“I’m sorry, I should remember how vulnerable you solids are.” His right hand pressed between her shoulder blades. “I will be more careful with you.”
“Just sit down already. I’m embarrassed enough as it is.” She coughed a little bit and took a careful sip to ease her abused throat.
“Speaking of Tukka,” I said, “where did the mutt get off to anyway?”
She frowned at the word mutt, but didn’t make an issue of the term. “He heads the fu dog pack on Earth, so he can’t always hang out with me, playing canine-clown. You know, he can use good English when he wants to.”
Onyx took his seat again. “So, that thing where he calls himself by name—all the time—is on purpose?”
Grace grinned. “He thinks it’s funny. I wonder what he’d say if I started doing it too?”
I took a pull on my beer and put it down. “I’d probably have to kill you both.”
A heavy silence fell across the table. Onyx looked at me and his hand reshaped itself into a short sword. Grace had gone all goggle-eyed.
Did I say that out loud? I smiled and lied, “C’mon! I’m joking, of course.”
Onyx’s sword became a hand just in time.
Our waitress approached with a tray and our orders. All smiles, she distributed the plates to the proper settings. I got my steak and shrimp skewers and the others got their glorified chicken. A companionable silence set in, disturbed only by the brandishing of silverware and groans of pleasure from Grace as she savored each bite. She all but rolled her eyes in ecstasy as she progressed. Onyx just touched the food on his place and it seemed to evaporate, absorbed directly into his pseudo-substance.
He watched Grace, puzzled. “I’ve never understood this reaction you solids have to food.”
She looked at him with withering pity. “I know. And all I can do is pity your lack of taste buds. It’s sad really, how limited you lower life forms can be.” The teasing smile on her face was anything but sad.
We finished our dinners and were lingering over dessert and drinks when Cassie came in with a young man at her side. He looked feral, as if being among humans disturbed him. His amber-eyed glance was wary, taking in the room. He moved with the sleek grace of someone who didn’t always run on just two feet. He sniffed the air gently as he approached out table.
I did, too, confirming that he was a shape-shifter. I smelled coyote and human mixed together. His glance slid over me, a moment of uncertainty in his eyes. The kid had probably never smelled a dragon before, or in my case, a half-dragon. His stare went to Onyx, burning with recognition. He stopped by Grace, squeezing her shoulder in greeting, staring daggers at the shadow man. “Onyx, you’re back.”
“Fenn!” Grace sounded happy, “grab a seat.”
She pointed to the empty one on the opposite side of the table. Probably hoping to keep them well apart. She should have known that if violence broke out, a shifter and shadow man were not going to be hindered by a little thing like a table.
I looked straight at Grace. “If trouble breaks out, I’m not paying damages. They’re on you.”
Cassie was also staring at Onyx. “I thought you were still off Earth.”
Showing absolutely no fear or reservation toward Cassie, he grinned. “I had to return to the love of my life.” His adoring glance flickered to Grace, then chilled, returning to Cassie. “When we’re married, can I call you Mom?”
Grace’s face reddened. She stared down at a piece of cheesecake drizzled with cherries and red syrup.
Fenn’s eyes brightened from amber to yellow. I could smell the rage simmering just below his skin. He chose to answer the question, “When you’re dead, you won’t be calling her anything,
ever again.”
Onyx cocked an eyebrow as if to say: You want to go right now?
I was enjoying the testosterone-heavy atmosphere, wondering if these idiots were really going to go at each other with humans around to see. That’s usually a big no-no.
Grace jumped in with a question. “Where’s Madison?”
Cassie pulled over a couple extra chairs and sat down close to Fenn in case she needed to grab his ear or something. She said, “Maddy’s parking the car. She drove us here. I’ll be driving her car back to Van Helsing’s. He invited me to hang out a week or two and teach a few classes. I took him up on it.” Cassie switched her cool stare to me. “How long is this job of yours going to take?”
I shrugged. “A few days probably. And while we’re in Santa Fe, Grace can hit the Injun market and pick up some silver and turquoise.”
