07- Black Blood Brother

by Morgan Blayde

  My fire demon looked Selene over carefully. “Caine, are you all right? Do you need rescuing?”

  My head was pillowed in Selene’s lap. She fed me concord grapes pulled out thin air. I grinned at Imari, my dedicated First Sword. “I don’t expect to die from an excess of sex, though I can’t rule it out.”

  Selene looked up at Imari. “You can stay and watch, maybe learn a thing or two. You can make sure I’m not too rough.”

  Imari grunted at the suggestion. “Thanks, but I’ll pass.”

  I said, “Before you go, how about an update?”

  She pointed the gun away from us and sat on the edge of the bed, taking care not to stare at my engorged manhood. She said, “Extra troops are in the hotel, stationed outside your door. You do know someone blew the card reader to bits, right?”

  “Really? Good thing you’re on the job.”

  She nodded. “I’m having it fixed. Also, the Old Man is registered now. He has your son from the future sleeping over with him.”

  “He’s been such a help,” Selene said. “I couldn’t ask for a better babysitter.”

  “Really?” I felt deep surprise. “You mean he hasn’t dangled Colt over a balcony yet, or thrown him off a cliff under the pretense of training him?”

  Selene smiled benignly. “Not after I threatened to cut off his balls and throw them into a volcano.”

  My cock winced in sympathy at the thought of surgical neutering.

  Imari cleared her throat. “Anyway, we’ve been contacted by a Mr. King who says you can have your bachelor party tonight. He’s not closing the club, but he is offering the use of the balcony. He doesn’t want more than fifty demons on the premise; something about his insurance liability. And the blushing bride will be flying in tomorrow. Apparently, the dragon emperor is still insisting on the political alliance. Kinsey couldn’t talk him out of it.”

  I’d expected all that, but it was good things were taking their proper course. “What about that warehouse I sent you to check out?”

  Imari played with the safety on her machine pistol, flicking it on and off. “I took a couple local witches with me. I’ve a coven on retainer now. They say they have the magical scent of the Villager and the silver dragon, and are working on a charm that should let you home in on your enemies.”

  I smiled at the thought of bloody carnage and dismemberment. “Good. A little payback is in order.”

  Imari frowned at me, glaring. “You are not going after them alone. You will take a strong force of demon soldiers.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Or?”

  Imari pointed at Selene. “Or I’ll tell her, and she’ll beat your ass.”

  Selene smiled at me. “It would be for your own good, even if I enjoy it. I can’t have my son’s father running off and getting killed. I’m too young and beautiful to be a widow. Red is my color, not black.”

  I glared at her. “Young? We both know you date from ancient Atlantis, just like the Old Man.”

  She glared back, literally, red light blazing from her eyes. “Some secrets need to be kept, my love.”

  “One last thing.” Imari stood, facing me fully. “The Old Man says you are to refrain from causing any more damage to the hotel. He’s purchased it as an investment. It’s easier to commander the rooms we need that way than to rent them. Some prospective guests have been informed they no longer have reservations.”

  “The Old Man has always had his own unique approach to Management.” I ate another grape.

  “Well,” Imari said, “that’s about it. I take it you’re going to actually get some sleep soon?”

  “Yeah, if Selene lets me.”

  Imari backed toward the bedroom door. “I’ll see you’re not disturbed,” her dark face split in a sudden smile, “more than you are.”

  “A joke? From you?” I stared at my fire demon minion. “You’re getting more and more human as you mellow.”

  Her smile turned into a snarl, but I could tell her heart wasn’t in it. “Human? Don’t be insulting.” She turned her back. I watched ass strut away.

  Selene said, “She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s going to turn into a real pussycat, once Izumi and I take her on a carpet-licking ride.”

  “Can’t wait.”

  “You’ll have to. Working the kinks out of your harem is going to take years. You tend to sleep with strong women.”

  Strong slutty women.

  She said, “Now, where were we?”

  “About to get some sleep. You’ve worn me out again, my sweet dragon fruit.”

