by Ben Reeder
The butler smiled after a moment and shook his head. He led me into the house. From Chance’s descriptions, I’d expected it to be crowded and loud, but it was more like a school night in Mayberry. No one lounged in the foyer, and there was no casual inspection as I followed my guide up the curved marble steps to the second floor. The gold-edged doors opened as we got close, and I was treated to my first sight of Thraxus’s blue-skinned, black robed, pet demon. Its red eyes focused on me, and I could feel the wrongness of it as I got closer. Its lips turned up in something like a smile, only with way too many teeth.
“Ha!” it barked. “The supplicant, Master.” It stood aside, and gestured for me to enter the room. Unlike the rest of the house, this room was crowded. Soft music was playing, and groups of people lounged in small, informal groups. Young women in skimpy maids’ uniforms and stripper heels pranced around, showing off a lot of skin and amazing balance. As we got closer to the slightly raised section at the far side of the room, one of the maids tottered up and leaned forward to offer me a tray with several thin glasses on it. I looked from what was on offer and display to her face, only to find myself looking at the top of her head.
“Thank you, but I can’t,” I said.
“Is my hospitality beneath you, little mortal?” Thraxus said with a smile like a chainsaw. He wasn’t even bothering to look human.
“I’m not a guest,” I said. “I’m here on business. Besides, I’ve already offended your hospitality once. I’d like to make amends for that before I impose on you again.”
Thraxus held his hand up and straightened his index finger out, revealing three inches of thick, pointed talon. “And so you stand before me, armed and stinking of holy water. Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you now.”
“My offense isn’t intentional,” I said. “And it is minor. I offered to disarm, but your staff know I’m no threat to you. Only the weak mistake cruelty for strength, while the strong find the price of mercy small. In my favor, I didn’t come here empty handed. When I said I wanted to make amends, I meant it.”
“And what would you offer me to spare your life?”
“I have someone you might be interested in talking to in the trunk of my car. Also, by dawn, the police will be reporting the return of a certain missing priest, and they won’t be sniffing around any more of your assets looking for him. I offer you these things as proof of the sincerity of my apology. There is more, but, I thought you might want to discuss that in private.”
“More?” Thraxus said, looking surprised. “By all means, let us continue this on the patio, where we might have some privacy.” He stood and made his way toward the tall, French doors that led outside. Cool wind touched my cheeks as we went outside, and I found myself looking at New Essex from a distance.
“Am I going to like what you’re about to tell me?” Thraxus said without turning around.
“You’re going to like hearing it first,” I said. “I rescued five of your brood tonight.”
“Why wouldn’t I enjoy hearing that?”
“Because I had to rescue five of your brood at all. Either a bunch of blood junkies figured out how to capture five vampires, or they had help from someone with some serious power. Secondly, they had access to a spell that they thought would reanimate a slain vampire. The plan was to offer it too much blood and send it on a rampage. The priest that they’d kidnapped seemed to think it would work, too. And Darth Fedora down there said he’d found a more powerful Master.”
“Darth Fedora?” Thraxus asked, and so help me, he seemed to be fighting down a smile. I wondered if smiling cut the inside of his mouth or something.
“One of Etienne’s groupies. Karl Tobin is his real name.”
“I see,” he said, and turned to face me. “I remember him. Who else knows about this?”
“Well, that depends,” I said. “If I don’t make it home, a lot of people are going to know. If I do walk out of here, just you and I will know.”
Thraxus paused, then his face broke into a closed-mouthed smile. “You planned ahead. I’m impressed. But you also put me in the uncomfortable position of owing you something of a debt. Do you wish to collect on it now, or shall I owe you a favor?”
“There is something you could do to make things even,” I said. “Make Mitternacht Books off limits for your people.”
Thraxus went deathly still for a moment, then he closed his eyes, lifted his chin and sniffed loudly. “Is that ambition I smell?” he asked with a fang-flashing smile. “I like it! Oh, you have vision. But I’m not going to trade the lives of a few of my brood for a piece of my territory, no matter how small it is. Not without getting something long term out of the bargain.”
“Like?” I asked, suddenly a little worried.
“You want a safe haven for you and yours. Extend that shelter to my people as well.”
I looked at him like a fish for a moment. “We’re just a book store,” I finally sputtered. “How are we supposed to protect your people from Weres or other things?”
“Negotiate,” he said with a little too much fang showing. “You’re a resourceful young man. I’m sure you’ll find a solution. But this is mutually beneficial. So I still owe you.”
“Okay,” I said. “I want to trade my favor for Chastity’s freedom.”
“Is that all?” he asked, his voice smooth.
“I thought so, but now...there’s something I’m missing.”
“It’s insulting that you ask for so little.” He shook his head and turned away.
“Freedom isn’t something I take lightly,” I said.
“Oh, it all sounds so very noble from your side, but it gives the impression that you don’t value my favor as highly as you should. Can’t have that. I’d have to make an example of her to show you the error of your ways.”
“What do you mean? You wouldn’t-” I started, and he turned back to me.
“Kill her? It would be a mercy, really. However…”
“You want me to trade my favor for her life.”
