Blood Sport (The American Arcane Book 2)

by Justen Hunter

  “Are you alone?” He asked.

  “No.” He probably couldn't tell that Serena was in the car with me, but I wasn't going to lie to Jackson. He could hear it in my voice. “I have a vampire with me, one I trust. And no, it's not Teresa.”

  A soft chuckle escaped Jackson. “Wise answer, Mister Carpenter. May I have this vampire's name?”

  I nodded to Serena. “Go ahead.”

  “My name's Serena Laurent.” She introduced herself. “I was at Dumont's with Eric.”

  “I would ask what you were doing with a new face at Dumont's estate, Eric, but I get the feeling that's a dangerous question.”

  “Thank you.” I chuckled to myself a little. Let Jackson think whatever he wanted. “I need to know where I can find Finnegan, and you still owe me for that Bliss crap back before I was knight.”

  Jackson sighed. “You're calling that chip now? Fine.” He sighed, and he shook his head. “He's got a table at Callahan's Speakeasy.”

  I snorted. “I know the place. I tried applying for a job there, once.” There was a moment's silence in the car. “What? I was a bartender before.”

  Serena screwed up her face in confusion. “Huh.”

  “Well, if you'll excuse me, Callie is up way past her bedtime....”

  “You said you were gonna read The Hobbit to me!” Callie protested in the background.

  A little sigh escaped Jackson. “Parenting. Good night, Eric, Serena. I'm off to do my best Thorin.”

  After he hung up, I shrugged. “Off to Callahan's. You can get into a bar, right?”

  “Twenty-three forever.” Serena shrugged.

  “Great. Now, before we get there, let me fill you in on Finnegan...”

  Callahan's Speakeasy was situated on a corner of a street, and it definitely had a seasoned look to it. It had been there, as best as I could tell, since Prohibition. It had been a restaurant at that time, with the speakeasy accessed in the back. Now it was partly a museum of the period, as well as still being a restaurant and bar.

  As Serena and I entered, we were instantly greeted with the sounds of boisterous music. Irish folk music blared as we walked to the front desk of the restaurant.

  The maitre d' looked us over. He was a thin man with jet hair and green eyes. He was dressed in a dress shirt and vest that fit him nicely. He didn't feel like a were, but I got the sense he wasn't human. Something about his energy.

  I smiled. “Hello there. I'm Eric Carpenter, and this is Serena Laurent. I'm here for Connor Finnegan.”

  He paused for a long moment, then said. “Eric Carpenter, Knight of the Bay?”

  “They don't give me a badge to flash.” I said. “But any Arcane here will verify it.”

  He paused for a moment. “One moment.” He gestured towards something in the back, and another waiter came up. “If you'll follow Alessandro, please.”

  We followed a waited past the bar towards the back of the restaurant, where I spotted Finnegan quickly. He was a thin man, with a bony face and sharp features. His blond hair had gotten a haircut, but I was noticing that there was more gray than usual in his hair. He was clean shaven, and he wore a dark suit with a red tie. His blue eyes looked over me, recognizing me immediately. His eyes then darted to my side and took in Serena.

  Finnegan was sitting alone at the table. His plate was nearly empty, and he was picking a few vegetables off it to eat.

  I approached the table, and figured that I wasn't exactly in a great mood to deal with Finnegan tonight. I pulled out the chair and sat right across from him. “Finnegan. No Guinness?” I gestured to the amber drink he had next to the plate.

  “You know what the greatest invention of the twentieth century was?” He lifted his glass. “The micro brew.” He took a sip of it. “Beer became tolerable again. Werewolves enjoyed it, especially. We own a good third of the local companies.” He took a long drink from the glass, then turned his attention back to Serena. “You've changed partners, Carpenter. Blonde out of season?”

  I mentally counted to three. Serena spoke when I got to two. “Serena. New in town, but I'm backing Eric up tonight.”

  Finnegan leaned forward slightly. His sharp face scrunched as he sniffed. “You smell like you're fresh from the grave, vampire.”

  Serena hissed. “We're not here for a meet and greet.”