  “If that endearment is the best you can do, you are tired. Go to sleep. I’m going to check on our son.”

  “Just a sec, about Colt; how long are you going to let him mess with the time stream? He keeps mentioning the stability of the temporal multi-verse.”

  She laughed. “You used to scare him with that when he was six. You’d tell him not to use his multi-verse powers or he’d blow up the universe and kill mommy and daddy. It worked for a while, until he researched old sci-fi novels and found out that changes to time were already part of time and that time could only be altered if you didn’t go back and make the changes you were supposed to. I think scaring you with the fragility of the multi-verse is his way of getting revenge for what you’re going to do. I don’t blame him. Because of your fathering, he went through a period where he wet the bed. And he still sleeps with a nightlight. He thinks I don’t know. He thinks I don’t know a lot of things. It keeps motherhood interesting.”

  “Speaking of the imminent future, is there anything I need to know about this Villager situation?”

  Crimson light flashed. My head fell onto the bed as her lap vanished, along with the rest of her. I rolled over and plumped a pillow under my head. “I guess not.”

  I dropped off to sleep and dreamed of universes imploding into endless darkness.

  Sweet.

  Daylight flashed in and out of the room. When my sleep blurred eyes cracked open, I happened to be on my side, facing the swaying curtains to the balcony. I saw a shadow breaking into my room.

  Chrys? No, she’d portal in, not climb the side of the building.

  More of my brain woke up. I closed my eyes and mentally processed the silhouette as I pulled a gun from my Malibu armory. Only no gun came.

  Yeah, that’s right. No magical tat for that anymore. Highly irritating.

  I opened my eyes again. A sleek, muscular woman in a skin-tight catsuit stood at the edge of my bed. She held a slim dagger in one hand. Her stance was relaxed. Her eyes glowed pink; that reassured me.

  “Hi, Vivian.”

  “I need to have words with you.” Vivian crawled onto the bed, pushed me on my back, and straddled me.

  My cock wailed. No, even I have limits.

  “Caine, why were you at the nightclub? Are you checking up on me for my grandfather?”

  “My own business took me there,” I said.

  My cock yelled. No means no!

  I ignored him.

  Golden eyes opened in the back shadows of my mind. My inner dragon lifted his head and absorbed the situation. But we haven’t done her in a while. We need to renew our claim.

  My cock said. But I hurt. I’m worn out. There have been too many women. We need our rest.

  My inner dragon said. There can never be “too much” to own. Suck it up.

  They were leaving me out of the conversation. That really felt weird. I sent them a mental blast to settle them down. Guys, in case you haven’t noticed, she’s not getting naked. She isn’t offering herself up. This is business!

  I said, “Tell me what the hell you’re doing with Thaddeus King.”

  Before she could answer, the bedroom door exploded inward. Turning my head, I saw four of my demon soldiers, all heavily armed. One of them dropped a raised leg to the floor, the guy who’d just kicked in the defenseless door; everybody loves playing Rambo. They advanced on the bed, guns and swords pointed at Vivian.

  She didn’t normally c
ome around the Clan House, so I knew they didn’t know her. She didn’t help things by baring her fangs and hissing like a Hollywood vampire. As an ex-Slayer dhampyr, she could hold her own with them, but it wasn’t necessary.

  I yelled, “Stand down, guys. This is Vivian, one of my covert agents.”

  The weapons lowered. Their eyes did, too, checking out her ass and tits. Who could blame them? Her body stocking wasn’t much more than a second skin. Sheer can be even hotter than naked sometimes. I think they wished they were the ones being pinned down on the bed. They gave me thumb-ups and tramped out of the room, pulling the door shut behind them.

  I said, “Now, where were we?”

  “Just tell me you’re not going to blow my cover, and I’m gone.”

  Thank god! My cock said.

  I said, “Your secrets are my secrets.”

  She said, “I answered an ad. Needed the money.”

  “And you vetted your new client before taking the job, right?”

  “Duh!” She leaned back and flipped the dagger in her hand, absently catching it. “Always got to make sure the client won’t burn you after a job.”

