Meta Marshal Service 2

by B N Miles

  Jessalene frowned but didn’t say anything.

  Jared decided to step back into the room at that moment. He nodded at Jessa, who stood and gave him a kiss before padding back up to bed. He looked down at Lumi as she tilted her head.

  “Should I kiss you, too?” she asked, a little smile on her lips.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Only if you want to.”

  She laughed. It surprised him, but he suspected Lumi would be doing a lot to surprise him in the coming days.

  “I’m afraid you couldn’t handle it if I did,” she said, standing, but paused. “Although I do appreciate what you’re doing for me. I know it’s going to put you in some… danger.”

  “Guess I can’t help myself,” he said. “I have a thing for beautiful, dangerous stray women.”

  She smiled again. “Well. Lead the way then.”

  He nodded and took her upstairs. He showed her the guest room, the bathroom, gave her some towels, and said goodnight. She sat on the bed, took her hair out, and looked at him as he closed the door.

  She was smiling, like she was finally content.

  He shook his head and went back up to bed.

  25

  Jared could barely get back to sleep that night. Cassie rolled over in bed and blinked up at him as he pulled the sheet over his tense body. She mumbled something, then put her arms around him and went back to snoring.

  He stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours.

  Jessalene stayed in her own room. He didn’t know what that meant, but if she needed some space, she could have it. He understood why she might have been angry, but he hoped that she could start to see past it.

  Lumi wasn’t the Medlar family. He had to keep telling himself that. He knew what it was like to be in a Magi family better than anyone else, and he knew how little the individual members tended to know. The family Heads had all the power and all the information, while individual members were left with vague orders and rumors to try and understand what the family was trying to accomplish.

  Jared knew Lumi would be no different. She said as much herself. The Medlar used her like a Fist and nothing more. She was a weapon to them, and Jared could understand why. Being around her intense Mark made him almost uncomfortable, like a Meta aura grazing against his skin. She had the raw power and the finesse to back it up, and that was a very rare thing for a Magi.

  As the night wore on, Jared kept picturing Lumi down in that extra bedroom. He felt a strange pull toward her that he couldn’t quite explain. It was a similar feeling he had around Cassie in those early days, but Lumi was different. She represented Jared’s past, the Magi life he’d left behind, and yet… here she was, running away from her own family, just like he had.

  As the sky outside began to lighten, Jared got out of bed. It was just after five, another half hour until the sun really began to rise. He pulled on a shirt and sweats then headed downstairs to make coffee. He paused outside of Lumi’s room and listened for a moment, but he heard nothing, and assumed she was asleep.

  Coffee began to brew as he stood staring out the back window.

  He remembered what it was like in those early days, after leaving the Magi. He didn’t know the world, didn’t know how to live in it as a civilian. When he was a Magi, he had power and influence. He had a family to back him up, which meant he could do almost anything he wanted.

  When he left, he had almost nothing. He had money, but no knowledge of how to live on his own. Those early days and weeks had been hard, a constant struggle with himself.

  If he could support Lumi through this, he knew that he would. Even if Jessalene couldn’t get past her hatred, Jared couldn’t let Lumi go through this transition on her own. Not if he could help it.

  As he poured his coffee and took a sip, a soft knock at his back door made his body go tense. He was reaching for the priori without even realizing it, and had to struggle to push it away. He slowly placed his mug down on the counter and walked to the door.

  Nikita, the Vampire Underlord, was standing on his back stoop.

  He pulled open the door, shocked into silence. She smiled at him, her pretty face tilted sideways. She wore a low-cut black top and tight black jeans that hugged her beautiful hips. There were several gold rings on her fingers, and Jared thought they looked a lot like wedding bands. Some of them seemed pretty old. “Invite me in,” she said.

  “You don’t need an invite.” He stepped aside. “It’s your city.”

  She smiled at that and stepped into his kitchen. The rumors about Vampires needing to be invited inside weren’t true at all. They could come inside whenever they wanted, and frequently did, at least before the Accords.

