16 Blood Noir ab-16

by Laurell K. Hamilton

  Military Cut gave a tiny shrug.

  Brown Hair said, Its Peterson and the governors man.

  The governors man, you mean, Chuck? I asked.

  Another exchange of looks between them, and then they both nodded as if theyd timed it.

  I exchanged a look with Jason. Did he think their referring to Chuck as the governors man was as strange as I thought it was?

  Jason shrugged. I think we have to let them in; we did call them for help.

  He was right, darn it. I nodded at the suits by the door. Let them in.

  The two suits exchanged another look. It was Military Cut who said, You do know we dont take orders from you.

  All right, guys, first, what are your names?

  They looked at each other again. Did they do that before they answered any question, or was it just because I was confusing them?

  Im Shadwell, Military Cut said.

  Im Rowe, Brown Hair said.

  Youre Shadwell and Rowe? I made it a question, because I knew if they hung around I would never be able to resist calling them Shad and Rowe, it would just be too fun.

  Jason proved he knew me well, because he touched my arm and said, Be nice.

  I grinned at him for a changebut controlled myself out loud. I could always be irritating later; I was good at it. Okay, guys, heres the deal: you say you dont take orders from me; well, we dont take them from you, either. Well need to figure out a way to cooperate or its going to be a very unpleasant few days.

  There was a sharper knock on the door, and I was pretty sure it was Chucks voice saying, Open the door.

  Rowe said, Can I open the door now? in a tone of voice that said he was unimpressed with anything Id said.

  Sure, I said. Because he could be unimpressed, as long as he did what I wanted him to do.

  29

  P ETERSON AND C HUCK were having a fight, sort of. They werent yelling or throwing punches, nothing so uncivilized, but they were pissed at each other. It was there in the way they spoke to each other, the set of their body language, the way their eyes worked when they had to look at each other. The point of contention seemed to be something to do with us, or maybe Lisa. Trish had helped her out of the bathroom; she looked pale, but better. Shed even brushed her hair and put it back in a neat ponytail.

  Ill take Lisa back to the party, Trish said.

  Everyone agreed that was a good idea.

  Lisa grabbed Jasons arm. You have to come to the partyshe looked at meboth of you. Please, most of my bridal party are girls from school. Theyll want to see you, Jason, and theyll want to meet your new girlfriend.

  I soooo did not want to go to Lisas bachelorette party. But I was pretty sure what Jason was going to say, and he did not disappoint me. Wed need to get dressed first.

  Of course, of course, Lisa said, and then she turned that fragile face to him, but youll come, right?

  He nodded, and I did not like the look he gave her. It was way too intimate a look from a man to another mans fiance. Id wanted to throw a monkey wrench into the wedding plans, but not like this, no, this was a bad idea.

  As if hed read my mind, Chuck said, This is a bad idea, Lisa.

  She looked at him, and the one look told me two things. One, she didnt particularly like Chuck; two, there was more force of will inside her than Id seen yet. It blazed to life in those blue eyes, gave some color to her face that wasnt embarrassment.

  I say who comes to my party, not you, not my future in-laws, me.

  He took a breath as if hed argue.

  Trish said, Lets not fight.

  Chuck frowned at her.

  Lisa said, Im not fighting; Chuck is an employee, you dont fight with employees. She said it cold and hard. Point for her, but the look on Chucks face made me want to touch my gun in its robe pocket. Chuck didnt like Lisa any better than she liked him. Interesting.

  Fine, Trish said, fine, but lets get you back to your party. The other girls are going to wonder what happened to us. Her tone of voice alone said that shed been doing a lot of managing in the last few days. I wondered if Lisa had a drinking problem. That would be bad.

  Lisa wouldnt let go of Jasons arm. She gave him all the eye contact she had in those blue eyes. You will come to my party, right? Promise me that you andAnita, right?promise me youll come. The other girls are going to flip.

  Whos all there? he asked.

  All the Jennifers, and she grinned. It wasnt quite his smile, but it was still close.

  He grinned back. All of them? he asked.