  “And your client wants dirt on King?” I said.

  “Yeah. And King’s a vamp so I don’t mind setting him up. I just wish I could still stake vamp-scum like when I was still a Slayer.”

  I thought of Gloria. “Not all vampires are evil.”

  “Wouldn’t know it by me. The one that knocked up my mom was an utter bastard.”

  “Give me a few minutes. Don’t go anywhere.” I rolled her off me and went to the bathroom area. I took another shower, this one quick, and put myself together with immaculate grooming, Axe deodorant, and a fresh Italian suit. I found a pair of shoulder holsters that someone had left for me. They went on under my coat. I loaded my wallet into an inner pocket, put on my watch, and noticed my missing palladium card on the dresser. I pocketed the card.

  Thoughtful of Selene to restore it. I don’t have to report it lost now. I guess the holsters are from her, too. They look like they’ll hold the Berettas.

  Sitting on the edge of the bed, I slipped my shoes on.

  Vivian sat up on the bed, her legs folded under her. “You late for a date?”

  “I’ve got to go kill a silver dragon soon. You didn’t tell me who you’re working for.”

  “Silver dragon?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh, damn!”

  “What’s the problem?”

  “I was hired by a silver dragon. You don’t think…”

  “Silver dragons are political entities, deeply emmeshed in Dragon Court affairs. They don’t often come to the human world. Slumming is beneath them.” I turned on the bed and stared, giving her an innocuous smile. “Does this silver dragon of yours have a name?”

  She narrowed glowing pink eyes, as if that would help her see the truth at the bottom of the dark abyss I call my soul. She said, “I forbid you to kill him…until I get paid for this job.”

  I counter-offered. “I’ll give you five thousand dollars and the opportunity to rob his corpse.”

  She countered my counter-offer. “If I help you kill him, I’ll want another ten thousand.”

  “Get dressed,” I said. “We have a dragon to kill.”

  TWENTY

  “I am the abyss, and I’m staring back.”

  —Caine Deathwalker

  Outside the bedroom door, I picked up an escort; my four security guards invited themselves along. The previous shift had changed, but these guys had been told about Vivian so they didn’t freak out seeing her. Two of the demon guards were earth-magic users: one of them, Thorn, was covered with violet thorns and leaves. The other, Quartz, had petrified skin that made him look like a quartz countertop in human form. The other two demons were water and fire. Misty had blue scales and trailed mist. The other demon had black skin like Imari, but his flames were sulfur yellow. He smelled a little sulfurous too. Him I called Stinky.

  I picked up the backpacks that had the ammo and weapons from the pawnshop. I reloaded the Glock I’d purchased and stuck it in the back of my waistband, under my jacket. I loaded the Beretta Storms and slid them into my shoulder holsters. The Smith & Wesson .460 Magnum revolver—guaranteed to stop a charging rhino—I handed to Vivian.

  “For me?” She took the massive handgun with both of her hands, reverent awe on her face. She looked at me with red light deepening her usually pink eyes. “I think I’m in love.”

  Reaching slowly, I made like I was going to take it back. “If you don’t want it…”

  She swung away, out of my reach. “No, no, mine!”

  “Okay. Here.” I gave her ammo for it. “Also, carry this for me.” I pulled out the Kriss Vector Gen 2 machine pistol. All the guards drooled over that, but they had their magic; Vivian didn’t even have a stake to stab with. I nodded toward the backpacks with the extra ammo. “Better fill the magazine.”

  While we were getting ready, Imari came in, warming the room a little more with her demon body heat. She looked curiously at Vivian—in her skin-tight body stocking—but asked no questions. Imari was shadowed by a human girl barely out of her teens. She had straight-cut bangs and brown hair draped down her back. Her eyes were also brown, her lip-gloss bubblegum pink. She’d tinted her eyelids a pale green that didn’t quite match the jade pendant she wore over a floral top. She wore a blue-jean mini-skirt, and sandals hand-woven from hemp rope.

  Imari said, “This is Solstice Truth, one of our witches on retainer. Try not to get her killed. We have to pay extra for that.”