  “Nice place,” she said as Jared shut the back door.

  “Perk of being a former Magi.”

  She smiled at that and walked to the coffee maker. “May I?”

  “Of course. I’d offer you breakfast, but—”

  “Oh, don’t tempt me.” She grinned wickedly at him. “I just might drain you dry. Do you have any idea how delicious Magi are?”

  “No,” he said, suddenly very uncomfortable. He had the most powerful Vampire in the city standing in his kitchen and pouring coffee into an old mug that said World’s Best Magician on it.

  She sipped the coffee. “Probably shouldn’t drink this. It’s almost bedtime for me.”

  He nodded and his eyes flipped to the window. In twenty minutes, she’d be without her power.

  “Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m only stopping over.”

  “I’d make sure you got home safe if you went past sunrise.”

  She smiled. “What a gentleman.”

  “More that I’d love if the Underlord of this city owed me a favor.”

  She laughed and sipped her coffee. “That’s a good point. I’m a very good friend to have.” She leaned up against the counter. “And you seem like a good friend to have, too.”

  “I’m guessing you heard from my family,” he said.

  “I have. They’re going to leave my poor little thralls alone, thank the Gods. I really didn’t feel like going to war with a Magi family, not even some minor, backwater family like the Bechtels.”

  Jared only smiled. “I’m sure it wouldn’t have been profitable for either of you.”

  “Not even a little.” She beamed. “But you solved that problem for me.”

  “It was nothing,” he said.

  “Oh, I doubt that. I did a little research on you, you know.”

  “Did you?” Jared kept a smile plastered on his face, but he was sweating.

  “You had a reputation. A powerful reputation. Your work during your time as a Fist was exceptional, or at least that’s what the rumors say.”

  “That was a long time ago,” he said.

  “And yet. You were out slaughtering the foes of the Magi with reckless abandon. I would’ve loved to see that. You must have been magnificent.”

  Jared looked down at the floor, uncomfortable. He pushed back the memories that threatened to swell up against him. “It wasn’t magnificent,” he said, voice soft. “But the word ‘slaughter’ is appropriate.”

  He raised his gaze and she was giving him an appraising, flat stare. She shook her head. “Most Magi would brag about how strong they are to me right now, you know.”

  “I’m not a Magi anymore,” he said. “At least, not part of a family anymore.”

  “No. You have your own family here, don’t you?”

  “Something like that.”

  She nodded slowly. “Well, Jared Bechtel. I owe you some information.”

  “If you know where Arman is, I’d appreciate it.”

  “I’ll tell you, tracking him wasn’t easy. He never played nice with me. Refused to bend the knee, refused to play ball, at least at first. He had to pay double the blood price on the black market just to feed himself.” She shook her head. “But he didn’t seem to mind it. Always thought he was a strange one. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised a Magi is hunting him.”<
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  “He resisted you that hard?” The idea shocked Jared. Any Underlord would make sure that all the Vampires in her territory owed her fealty, or she would kill those that refused.

  “He did,” she said. “But he didn’t make it easy. We came to a truce, of sorts. I left him alone and provided no benefits, and he didn’t bother any of my people. That worked for a while.”

  “But now?”

  “But now I owe him nothing. So you can find Arman hiding out in a Day’s Inn north of the city, in a suburb called Warrington. I’ll have my assistant send you the exact address.”

  Jared felt a flood of relief. If Arman had gotten away or had gone too far, he likely would have had to pass the job off to someone more local. But he was still near the city, which meant the hunt could continue.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  “Any time.” She put her coffee down. “Maybe we can get together again, Jared Bechtel. If that offer of breakfast still stands.” She smiled, showing her fangs. Jared felt a strange thrill at the idea of Nikki feeding off him.

  “Maybe someday,” he said. “But I suspect the girls wouldn’t love it.”

