by C. J. Pinard
Kathryn, Jonathan, and Thomas walked in. Both men were wearing trench coats but the shapeshifters weren’t stupid; they knew what Jonathan and Thomas were carrying underneath them.
“Let’s make this quick, Seth. I have things to do.” remarked Jonathan in a clipped tone.
“Please, sit down. Can I get you something?”
“Really, you keep refreshments in this disgusting warehouse do you, Seth?” said Kathryn facetiously, her arms crossed over her plain white T-shirt, a jean jacket covering it.
“Seth, just get to it, man,” Malachi said, not taking his eyes off of Kathryn.
“We need to renegotiate the terms of our deal, Jonathan,” said Seth, the Portland shapeshifters’ clan leader.
“First of all, it’s not our deal. The Zie council drew up the Treaty, we just enforce it. Besides, why the hell would we do that?” Jonathan asked, raising an eyebrow.
Seth then let out a loud wolf whistle and two tall males with scruffy beards walked in pushing a large, glass case. A sylph was encased inside. Thomas recognized her immediately as Serina, a delivery sylph. She looked frightened and bedraggled, and would occasionally squeeze her eyes shut and throw her hand up, trying to escape. Thomas knew she was trying to call a portal, but the confines of her Plexiglas prison made it impossible. She stared at Thomas pleadingly. He could see she had been crying. Her eyes were wildly flashing.
Jonathan raced over to the glass case. “What in God’s name is going on here? You release her immediately!” he roared, reaching inside his coat.
“We thought that would get your attention,” Malachi commented, an evil smile twisted up on his lips. Malachi was the clan’s second in command.
Thomas tried to remain calm as he piped up, “You do realize that you’ve broken virtually every rule in the Treaty, right, Seth? You and your animals are going to pay for this,” he reached under his trench coat and rested his hand on the 9mm pistol in his belt holster. With his thumb, he unsnapped the strap encasing the weapon, but did not remove it.
“Oh, don’t threaten me, you cretin. I’m twice your age, and twice as fast,” remarked Seth to Thomas.
Without warning, Jonathan shouted, “Move!” as he charged preternaturally fast over to Serina’s Plexiglas case and punched a hole into the top of it with his fist. Blood-soaked Plexiglas exploded all over the warehouse floor. Within seconds, Sheena, in her cat form, pounced on Jonathan, swiping at his neck with her claw, slicing it open, causing him to fall. Blood spurted violently from the wound and Jonathan brought his hand up to cover it. Sheena then laid her large, black form onto the case, plugging the hole so Serina couldn’t escape. Serina shrilled in frustration and fear, beating her fists against the inside. Lightning was literally flashing in her eyes.
Kathryn turned around and saw a large white and brindle-colored pit bull dog with an ugly pink nose, along with an even larger black wolf staring and snarling at them both. Seth and Malachi were both on high alert as drool swayed from their jaws and exposed teeth. A pile of clothes and shoes lay next do the dogs. Several more exotic animals, jungle cats and bears, came out of nowhere, looking ludicrously out of place in a warehouse in downtown Portland. The Immortals were grossly outnumbered.
“Go, Kat!” Thomas yelled. She then jumped unnaturally high into the air over both animals and zoomed out of the warehouse door.
Thomas rushed over to Jonathan, picked him up, and flashed out into the cold Portland night in an instant – just as Jonathan had done for him in that San Francisco alley all those years ago.
∞∞∞
San Francisco – 1946
“You have to promise me you will write me at least once a week. And then we have to meet halfway in Pismo Beach to see each other at least once every few months okay, Tommy?” It felt like Barbara was boring her green eyes into his.
“Absolutely. But why L.A., Babs? Why can’t you go to Stanford, it’s right here? Or San Francisco State?” Thomas whined.
He sure loved her. It literally hurt his heart that she was leaving him for school.
“Because! L.A. will be fun. I need to get away and be on my own, away from my father for a while. We will be together when I’m done with school, I promise.” She finished by kissing him on the cheek.
Thomas grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles softly. He noted she still wore his class ring around her neck on a chain. “Well, I think you will make a wonderful pediatrician. The children will love you, Doctor Barbara.”
