“That’s my robe! Bailiff, order!”
The judge would not give up the robe easily; he fought and grumbled, they tussled, and Tad finally wrenched it off him with a final yank.
“Here.” He handed the robe to me, and I pulled it on, the scent of Old Spice, or maybe that was Prejudiced Old Man, heavy in it, making me crinkle my nose.
“Thanks.”
“Maybe everyone else wants to stare at you, but the last thing I want to see is my sister parading around naked.” He gave a mock shudder and picked up my papers once more. Another time I would have smiled.
As it was, I knew I’d just lost any chance at reclaiming any portion of my life. I sniffed softly, my lips trembled, and I turned away before the crowd could see me cry. I didn’t want their pity. I just wanted to be treated fairly. I wanted the same rights everyone else had.
A set of arms wrapped around me, and with the embrace came the soft smell of cinnamon and honey. I buried my face into the crook of Remo’s neck.
“I’m sorry, this is my fault,” he said.
“No, no, it’s not. It would have come out eventually. Roger had a video of me at the stadium,” I said.
“Don’t cry, we’ll find a way to make this work.”
My emotions were in a tumult, and my pride had been hurt. “So you can make use of me again? Was that other vampire right? Am I just a tool to you?” I pulled back, sniffed, and wiped a hand over my cheeks while I clutched at the robe.
His dark eyes with that tantalizing hint of violet tugged at me, and the sincerity in his voice eased the sharp dig of uncertainty in my heart. “I doubt anyone could use you, Alena. But maybe we should talk so we can clear the air.”
I turned and stopped, staring at Judge Watts. He wore a white wifebeater tank top and a pair of bright-pink boxer shorts. He already hated me; I might as well make it a good and solid hatred.
“Pink panties don’t suit you, judge. Then again, maybe they speak to your inner cowardice when it comes to being someone who is supposed to uphold the law and speak for justice. Something you apparently don’t know a thing about.”
I swept past him with my chin up and my heart breaking inside of me. The crowd parted around me, whispering, some of them even crying out as if my touch would infect them. I couldn’t help myself; I stopped in the thickest part of the crowd, right where Roger and Barbie stood. I bent over at the waist and coughed three times into my hands.
Slowly, grimacing, I stood back up, wiped my hands on Roger’s shirt, and patted his face. “Oh, sugar snaps, I must be coming down with something.”
He choked and scrambled back; now I wasn’t the only one with a wide circle around me. The other humans pulled back from Roger as quickly as they got out of my way.
“Alena! How could you do this to me?” he cried out as he pawed at his clothes in an attempt to take the “infected” shirt off.
“Have a good Monday, Roger!” I wiggled my fingers at him. “Maybe you should have your will updated?”
I actually watched the color drain from his face. He swayed on his feet, his eyes rolled back until the whites showed, and he fell to the floor with a heavy thud. No one even tried to catch him.
I shrugged, fought the immediate feeling that I was going to hell for lying (damn my Firstamentalist upbringing), and started forward again, focusing on each step in front of me rather than what I was leaving behind. Problem was, it was a Monday. And it looked like it was out to make sure I knew it was an epic Monday.
One step out of the courthouse and I saw her. What was she doing here? I couldn’t believe it was mere coincidence; even I wasn’t that trusting. More likely it had something to do with Roger.
Fat-nosed Colleen Vanderhoven, the woman who’d been my biggest competitor, she’d even set up her own bakery two streets over from Vanilla and Honey six months after my opening.
Worse than that, she told people my food and goods were contaminated with salmonella, that I stole her recipes, that I’d taken several of her employees from under her, and that I’d even stolen her branding when it had been the other way around. None of it was true, of course, but rumors were a terrible thing to disprove. I’d had to do free taste tests, had the health inspector in weekly checking things, and had to pay my employees more to keep them from running to her with my recipes. All of which had taken its toll and had amounted to even more time spent at the bakery than was truly needed.