  She laughed. “They’re cute. Bring them, too. I’d love to taste a Dryad and a… what’s the other one?”

  “Were,” he said.

  “Delightful.” She moved toward the door, but a sound from the other room made them both pause. He caught a glimpse of Nikki tense for just a second, then she moved faster than he could follow. She appeared like a blur then materialized at the kitchen door, looking out into the living room.

  Jared joined her. Both of them looked at Lumi Medlar, who stared back with barely concealed shock. She wore tight ripped jeans and an old Metallica t-shirt that barely covered her beautiful little body.

  “Interesting,” Nikita said, looking back at Jared. “You didn’t tell me this one was here.”

  “She arrived last night.”

  “Jared?” Lumi asked. “What’s going on?”

  Jared slipped past Nikita and stood between them. “It’s okay,” he said to Lumi. “Nikita stopped by to give me some information about a target.”

  “Lumi Medlar,” Nikita mused. “I didn’t expect you to be here. Joining in on Jared’s fun?”

  Lumi blushed a little. Just a hint of pink in her cheeks, but her jaw set, and her arms crossed over her breasts. “No,” she said, her voice flat.

  “Shame. I would, if I were you.” Nikita grinned. “Still might. Ask those girls of yours, Jared. Tell them I have a few hundred years of experience that might make it worth their while.” She turned and headed back into his kitchen.

  “We’ll talk,” he said softly to Lumi then walked Nikita to the door.

  She slipped outside. The sun was a heavy glow behind the buildings and Jared wondered what Nikita would be like without her power. Just a normal, immortal eighteen-year-old girl, he figured. Beautiful, but still very deadly.

  “Be careful with that one,” she whispered to him and put her hand on his cheek. He blinked but didn’t pull away. “You know how strong she is, right? Gods, I can practically feel her pulsing with the stuff.”

  “With what?”

  “Priori.” She made a face. “It’s like an electric fuzz all over her. That one’s done things, Jared. I don’t know what she’s doing here, but be careful.”

  “I will,” he said and reached up to touch her hand on his face. He didn’t remove it, just put his hand over her cold, soft skin and held it. “Thank you.”

  She smiled, a little surprise in her eyes. He guessed most people didn’t try to touch the Vampire Underlord. She pulled her hand away gently and turned. She blurred again, her form moving up and over his back fence, disappearing into the city.

  He lingered there for a moment before shutting his back door. He turned to face Lumi, who was standing a few feet behind him, over near the coffee maker.

  “Go ahead,” he said. “Help yourself.”

  “What was the Vampire Underlord doing in your kitchen?” Lumi asked, not moving.

  He let out a breath. “I did her a favor in exchange for the location of Arman. Lumi, what do you know about him?”

  She shook her head. “Vampire, right? I don’t know anything else.”

  Jared frowned at her for a moment. “Why are you dressed?”

  “I’m—” She stopped herself and looked away. “I was going to leave.”

  “Lumi,” he said and stepped closer. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “You saw the way Jessalene looked at me.” She continued to stare at the coffee machine. “She despises me.”

  “She despises your family, and right now you represent that for her.”

  “I’m not the Medlar.”

  “I know that. She’ll come around, just give her time.”

  “I’m afraid I don’t have time.” She looked back at Jared. “I’m not sure how well my family is going to take my disappearance.”

  “They don’t know?” He felt himself tense.

  “I didn’t tell them,” she admitted. “I just… left. I’m not sure if they’ll figure it out anytime soon.”

  “Shit,” he said.

  “I know. I shouldn’t have come here. I’m putting you all in danger, and—”

  “No, it’s not that.” He shook his head and moved closer to her. She backed against the counter and stared at him, her face expressionless, but her breasts moved with every deep breath. “It’s just, you need to have that conversation. You have to make it real if you want it to last.”

  Her expression cracked, just slightly, as she bit her lip. “I know you’re right.”

  “And you’re not leaving.”

