms started going off, great booming bells that seemed to vibrate my very vision.
And silver warriors began dropping from hidden alcoves up in the ceiling – once just presumed to be decorative metal statues, blindfolded and with scales in one fist and a sword in the other to signify honesty at all cost.
But now I realized the truth.
They were guards. Just like every other beautiful thing in this place.
And they were bristling with weapons, and staring at me.
The lions roared, and the Hallway of Blood slammed shut with great big iron bars, as did the entrance to the Vaults, and a grid that suddenly blockaded the ceiling above us.
Shit.
Chapter 30
I remained very, very still, but was ready to unleash hell if they attacked me.
But the statues raced past me, straight to the teller line.
I let out a sigh of relief, heart beating wildly for a moment as I clasped my knees. Alucard had his fangs out, and Tory was suddenly staring at me with fiery green eyes. They widened for a moment as the warriors raced past her, and she spun to locate her girls.
The Reds.
I followed her gaze to see that the Reds were now in full dragon form, and the Huntress was crouched before them protectively, hissing at the disheveled man at the next window.
He had pulled a creature from out behind the teller line, and was holding him by his throat, shouting incoherently. And I realized that he was a werecat of some sort. Some kind of jaguar or something, judging by the partial shift revealing a black-furred feline with massive teeth. He spun, clutching the teller to his chest as a hostage. “You will give me the money. I have to save my girl from the Beast Master!” He roared, ducking a head protectively behind the hostage in his paws. Not just any werecat.
An Alpha werecat.
Then his words struck me. The Beast Master… What was he talking about?
It clicked a moment later. This must be the father of the girl I had seen kidnapped in the alley. And apparently, he was collecting money to buy his girl back. Whether he was that foolish, or if the Beast Master truly did accept ransoms was yet to be determined. Before I could ponder it, I sensed a power building off to the side, and spun, but too late to stop her.
A green flash of light exploded around Tory, and twin spears of green lightning slammed into the Reds from a dozen paces away.
But it didn’t harm them.
Instead, they instantly shifted back to human form, eyes stunned as they were abruptly yanked back to Tory against their will, sailing over the space between like puppets on a string.
Several of the warriors suddenly rounded on Tory, swords out, while the others surrounded the Alpha werecat at the teller line.
Her secret was out of the bag. She was a Fae of some flavor. In a place that didn’t allow Fae.
Then another thought hit me. She had just used her powers, and the sprites had warned us—
The front door of the Vaults suddenly exploded inwards, and a fucking mountain troll roared into the air, clutching a club as big as a car. His wild eyes locked on Tory, and he slammed his club into one of the lions, pulverizing it in a single blow.
Fuck.
Her powers had drawn the Fae.
Not wanting to use my magic, I picked up a fist-sized hunk of marble and threw it as hard as physically possible at one of the warriors surrounding Tory.
I missed, and it clipped Alucard right in the head, knocking the porcu-shine to his knees.
Hey, sports hadn’t really been
my thing as a kid.
The warriors spun, lips peeled back as they faced me, blindfolds looking like ninja masks now that I thought about it. I waved urgently, then stopped, remembering they were blind-folded. Goddamn it. “Look. I don’t know if you can see me or not, or even understand me, but you need to get us out of here, or else everyone is going to die. The troll is after us.”
They cocked their heads, and spoke as a single voice from every throat, a dry, dusty hiss. “No Fae.”
I waited for more, but they continued to stare at me. “She’s not really Fae Fae, but more, I slipped and landed on a Fae, and was tainted with their powers, kind of Fae.” They continued to stare at me, and I threw up my hands. “None of your sensors picked up that she was Fae, which has to mean at least something to you…” I added, hoping against hope.
The Huntress chimed in. “They are my guests, and have no personal business here. I will vouch for them, with my deposits as security…” her eyes scanned the damage to the building as the troll began stomping up the steps, the other lion now a broken pile of rubble also. The thing was ancient. Skin like rock, and covered in warts and scars where his toga hung loose. His yellow eyes were locked on us, and he looked eager to smash first, ask questions later. “And to pay for the damages, of course.”
The warriors dipped their heads once, and then began to back away. I held up a hand. “Wait, I need to open a gateway to get us out of here.” I knew from their account opening statements that gateways – or any form of travel into and out of the bank – were prohibited. Which I hadn’t properly appreciated at the time, because I hadn’t known how to travel like I did now. Because it had been an Academy secret. Or, at least I hadn’t known about it. Only the main entrance was allowed for ingress and egress. Which was currently blocked by a goddamn troll wearing a fur toga. “The troll will leave if we do. Otherwise we have to throw down right here, and risk even more damage to the building.” I eyed the customers, all too terrified to move as they stared from the twelve-foot-tall troll to the hostage situation. “And to prevent any casualties.” The lead warrior nodded once, and flung a hand at me. A cloud of silver dust struck me in the chest, and I suddenly felt something tug loose in my chest. Which was likely some kind of previously unfelt block on my power that settled over my shoulders upon entrance to the Vaults.
Beast Master: A Novel in The Nate Temple Supernatural Thriller Series (The Temple Chronicles Book 5) Page 17