Thomas and Jonathan were in a dojo/gym of sorts that Jonathan had built inside the Hyde Street bank building. They did all their training and exercising in there. It was outfitted with floor mats, a boxing ring, punching bags suspended from the ceiling, and a locker room with showers and toilets.
A light smack to the side of the head brought Thomas back to the present.
“You were thinking about her again, weren’t you?” Jonathan asked as he returned the restroom.
Yes, even immortal beings had needs.
“Sorry. Where were we?” Thomas asked, smoothing his hair down from where he’d been whacked.
“I was just about to show you how to rip out a vampire fang without getting bitten. Ready?” Jonathan assumed an attack stance.
Thomas and Jonathan had been training nonstop for the past two weeks. Thomas still hadn’t accepted the fact that he would have to disappear… but Jonathan kept him on a short leash. He told him when and where to eat, sleep, and live. The only time Thomas had been alone was in the bathroom.
With immortality came sacrifices; it also usually came with one extraordinary talent. Each time a human drank Enchantment, they were granted one special gift. All Immortals have faster-than-normal speed, quick healing, and heightened senses: smell, sight, and hearing; but there was normally one extra gift on top of those, usually specific to the person. Jonathan’s was superhuman strength, as Thomas, the vampires, and the shapeshifter had witnessed a couple of weeks prior. Jonathan was desperately trying to figure out what Thomas’s was. Maybe he didn’t have one? Jonathan was beginning to think that might just be the case. He sighed at the thought.
Just then, Kathryn walked in. She looked wildly out of place in a sky blue dress, pearls, gloves, and heels, her blonde hair sleeked into finger waves.
“He does have a talent, Jonathan. He just doesn’t know what it is. He’s just as frustrated with the not-knowing as you are,” she said curtly while removing her white gloves, finger by finger.
Thomas just gaped at her, then shook his head when he realized he’d been staring. “I don’t believe we’ve met,” he said, walking over to shake her hand. “I’m Thomas, or Tom for short.”
“I’m Kat. I’m a friend and business partner of Jonathan’s,” she replied with a pretty smile while shaking Thomas’s hand.
“Wait a minute… I do know you. You’re the receptionist in this building!” Thomas said, stunned.
Jonathan piped in, “Yes, Thomas, you are half correct. She does sit at the reception desk but she’s actually a silent partner. She and I own this building. The receptionist gig is a bit of a ruse, I’m afraid. She’s actually keeping an eye on the building for us, making sure everything is copacetic. I’m sure you can guess which gift she has been bestowed with upon receiving her immortality?”
“A keen fashion sense?” Thomas joked.
“Good guess, Tom. But I already had that before becoming immortal,” she teased with a wink. “I can actually read minds.
Thomas blinked wide blue eyes at her, no attempt to hide the shock on his face.
She continued at his expression, “But no worries, I don’t invade people’s thoughts on a regular basis, only when I find it necessary. Not only is it intrusive, but I find people’s thoughts to be ugly and unpleasant most of the time, I’m afraid. That being said, I believe you must calm yourself and overcome your fear of finding out your gift. I know you have one, Tom.” She then turned around and went into the ladies’ locker room without another word.
Kathry
n Jones had been an Immortal since age twenty-six in 1920 after marrying David, whom she thought was human, but was actually an Immortal. David had convinced the Zie to give her some Enchantment so he could be with her forever (and sylphs are suckers for love), but shortly after their marriage, David was killed by a gunshot wound to the heart outside the theatre in Los Angeles during a robbery gone wrong. David was such a young Immortal that he could not survive the wound and died shortly thereafter. Kathryn wanted to die, too, but met Jonathan a little while later and had a brief romance with him. They soon decided they were better off as friends and business associates than lovers, and it’s worked for them ever since.
Both men turned and watched Kathryn walk off and then went back to their training. During the past couple of weeks, Jonathan had Thomas doing hours of punching bag drills and straight-up boxing sessions, to which Jonathan whooped him most of the time. Twice a week they would train on how to specifically hurt, maim, and kill a Faeworlder.