  That surprised her. “Jared—”

  “You’re not leaving,” he said again. “Jessalene will come around. And I promise Cassie will be excited to see you. The world isn’t simple for a Magi without a family, and I’m not going to let you just wander out there to figure that out for yourself.”

  She stared at him with a strange expression for a long moment. “You just had the Vampire Underlord in your kitchen,” she said.

  He grinned. “I know. Cool, right?”

  “I’ll admit, I’m impressed.”

  “So that means you’ll stay here for a while, then.”

  “It means I’m impressed.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what I’ll do.”

  “I can help you. I can make your transition to a new life easier, at least.”

  “Despite the fact that my family might be angry?”

  He grinned. “I’m pretty sure they already want me dead. So what’s the harm?”

  She smiled back. “That’s a good point.”

  “Stay here. Let us help you get on your feet. In a few days, when you’ve figured out what you want to do, then you can leave if you still want to.”

  She hesitated and looked at the coffee for a long moment before turning back to him. “If I’m staying, I’m going to help.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “With what?”

  “Your investigation. Looking for Arman and Wen Bet. I’ll help you hunt them down.”

  He laughed. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “I don’t,” she agreed. “But if you’re going to let me stay, then I’m going to pay you back.”

  He took a deep breath. He had to admit to himself that it was tempting. Lumi was a powerful Magi, and she had some insider knowledge of the Medlar. She could be a huge asset.

  But he wouldn’t use her like that. He couldn’t, not if he could help it. She was vulnerable right now, and he wouldn’t use that against her.

  “No,” he said. “But I appreciate your offer. I really do.”

  She looked mildly surprised. “Then let me do something else,” she said, her voice low. She stared into his eyes and his heart began to beat faster.

  “You can work with me,” he said. “In magic, I mean.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Train you?”

  He winced. “I’m out of practice,”
he admitted. “I could use another Magi to work with. Just until I get my skills back, at least.”

  She nodded slowly. “I can do that. I’d be happy to help.”

  “Thank you.” He smiled at her. “It’ll be fun.”

  “For me, maybe.” She turned to the coffee machine, grabbed a mug from the cupboard, and poured.

  “For you, it’s going to suck.”

  He laughed. “Come on. It won’t be that bad.”

  She gave him a flat look. “I’m an uncompromising teacher, Jared Bechtel, and I suspect you’re a shitty student.”

  He grinned and leaned up against the wall with a shrug. “Maybe. I don’t love taking orders, I’ll admit that.”

  “Then we’re going to clash.” She put the carafe back in the machine and turned to him, sipping her coffee, then smiled. “It’ll be fun for me. It’ll suck for you.”

  “We’ll see,” he said.

  She laughed, sipped her coffee, and walked back into the living room, leaving Jared alone in the kitchen.

  26

  Cassie let out a scream of delight when she saw Lumi sitting at the kitchen table, flipping through a magazine. She ran over, threw her arms around the Magi, and kissed her cheek. “I knew you’d be back! And oh my god, you look so cute in normal clothes!”

  Lumi blushed and wriggled free. She was still in her ripped jeans and Metallica t-shirt. “Hello, Cassie Grim.”

  “Hi, Lumi.” She beamed and looked at Jared. “Are we keeping her?”

  He shook his head from the couch. “That’s on her,” he said. “And you.”

  “Oh, let’s keep her.” Cassie grabbed Lumi again, snuggling her. “Look at how cute she is.”

  Jared sighed. Cute wasn’t exactly the word he’d use. Physically speaking, Lumi was cute, yes, but she was cute in the same way a nuclear bomb could look adorable before it was dropped on a city.

  Jessalene came down not long later, glanced at Lumi, and went to make herself breakfast.

  “So what’s the plan?” Cassie asked from the table, kicking her feet up on Lumi’s lap. Lumi frowned at them, but sat there, stiff as a board.

  “Nikita stopped by this morning,” Jared said. “Before you woke up.”