Burning Bright (Ivy Granger)

by E.J. Stevens

  “But you’re the one who said I had to complete the bargain before it started to sap my strength,” I said, sotto voce.

  “All I am suggesting is that we hear the vampire out,” he said. “Breaking a bargain with the master of the city while trying to do the same with the queen of the carnival fae may be too much, even for you.”

  I scrubbed a gloved hand over my face and groaned.

  “Fine,” I said. I turned to Benmore who was not-so-subtly checking the time on his pocket watch. “Tell the vampire master of the city that I’ve accepted his invitation.”

  I ground out the words and stormed up the street. I didn’t have time for games, but Ceff was right. It would be foolish to piss off the vamps. The last thing I needed was the council of dusty leeches on my ass. Ewww. That would suck, pun intended.

  Chapter 16

  I punched in Forneus’ number and scowled when I was sent to voicemail. The demon wasn’t answering his phone, the bastard. Strains of violin music played in the background as his smooth voice informed me that it would be his pleasure to return my call if I would be so kind as to leave a message after the beep.

  “Where the hell are you?” I asked. “Get your ass back from wherever you’ve slithered off to and call me.”

  Okay, it wasn’t the nicest of messages, but Forneus was on my last nerve. He claimed that he wanted to help Jinx, and then he off and disappeared. That was typical of a demon, so I shouldn’t have been so worked up over it. I guess I’d started to let the guy weasel inside my defenses with his apparent worry over Jinx. Ceff raised an eyebrow and I snorted.

  “The bastard said he was going to help,” I said. “I’m not holding my breath.”

  But I had been. I’d been waiting for Forneus to dramatically appear in a puff of sulfurous smoke and bring me a way to save Jinx. I could be Grade-A stupid sometimes.

  Next, I speed dialed Arachne, hoping that she wasn’t in the middle of casting something. Or if she was, that she’d had the foresight to turn off her screeching ringtone.

  “Ivy?” she answered. “Is that you?”

  “Yeah, it’s me,” I said. “How’s Jinx?”

  “Okay, the same,” she said. “Sorry.”

  I’d been hoping for more, but if wishes could be dollars, and all that.

  “You’re doing your best,” I said. I knew the kid would do anything to help Jinx get better. For now, that was enough. “Any word from Kaye?”

  “Nothing yet,” she said. “But as my mom always says, a watched cauldron never boils.”

  “And that’s supposed to mean what exactly?” I asked.

  “It means I’m focusing on Jinx and trying not to hover by the phone waiting for you and Kaye to call,” she said.

  She yawned and I realized the kid probably hadn’t slept since yesterday. She’d been busy with her training when I’d interrupted this morning. Knowing Kaye, they’d been at it all night, which would explain why she was sounding grumpy.

  “When was the last time you ate?” I asked.

  If you have to go without sleep, food is a good substitute. So was caffeine, but I’d never seen the kid drink coffee.

  “I dunno, yesterday I guess,” she said.

  “Is Hob there handy?” I asked.

  “Think so,” she said. “Yeah, he’s polishing his hearth. Why?”

  “Ask him to make you something to eat, something that is safe for humans to eat,” I said.

  “Anything else, mom?” she asked.

  “Yeah, ask nicely,” I said.

  “Okay, okay, fine, I’ll make sure to eat, but I’d rather order out for pizza,” she said. “No offense to Hob.”

  Huh, why hadn’t I thought of that? Pizza was sure to be safer than negotiating a meal with a hearth brownie. Of course, we couldn’t let the spell circle fall that was protecting Jinx and with Kaye AWOL that left Arachne to maintain the circle.

  “Your spell circle will hold if you go out front to pay the delivery guy?” I asked.

  I was pretty sure that proximity mattered, at least with less experienced witches like Arachne.

  “Yeah, I’m not a total loser,” she said.

  “I didn’t mean to imply that you were,” I said. “Look, you watch out for Jinx and you can eat all the pizza you want, my treat.”

  I gave the kid my credit card info, thankful Jinx made sure to pay the bills each month, even if I was spending too much of our profits on the search for my father.

