City of Dragons: Of Flesh and Blood

by Wilder, Adrienne

  Farley stepped off the sidewalk and headed across the road as the MARTA bus pulled up to the curb. He climbed on, flashed the driver his bus pass, then looked for a seat. Two old ladies in the front, three big dudes on the left, a sprinkling of inner city residents. There was a seat in the back. Farley could have sat up front, but people tended to get a little wiggy when they realized what he was, which pretty much happened as soon as they looked at him.

  The dead giveaway was how he moved. Liquid. Even the act of turning his head to look at something screamed predator. As long as he stayed still people ignored him. There’d been a time in Farley’s life when he savored the fear people radiated, his body coming alive with the prospect of prey. But then Haley had come into his life and things changed.

  The bus lurched forward. Outside the window, the sky was a blanket of black. There were stars up there somewhere, but the halogen lights burning along the sidewalks ate up any and all natural glow. The bus stopped again and people on the inside exchanged places with those standing at the bus stop.

  Farley would have to get off at the edge of the Zone near West College Avenue since MARTA didn’t go directly into the Dens. The transit authority didn’t even like Kin on the bus, but since they took their money, they had to let them ride. And money from the wyrms spent like anyone else’s. Besides, the Kin wandering the streets were usually licensed. Those who weren’t and got caught outside the Wall were looking at a serious beat down by Medan.

  Which was the kind of physical punishment a Male didn’t wake up from.

  The bus stopped again and a group of punk-goth-emo types stomped their way up the steps. Farley gave them a sideways glance. There were eight of them, wearing too much face metal and dressed all over in black, complete with trench coats. The guy out front had his hair spiked and dyed purple. They made a few rude suggestions to the elderly lady on the right. The girl with the bleached white hair at the end took the gum out her mouth and stuck it on the book some guy in a suit was reading. When he looked up, her black lips twisted into a smile that dared him to complain.

  As the emo kids walked down the aisle, Farley caught a glimpse of the two in the middle. Their too tight and too low pants showed off the scars across their stomachs. Farley was willing to bet they had an equally impressive number of razor nicks around their throats.

  Vampires. Humans who liked to dabble in the blood sports. Farley wondered if they were sporting fake choppers and colored contacts? A quick check and he saw two with red eyes but no pointy teeth.

  Leave it to Humans and their contradictions. As long as the monsters that ate people weren’t real, they were a-ok.

  Farley made himself look back out the window. The whole vamp scene was about as annoying as the pseudos who liked to pretend to be Kin. Where the blood suckers stopped at contacts and teeth, the pseudos soaked themselves in pheromone and tattooed their bodies up with fake Nevus. Trying to pass off a tat as a metaphysical brand was like saying an etch-a-sketch was as good as a plasma screen TV.

  And you looked twice as stupid doing it.

  Outside the bus the population on the street went from the norm to the not-so-Human as Folk cluttered the sidewalks going to and from whatever it was they did every day. Faeries didn’t just appear Human, they were as pretty much harmless as the real thing. But compared to dragons, what wasn’t?

  The edge of the Wall peaked in and out from between far away buildings, a black border against a darkening sky. Farley remembered when they built the thing. In the early twenties a world-wide move to separate Kin from the Human population was enacted. Cities around the globe walled off territory designated for Kin and enforced the rule with bullets.

  Of course it didn’t last very long, especially in Georgia. Some cities still had no tolerance for non-Humans in the general population, but a lot of Human idealists were working to change the laws here in Atlanta, which was the number one reason so many Kin flocked here.

  The bus stopped again.

  Farley considered getting off and walking the rest of the way, but it was bitter outside and the duster didn’t have a liner. A few more dressed in black boarded and the first group threw out a few hellos and fuck yous. No doubt they were all on their way to the Pit.

  On a current of air the scent hit Farley like a punch to the chest. His head whipped around. Behind a tall skinny blond teen, there was a flash of ebon black hair. The kind of black which only comes from chemical science or metaphysics.

  A growl licked up in the back of Farley’s throat.

  When Blondie sat down, Darco’s bright blue eyes hit Farley head on and his sinuous mouth curled, flashing sharp white points. In one smooth move, Darco dropped into the seat among a sea of black, chains, piercings and Human flesh. He draped one arm around the bleach blonde chick and another over one of the guys wearing skinny jeans and flashing scars.

  Farley watched his Brother make a show of leaning into the blonde and catching her mouth with his. When he broke off the kiss a small nasty smile curved up at the corners of his mouth, while his eyes flicked up and down like he was reading a magazine and Farley was the illustration on the page. There wasn’t a Feral or Dominant in the Dens who scared Farley as bad as Darco, and the SOB knew it. Enjoyed it even.

  Darco made a motion to Porcupine boy sitting across from him and curved forward to whisper something in the Human’s ear. The guy flicked Farley a quick glance, then leaned over to the red-headed chick with hair so short it qualified as shaved. They both got up and headed to the back. Farley saw them coming and forced his eyes away.

  Porcupine boy grabbed a post and swung in close. “Hey there, Howdy Doody.”

  Farley winced. The clippers were so coming out when he got home.

  Porcupine tossed a thumb over his shoulder. “Our friend over there says you’re his brother.” And he said brother without the emphasis. But then he was Human, how would he know what the word really meant to Kin? “You want to hang with us?”