Tonight was vampire night.
“All right, here we go. The trick is to not let them bite you. We haven’t determined if we can be turned into vampires, but I sure as hell don’t want to find out. I like my steak well-done and the occasional day at the beach, thank you very much,” Jonathan said with an air of conceit.
Thomas shuddered at the memory of almost being bitten, and of those dead, black pupil-less eyes that were staring at him as his life was almost taken.
“The secret is to immobilize them. They are fast like we are, but they do have their weaknesses. Sunlight, obviously, and they go into a trance-like state when they smell blood. It only lasts a few seconds, but that’s when you have to pounce.” Underhanded, Jonathan threw a small, closed switchblade at Thomas. “Cut yourself,” he ordered.
“W-what? Why?” Thomas stammered.
“Haven’t you heard a word I just said? Cut yourself. Hand, arm, whatever. You need to get used to how it feels. It doesn’t hurt as much as you think. And it’ll close up fast, trust me.” Jonathan was serious as cancer.
Shrugging, because really, things just couldn’t get any weirder for Thomas at this point, he took the switchblade, flicked it open with a snapping sound, and hesitated for a brief second before making a small cut on the palm of his hand. He then dropped the switchblade to the ground and it made a thud as it hit the mat. Jonathan was right. It hurt, but more stung than anything. It really wasn’t that bad.
“Perfect, now run over to me and grab me around the neck,” Jonathan said in an excited tone, still in his attack stance, beckoning him over with his fingers.
Thomas did what he was told but was flattened onto his back as soon as he reached Jonathan. “What was that?” Thomas asked, out of breath and clearly irked.
“You’re too slow,” said Kathryn, who had changed into more comfortable clothes.
“I just did as he asked,” Thomas said, annoyance creeping into his voice. He got up and brushed himself off. He had never been a drinker, but a shot of his dad’s secret stash of Irish whiskey sounded good right then.
“No, you did not run fast enough,” Jonathan replied, sounding harsh and fatherly. “Go back over there, pick up the knife, and do it again.”
“Oh, for hell’s sake,” Thomas muttered under his breath. He picked up the switchblade with his right hand, placed a small cut on his left forearm, then dropped the knife and ran at top speed over to Kathryn this time, thinking she wasn’t expecting it. Again he was slammed to the ground. She was on top, and had a knee on his throat.
“How in the world…?” Thomas choked out, confused.
“I knew you were coming after me, Tom. I heard you think it,” she smiled while tapping a pink fingernail to her temple. She got up and pulled Thomas to his feet.
“Shoot, that’s right. Hey, I thought you said you never use that?” he asked, feeling slighted.
“Well of course I use it during a fight! Come now.” She punched him in the arm lightly.
Now, Thomas did not find any of this funny one bit. He was frustrated, tired, sad, and perturbed all at once. How had his life come to this? All he wanted to do was collect his paycheck, go home, see a movie, mow the grass, and relax all weekend. Now he would never go home again. He would never see his parents again. He would never see Barbara again. He missed his home, his mother’s cooking, his parents’ Irish accents nudging him to do better; asking him how his day was; encouraging him to follow his dreams. He missed his bedroom, his comic books, even his bicycle. Heck, he was even starting to miss his bike messenger job. He started to get angry. His stomach knotted with rage and frustration.
He stomped back over to the knife like a spoiled child, aggravation, resentment, and fury threatening to boil over like an unwatched pot. He picked it up, cut himself on the palm, cleared his mind into a blank slate (couldn’t have Kat invading his thoughts again), and before he had finished taking a breath, he was on top of Jonathan. He suddenly looked around and was momentarily confused. Just then, Jonathan erupted into a jolly, gut-splitting laughter.
“By George, I think we’ve got it!” he said, still laughing while Thomas was sitting on top of his chest. Thomas noticed the switchblade was still in his hand this time.
“What? What just happened?” Thomas was thoroughly confused.
Kathryn helped pull him off of Jonathan. “My dear, I do believe we’ve found out your gift! I know you were angry before it happened. Use the anger, it may save your life many times over during this long life we lead,” she said, her blue eyes alight with excitement.