Fenn stared at me. “That sounds cool. My father’s Native America. Well, one of their legends anyway. Maybe I’ll come along and reconnect with my roots.”
Grace said, “You’re Kachina, of the star people. Your father’s an Indian legend, but not a true Indian.”
“Coyote,” Cassie said.
“A dog?” Onyx said.
“A mutt by any other name,” I muttered.
Fenn shot us both flaming yellow stares. He was keeping his temper reined—barely. He looked to Grace. “What? You don’t want me to go with you?”
“It’s a business trip. I’ll be working most of the time.”
I nodded. “Yeah, I’m a real slave-driving son of a bitch. Don’t even put me on your Christmas card list.”
Grace said, “Fenn, if I let you go, Onyx will want to come, too. I’ll spend all my time playing referee. That is not going to happen.”
Onyx shrugged. “Just tell him were engaged, and let the beast go off and drown his sorrows in death or something.”
Cassie peered at Onyx, her eyes flaming as bright as Fenn’s.
“You are not engaged to my daughter. I didn’t hide her on Earth to keep her out of shadow man hands, just to have you swoop in and call dibs. And the way you say “beast” makes me think you’ve forgotten that Grace and I are beasts as well. Are you not concerned that marrying a kitsune might be beneath your station as a shadow man prince?”
I nodded sagely. “Good point.”
“You stay out of this,” Cassie said.
I looked into her shimmering eyes and let my gaze drift down to her tits. Her knee already touched mine. I sent out a low flow of raw magic into her skin while keeping it nonaggressive. The very low amount of power would just make her skin tingle.
Cassie’s expression warmed a moment, but then chilled as she remembered where she was and the business at hand. She spoke to me in a low tone. “Stop that.”
I reined in my raw magic and moved my knee away from Cassie’s.
She moved her knee back into contact, whispering. “No magic.”
The waitress was back, a look of anxiety on her face. She stood behind Fenn, her gaze sweeping across us all. She said, “Excuse me, but is everything all right here? If there’s some kind of problem…”
Fenn stood. “We should probably take this outside.”
Onyx grinned. “Suits me.”
Grace stood up, glaring at her admirers. “You guys stop this right now, or else!”
Fenn and Onyx stared at her; so did I. Curious, I asked, “Or what?”
A new voice cut across the tension, a hard female voice that was all sassy threat. “Or I’ll take all you boys out to the woodshed and drive stakes where the sun don’t shine.”
I looked at the speaker and believed her, my cock hardening in anticipation of doing anything with this Nordic bombshell. Madison stood tall, proud, her C-cups tits begging to be groped. Her dangerous curves were sheathed in black leather pants, a cut off black tee that showed off chiseled abs, and a leather coat. Boots, gloves, and wooden knives—strapped everywhere—completed her look. Her take-no-prisoners attitude reminded me of my ex-slayer minion Vivian who I’d left in L.A.
The swollen monster in my pants sang out, a voice only I could hear. Oh, Honey, do I have a stake for you.
I distracted the waitress by throwing money at her for the food, including a healthy tip. As I returned my attention to the crowd
around the table, Grace stood, her face set, her antennae bobbing, almost mesmerizing the waitress. Grace used her pointer finger, first on Fenn, then on Onyx, driving home her words. “You guys are staying here. I’m not taking my personal life on the road. I mean it. If I see either one of you in Santa Fe, you will be off my date list for the next six months—and I’ll sic Tukka on you.”
Fenn dropped his voice with a no-nonsense tone. “Look, Grace, I’ve had your back for a while now. That’s helped keep you safe. That’s all I want to do.”
Onyx nodded. “Goes for me, too.”
Madison said, “A real woman keeps herself safe. Depending on men is chancy.”
I muttered, “I am woman, hear me roar.”
Madison shot me a suspicious glance. What was that?”
I smiled at her and lied. “I said, ‘Let’s take this out the door.”
“Fine.” Cassie led the way out. We straggled along behind her.
Once outside, Grace rounded on her two suitors. “I’m putting my sneakered foot down.”
“Cute laces,” Madison said. “I like watermelon colors.”