She’d offered to buy me out at least once a month since I’d opened. She wanted what I had: a stellar location, a solid customer base, and well-trained employees. I always turned her down, but the last few times she’d gotten aggressive and told me she’d take me to court for slander.
Which was rather rich coming from her.
“Colleen.” I snapped her name, whatever upset over the loss of my case against Roger gone in the sheer volume of anger I held when it came to the woman in front of me. “What are you doing here?”
She blinked up at me, her mouth opening. “I have a business meeting here. I’m buying a business. The seller is eager to sell, said he didn’t want to wait one second more than he had to.” Her way of speaking, duplicating what she was saying over and over, grated on me as much as the thought of her buying Vanilla and Honey.
I knew it. Damn Roger and his greed. No doubt he’d met with her within hours of me first contracting the Aegrus virus weeks before.
“Don’t you think for one second you’re going to get my bakery. Do you understand me? Not for one honey-puffed sssecond,” I snapped, struggling over the last s.
She blinked washed-out blue eyes up at me that were so sunk into her face, she reminded me of a pig more than anything. She scrunched up her narrow lips, only adding to the image. The fact she’d recently dyed her hair bright pink to match her shop’s colors did not help her out.
“Who are you exactly, and why would I want your bakery?”
Of course . . . she wouldn’t recognize me. Only those who’d loved me before my change would recognize me through the new look.
“Alena Budrene. And you are negotiating with Dingle Nuts Roger for my bakery, aren’t you?” I put a finger against her chest and reminded myself to go easy. I didn’t want to kill her.
Well, maybe I did a little bit.
Her eyes lit up. “I heard you got turned into a supernatural. Impressive. Certainly better looking now, though I suppose that won’t help you, will it?” She gave me a smug smile. “Since we all know you can own nothing on this side of the Wall. Nothing at all. I look forward to negotiations with Dingle Nuts. His stupidity works in my favor.” She laughed in my face.
I closed the distance between us until we were nose to nose. I had to give her credit; she didn’t back down, though a bead of sweat started at her hairline and slid down her face.
“That is my bakery, and I am not giving it up.” The words came out hard and clipped, nothing like my normal sultry tones.
She held up an envelope and pulled out a piece of paper I knew all too well. The deed to my bakery, lease agreement and all. At the bottom I could see my signature, and she flapped a note attached to it. “You’re right, he is a dingle nuts. He sent this to me in good faith, asking me to meet him here for finalization of the deal. And we both know that whoever holds this holds—”
I snatched it from her and stepped back before she could even register that I’d moved. Thank God for the reflexes of a snake. I cringed. Strike that, I doubted God wanted anything to do with me now that I was a heathen Super Duper.
“And what are you going to do now? You don’t have keys.” She dangled the keys in front of me, and I took another step back. I wasn’t going to take them; no doubt she had spares.
“Ever hear of a locksmith? They can do marvelous things, like changing locks, you pink-haired, fat-nosed amateur wannabe baker.”
She gasped. I knew that last was a low blow, but I was ready to fight dirty. She clenched her fist over the keys.
And took a swing at me.
A sudden
thought hit me before she did. I didn’t exist, not to the human world, so did that mean I couldn’t be charged if I hurt her?
The thought was there and gone in a flash, plenty of time for me to consider how I was going to react with my reflexes. I grabbed her fist and clenched down hard on her curled fingers, hard enough her bones ground under my grasp.
“That was not very smart.” I stared at her as I bore down.
She screeched, even though I knew I wasn’t putting that much pressure on her. Of course, I’d not thought about the keys. The smell of blood rolled up from her hand, and I let go.
She jerked back, clutching her hand to her chest, the keys embedded in her palm. “You are a monster. I will have that bakery; it’s mine. And there is nothing you can do to stop me.”
The snake in me uncoiled a fraction, a silent question coming from it. How badly did I want to stop Colleen?
Short of actually killing her, I knew she was right. She would be able to get the bakery from Roger. All he had to do was apply for duplicate forms from the business offices. Maybe three weeks at the most, and she would have all the paperwork in hand, and they would be able to finish the deal.