  All of them: Jen, Jenna, and J. J. She grabbed his arm with both hands. And Ashley, and Kris. Oh, theyll kill me if you dont at least come say hi.

  He nodded, as Id feared he would. Well get dressed and Im sure someone here will be happy to take us to your bachelorette party. That last was almost mean for Jason, because he knew damned well that none of the men wanted him at that party. Hell, I didnt want him at that party, though not for the same reasons. I just didnt want to go.

  She let go of his arm with one hand and grabbed my hand. Please, Anita, I know Ive been horrible. I guess its wedding nerves, but please let Jason come. Please, come with him. Give me a chance to prove to you that Im not some crazy woman, please.

  I looked down into her face. She had to be under five feet tall. I didnt get to look down at many people. But it wasnt the height that made it hard to say no. It was the look in her eyes. But I could have withstood that, too. It was the look in Jasons eyes. He wanted to go. He wanted to talk to his old friends. Well, Id already met his family, what were a few old girlfriends compared to that? I tried to believe that as I agreed that wed get dressed and join them at the party.

  30

  T HE FIRST THING we did after we got the crowd out was shower. The sex had been good enough that you needed a shower the way you do after a good workout. We tried to get Shadwell and Rowe to step out of the room while we cleaned up, but they wouldnt do it. So two strange, armed men whom Id just met got to sit out in the room while Jason and I took turns in the shower. Why turns? Because I didnt want two strange, armed men whom Id just met alone in our hotel room. Paranoid, who, me?

  What do you wear to a bachelorette party for the future daughter-in-law of one of the richest men in a given state, who is also a presidential hopeful? Id brought nice businessy clothes and comfortable clothes, and a lot of weapons. The choices were limited in everything except armament.

  They were Jasons friends, so I let him choose. I know, if the girl union ever hears that I asked my straight male friend to dress me for a party Ill get my union card yanked, but hey, left to my own devices Id have grabbed jeans, a T-shirt, my jogging shoes, and an extra gun. Maybe a couple of knives for added comfort.

  Jason didnt think the bachelorette party would get that out of hand, but I remembered the last bachelorette party Id gone to. It had been my friend Catherines, and it had gotten so out of hand that what started that night almost got me killed.

  Jason had said, There wont be vampire strippers at this party, Anita. I think you and I together can handle the normal humans.

  He had a point, butwe compromised. I switched the Browning from its more hidden location at the small of my back to its normal shoulder holster rig. I put a nice black suit jacket over a perfectly red T-shirt and nice blue jeans. My badge went in the jacket pocket. The Nikes gave way to a pair of short boots. I added knife sheaths in two wrist sheaths under the jacket.

  Jason had protested, but Id told him the truth. I wont be able to take off the jacket or Ill flash the gun, so I might as well have my knives.

  Youre not wearing the big-ass knife that sits at your spine, are you?

  No, I said, I left it at home, thank you. I didnt think your family was that dangerous.

  Wed tried again to get Shadwell and Rowe to step out of the room, but they had said they couldnt disobey a direct order, and if they left their posts, they would lose their jobs. Fine, they had watched the negotiations. It had strained their professional bodyguard blanknes
s to its limit, I think. At least Rowe had given me wide eyes a few times. Jason and I had to take turns changing clothes in the bathroom.

  I was finally dressed, and armed, and sitting in one of the rooms many purple chairs waiting for Jason to finish changing. Id gotten my cross out of the bedside table, and it was pretty visible against the shirt. What wasnt visible was the charm under my shirt. I wore it almost all the time, too. But the cross was a religious symbol and protection against bad vampires. The ancient charm was protection against only one vampirethe Mother of All Vampires, whod taken an unhealthy interest in me a few months ago. The charm was made of metal so ancient it bent if I pressed against a hard surface. It bore magical symbols so old that I had found no human able to read it. But there were vampires who could, because that was who had given it to me. Theyd given it to me to keep Marmee Noir from using my necromancy to wake herself up and become their queen again.

  Shad and Rowe tried to not look at me. It was sort of a very mild version of what the guards do outside Buckingham Palace. Duty first and foremost, nothing else exists. Once I would have left them alone, but first, I was a girl, and that meant I felt damn near compelled to talk to anyone in a silent room, and second, I just wanted to yank their chain. Maybe Id been hanging around with Jason too long.

