Invincible (A Centennial City Novel)

by Fionn Jameson

  I cleared my throat. “Small car.”

  Ryder laughed again. I wanted to hear it again. “Sorry. I don’t really have more than one other person in it. Don’t get too many people in the backseat. Er. Other people, that is.”

  Shannon snorted. “You’re a fucking dog, you know that?”

  “Aw, come on, cut me some slack, yeah? It’s not like you don’t do this kind of shit either. So get off your high horse, you slut.”

  Next to me, Jason flinched, but said nothing.

  I wasn’t so sure if I could be so laissez-faire if someone I loved was called a tramp. “Do you always talk to each other like that?” And then a far more pressing matter occurred to me. That it hadn’t occurred to me before made me feel like an idiot. “And furthermore, how are you two related? I was under the impression you were under Vincent’s...rule, Ryder.”

  He snorted as he turned a quick left taking us off the main thoroughway. “I follow him, yeah, but only when it suits me. I guess you can say that I am a...free agent.”

  “Vincent doesn’t strike me as the kind of man who would be okay with that kind of loose allegiance.”

  Shannon laughed, a high shrill sound that put my teeth on edge. “He’s not. Oh, he’s definitely not. If he ever found out about Ryder and his bid for freedom, I’m pretty sure he’d lope his head off. Ryder’s, not Vincent.”

  It really was none of my business.

  That didn’t stop me from asking. “Then why? It seems you’re putting quite a bit on the line. And for what purpose? Is it so you feel like you are your own Master? Is it because you feel stifled in your current position? Or is it because you’ve always hated him, always resented the fact that even though he is younger than you, he is still, and will always be, stronger than you are?”

  Perhaps the last sentence I should not have said.

  I almost broke my neck as he braked abruptly, almost sending Shannon through the windshield, while Jason bounced off the back of her seat.

  Jason spoke. “That was not necessary. I apologize on her behalf.”

  My hackles rose. “I don’t need you to apologize for me. I am fully capable of doing it myself.”

  “Oh? Then why aren’t you?”

  I knew I had stepped over some invisible line.

  But I had to know. “Ryder, I’m sorry. But I can’t take that comment back.”

  Shannon turned in her seat, eyes narrowed. “You know, you make us look like fucking saints, hunter. Put a clamp on that mouth before it gets us all killed.”

  I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

  Ryder stared straight up head, hands clenched on the steering wheel. For one brief moment, I thought he would break the steering wheel clear off and kill me with it. A muscle twitched by his thinned lips and then he blew out a heavy breath.

  He laughed and leaned against his seat, taking his hands off the steering wheel, one hand going through his thick yellow hair.

  “Wow,” he said, voice shaky and soft. “You sure as hell don’t pull your punches, do you?”

  “I need to know.”

  He drew in a deep breath and proceeded to drive. Something in me relaxed, now that I knew he wasn’t going to throw me out the window. Truly, I was lucky, although perhaps luck had absolutely nothing to do with it and just the fact that Ryder merely wanted to sleep with me. “Look...it’s not as easy as all that, okay? There are...issues. Vincent and I are...at odds with many things. I will follow him but there some things I just don’t agree with him. One of them being the guy sitting next to you.”

  Jason lifted his head and met Ryder’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “And what would that be that?”

  “He sees you as--”

  “Ryder!” barked Shannon. “Why go through this now? We’re just going to have to repeat this conversation once we meet up with Matthias. Let’s try not to make this any more boring than it already is, hm?”

  “Who is Matthias?”

  Shannon’s jaw tightened. “The man who has saved me.”

  Jason spoke up then, his words tumbling over each other. “Saved you? Saved you from what? Saved you from vampires? Saved you from humans? Saved you how?”

  A dull silence followed his words and I watched the multitude of emotions play across Shannon’s face...from where I could see, that is.

  She was not as expressionless, not as heartless as she would have liked to seem.

  Was that a good thing?