“No, I want you to trade your favor for something more valuable than one woman’s freedom. Such a boon isn’t given lightly. Push, boy, aim high. Ask for money, cars anything with a price tag. Just a moment ago, you were trying to con me out of territory, now you’re reduced to buying a bit of pussy.”
“I’m not… it isn’t like that.”
“Isn’t it?” he said with a closed mouthed smile. “I can smell the lust coming off of you when you look at her. But Chastity… I don’t smell the same response from her. Don’t waste this opportunity.”
“Some things aren’t about price tags. And you’re fighting very hard to keep her. That makes me think she might be worth enough to you not to kill her.”
“See how smart you are?” Thraxus said with a smooth gesture of his right hand. “But, you ask yourself, what if he’s bluffing?” The left hand came up, palm up. “Then you have to ask yourself, what if he isn’t? No, that isn’t the real question, is it? No, for you, Lucas Kale, the question is whether you are willing to gamble with a girl’s life against the slim chance I won’t kill her just to prove a point.” He moved his hands up and down like he was weighing something and waggled his non-existent eyebrows at me.
“You want me to push, fine, I’ll push,” I said. “My favor for her freedom and her life. She leaves with me, and you don’t try to kill her or take her back. You don’t hire anyone to kill her or take her back, you don’t even suggest that someone else do it for you.”
“If you insist on wasting your favor, then you shall have my word that for one year, I will take no action against her for leaving.” He sighed and shook his head, adding an eyeroll for added difficulty.
“Ten years,” I countered. “Firm.”
For a moment, Thraxus went very still, and I saw his jaw clench. “Very well,” he said with a thin smile a moment later. “Now you’re free to go through the whole sordid process. Lust, disappointment, shame, recriminations, regret. Frankly, you’re welcome to it
.”
“I can live with that.” I turned and walked toward the door. His voice caught me up before I could open it.
“I almost believe you,” he said. “But doesn’t it worry you that I might be bluffing?”
I stopped with my hand on the handle, then turned to face him. “If you’re bluffing,” I said slowly, “I’m not the one who should worry.”
The door closed behind me, and I was facing the rest of Thraxus’s court. I brought my chin up and started walking, certain of one thing. I might never be powerful enough to be considered a full-fledged wizard, or for that matter even an apprentice. But I’d not only handled a group of rogue vampire groupies, I’d faced the most powerful vampire in the city and walked away. So, yeah, I wasn’t much of a wizard, but when it comes down to it, I am mage enough.
Freedom
Freedom is watching the sun set in Dubai while your parents sleep half a world away. Of course, it was almost three-thirty in the morning back in Missouri, so I had an hour or so to kill before I had to be back home. The down side to freedom was the man who stank of lust, vodka and Turkish cigarettes coming up behind me on the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. Sometimes, the enhanced senses that come with being a werewolf are a mixed blessing. To be fair, I might have brought the attention on myself. On purpose. I had put on that little black skirt that hugged my hips just a little tighter than it had to, and I was bent a little at the waist to lean against the railing. That could have given him a nice view of my butt. And one thing I knew about men with money was that they all thought young girls just couldn’t resist them. Especially blondes.
My reflection in the glass showed me ruler straight blonde bangs and a stylish swept back ‘do that made me look like a West Coast girl. I took my focus off my reflection and returned it to the spectacular view as the man approached and tried to keep my cool. Still, my shoulders twitched and my belly seemed to drop to my feet as I waited for him to walk up on me from behind. Massive, tattooed hands fell on the railing I was leaning against, and I took a quick breath, then let it out with a nervous giggle that was only half an act. My gaze went back to his hands, to the diamonds and gold that weighed down each finger. A thick, gold watch band holding a Rolex around his wrist. Jeweled cufflinks and tie tack. The man was, for all intents and purposes, dripping money and oozing menace. His tattoos marked him as bratva, Russian mafia. I hadn’t come to Dubai looking to score an easy mark, but I wasn’t going to pass one up if it threw itself at my feet.
“I startled you,” the man said, his l’s and r’s coming from the back of his throat in a Slavic accent. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I said as I flashed him a shy smile. “I was just off in my own little world.”
“I understand. The view, it is…breathtaking, no?”
“It’s like nowhere else on Earth,” I said.
“On a clear day like today, and when the tides are out, like they are now, you can see the shores of Iran from here. There, it’s the line at the edge of the water.” He pointed at a brighter section on the horizon and I smiled.
“Why do the tides have anything to do with it?” I asked.
“At the tide, the ocean level literally rises up, and blocks the shore. But I have to say, the view outside is not nearly as lovely as the view indoors.” He favored me with a smile that displayed several thousand dollars’ worth of gold-plated dentistry, and I turned around to look at the interior of the observation lounge, like I didn’t get the clumsy compliment.
“Oh? I didn’t see any artwork or anything,” I said. What I did see was the pair of large, muscular men flanking the elevator.
“And you are modest as well,” he laughed.
“Oh,” I said, not having to fake a blush. “You meant…thank you.”
“So, what brings a young girl like you to the Burj Khalifa? Are you an actress or a model?”