  “Indeed.” Finnegan looked back to me with a bored expression. “So, before we get down to business, a drink, perhaps?”

  I shrugged. “I'll pass. Not really in a festive mood, considering I just got back from werewolves trying to ransack Arnaud Dumont's house.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Finnegan tilted his head to one side, curious.

  “We were visiting Dumont for some information. Dumont got attacked by shifters. They were mercenaries, attacking a free lord, but they still had to run through the Bay first.”

  Finnegan considered a moment. He took another sip from his glass. “What concern is it to you what shapeshifters do?”

  I told myself to count to three mentally. “My concern, Finnegan, is that as the elected Knight, I've got to answer to two other lords, as well as any Arcanes in this town.” I resisted the urge to just punch him. That wasn't going to solve anything. “You have to understand how it looks. We can't have mercenaries running around town.”

  Finnegan looked me in the eye. “Who said I knew anything about these mercenaries?”

  Suddenly I realized that it might have been possible Finnegan didn't know anything. But how insane would that have been? It seemed unthinkable. Ishmael and Catherine ran such tight ships that I was sure either of them could have told me how any of their people took their coffee. It seemed inconceivable that Finnegan might not have known about it.

  “What you're saying's dangerous.” I whispered.

  “Indeed,” He looked up to Serena, then back to me. “Either I knew nothing about the mercenaries, which indicates negligence on my part, or I knew and allowed it, which means I've been aiding and abetting mercenaries as they went to make a hit on an independent power in this area.”

  “Or,” Serena said, softly. “You knew and disallowed it, but they did it anyway.”

  He looked over to Serena, smiling. “Now, that would be truly surprising. Imagine if a group of shape shifters would not respect the rules and word of an Alpha.”

  I swallowed. “You would be instantly seen as weak, a target for other Arcanes in the community.”

  “And within my own power structure. Now, I disavow any intelligence of these mercenaries. I knew nothing of it.” Finnegan grabbed a napkin and cleaned off his mouth. “I don't have anything else I can offer you, Mister Carpenter. Is there anything else?”

  I shook my head. “No, sir, I hope you have a lovely evening.” I pushed my seat out and stood.

  “I wish you the best in your investigation, Carpenter.” He smiled a little. “I heard about what happened to those two vampires.”

  I shook my head. “Your concern is appreciated.” I gestured for Serena to follow, and we left the Speakeasy.

  By the time we got outside, Serena shook her head. “He's a real load of work.”

  “Tell me about it.” I groaned. “But crap. If he didn't know, that means Finnegan's losing his touch.

  “And if he's losing his touch?”

  “It means that the shape shifters are going to go through a major upheaval soon.” I sighed. “No one's going to like that. Jackson would want to be the next leader of the shape shifters, but that would mean blood shed.”

  “I don't suppose werewolves and werebears handle power struggles through games of checkers.” Serena deadpanned as we walked back to the Jeep.

  “No, from everything I'm heard, a dominance fight like that's exactly the last thing the Bay needs.”

  Chapter 12

  When we drove back to Matt's place, I was only mildly surprised to see Teresa's work Tesla parked on the street. I wondered for a moment how long she had been there, and then realized it meant that Teresa and Matt had been ta
lking, most likely. I diverted my attention from the potential disaster to focus on the matter at hand.

  We parked the Jeep and got out, and I whispered. “I'll take the lead on this one.”

  “Chances that she knows that we saw Finnegan?” Serena asked.

  “One hundred percent. Let's go.”

  Serena gave a grave nod, and we walked to the door. When I opened it, I was greeted with the sound of Teresa's laughter. “You're serious?”

  “Absolutely. He had a poetry final the next day, and I-”

  I rushed into the house and into the living room. “Don't you dare finish that story, Matthias Bartholomew Taylor.” I hissed.

  Matt was sitting on the couch, and he started laughing like crazy. “Oh my God, I told you he'd do that!” He snickered.

  Teresa was sitting in one of the chairs, stifling a chuckle. “I could hear the car park.” Her smile turned on Serena. “I hear you two had quite the adventure with Dumont.”