  “I’m sorry, Jason,” she said and faced forward, her eyes on the road swiftly blanketing in white. “Everything will be explained very soon. I promise.”

  Trust a vampire?

  One could only hope it would not come back to haunt me.

  13

  The mansion was large.

  Perhaps large was a bit of an understatement.

  Sitting atop a walled off property that seemed to be at least five acres, it rose from the white grounds like a dark, skulking thing, the snow failing to soften any of its sharp angles, failing to soften any of the harsh, unrelenting dark gray paint of the mansion.

  It was with some surprise I noted the large amount of cars parked in front of the double doors that did not look unlike the casino we had just left.

  Most of the cars were imported racecars, although a few working class sedans showed like gaps in a line of teeth.

  Ryder cut the ignition. “Look, before we go, I really have to give you some advice.”

  Jason straightened, put his shoulders back. “Advice? I thought you wanted me here? Am I wrong in assuming this gathering is for me?”

  Shannon snorted. “No, you’re not. I see you still haven’t lost your way of sounding like you belong in some BBC period drama.”

  “I thought you liked it.”

  A corner of her lips quirked up. “I did.”

  “Advice,” I said, clearing my throat. “What is this advice you have?”

  “Don’t say a thing,” he replied. “Let Shannon and me do the talking. Trust me, this is kind of like those rights the cops always tell the perps. You know, what you say can be used against you? Only it won’t be in court, it’ll be just another strike as to why we shouldn’t keep you alive.”

  Jason looked vaguely stunned. “Is this my execution then? Maybe I would’ve had better luck with Vincent.”

  “Not quite,” said Ryder. “At least here you have people who will speak on your behalf. With Vincent, it’ll be over quicker than you could blink. Come on. We should go. They’re waiting.”

  They’re waiting.

  He couldn’t possibly sound any more ominous. “Then we would be fools to keep them waiting, wouldn’t we? Especially since I must now beg them for my Master’s life.”

  And through all this, I needed to keep my ultimate goal in mind.

  Infiltrate the vampiric circle.

  Kill Noir.

  And I needed Jason.

  He couldn’t die.

  I would not let it happen.

  Getting out of the car took longer when Jason had a difficult time trying to undo the lever that would push the car seat forward and that only solidified my suspicion that two-door cars were merely death traps.

  His fingers shook as he finally pushed the car seat forward. Did anyone else notice? Probably not, as Ryder and Shannon stood waiting for us on the front steps, Ryder with his arms crossed and Shannon with her hands shoved deep into her coat pockets.

  I touched Jason on the shoulder and he flinched. Visibly. “Will you be...okay?”

  He let out a shaky breath and shook his head. “I can’t have things end here. I have to know.”

  “About Shannon?”

  His eyes narrowed. “About everything.” His glance slid to me standing by his side. “But don’t worry. I’ll help you achieve your goal. I never go back on a promise. I swear it.”

  “I never worried about that for one moment,” I said and meant every word.

  Surprisingly.

  I had never trusted anyone this much.

  N
ot even Adrian.

  Not even the Fellowship.

  Best not to think about it. “We should go.”

  He nodded. “Let’s go.”

  Dressed as though black was going out of style the next night, two vampires stood sentry before the engraved, gilded double doors, arms crossed over their chests as though they were some sort of genies. “Your business.”

  A low, sibilant voice whispered past their lower-face mask. Which one had spoken, this I could not discern. Male or woman, who knew. Although, I supposed it did not matter much.

  Ryder waited for us to join him on the top stair and then positioned himself in front. Was it to protect us?

  Or perhaps I was seeing benevolence where it did not belong.

  He popped the collar of his peacoat and gave them a brilliant smile, teeth startling white under the light of the full moon. “Name’s Ryder. This here’s Shannon. We’ve brought the two that will needed to be interrogated by the Committee. They’re expected.”

  The Committee?

  The one on the left nodded at me. “She carries a weapon. We cannot allow passage until the sword is relinquished. There will be no weapons at the meeting.”