I drew myself up. Challenge accepted. I had three weeks to change how the world viewed supernaturals so I could save the thing I loved most in the world.
CHAPTER 3
Once more, Remo pulled me back, his hands tight on my upper arms. “There are more ways than one to make sure you retain your bakery, Alena. Do not follow through.”
What did he mean? I glanced up at him, and he gave me a half smile.
“I see the way your eyes narrow, the thoughts rolling through you. There is no way you would ever forgive yourself if you hurt her.”
I let him tug me backward, even as Colleen glared at me, still clutching her hand. “I’m going to destroy Vanilla and Honey just to spite you.”
My shoulders tensed, and a low hiss slid out of me. Remo turned me around, put an arm around my waist, and hurried us away from the courthouse. “Let it go, Alena.”
“She’s . . . she’s awful!” I spit the word out like it was a cuss.
“I know.”
Shaking, I let him guide me down the street. “Where is Tad?”
“Said he had something to do. Suspect he’s gone looking for Dahlia. Don’t worry, I saw him and he still had all your papers.”
I folded the paper I’d taken from Colleen and held it out to Remo. “Do you mind hanging on to this? I seem to be out of pockets at the moment.”
He took the paper and tucked it away into a back pocket.
“Are you okay with Tad and Dahlia dating?” I blurted the question out before I thought better of it. Taboos were taboos, and cross-species dating was a no-no. Kinda like baking with garlic and chocolate. Nobody ended up happy with the results, no matter how you mixed the two ingredients.
“For now. They seem to be only testing the waters.” He winked at me.
I couldn’t help the small smile. Dahlia was my best friend; we’d met when we were both dying from the Aegrus virus. She’d made me laugh when I should have been doing nothing but crying. The fact that Tad was dating her couldn’t have made me happier. Even if it meant they were breaking the rules, dating outside their species. Tad was a naga, and Dahlia a vampire. Sure, they both had fangs, but I doubted that would be enough if anyone tried to enforce the no-hanky-panky-between-species clause.
They were good together, and as long as they were happy, I was happy for them.
My thoughts were swiftly brought back to the situation at hand, though. We were still in the shadow of the courthouse when a man approached us. He wore a black suit, with hints of silver flickering through the threads. His hair was a dark blond, slicked back into a ponytail at the base of his neck. It seemed that the lights behind him highlighted his body, giving him a strange otherworldly glow. Like he’d set up the approach, timing it like an actor strutting to center stage for a soliloquy.
Obviously he was a lawyer. Maybe he’d seen the scene in the courthouse and thought he could bank on it and get himself a job. Judge Watts had said I should get a lawyer. Not that I had any money to pay one, but still it might be a good idea to at least listen to him.
He stopped in front of me, forcing us to stop as well. “Are you Alena?”
I clutched my robe around me, and Remo tightened his hold on my waist. “Yes, and you are . . . ?”
He smiled, and the world seemed to dim around him as he held out his hand. I took it, my manners automatic.
“Of course, let me introduce myself.”
I tried to pull my hand back, but he hung on tightly enough that if I pulled too hard, I’d end up throwing him through the air. “I can’t afford a lawyer, so unless you are willing to go pro bono, I’m not sure I’m your client.”
His grin widened and his eyebrows shot up. “I’m not a lawyer.”
“Oh.” I frowned. “How did you know my name then?”
A cold feeling swirled around my belly as he put his other hand on top of mine, holding me fast. “We were destined to meet, Alena.” A slow hum caught me off guard, a resonance I didn’t understand.
His smile filled my vision, a little burst of light sparkling in front of my eyes. The snake in me hissed, recognizing him as an enemy before I did. “Oh no.”
“Oh no?” Remo whispered. “Do you know him?”
“I’m guessing here, but . . .” I tried again to pull my hand back again, carefully, but the man in front of me held on. “You’re Theseus, aren’t you?”
He let go then, and I stumbled back a few steps with the backlash. Remo caught me, steadying me.