  Solstice gave her a scared stare.

  Imari said, “I’m kidding.”

  But she wasn’t. The lie seemed to settle Solstice a little. Witch or not, being human among demons had to be unnerving. She probably had her coven on speed-dial in case of emergency.

  I said, “Glad to have you with us. Do you have the charm I need to find my silver dragon?”

  “Mordechai DeSilver,” Vivian said. “At least that’s the name he gave me. It’s probably fake.”

  I said, “DeSilver because he’s a silver dragon, but Mordechai might be real. Dragon names are weird and winding like dragons themselves.”

  “You ought to know,” Imari muttered. She raised her voice to speak to everyone. “I’ve got a couple vans waiting downstairs to take us all.”

  The Old Man came in from the hallway, Colt a step behind. Brushing past his Grandfather, Colt ran up. “What’s going on?”

  “We’re off to kill a dragon,” I said.

  “I want to come, too!” Colt yelled. “I’ve never killed, a dragon I mean. Our dungeon isn’t big enough for that.”

  “Hopefully, we’ll catch him in human form. Easier to take him down that way,” I said.

  Imari stared at Colt, then at me. “A battlefield is dangerous. Maybe the kid should wait here.”

  Colt glared at her.

  I said, “Hey, Old Man, why don’t you come along to keep an eye on Colt and Solstice, keep them safe while the rest of us do the heavy lifting.”

  “Sure, sounds fun,” he boomed.

  “But Caine, even so…” Imari didn’t want to let it go.

  “Look,” I said, “Colt’s back-up. I know you see a nine-year old when you look at him, but he is my son. And from his mom, he’s probably inherited enough power to take out everyone in this room. If the mission goes to hell, I wouldn’t mind having someone around to save my ass.”

  “Language,” the Old Man said. “There’s a minor present.”

  I lied, “I’ll try to work on that.”

  We left the building, drawing puzzled stares along the way. We didn’t bother hiding our weapons. The demons looked like what they were, not bothering with disguises. The Old Man threw out an explanation a couple times, “Filming a movie.”

  A few people nodded in understanding. One old woman said, “Great costumes.”

  The vans were at the curb that serviced the hotel’s main entrance. They were black as
my heart, panel vans having only windows up front. The Old Man got in behind the wheel to drive the first vehicle. Colt took the passenger seat next to him. Solstice and Imari got in with them, as well as the water-magic using demon. The rest of the demon guards got into the second van with me. Vivian had the driver’s seat. I sat next to her as we headed off, following the lead van onto the Strip. The mid-day sun was bright, the lunch hour traffic heavy. I preferred night operations, but I didn’t want to wait. These merc attacks had been pissing me off for a long time; payback had waited long enough. I needed to maim, kill, overkill, and send a message with this hit: DON’T FUCK WITH ME. Otherwise, more of my enemies would try their luck.

  Nothing is so attractive and lethal as weakness.

  We left the Strip, tearing southwest across the city, winding up at Diablo and Decatur where a long line of gray brick, industrial warehouses sat, surrounded by a massive apron of concrete, within view of a sound wall and a residential area. This was good; few innocents to accidentally get incinerated, shot, or bludgeoned to death. Since I had the Preternatural Unit keeping an eye on me, I had to care about that.

  No cars were close. No one loitered outside the warehouses. We parked and bailed out, gathering in a knot around Solstice to watch her do her thing. She’d guided the Old Man this far, and I was curious as to her technique. She pulled out a miniature dreamcatcher that dangled on a leather thong. A small compass had been tied to the center of the webbing, and a divination crystal on a copper strand of wire swung from the bottom rim, in between two pink-painted chicken feathers.

  As far as magic went, I wasn’t impressed. I looked at the Old Man. He stared back. We shrugged and looked back at the hippy witch-girl as she waved one hand at the charm, rolled her eyes to the back of her head, and muttered something that might have been Elvish from a Lord of the Rings movie.

  Imari stood to my right. I leaned over and whispered. “How much are we paying for this?”