  I felt my mouth dry. “That seems rather unfair. I’m sure most, if not all, is fully capable of tearing off my head with their own two hands. Do you mean to tell me that all vampires have been handcuffed?”

  Ryder snorted, which then rapidly turned into a fit of coughing.

  Shannon sighed. “For fuck’s sake, just give them your weapon. Ryder’ll probably keep your safe. He’s been wanting to get into your pants for God knows how long.”

  I chose to ignore the last sentence. “I don’t like how you use the word “probably”, vampire. I would like to be certain of my safety.”

  Jason cleared his throat. “Don’t worry, Ran. You’re not the one they want, anyways.”

  “No, you are,” I replied. “But they’ll have to get past me to get to you. Only my death would bring about such an outcome.”

  Ryder held up his hands, still a bit out of breath. “Whoa, whoa. Why are you guys already talking about dying and stuff? I’m telling you, as long as you keep your mouth shut, things are going to be okay. They’re just curious about you, that’s all. Just...just let us do all the talking, okay? Besides, it’s not like Shannon doesn’t have anything to lose either.”

  It’s not like Shannon doesn’t have anything to lose...

  What was that supposed to mean?

  Shannon cut in. “Look, can we just go in now? It’s fucking freezing.”

  And indeed, it had grown cold, so cold that I was shivering underneath the thick sportscoat, my neck unprotected by the sudden gale that tossed the hair into my eyes.

  “Give them your sword,” said Jason.

  As my Master, I could only obey him.

  I did so, although it was with the most extreme reluctance I let a vampire take hold of the leather shoulder strap. “This is priceless to me.”

  The vampire nodded. “As well it should be.”

  Ryder put a hand on my arm. I let him. “We should go. It’s never a good idea to keep them waiting.”

  Shannon followed his lead and put a hand on Jason’s shoulder. “I’ll lead.”

  One of the guards pulled open a door, and I stared at the dark, gaping maw that couldn’t have been any less uninviting. “May you find luck this night.”

  Ryder flashed them a blinding smile. “Of course, we will. After all, I’ve got my victory goddess with me.”

  As if to prove his point, he lifted his hand, and mine with it.

  A victory goddess.

  Me.

  If I hadn’t been so sick of fear of the darkness, I might have preened, even just a little bit.

  Vampire or no, being called by such lofty titles was a luxury ill-afforded to me and I would have been a spiteful fool not to respond. “You flatter me.”

  Or perhaps I was just stalling for time.

  “Shall we?”

  I felt Jason’s eyes on my back, my neck before I nodded, mutely.

  For now, I would follow the vampires.

  How the Fellowship would stare if they could only see the situation I had fallen into. To protect a vampire, to be protected by a vampire...I have never once thought of myself as mighty, but I really could not think of another saying except for How the mighty have fallen.

  It wasn’t that much warmer in the foyer and I watched the moonlight play over the double staircases that extended up on both sides of the main entranceway, two hallways spreading out on both sides on both floors, but we would not be using the stairs nor the hallway.

  Before us, stood another vampire, this one dressed in much the same way as the ones at the front, and he snapped to attention, his muscular structure marking him as very much a male. “They are waiting for you.”

  Taking a step to the right, he exposed a narrow staircase leading down to the lower levels and I felt my heart leap up to my throat, almost choking me.

  Ryder felt my arm stiffen and he looked at me, a curious expression on his handsome face. “You okay?”

  I tried to swallow a painfully throat. “I’ll live. Let’s go.”

  It seemed colder down that narrow passageway and I shivered in my overcoat. “Don’t you vampires feel the winter at all?”

  Ryder smiled. “Perhaps. Maybe we like it. Fools us into thinking we’re still alive.”

  “I thought you didn’t want to be human?”

  The smile faded away until it seemed as though it had never been there from the very beginning. “As you can see, that’s not always the case.”

  The stairs were uneven and had it not been for Ryder’s steadying grasp, I would have fallen and broken my neck countless times.

