Crimson Sword Stalker

by Morgan Blayde

  She took a deep breath. “Is that breakfast I smell?”

  “Want some?” I asked.

  “Sure.”

  I shifted my eyes to her junior partner. “What about you, Clovis?”

  “It’s Craig. And I’ll pass.”

  “We all will, eventually,” I said.

  “Speak for yourself.” Kain joined me. He sported white socks, tan shorts, and a red-and-gold-sunset-on-the-sea Hawaiian shirt. I wondered if he and the Old Man shopped at the same place.

  Gloria joined us next, bereft of her white leather slip-ons. She wore a navy-blue dress that belled midthigh. There was a single flared sleeve off the right shoulder. The left shoulder and arm were bare. This suggested an ocean swirling in celebration around her body. The deep blue contrasted well with the blonde waves of her hair. She wore a gold chain around her neck holding a golden bat pendent. The bat had ruby eyes like drops of blood.

  She stared at me with red-lit eyes. “I wouldn’t mind taking a bite, if you’re offering, luv. Vivian mentioned the unusual potency your blood has acquired.”

  Osamu carried plates into the living room, to the seating area. Colt didn’t wait for us; I heard his fork scraping as he attacked his food. As Osamu returned, heading for the kitchenette, I called out, “Can you throw some more food on for our guests?”

  “At once, Caine-sama.”

  “You only have one servant?” Kain displayed surprise. Vampires are always trying to one-up everyone else.

  Not this time.

  I smiled. “The best combat butler in all Japan. Where others settle for quantity, I go for quality.”

  “Combat butler?” Craig asked.

  “Osamu,” I yelled. “If ninja were to burst through the bay window, what would you do?”

  He stepped out of the kitchenette, bowed to us as a group, then wheeled toward the bay window, falling into a swordsman’s stance. There was a shimmer of red from the demon mark burned into his palm where his demon sword materialized, a black blade surrounded by a red aura of killing malice that curdled the air. He held the pose a moment, then straightened, the sword vanishing back into the ether.

  “Combat butler,” Kain mused to himself. “I’ve got to get one of those.”

  I’d realized by now that he had two fallback phrases: that was one. The other was: Why didn’t someone tell me? I hope I wasn’t that predictable.

  Craig faced to Vivian. “I see why you said this trip would be educational.”

  At the stove, Osamu hurried, preparing more food. Meanwhile, I pointed Craig back toward the door. “Boots off, please.”

  He looked at Vivian again.

  She smiled. “It’s all right. He probably won’t steal them.”

  Vivian lifted a leg and swung a foot toward Kain. “Want to help a girl out?”

  “Certainly.” He caught her leg behind the knee and stripped off the boot with his other hand. That leg went down and she swung up the next boot. Starting out black, his eyes warmed to a hungry red as he removed the second boot. Her ever faithful lackey, Craig picked her boots off the floor. He took them to the shelves and left them there, making no effort to remove his own footwear. “I’ll just guard the door.”

  “Fine, you do that.” Vivian’s eyes were burning bright pink through the dark lenses of her sunglasses, her stare on Kain. “Can I have my leg back now?”

  He moved in close, one hand sliding around her waist, pulling her into intimate range. “You train hard. It shows. Your strength and balance are exceptional. One night, I would love to take you…dancing.”

  “Careful what you wish for,” she said. “You might get it.”

  “But not on my time,” I said. “Vivian, we’re heading east to help out Kat and her Pride. You’ll be getting your usual rates. If Anubis shows up—and I think he will—there will be an added bonus for danger pay.”

  She pushed off of Kain and set her raised foot on the hardwood floor. “Deal.”

  I led the way to the island of furniture and took a seat next to Colt. Kain and Gloria settled on the couch opposite us, the coffee table in between, plates, drinks, and food waiting. Vivian took the loveseat with her back to the TV and bay windows.

  Colt had a Kim Possible Cartoon going. Ron and Kim were bantering. Colt looked at me. “She could do a lot better than that guy.”

  I sighed. “I know. It saddens me, too.”

  Kain stared at the boy.