  “Cool, thanks Ivy,” Arachne said.

  Well that put the kid in a better mood. Nothing like free pizza to raise the spirits.

  “No problem,” I said. “Call me if anything changes.”

  “I will,” she said over the sound of shuffling paper and hung up.

  I put the phone in my pocket and turned to Ceff who was on high alert. He’d been keeping pace with me as I strode across the cobbled streets of the Old Port quarter, heading toward Joysen Hill and his eyes were searching the shadows of every door and alleyway as we approached. We were heading into a nasty part of town and it was nice to know he had my back.

  “Jinx is stable,” I said. He continued to watch for potential threats, the tightening around his eyes the only sign he’d heard me. “We can do this, there’s still time.”

  He nodded, but the words fell flat, even to my ears. For the first time since this morning, I questioned whether or not I was kidding myself. Doubt gnawed at me like a ravenous ghoul.

  Speaking of ghouls, I wondered how the vamp’s doorman—who I’d nicknamed Stinky for the foul putrescence that leaked from every open wound and orifice—was doing. Last time I’d visited vamp headquarters, Stinky’s abdomen had done a water balloon impersonation—and exploded all over me. I grimaced at the memory. Visiting the council of dusty leaches and their grand poobah, Sir Gaius Aurelius the vamp master of the city and chairman of the northeastern vampire council, was bad enough without exploding ghoul grenades.

  “Come, we should not keep the vampires waiting,” he said.

  I grunted my reply and fell into step beside Ceff. We stomped our way through the Old Port quarter and up The Hill—well, I stomped while Ceff managed to glide along silently in that otherworldly way that only a pureblooded sidhe can—which gave me plenty of time to mull over my upcoming visit with the most powerful vampire in the city.

  Sir Gaius, who’d I’d aptly named The Boss on my first visit, was an ancient vamp. Through centuries of machinations and cunning, he’d achieved his current position as leader of the local vamps. It wasn’t healthy being on The Boss’s radar and I’d given him his very own open invitation to call me in. God, I was stupid.

  I’d come to the vamps for answers, and in my rush to save a group of missing fae children, I’d made a deal with The Boss. I’d agreed to work one case of his choosing, pro bono. Working a free case may not sound like a bad exchange for information that could save numerous lives, but this was the vampire master of the city we were talking about. Bargains with vamps never ended well.

  Chapter 17

  I hesitated halfway up the steps to vamp headquarters, wondering idly if the ghoul Stinky would be the one to open the door. Could a ghoul survive losing all of its internal organs? Do ghouls even need organs? I mean, ghouls do eat, when their masters allow it. Ghouls are the scavengers at a vamp’s table, eating dead things (ie, humans) that the dust bags cast aside. But I’d had an up close and personal look at Stinky’s insides and his organs had been long liquefied. So how does a ghoul gain sustenance without any digestive system?

  Contemplating the eating habits of ghouls? That was a surefire way to lose my appetite and add a few more nightmares to my repertoire. I was definitely procrastinating. With a heavy sigh, I took the last two steps in one long stride, placing myself beside Ceff. It was time to face the drama queens of the paranormal community, find a way to appease whatever ridiculous demands they made, and get back to work.

  I gave Ceff a curt nod and he reached for the doorbell. I may be wearing heavy duty, le
ather gloves, but I wasn’t crazy. If I could avoid touching anything in this place I would. Thankfully, Ceff understood my aversion and rang the bell without me even having to ask.

  I’d expected Stinky, or maybe even the recently demoted vampire Gerald, but the vamp holding the door was a stranger to me. I stepped over the threshold, glad to avoid Stinky’s malodorous stench and happy not to have Gerry at my back—that vamp hated me with a passion—but my relief was short-lived.

  Stinky’s replacement was a vamp armed to the fangs with weapons. The handles and blades of two sai, a three pronged weapon similar to Ceff’s trident, fanned out from the small of the guard’s back, a third sai was slung at his hip, and he held a spear sporting a large, red, horse-hair tassel in one hand.