  Finally, finally, my foot hit the solid ground, the stone feeling slightly unsteady underneath my boots and I heard Jason do the same from behind us.

  Here it was not so dark as torches were lit every ten feet or so, casting macabre, dancing shadows over the stone walls. There was a slight incline going deeper into the interior of the mansion and I counted myself lucky to merely be afraid of the dark, not close spaces. This was not exactly the kind of place a claustrophobic individual could hope to survive.

  Ryder hummed something under his breath, something soft and slow, something that sounded almost familiar, but not quite. “What is that?”

  “Hm?”

  “What you’re humming.”

  He seemed vaguely surprised to be caught. “Oh. That. Damn, I don’t know. Guess it’s just one of those things you pick up from TV.”

  I didn’t think so. I hadn’t even known TV existed until I was thirteen and I knew that lullaby for far longer. “I don’t think –.”

  “Shut up!” hissed Shannon as we came to an end to the wall.

  I had wondered about how to progress as clearly there were three walls and then the way we had come back. “Is this it then?”

  Jason cleared his throat. “I suppose you’re going to tell me this wall goes back into some kind of hidden passageway. Otherwise, things might get a little...uncomfortable.”

  Ryder put a hand on the wall and Jason’s theory proved to be desperately wrong when the wall did absolutely nothing.

  “Um.” Ryder splayed both hands on the wall and ran his fingertips over the wall. If I stretched out, I thought I could brush the ceiling with my hands. “Wow. Well, this is kind of interesting.”

  “You don’t say,” said Jason dryly. “Are they just going to kill us, then?”

  “Took you all long enough. I’d just about given up on waiting.”

  Shannon let out an expletive and whirled on her heel at the long, empty passageway.

  No. Not empty.

  Not anywhere.

  Someone stood at the mouth of the hallway where we had come in from, arms crossed over a chest full to bursting. Was it just genetics or steroids? Did steroids even work on the undead? An interesting question and one I intended on asking Ryder.

  I
f we ever did come out alive. “Is he supposed to be there?”

  The man walked towards us, a strange expression on his wan, lean face and I felt Ryder stiffen next to me. “No. He’s not. Hell, we’re not supposed to be here.”

  I heard Shannon swallow. “Actually, fuckwits, we’re exactly where we should be. They want us dead. Seems like this is the best place to get this done. Four people walk in, no one comes out.”

  Of course we had walked into this far too easily, far too willing.

  Then again, the choice had been made for us.

  Either die right away or die later.

  And like cowards, we had taken the harder way out. Or perhaps it was the easier way out.

  Ryder shucked off his coat and rolled up the sleeves of his casual white shirt, his intention clear on his handsome face. “There’s only one of him. There’s four of us. If three vamps and Ran can’t take him, we deserve to die like rats in a dog house.”

  “A pleasant image,” said Jason dryly. “I suppose you couldn’t have worded that any differently?”

  Ryder put an arm out, stopping me from moving forward. “Don’t.”

  I looked at him. He no longer seemed like the happy go lucky dimwitted idiot, no longer seemed like the hormone driven vampire I had encountered back at Vincent’s club.

  So, which was the real Ryder? “Why not?”

  He smiled. “You should give me a chance.”

  “To?”

  Shannon snorted. “For fuck’s sake. We’re five minutes away from turning into splotches on the wall and you’re still playing the hero card, Ryder. Are you ever going to grow the fuck up?”

  He ignored her and touched my cheek. I fought not to flinch, feeling the chill of his fingers for one moment before he drew away. “Give me a chance to show you I’m different.”

  I felt Jason’s eyes bore into the back of my head. “You’re a vampire. How different can you get?”

  He winked. Where did he get such bravado? “Watch.”

  I did.

  For now.

  I took a step back, shielding Jason’s body with mine because despite Ryder’s confidence, I am not afraid to say I wasn’t nearly quite as sure of the outcome. “Stand back, Jason.”