“Would someone like to tell me what’s going on? I don’t get it. How did I get from there to here so fast?”
“You, my dear boy, have the gift of flashing! I’m so utterly envious!” Jonathan was uncharacteristically giddy.
“This is going to be so much fun,” Kathryn clapped her hands quickly, her pink fingernails snapping quickly back and forth.
Thomas, again, was not amused.
∞∞∞
Two weeks had passed and Thomas had not come home. Nell and Joseph were beside themselves with worry. Nell had not eaten and rarely got out of bed. Joseph dragged himself into work, more determined than ever to investigate what had happened to his son. He sauntered over to Richard Johnson’s desk, trying not to cough on the smoke wafting up from the smoldering cigarette sitting on the ashtray.
“Whatcha got for me, Johnson?” Joseph asked in a flat tone. All his teasing and humor from earlier was gone. He had barely enough energy to shower or put any pomade in his black hair. Shaving was definitely on an as-needed basis, and today he didn’t feel it was needed. His clothes were wrinkled (Nell was not getting out of bed to iron them), but he didn’t care.
“You look like hell, man. Are you sleeping? I got some pills for that, if you want some,” Richard said, trying to be sympathetic and helpful in his own way.
“No. And I don’t need no damned pills. I need some damned answers. My son meets some shady character who offers him a job, and a week later he’s missing. T’ain’t no coincidence, Johnson,” he answered, monotone.
Richard was quiet for a minute, contemplating his response. “You sure the kid didn’t run off to L.A. to see his girlfriend? I mean, you said he’d been moping around since she left. Maybe he took a bus down there.”
“No. He did not do that. He would not do that. First off, there’s no way he had money for a bus ticket. He had to ask me for fifty cents to go to see a movie a couple of weeks ago. Secondly, he wouldn’t do that to his mum. He just wouldn’t…” Joseph trailed off with a sigh.
“All right, man. Just askin’.” Richard pulled out a small folder from his desk drawer and opened it onto the desktop. “So I checked out this Murphy guy and I have to say, you got good instincts, O’Malley. The cat is a shady one. He actually owns that Hyde Street building. Been in San Francisco about three years, moved here from L.A. He lived there about fifteen years, ran an architect business down there. But that’s where things get strange. I can’t find no record of h
im before 1928. No birth certificate, driver’s license, nothin’. It’s like he didn’t exist.” Richard Johnson (don’t ever call him ‘Dick’) crushed out his cigarette after taking a sip of coffee.
Joseph plunked an unopened bottle of whiskey on Richard’s desk, and skulked off with the skinny manila folder without muttering a word.
Chapter 5
∞∞∞
Portland, Oregon – Present Day
“We are so screwed!” Thomas took off his wet jacket and threw it onto the plush leather sofa in the living room. Rainwater splashed the leather.
“Calm down, calm down,” Jonathan said. He was holding a towel to his neck where Sheena had sliced him. “Let me think. There is a way out of this.” He walked over to his credenza and pulled out a bottle of scotch and splashed some into one of the heavy glass tumblers sitting next to it.
Kathryn threw off her jean jacket and went to the kitchen, grabbed two plastic bottles of water from the refrigerator, and handed one to Thomas. “Sorry, Jonathan, I’m with Tom on this one. We’re screwed! We have a meeting with the sylphs in two days for our Enchantment! Do you really think Malina’s going to give it to us? Get real. It’s our job to monitor these Fae, and now Serina’s probably not going to survive the night because we didn’t do our damned job!”
“Shut up and let me think!” Jonathan roared. He was pacing back and forth on the Persian rug that covered the dark cherry bamboo wood flooring of their large apartment, tumbler in hand. They again had purchased an entire office building in Portland and outfitted an apartment on the top floor. This time they made it one huge flat, where they all lived together.
Jonathan plucked his iPhone out of his pocket and scrolled through the contacts.
“What are you doing, Jonathan?” Thomas asked, still amped up.
“Calling Malina. Do we really have a choice here?” he answered.