  “Colt,” I said, “what would you do if a bunch of ninjas broke in from the bay window?”

  He bit off a corner of toast and chewed. “I’d ask Aunt Vivian to fall to the floor so she wouldn’t get hit.”

  I grabbed a plate and took some of the ahi and buttered toast. “Hit by what?”

  He lifted his left hand and pointed at Vivian.

  She got up and stepped aside.

  Colt’s hand pointed at the windows, in a line traveling under the TV. Copper-red lightning crackled around his hand and wrist. He jerked his hand back, as if it had hot lightning and recoiled like a gun. “Zaaaaaaaappp!” he said. The wreathing energy died down, leaving no trace that Colt was other than a nine-year-old boy.

  Vivian returned to her seat.

  Kain shifted his stare to me. “Exactly who is this child?”

  “I thought you knew everything about me,” I said.

  “Apparently not,” he said.

  “Colt, this is Lord Kain, spelled with a K, master of all the vampires.”

  At the front door, I saw Craig jerk to rigid attention, hand automatically touching his gun. Fortunately, he didn’t draw; Osamu watched him carefully.

  I guess no one told Craig who he was traveling with.

  I continued my introductions. “Lord Kain, I have the pleasure of introducing my son, Colt Deathwalker, heir to the L.A. Demon Clan, prince of the Dragon World, prince of the Dragon’s Eye Kingdom in Fairy, and heir to the Red Moon, first-born of myself and Selene, the Red Moon Goddess.

  Colt waved while gnawing on a strip of bacon. “Hi.”

  I said, “If I am your long-lost soul, as you believe, he is your son and heir as well.”

  It seemed that, for once, I’d literally shut up the vampire lord. That didn’t stop several ghost lights from materializing with cameras, taking pictures for a furious spectral-green moment before vanishing.

  I looked over at a pale Craig. I wondered how long Vivian could keep him around, and if he usually took off her boots, too.

  What had he thought? That there were only vampires and werewolves in the world?

  Gloria smiled at Kain. “Oh, did I forget to mention that the boy has traveled from nine-years in the future to visit with his father?”

  “You did indeed fail to tell me?” Kain didn’t sound happy.

  “Selene is carrying Colt now. He’ll be born in another nine months or so,” I said.

  Colt ignored us, his attention back on Kim Possible.

  I whispered to him, “You know she’s not real, right?”

  Osamu brought in a platter with only fresh fruit and rice omelets. Vivian and Gloria helped themselves. Apparently, we were out of fish. Fork in hand, Kain leaned forward, reached across the coffee table to my plate, and helped himself to my ahi.

  “Sure, go ahead.” I offered him an evil smile. “By the way, have you considered that if I am your soul and I marry Gloria, it will be the same thing as you marrying your granddaughter?”

  I laughed inside. You can’t play with a demon lord without getting burnt.

  Eyes down, he studiously ate my fish, ignoring my victory.

  We gave ourselves to finishing breakfast. Osamu even took a plate to Craig. Polite to my combat butler, he accepted the rice omelet and bacon with a murmur of thanks.

  Bacon gets everyone, it’s like its own food group.

  “So, Vivian,” Kain asked, “L.A. already has a slayer group. Why start a rival group? Are there that many rogues running loose?”

  I whispered across the table. “Touchy subject. You may not want to go
there.”

  Vivian glared at me, then turned kinder eyes on Kain. “It’s all right. The truth is, the local slayers recently turned into a humans-only group. They kicked me out when that happened. Their loss. I’m the best slayer they ever had.”

  Kain nodded. “With your dhampyr powers, I can understand that.”

  I looked over at Craig. He had no reaction. Apparently, he’d known all along about Vivian. I felt sad that I didn’t get to see him freak.

  Vivian said, “I intend to accept both humans and preternaturals in rogue suppression, just like the Feds do with their roving PRTs.”

  Kane smiled. “I consider that a worthy goal. If you are in need of financial backing…I’d like to be helpful.”

  What he means is he’d like to help himself to your front and backside, and maybe a pint or two of blood.

  He smiled, baring fangs. “No strings, of course.”

  Like anyone will believe that.