“I am. I thought I should introduce myself. I’d like to discuss the situation we find ourselves in. You see, I need to kill you to be free of the bonds Hera has placed on me. You obviously want to cause chaos and destruction wherever you go, which in and of itself is not something we can have in the world.” He dusted off the arms of his suit.
“What, you aren’t just going to try and cut me in half like Achilles?” I kinda hoped he would. We could fight right here, get it over with.
Funny that I just assumed I would win if we battled on the steps of the courthouse. Maybe I was getting prideful. I’m sure that’s what my mother would say.
There must have been some hint of my thoughts in my face. Theseus smiled again. “Oh, I don’t want to fight you yet. Achilles is a fool, nothing more than a meathead, and really, he underestimated you. It’s a flaw of his, one that has hurt him in the past.”
“You mean the whole heel issue,” I pointed out. Theseus laughed softly, and I wasn’t sure just what was happening. This felt too . . . conversational. Too much like he was trying to be my friend. I didn’t like it one bit. “Aren’t you supposed to kill me and get it over with?”
“Not this time. You’ve upset Hera. You made her look like a fool. The other gods are laughing at her, something she can’t stand to have happen.”
Remo stepped up, putting himself a little in front of me. “So you want to make Alena suffer for surviving Achilles?”
Theseus pointed at Remo, a red ruby on his index finger glinting. “Now you begin to understand.”
“And you wanted to shake hands with me why?” I didn’t know how to handle him. With Achilles, things had been straightforward. He was a bad guy, with thugs, and he’d stolen my brother and threatened to kill him as well as making an attempt on my life.
Theseus was being far too rational for my liking. Far too calculating.
“Ah, because, while I know in the end I will end up killing you, I wanted to see you first. I understand part of Hera’s hatred better. You rival her beauty. Shame.” He smiled and took a step back. “Be assured, my beautiful snake, you will see me again when you least expect it.”
“And then you think you can kill me?” I couldn’t help the confidence I felt, and I knew it came through in my voice. “Achilles thought the same thing, and look where he is now. In a home for the mentally insane.”
Theseus nodded. “But Achilles was a mere human with extraordinary gifts. I am a demigod, Alena. Immortal. You are not immortal. You can be killed.”
His words sank into my heart like lead stones. Immortal. That single word took the stuffing out of me.
He gave me a mocking bow from his waist, flourishing with both hands. “Until we meet again.”
A burst of light exploded at his feet, and I reeled back with a cry. Remo caught me a second time, his head tucked against mine. Blinking, my eyes watered like mad, and my vision slowly came back online. Theseus was of course gone.
Remo’s face was bright pink on one side, a flash burn. I reached up and touched it. “Are you okay?”
He winked, wincing with the movement of that side of his face. “I could use a little color.”
I cleared my throat and looked around us. No one seemed to notice that we’d had a strange visitor who’d just magically exploded out of existence.
Remo snorted softly. “People are blind to what they don’t want to see. Easier to pretend supernaturals don’t exist in their perfect little world, that they all live on the other side of the Wall.”
“Kind of hard with me,” I muttered.
He smiled. “True.”
People gave us—no, me—some strange stares. No doubt the robe was confusing. Not exactly what I would call high fashion, even in an eclectic city like Seattle.
Finally the adrenaline began to slow in my veins, and fatigue washed through me. That and hunger. Something about fighting and shifting left me ravenous. I could have eaten a whole cow. I blinked and shook my head. Bad image when the Drakaina in me all but nodded at the thought.
“Don’t think about Theseus; there is nothing you can do, and worrying won’t help.” Remo strode at my side, keeping our pace up and really partially helping me walk as I leaned against him.
“Is that how you are dealing with Santos?”
His hold on me tightened ever so slightly. “No, that is not how I’m dealing with Santos.”
I wanted to ask how he was going to deal with the other vampire, but I suspected I already knew. “Why is he fighting with you? Is it just territory he wants?”
Fangs and Fennel (The Venom Trilogy Book 2) Page 4