Grace glared at Fenn and Onyx. “Do what I say. I don’t want to see either of you until I get back. If you don’t respect me, you can’t date me. I have spoken.”
“Ooh-rah!” I said.
Grace kissed her mom, hugging her. “I’ll call and keep you informed.”
She smiled. “See that you do.”
Fenn stepped in my way, staring down on me. “I’m leaving Grace to you because Cassie is okay with that.” He softened his tone. “Please take good care of her, and I’ll own you one.”
Hmmm. That sounded interesting. Fenn probably had little I needed, but his old man was the Trickster. There might come a day when I might need an in with such a powerful entity. I offered my hand. We shook, and I used my other hand to grip his arm, staring earnestly into his face. “You can count on me … now that we have a contract.”
His feral grin met my own. We men had an understanding.
Breaking away, I headed for my car, noticing that Onyx had vanished into the shadows. Cassie strolled away without a look back. Grace and Madison followed me to my Shelby Mustang. “Shotgun!” Grace called.
“You don’t have a shotgun,” Madison said.
“There’s one in the trunk if we need it,” I said.
“A man after my own heart,” Madison said.
And everything else. I let her know my thoughts by the possessive heat in my stare.
She looked intrigued for a moment, before remembering she was supposed to be the chaperone. Cold professionalism obliterated her show of emotion.
I used my remote to unlock the doors. Madison slid into the back. Grace took the front passenger seat. They dutifully buckled in. I paused with my door open, staring at the top of the car, at the black paint job. I whispered. “I know that’s you, Onyx. I don’t mind if you hitch a ride, but not for free.”
I waited, wondering if my guess was accurate. After a moment, a black diamond oozed up out of the roof. Smiling with satisfaction, I picked up the stone and put it in my pocket. That business out of the way, I slid into the car, slammed the door shut, buckling up, and activating the biometric sensor that allowed only me to drive this vehicle. The engine roared to life. I backed out, drove to the street, and pulled out into light traffic. Guiding us west, the sun blazed low on the horizon with darkness seeping in everywhere else, an omen of carnage, of flame, and death. That made me happy.
FIVE
“Women hate desperation that’s not their own.”
—Cain Deathwalker
I drove through the night, taking a route past small cow-towns until hitting Amarillo. I saw its skyscrapers from a distance, nothing like those we have in L.A. I wasn’t impressed. I was tired. Eight hours had passed and we had another four ahead of us. The girls were asleep as I pulled off the highway for gas and an espresso. I parked by a pump and opened my door.
Grace stirred next to me, her voice sleepy. “Waz-up?”
“Gas and fuel. Want something?”
“Nachos, and an orange soda,” Grace said.
“Beef jerky,” Madison called from the back seat. “Lots and lots of beef jerky.” Her eyes were on mine through the rearview mirror. The way she was saying beef jerky left a lot unsaid, especially when she batted her eyes coyly—an out-of-character ploy.
I said. “You’ll take what I get you and like it.”
“Ooooo.” She smiled. “Tough guy.”
“You got no idea.” I slid out the car door and heard the girls giggling to each other as I cut off the sound by slamming the door. Madison was an amateur tease. Slayer-in-training or not, she was playing with fire. I was one hard-on away from dragging her to the restroom and bouncing her on my joystick.
Inside the store, between the nacho dispenser and the fountain drinks, I pulled out my phone. It was time to check in with my second client. Being a vampire, he’d not be irritated by a three-in-the-morning phone call. The call went through. No greeting followed, no “Hello, how are you?” or “What can I do for you?” Just silence. He was waiting for me to speak and identify myself first. The arrogant prick was unsure if he needed to waste words on me.
I said, “Hey, Count Chocula, you there?”
“Caine? Are you there yet?” The voice was deep, theatrical, and smooth as well-aged oak barrel whiskey.
“Not quite,” I said. “I’m on the road. It will be another four hours.”
There was a pause for consideration. He said, “You know, with what I’m paying you, you could have flown in.”
“I could have done a lot of things to draw unwanted attention. Popping up on computer screens, there are certain names that grab the attention of the Federal Preternatural Response Organization, sending them into a slavering frenzy.”