  I sighed. “If you would call surviving a werewolf attack an adventure, sure.”

  “You're quite right. That sounds more like Friday night.” She mused, then took a sip from her drink, making a satisfied sound. “Matt, you have excellent taste in liquor.”

  “She knows her whiskey.” Matt smiled. “Makes me wonder what she sees in you.”

  “Hey, I like my hard stuff. I just happen to have worked in a college bar and I have my appreciation of fruity stuff.”

  Serena looked me over. “A bartender?”

  I offered a shrug. “Everyone's got those jobs. Listen, I dealt with Dumont, a bunch of werewolves, and talked with Finnegan. I need something before I'm ready to talk about it.”

  “My booze is your booze, yadda yadda.” Matt said. “Go nuts.”

  “Serena,” I asked as I walked towards the kitchen. “Drink order?”

  “Got the stuff for a Moscow mule?” She asked.

  “Have you seen Matt's fridge?” I retorted.

  A few minutes later, we were situated back in the living room. I had my absinthe and root beer, and Serena had her concoction, complete with copper mug. I was spoiled so bad by Matt's set up.

  “Where's Amy?” I asked as I settled into my usual chair.

  “Home already.” Matt said. “She left about half an hour ago.”

  I nodded. “I'll fill her in on the details tomorrow.” I would have preferred her to be here, but that would just have to wait.

  “So, who were the shapeshifters who you encountered tonight?” Teresa asked.

  “I don't know.” I said. “Dumont wasn't very open with it. They weren't local, though. I don't think I've ever even seen that many local wolves together at once. They were out of town talent, I'm sure of it.”

  “Hence the meeting with Finnegan.” Teresa took another sip from her glass. “The second time in six months that out of town shifter mercs have come in. What did he have to say on the matter?”

  “He,” I hesitated. If Teresa knew that Finnegan was out of the loop with vampires, it meant that Ishmael would know as soon as we were done talking here. In the Arcane world, information like that was deadly. “He didn't know that they were operating here. He didn't even get their permission.”

  Teresa blankly stared at me for a long moment. “I can't believe it.”

  “That's...really bad, isn't it?” Matt asked.

  “Terribly, from the way Eric freaked.” Serena noted. “You, I mean, well, Arcanes seem pretty...” She trailed off, searching for a word.

  “Cutthroat, Machiavellian, power hungry, chess masters?” Matt suggested, ticking each off. “Powerful people with very long life spans.”

  Teresa shot him a look. “Thank you for your analysis, Mister Taylor.”

  “My pleasure, Miss Crespo.” He shot back. “I don't even charge.”

  I snorted, and shook my head. “Back to the matter at hand. Teresa, are you going to tell the local shifters about this?”

  She considered it, seriously, for a moment. “I'm not sure. That is entirely up to Ishmael. He will need time to think on it. I may wait until after the Otero investigation is resolved to tell him.”

  “What?” That surprised me. “That seems like it would be information that be, you know, Ishmael priority one.”

  Teresa glanced towards me, and we shared a look. Suddenly, I realized it. Ishmael's irrational behavior. His near-assault of me tonight. It made sense. Teresa didn't want Ishmael drawing the wrong conclusions. Who knew what the master vampire could think of if he believed that Finnegan had lost control of the community?

  “Right,” I said, quietly. I was sure Teresa had heard me. I wasn't sure if Serena could pick up on it, but Matt just looked between us.

  “I should be going.” She looked at the empty glass. “Blasted vampire metabolism. Can't get a good buzz without blood mixed in.” She set it down, then stood. “Walk me to my car, Eric?”

  “Why, of course.” I stood up and set my glass on a table. She gathered her purse and coat and we walked together outside into the cold San Francisco night.

  When we got to the car, she said. “It seems rather silly, but when I heard about what happened at Dumont's, I worried about you.” She quickly added. “Not that I think you're incompetent, but Serena was new, and with all the battle around her...she held onto herself well?”

  “She did very well.” I said, keeping my voice soft. We turned to each other. She looked up to me with those large, dark eyes. She had the most beautiful eyes I could ever remember seeing, a deep brown that could hold my soul if she wanted.