  That was new. The bloodsuckers had never bothered with armed guards to escort their visitors in the past. An overt show of force by a race that preferred stealth and subterfuge?—that could not be good. The scales must really be tipping toward war if the vampires were so uncharacteristically edgy. I filed it away for something to think about later.

  Ever since Kaye mentioned trouble brewing, there seemed to be signs of war everywhere I looked. The paranormal community was on edge and, until now, I hadn’t even noticed. The ability to observe and put the puzzle pieces together was integral to my job. It is part of what makes me a good detective—that, my second sight, and a stubborn streak a mile long.

  So why hadn’t I recognized the signs sooner? Because I’d been a selfish fool, that’s why. I was so focused on finding my father that I couldn’t see the obvious signs of trouble in my city. Now that I could see the truth, I vowed to do what I could to protect Harborsmouth, and my friends. I just hoped that it wasn’t too late.

  But for now, I had more immediate things to worry about—like the pair of sai now inches from touching me. The vamp had moved so fast, I hadn’t even followed the movement. One second he was standing in the flickering, artificial torchlight and the next he had me penned in with his spear blocking the tunnel and his body blocking the door at my back. And, of course, we couldn’t forget the blades.

  I froze, eyes wide, taking in the sai—one aimed at my jugular, the other at my solar plexus. I was one quick jab away from death or incapacitation. Not to mention the potential for skull crushing visions from contact with some old-school samurai vamp’s weapons.

  Yeah, this visit was going well.

  “Ceff?” I whispered, careful not to move.

  “On it,” he said. From the sound, he’d removed his trident from its ankle sheath, flicking the telescoping handle bringing the weapon to its full length. “It seems that we are at an impasse.”

  Straining my eyeballs until they hurt, I could just make out where Ceff stood holding his weapon. The vamp had his sai aimed at me and Ceff had his trident aimed at him. We were deadlocked.

  “As much as I’d like to continue this little testosterone tea party, I have an appointment with Sir Gaius,” I said.

  Sweat trickled down my back, but my voice came out normal. No quivering, go me.

  “Prove it, human,” he said, the disdain clear in his voice.

  “Oh, dude, you have this all wrong,” I said.

  Someone had obviously given the order to stop any humans from entering vamp HQ and this guy had mistaken me for the enemy. Looks like I’d have to set him straight.

  I grabbed hold of the anger and fear churning deep inside of me and set it free. My lips parted in a sigh of relief as my wisp magic flowed through my body. Letting my powers loose was much easier than keeping them chained. My hair began to float around my head, though there wasn’t a single draft in the underground tunnel. A blinding light erupted from my skin and I knew that if I’d had a mirror, I’d see my eyes glowing like two miniature suns.

  “I’m not human.”

  Funny how that was getting easier and easier to say.

  “My mistake, mistress fae,” the vamp said.

  He reached behind his back and slid both sai into the wide belt at his waist in one smooth movement. He bowed his head briefly and stood with his empty fists at his side.

  Even without the weapons, the vamp looked like a badass. He was wearing armor made up of hundreds of small, red, lacquered scales that appeared to be threaded together with gold wire. His greaves matched the armor with the exception of a hexagonal pattern at the knee. All of this was worn over heavy, black and red, padded clothing that I would have mistakenly assumed would impair a man’s movements—if I hadn’t already seen the vamp in action.

  But most striking was the helmet that covered most of his face in the visage of some kind of demon. The vampire’s fangs protruded from the grimacing demon’s open mouth—a sight I’m sure had set terror into the hearts of many a mortal man. Seeing that thing charging into battle would surely make most men want to turn tail and run.

  Ceff slowly returned his own weapon to its sheath and carefully pulled my “invitation” from his back pocket. With a rustle of parchment, he held it out to the vamp. After a cursory glance, the guard nodded.

  “I will take you to Aurelius-Daitoryo.”

  The guard turned in a series of birdlike, vamp-fast movements and the red lacquer of his armor shone like wet blood in the dampening wisp glow. I stifled a shiver and forced myself to follow.