  How long have you been out of the military, Shadwell?

  His body reacted, but not his face, a stiffening of the shoulders, the spine. Haircut? he said.

  That and you just dont taste like a civilian.

  He turned those pale eyes to me behind their wire frames. It was not a friendly look, or an unfriendly one, more neutral. Two years.

  Rowe looked at me.

  I fought not to smile. God, he was still so bright and shiny. I cant peg you, Rowe. You dont taste like military, or cop, but you taste like something that isnt civvie.

  He grinned at me, eyes sparkling with pleasure. Yeah, I kicked ass at undercover.

  So cop, or fed?

  Wouldnt you like to know? he said.

  Shad gave him a look, and a brief Dont.

  Rowe stopped smiling, but his eyes still gleamed with some inner happiness. So Shadwell was senior man.

  Dont what? I asked.

  We are supposed to guard you, not fraternize.

  Fraternize, I said, and laughed. Fraternize, havent heard that word in a while.

  Shadwell frowned at me. Its an accurate word.

  I nodded, and fought not to look more serious. It didnt help when I caught Rowes gaze. His eyes were practically shining with suppressed mirth. The edge of his mouth twitched and I had to look away, or Id have lost it.

  Shadwell seemed to sense it, because he gave Rowe a hard look. Rowe had to have a coughing fit to cover the laughter that was almost spilling over.

  What got you off undercover work, Rowe? I asked.

  Still recovering from his coughing fit, he said, My sense of humor.

  I looked at him, tried to see if he was serious. He was implying that hed been fired, or at least reassigned, because his sense of humor had gotten him in trouble.

  Rowe, Shadwell said, she does not need to know your background.

  Yes, sir. Rowe went back to attention by the door, but his eyes and a certain set to the mouth said he didnt really mean it. I was beginning to see how Rowe might have gotten in trouble with his superiors.

  Shadwell gave us both a hard look, and it was a good look, a real look. Bad guys must have flinched under his gaze, but I wasnt a bad guy. I was just someone wondering why the guards were on our side of the door. It seemed a little excessive.

  Fine, Shadwell, are you and Rowe here going to stand inside our room all night?

  No.

  Then why are you standing here now?

  Because we were told to, he said.

  Rowes mouth twitched again. Someone with a sense of humor had partnered them with each other.

  Isnt it kind of weird to be on this side of the door? I mean the danger is out there, not in here.

  Shadwell frowned, then smoothed it out. Im following orders, Ms. Blake.

  Marshal Blake, I said, because it just seemed good to remind rule-and-order Shadwell that I wasnt really a civvie either.

  His eyes flickered to me, then back to staring into space. If youre a federal marshal, then youll appreciate that Im following orders.

  That made me laugh. Nicely done, Shadwell. If Im a federal marshal. I assure you I am, badge and all, but Im not really real, am I? I mean I got grandfathered in, and didnt go through the training, so Im not really a marshal, right?

  I did not say that.

  You implied it, I said, and my voice was no longer pleasant.

  Are you trying to pick a fight with Shadwell? Rowe asked, his face curious.

  I shrugged, slumping back in the chair as much as the shoulder rig would comfortably let me. Maybe, and if I am, Im sorry. Im just a little bored, a little tense, and I really, really, dont want to go to this party.

  Its a bad idea, Shadwell said.

  The worst, I said.

  He looked at me. Then why are you going?

  Because Jason is going, and he wants me with him.

  Shadwell nodded. My wifes the social one. I hate parties, too.

  I tried to pretend that Shadwell hadnt just done exactly what hed yelled at Rowe for, which was overshare. Yeah, but I bet your wife doesnt drag you to parties where strange men will be taking off their clothes.

  You dont think your friend in there will want to stay for that part of the party? Shadwell asked.

  I shrugged, and sat up straighter. He may.

  The two men exchanged glances. Even Rowe didnt seem to think it was funny. Then Rowe grinned as if he couldnt help it. The last time I saw male strippers I was getting a lap dance.