“I want to be,” I lied. “I’m on my way home from a trip to India. My flight leaves in a couple of hours.”
“Then let me buy you dinner, and you can go home to say that you dined at the highest restaurant in the world.”
“I don’t even know your name.”
“Of course! I am so sorry. I am Dmitry Kerinchov.” He offered me one meaty hand and I put my right hand out.
“Lisa Jamison,” I said. He took my hand and bowed his head over it, not quite kissing the back of my fingers.
“It is nice to have a name to give such a beautiful face. Now that we are acquainted, perhaps I could buy you dinner. I have a reserved private dining room in the restaurant downstairs, with the best view of Dubai you will ever see.”
Creeper! I thought as I giggled. “Are you sure I can make it to the airport on time?”
“I will drive you there myself,” he said, and I could hear the slight tremor in his heartbeat that told me he was lying. At least the dishonesty was mutual. I let him lead me to the elevator.
The moment we got on, several things happened at once. First, Dmitri grabbed me and pushed me to the back of the elevator. His lips pressed against my neck, and I squirmed. There was only one man on the planet I let at my neck. When his hand came up to grope me, I pushed him away. His right hand came around and slapped against my left cheek hard enough to stun a normal girl.
“Glupaya malen'kaya suka!” he hissed as I rolled with the blow. One of the bodyguards pulled a small spray bottle from his coat and spritzed the little black bulb of the security camera and the other drew a stun gun from his belt. Well, wasn’t this going to be fun? I brought my knee up into Dmitry’s crotch as he came back at me, and he doubled over pretty much like any man would. That brought Thing One and Thing Two forward to help. Thing One on my left reached for my arms while Thing Two on my right triggered the Taser and thrust it forward. I grabbed the Taser and shoved it into Thing One’s arm. As he went rigid, I punched Thing Two, then punched Thing One for good measure. Both of them slumped down along the wall, and I leaned down to grab Dmitry by the collar.
“You like slapping girls around?” I said, my heart racing. “You like raping girls? Well, this bitch slaps back!” I hit him with an open hand, and his head whipped to the side, then lolled back as he went limp in my grip. I checked his pulse to be sure, but I hadn’t heard any bones break, so I was pretty sure he’d be okay. But he’d never forget being slapped unconscious by me. As I was checking him over, I felt a couple of thick chains under his shirt. After I hit the button for a couple of floor below us, I hit the stop button then pulled the wig off and stuffed it into my bag. Next, I pulled a longer black skirt out of my bag and slipped it on over the shorter one, then slipped a baggy green t-shirt with a unicorn on the front over my blouse. With my look complete, I squatted back down and took Dmitry’s rings, necklaces and watch, then ran my hands inside his jacket to snag his wallet and cell phone. All I wanted was the cash, so I left the wallet on the ground next to him. Once I finished rolling Dmitry, I looked at Thing One and Two, considering whether to roll them or not. They were assholes, sure, but they were doing a job. I settled for grabbing their cell phones and the sleek little pistols from their holsters and tossing them in my bag before I released the stop button.
A completely different looking woman stepped off the elevator than the one who had gotten on it. I took stock of the floor I was on. Business names in Arabic and English greeted me, and the plaque on the wall said I was on the one hundred twenty eighth floor. I remembered having to change elevators at one-twenty-five, so I headed for the stairs and went down the three floors to the sky lobby, dumping the phones and pistols in the trash along the way.
Half an hour later, Dmitry’s cash was paying for a cab, and I walked to the door of an unmarked beige building. Inside the air conditioned front office, a woman in a blue hajib looked up at me as I closed the door.
“Ego sum Illuminatos,” I said. I am one of the Enlightened.
“Et tu iter tenebricosum.,” she replied as she hit the button to open the door behi
nd her. You travel a dark road. I smiled and went through the door. A dry rasp sounded as I passed the desk, and I looked to see her serpentine lower body slithering in a circle as she adjusted her posture. A pair of sword handles stuck out from beneath the desk as well, a naga’s preferred weapon for dealing with uninvited guests. Beyond it was the tunnel down to the Dubai Transit Station, nestled in the Cave of Scheherazade. Like the Underground in New Essex, Scheherazade was a nexus for trade as much as travel, only it was far more colorful and far less human. Most of the brightly colored awnings I saw were manned by Dwarves or minor djinn. A few humans stood out by their rarity, and one slender Elf, manning a booth full of crystals. But the center of the Cave was the transit platform.
In New Essex, the transit rings were run by Dwarves. Here, a single blue skinned jinni ran the gate. Hairless, with a pair of stubby horns and black Van Dyke beard, its heavily muscled arms looked more than capable of ripping body parts off of me.
“One to transit to New Essex Underground,” I said as I dug some trade silver out.
“Busy place, New Essex,” the jinni said. “I only have two slots per day. Next one’s in about eight hours.”
“Damn it! I need to get there in an hour. Is there anything I can do to make it there? Maybe transfer to a different place or something?”
Its blank yellow eyes narrowed, and it bared pointed teeth in a predatory smile. “You could charter a private transit,” he said. His head inclined toward a smaller alcove near the cave wall.