  I’d never liked the dark descent to the vampire’s council chambers. The torch lit tunnel always gave me the sensation of being swallowed whole. Too bad becoming vamp food was always a possibility. I just hoped that Sir Gaius and I could reach an agreement that we could both live with. Otherwise, I’d become tonight’s entertainment…and dinner.

  Chapter 18

  My skin tingled as we made our way down the tunnel. As we grew closer to the inner chambers, and the master of the city, every alcove was filled with a suit of armor. The culture and time periods represented varied, but each piece of armor was old—and if the hairs along my neck were to be believed, so were the vamps wearing them. Yeah, I was pretty sure there were vamp guards lurking in that old armor. Just because the armor wasn’t moving, didn’t mean it was empty. Vampires could stand immobile for eons if not for the occasional need to feed.

  Doing my best to ignore the vamps lurking in the shadows, I examined the fast approaching double doors. The ornate doors were warded with heavy magics, and could only to be opened safely with the consent of the master of the city. Crossing that threshold without Sir Gaius’ permission meant sudden death, which I suppose was a better way to go than becoming some vamp’s chew toy. I just hoped that tonight there was a third option.

  According to his summons, The Boss wanted me to follow the terms of our prior agreement and work one case for him, free of charge. If he was sending dwarf messengers and escorting me with armed guards, I’d take a wild guess and say the vampire master of the city was desperate. If I was reading things right, that meant he needed me, for now. Maybe death by immolation was off the menu, I just hoped that held true for both me and Ceff.

  The demon-faced guard stopped at the doors and tilted his head as if listening to a conversation I couldn’t hear. Which, I suppose, he was. One of The Boss’s talents was telepathy, and he never missed a chance to show off. After a brief, albeit silent, conversation, the guard moved aside. My ears popped and the wavering of the air, like the heat above an open fire, dissipated.

  The guard waved an arm toward the doors and they opened with an ominous creaking of the hinges.

  “You may enter,” he said.

  I rolled my eyes and strode into the vamp council chambers—and stopped short. No, I hadn’t been struck down by the door wards, but my heart had stopped beating all the same.

  I’d been ready for the vulgar artwork and stained glass images depicting scenes that would make the Marquis de Sade blush. Maybe even a public and bloody settling of a dispute between rival vamps. After being tricked into interrupting a council meeting on my last visit, I even half expected a fully assembled council of dusty leeches. What I hadn’t expected was a fully
disrobed master of the city stepping into a raised tub filled with red liquid.

  Fucking hell. When I’d pictured a bloodbath in the council chambers, this was not what I had in mind.

  I tried to pretend that the master of the city was bathing in tomato juice. Who knows, maybe he’d been sprayed by a skunk. The image of a cartoon skunk nailing Sir Gaius with a stink bomb nearly set off a fit of giggles. I coughed into my gloved hand and cleared my throat.

  Ceff raised an eyebrow at me, but I waved him off. Now wasn’t the time for sharing vamp jokes. Le sigh. I cleared my throat again and Gaius caught my gaze as he submerged deeper into the crimson liquid.

  For a moment, I was ensnared by the pale Adonis who was lowering his body into the bath. I nearly wept with the need to join him, to feel his embrace. I struggled to take a step forward, but something held me back.

  I twisted in Ceff’s grip on my leather jacket, breaking eye contact with Gaius and severing his hold on me. Shivering, with equal parts rage and fear, I took a step backward. Ceff released my sleeve, though he stayed within easy reach—just in case I decided to be a total dumbass and fall under The Boss’ spell again.

  Mab’s bones, that was stupid. I knew better than to let a bloodsucker hold my gaze, but I’d been trying to avoid staring at other more shriveled parts of the ancient vampire’s anatomy. My second sight allowed me to see through vamp glamour, which in this case wasn’t necessarily a good thing. There were some things that should remain a mystery.

  Though if Jinx ever woke up, I’m sure she’d want to know. Ever since I told her vamps didn’t sparkle, she’d been wondering why so many people throughout history thought they were so hot. I tried to explain vamp glamour, and their ability to enthrall, but I think my friend had her own theory. Too bad I was going to have to burst her bubble—there was nothing sexy about a dusty, old vamp. Nothing.