  We both looked at him. He shrugged, and actually blushed, which you dont see in an ex-cop much. Wed had a rash of gay bashing that turned into serial murder. All the vics had frequented this one club. Then he grinned again. I was the only one on the undercover unit who was secure enough in my manhood to do the job.

  With that revelation the door to the bathroom opened. Jason came out in a blue T-shirt that matched his eyes to perfection, so that his eyes were incredibly blue. The T-shirt also fit very well, so that all that muscle work showed. The blue jeans were date jeans, which meant they were tight and fit well. Hed added his own short boots and had a black suit jacket to throw over it all, so it looked somewhere between semiprofessional and club wear. But he looked good, and he knew it. Hed dressed to be yummy. He might not be planning to date anyone at the party, but he wanted them to see him. Sigh. He was so going to flirt his ass off.

  31

  I HAD LEFT the big-ass knife at home and the special leather rig that let me carry it along with a handgun. But one of the reasons I had an entire carry-on of weapons was that I had to bring my vampire hunting kit. Why? Because the regulations for the preternatural branch of the federal marshal program had changed. Now, if we traveled, even on personal business, we had to have all our gear with us so that if an emergency call came up near us, and we were the closest body, we could take it. This new regulation had come up when one of my colleagues had been on a family vacation that turned into a vampire hunt for the local cops. The hunt had gone badly, and the report that hed had to submit had listed the major problem as that his kit was at home. He needed his stuff. Didnt we all.

  So that meant I had some really dangerous stuff with me. Stuff that if Id had to get on a commercial airline, theyd have never let me get on the plane. Not even with a badge. I had the usual: extra guns, extra ammo, stakes, holy water, holy wafers, extra crosses. Id even thrown in some holy items from other faiths because Id had occasion to work with local law enforcement that were not Christian, and having everybody armed with a holy item was a good thing. If you got a few atheists, pray that they are well armed, but dont tell them youre praying for them. Some of them have about as much a sense of humor as the right-wingers.

  What would have g
otten me kicked off the plane, or in an interrogation room with Homeland Defense, was the Heckler and Koch MP5 and the phosphorous grenades. Id never actually used the grenades, but my friend Edward, alias Ted Forrester, also a federal marshal for the preternatural branch, had said they worked wonders. Frankly, all grenades scared me, but something that burned even in water would be truly bad news to the undead of any kind. It would even work on zombies and ghouls, which are both so much harder to kill than vamps. The government said I needed all my toys, so I brought themwell, not all of them. I have resisted Edwards desire to teach me how to use a flamethrower. They scare me.

  All this to say that we had to make a stop at the main desk with my little carry-on. Shad and Rowe had not liked that I had to do this, but when they realized I was dead serious, they ordered up enough uniformed guards to form a phalanx around us and escorted us to the lobby. I thought it was excessive until we caught the full barrage of the cameras in the lobby. I actually slipped my sunglasses on to keep the glare down. No wonder movie stars wear them.

  The guards formed a wall around us so I could flash my badge to the nice lady behind the desk and explain that I had some sensitive items in this case and didnt want to leave it in the room unattended. Before everything got weird, I might have, but I had this horrible image of reporters breaking into our room when we werent there. If I didnt want the uninitiated playing with my guns, I sure as hell didnt want them playing with phosphorous grenades.

  The lady, whose name tag read Bethann, was more than happy to help us. She even let Jason and me walk the case back to this huge-ass safe. The fact that she never blinked or asked a single question showed that I wasnt the only guest with sensitive materials. Though I was willing to bet I was the only one with this much firepower in one little case.

  When the case was secure and wed shaken hands with Bethann, we all turned around and went for the elevators. The reporters were screaming at us, What did you put in the safe? We had some of them shouting Keith, but some were actually shouting the right name. Jason, Jason, have you talked to Jean-Claude? Anita, is he better in bed than the vampires? We ignored all questions. The earlier disastrous impromptu news conference had taught us our lesson. The press was a danger neither of us knew how to handle, not at this level. It was like being really good at peewee football and suddenly realizing you were up against pros. We were out of our league, and now we knew it.