  Vivian returned his smile. “I’ll let you know.”

  TWELVE

  “Too much power is as bad as not

  Enough, unless we’re talking about me.”

  —Caine Deathwalker

  It was Colt’s crimson Mustang, the one I’d bought him in Las Vegas. A call to one of the on-duty guards had delivered it to the front of the building. The flames on the side were gold. The top was down. I’d added a booster seat behind the wheel so he could see through the windshield.

  Colt’s eyes lit up. “My car!”

  “I thought I’d let you drive,” I said.

  “Great, but…my feet can’t reach the pedals.”

  “You’ll have to use your mind,” I said.

  Silent, he stared at the car. Sorry, I just can’t think of a way.”

  “No,” I said. “I meant use your mind, your thoughts, to control it. You’re a demi-god, right?”

  He smiled. “Oh, yeah, I can do that.”

  I stared down the drive. There was a Golden BMW that belonged to Gloria, and behind that—I frowned in puzzlement—a 2000 Winnebago Journey RV. “Who owns that monster?”

  “All mine,” Kain said. “I’ve been wanting to break it in, and when Gloria told me you were taking a road trip, I knew this was destiny.”

  And Destiny’s an evil bitch.

  I looked at him. “I didn’t realize you’d invited yourself along.”

  He smiled back. “Anubis wants my soul. Where will I be if he takes you? As you pointed out last night, I’d have to start an all new hobby. Besides, that glorified dog attacked my home and stole my car. I owe him!”

  “Technically, that’s still my car,” I said.

  “Why quibble over semantics? Let’s hit the road. Who’s riding with me?”

  “I will,” Gloria said. “You do have a license, right?”

  He looked at her, eyes bugging, mouth dropping open. “Gloria, you do know the right to travel is inalienable, not a privilege. No one needs a license that’s not a commercial driver. DMVs are just a way for local governments to steal money from people through fraud. I saw it on YouTube.”

  “Fine,” she said. “Answer me this; do you know how to drive? Haven’t you been using limos for the past ninety years?”

  “I’m a master vampire, literally as old as dirt. How hard can it be? Besides, I drove it here. That should prove something.”

  I wondered if anyone had been forced off the road.

  Gloria sighed and held out her hand. “Give me the keys. I’ll drive.”

  He handed them over without fuss. I think that had always been his plan.

  Osamu came out of the Clan House, bringing the last of our luggage. He set everything down by the curb, straightened, and stretched his aged back. I wasn’t fooled. Since bonding to the demon sword I’d given him, and having made a few kills since then, the unnatural vitality of the sword had been shared with him. He could bench press a Volvo. Maybe, he just didn’t know how to not act old anymore.

  Gloria pulled out her own keys and tossed them through the air. Osamu plucked them out of the air and lifted an inquiring eyebrow at her. “Ma’am?”

  “Be a dear and drive my BMW for me. I may want it where we’re going.”

  “It would be my pleasure,” Osamu said. Fortunately, he knew that Americans drive on the right side of roads. In Japan, they use the left.

  I held out a five-dollar bill to Colt. “Care to load our baggage into the Mustang’s trunk?” He snatched the bill so fast, I had to count my fingers to make sure I still had them all. I did. The trunk opened all by itself. The luggage floated over and stowed itself. The trunk lid dropped. Colt put the five in his hoodie pocket and jumped into the driver’s seat. I took the front passenger’s seat.

  Staring at Vivian and her slayer trainee, I hooked a thumb to point into the Mustang’s back seat. “You guys want to ride with me or Osamu?”

  Craig stared at Colt. “You are going to let him drive?”

  I smiled. “Sure. Kid’s got to learn some time.”

  Craig and Vivian spoke at the same time: “The BMW.”

  I shrugged. “Suit yourself, but he’ll probably put on a country music station.”

  Craig nodded. “I’ll take my chances.”

  “Besides,” Vivian said, “our stuff is already in the BMW. Gloria already offered u a ride in her car.” They walked away.

  I waited until I saw the other drivers ready to follow, then gave Colt a nod. “Head ‘em up, move ‘em out!”