  She leaned into me slightly, and I leaned my head down to kiss her forehead. I raised a hand to run through her hair. “That's very unfair.” She whispered.

  “What's that?” I couldn't keep the amusement out of my tone.

  She laughed, and she pressed her lips to the column of my throat. “You're too tall.”

  “I'm sorry, that's a problem?” I asked.

  She scraped her teeth across my throat, which sent a shudder through my body. I had seen what a vampire's fangs could do, experienced it myself. It had been one of the most painful moments of my life. I knew Teresa would never hurt me on purpose. I also was sure that if I ever let her really use those fangs on me, I was likely to have a hell of a time.

  She made a soft humming noise against my skin before kissing my neck, right on my pulse. “Witches should not be tall blond men. It's much too unfair. Even worse, you smell divine.”

  I desperately wanted to ask her to stay the night. I knew that if we did that, though, someone would be tasting someone's blood tonight. I wasn't sure I was fine with that, though.

  “You are hardly innocent yourself, Teresa.” I slid my hand up to her jaw, and lifted her face up. “A witch could get into a lot of trouble with you.”

  Our eyes locked, and I decided that I wasn't quite ready to offer my blood tonight. I was sure she saw that too. She wasn't disappointed, wasn't mad.

  That was when I realized I cared for Teresa a hell of a lot more than I had been telling myself. She was incredibly important to me, and she understood why I couldn't go full steam head just yet.

  I looked away from her for just a moment, turning back to the house. I didn't need magic to know that we had voyeurs. “We've got an audience.” I whispered.

  Teresa turned her head, and she laughed. “Well, I suppose throwing you down on the streets and making you my love slave will have to wait for a night when we don't have an impressionable newly dead vampire and whatever I would call Matt watching us.”

  I leaned my head down, and I kissed her slowly, our lips pressing to each other. She pressed her body up into mine, and I embraced her. She molded to me, and I slid a hand up to the back of her head.

  We kissed until I had to pull back for breath, panting. “It's unfair that you don't have to breathe.”

  She laughed, and she stood on tiptoes to give me a love bite on the ear. “I'll let you think about the applications of that when you sleep tonight, my enchanter.” She tea
sed. When she pulled back, I was pretty sure her smile could have been measured in yards.

  I'm pretty sure that my smile when I came in was just as ridiculous.

  The next morning, I was in the kitchen fixing my breakfast. Serena had a bottle filled with a dark red liquid that I knew all too well. “So, Matt was able to pick up those Plas bottles?”

  “They are vile, you know that?” She said as she sipped on the bottle.

  “No, I wouldn't. I hope I don't ever have to drink one of those things.” I smiled. “I have, however, been told that they make a good mixer with orange juice.”

  She looked over at the fridge. “Huh. I'll give it a shot.” She stood up from the table and went to find a jug of juice.

  Matt entered the kitchen, carrying a bowl of cereal. “How are my two favorite Arcanes?”

  I snorted. “Already passed Amy, has she?”

  Matt grinned. “What can I say? I like her hair.” He remarked, and took a seat at the table.

  “Aw, thanks,” Serena gave her most angelic smile, working not to flash fangs.

  The breakfast conversation was cut short by my phone, ringing out Steve Miller. I smiled towards the rest of the table. “I've got to take this.” I said, and headed into the living room, and answered the call. “Hello, Nick. What can I do for you?”

  “Good morning, Eric. How's Serena?” I shuddered. The man had a way of making me shiver, and not in a good way.

  I bit back a sarcastic response. “She is fine, but I imagine that a newborn vamp isn't why you're calling me.”

  “No, I need a favor.” He said. “Think of it as some advance payment for the information I provide.”

  I paused a moment. “All right, fine. What do you need?”

  I could almost see his big grin. “Go to Hannibal Meats. They're a local butcher's shop, and they have something that I require for the job I'm having you participate in.”

  “This isn't going to be like a goat's kidney or something like that, is it?”

  He laughed. “No, no, it's nothing organic. Just pick it up and stow it away until my contact comes.”