“Really? I thought that was just me.”
“Don’t waste my time,” I said.
He sighed. “I give you a lot of leeway because they tell me you’re good at … retrieving … things that fall into the wrong hands.”
“I’m good at a lot more than that. Don’t worry; you’ll get your coffin back.”
“I hope so. It was my first and has sentimental value, as well as a plasma-stocked mini-bar. Remember, I don’t want you to harm the current owner. I reserve that sacred privilege to myself.”
“Understood. It will be past dawn when we get in, so I’ll touch base again tomorrow night.”
“We?”
His spies would tell him soon enough. “I’m travelling with a couple of young women.”
“Ah, I understand; men have needs, and strong men take what they want.”
Warning bells went off in the back of my head. “They’re under my protection. You can get your own eye-candy.”
A long pause... “Few dare speak to me the way you do.”
“You may be a legend among your kind,” I said, “but you only play at being a dragon.” The Drac in Dracula was Latin for dragon actually. “I’m the real thing. Sure, I’ve never nailed men’s hat to their head, or crucified thousands of my enemies for shits and giggles, but that’s just because it’s already been done, Old Timer.”
He laughed at my audacity, a rolling sound, rich and echoing. “As long as you deliver, I shall not have to learn new tricks—and try them out on you.”
“One more thing, blood-sucker...” By then, I’d finished adding the cheese and chili to a boatload of round corn chips and was pressing down the plastic cover.
“Yes?” he said.
“In addition to my fee, I’m going to need an autographed picture.”
“So, you are not as impervious to my celebrity as you pretend.”
“Just have the picture sent to my clan house.” I hung up on him and put my phone away. Yeah, I want a signed picture. It’ll go for a fortune on the dark web. Some trust-fund teen vamp or leprechaun-eating bog beast will snap it up.
Someone cleared their throat behind me. I hadn’t lost focus
on my surroundings, so I knew the person had to be able to move with total stealth, much like me. “What do you want, Onyx?”
I turned and saw I’d guessed right. The shadow man stood there, his pale face adrift in his black mane of hair. His gray crystal eyes reflected no emotion, as empty as his soul. “Buy me something, too.”
“Not likely.”
“I heard your conversation.”
“So?” I strolled over to the refrigerator section and picked out a couple bottles of soda. I dumped them in Onyx’s arms, along with the nachos. “Here, hold these. You might as well make yourself useful.”
Absently, he clutched everything. “I like that you stood up for the girls. Who were you speaking to?”
“A second client that I can handle on my own. Grace is only along to deal with the ghostly end of things.”
“If you mention your client is a vampire, Madison will want
to kill him for extra-curricular credit. And because of friendship, Grace will get sucked into things, too.”
“What they don’t know, won’t get them killed.”
Onyx smiled. “I like the way you think.”
“Flatter me all you want, but your food is still on you.” I went and got the beef sticks and my espresso, winding up at the register with Onyx.
The cashier stared at him. “When did you come in the store?”
I distracted the cashier by handing him cash. He rang up my sales, and bagged everything. “Put the change on pump six,” I said.
As I picked up my purchases, he nodded and complied. In that moment of inattention, Onyx collapsed his physical form, becoming a pool of gloom on the floor under my feet. Facing me again, the cashier stared. He looked around for Onyx. “Hey, where did your friend go?”
I looked at him like he was crazy. “Friend? I came in alone. You need to get off the night shift.” I walked to the exit and went out, the shadow pool underfoot, sliding along to keep me company. As I reached the car, Onyx flowed up its surface, adding another layer to the paint job. I handed the supplies in through the window to Grace.
“Thanks,” she said.
“No problem.” I went on to gas up the vehicle, and settle behind the wheel. With a roar, we surged off, driving onto the highway. Grace handed me my espresso. I nodded my thanks, having adopted the fey practice of not using the actual words, which might imply a debt I’d have to repay. As a new lord in fairy, I had to get used to watching small stuff like that.
Demon Lord 4: White Jade Reaper Page 4