  He stared at the ignition. There was no key there. It didn’t matter. The engine revved, a throaty purr. Leaning forward, he settled both hands on the wheel, grinning like an idiot. I felt happy for him. And I needed to build up some good will. As it was, in another nine or ten years, his future self would knife me in the heart with pleasure. I wanted to get in some good memories while I could.

  The car shifted out of park and the gas pedal went down all by itself. We leaped ahead.

  “Slowly,” I said. “Get the feel first.”

  The vehicle slowed. “Sure. I know.” He turned the wheel gradually and we rounded the drive, heading off from the Clan House, and the demons patrolling the grounds. Several of them waved.

  The BMW followed. Osamu looked odd wearing aviator sunglasses. Driving the RV, Gloria brought up the rear. We were so far out from anything else on the island, I doubted we’d see much traffic—or a paved road—until we got down to Avalon City. Well before then, I’d have Colt open up his mega-portal and all three vehicles would drive through, crossing from California to Louisiana in moments.

  The less time on the road, the less our exposure to the enemy. Besides, gas isn’t cheap.

  After a while, I said, “Colt, open the portal.”

  He did. A huge red-copper disk appeared ahead of us. We shot inside and the energy moved with us, becoming a conduit. Everything took on a red-copper hue. The ride smoothed out.

  I looked back and saw the BMW close behind, and the RV a little further back. “Okay,” everyone’s inside. You can close the end.”

  Looking ahead, I saw the conduit open, giving us a view of ordinary daylight and pavement. We came out on I-20 and passed a sign announcing food and lodging at the next exit. We blew past that sign and saw off the highway a bunch of fencing, a flagpole with the stars and stripes whipping in the wind, and support scaffolding for waterslides. A big sign said: Splash Village, A family waterpark.

  “That looks interesting,” Colt said.

  I looked back, making sure the RV had left the conduit. It had. Before I could mention it, Colt shut down his portal. The road was clear a long way behind us, which was good because Colt had let our speed slip down too low to safely merge with traffic had there been any.

  “More gas,” I said, “and you can move onto the main part of the road.”

  “Got it.”

  One of Colt’s strengths, I thought, was that he took direction well and didn’t ask a lot of stupid questions. I noticed his gaze slanting over to the waterpark a few times until we were pas
t it.

  “Maybe, once the danger to the Pride is over, we can all go to the waterpark and try out a few rides.”

  He looked at me, face awash with joy. “Really?”

  “Sure. Of course, protecting our friends has priority right now. It’s up to us to keep them safe because they belong to us.” As the future overlords of the multiverse, it was self-evident to Colt and me, confirmed by our dragon-born instincts. Still, I tried not to flaunt ownership in front of people that didn’t want to admit to their natural position in the world as my chattel.

  It’s best to let others cling to their comforting illusions as long as possible; less argument that way.

  Our convoy plunged across the west city limits, entering Shreveport. “There’s a tricky change-up coming in a while,” I said. “We’ll need to get over onto I-220.”

  “I should have portalled us closer to the lake,” Colt said.

  Lake? Cross Lake?

  “No, your instincts are right. As much power as your portal puts out, a magic-user could trace the energy to us. We don’t want to lead Anubis or his minions straight to Kat and her people. We might be giving Anubis too much credit for efficiency but it’s better to be safe than to dig a mass grave.”

  “Why didn’t you call Aunt Angie. I bet her wolves can take those stupid jackals.”

  “Sure, at first. But then when the werejackals become werejackal zombies and wolves start dying. The enemy just gets stronger and stronger until they win. Kat saw this happening if her Pride fought back. It’s why she ran. You can’t lose a battle you don’t fight.”

  “Want me to take the wheel before some cop pulls us over?” I asked. “That way, I won’t have to shoot anyone.”

  “Oh, okay. Next gas station.”

  I saw it coming up and gestured at the turn signal. “You may want to let the others know we’re pulling off the highway.”

  “Oh, yeah.” He hit the signal and pulled off cleanly, just like playing an arcade game. We passed the pumps. The car parked itself and went silent. “I want a soda,” Colt said.