  Farley rolled an eye up at the guy. He kept playing with the piercing in his tongue, flipping it over his teeth with an annoying click-click sound while checking Farley out.

  He shook his head. “Thanks, but I’ll pass.”

  Little Miss No Hair stomped her foot and threw herself into the seat next to him. Her hand went right for the front of Farley pants and down the gap. He jumped but she already had a hand around his dick, squeezing tight.

  “That doesn’t feel like someone who’s uninterested in what we’ve got going on.” She leaned in her body, melting against him.

  Porcupine threw his friends a look. “Hey, guys. I think Katt likes him.” There was a burst of laughter and juicy curses. When Porcupine turned back around he said, “You should hang with us. Your brother says you’re deranged.” And Porcupine said the word like it was a good thing.

  “Funny, I say the same thing about Darco on a daily basis.” Farley gritted his teeth while he extracted Katt’s hand from his pants. He pushed the girl back and tried to make space between them. “Do yourself a favor, stay away from Darco. He can be hazardous to your health.”

  Katt laughed. “Yeah, that sounds like our Darco.”

  Our Darco? Farley pegged his Brother again. The Male was still looking at him, his eyes bright, his face serene. It was the look he got when there were thoughts of pain and fear dancing in his head. What the hell was he doing with these Human kids? On second thought, what the hell was he doing outside the Dens?

  As if reading his mind, Darco slid a hand to the inside of his leather jacket and flashed the bright red card pinched between his fingers.

  Now what fuck-tard went and issued him a permit? It had to be a fake. No one was that stu… Farley glanced at the group of people surrounding his Brother. Okay, some were that stupid.

  Great.

  Katt plucked the edged of Farley’s duster and he slapped her hand away.

  “You coming or not?” Porcupine’s tongue piercing did a little diddy across his teeth while he swung back and forth on the
pole. “Cause we’re going to do some serious partying. It’d be a shame for you to miss out.”

  Farley glared. “No thanks.”

  “Your loss man, your loss.” Porcupine peeled Little Miss No Hair out of the seat beside Farley, and they headed back join the rest of the black clad groupies.

  Farley put his eyes back on Darco. His Brother was ignoring him now and laughing it up with the vamps as they showed off new piercings, tats, and talked shit. And while the Humans all acted tough and looked scary, Darco was a killer among lambs.

  And that was knowledge which left Farley with the million dollar question of the day.

  What the fuck was Darco up to?

  Chapter 20

  Human bodies boiled across Sandy Park like angry ants and the air was alive with Human energy, making it much easier for Orin to hide. He stood tucked in the shadows, the collar of his overcoat flipped up.

  Haley should be here, somewhere. Orin checked his watch. It was five after eight. Zombie Girl had just taken the stage and launched into the opening of Blood, Brains, and Rock and Roll.

  Glow sticks, strobe lights, and lasers danced over the writhing Human bodies as Orin slid back into the crowds. He opened his mouth, inhaled, and the scents of drugs, alcohol, and Human sex flooded him. If Haley was here he’d find her. There was no mistaking the scent of a Female.

  Orin’s inner voice started its annoying whine again. He tried to ignore it. Little good it did. Mostly because the SOB was right. He was playing with fire while soaked in gasoline.

  And there was only one way for this kind of stupidity to end.

  Thing is, Medan owed Orin. One big, no strings attached, I-will-do-as-you-ask favor. And he’d been saving that baby in his back pocket for centuries. It wasn’t his fault Haley was now her enforcer. The fact that it made it easier for him to cash in on his favor was beside the point.

  While Orin could use Medan’s favor to get rid of Rehbek’ah, how long would he really be safe? If Rehbek’ah knew about Serena’s RHage, then how many other Queens did too?

  Christ, didn’t we just go through this in September with that damn ledger and all the Olde Lore marking Haley as some sort of beginning of the end?

  But what the hell should he expect? These were Queen dragons. Hive bound, stuck in their ways, insane with power, and looking at an eternity of it.

  The beat of the drums and the screaming guitar changed tempo as the band went into a new riff. Over head the laser lights went out and the stage became backlit in red. Orin kept moving, covering as much ground as he could.

  He inhaled, tasting the myriad of flavors in the air, and on a wave of buttered chicken Orin found Haley’s scent, thick, like crème, sweet but not as overpowering as wild honey. She’d brought a Male with her. The Jersey City Prince. A growl kicked up in Orin’s chest.

  What the hell?

  He forced himself to stop.

  A few minutes later, Orin spotted them. Deshi’s blonde head stuck out over the people like a beacon and there was no mistaking the Male for what he was. He was too beautiful. Too perfect. Beside the Prince was Haley. She turned her head and Orin caught his breath. Just like always, nothing about her looked Kin. And even though he hated to admit it, Orin liked how Haley’s Human-impressed imperfections made her different.

  Made her Safe.

  Orin froze. He couldn’t do this. There had to be another way. Since he was downwind, Haley and Deshi still didn’t know he was here. He could just disappear into the crowd. Haley would worry, but she’d eventually take the Prince and leave. Orin was about to walk away when another scent hit his palate, sending his heart into overdrive, and stomped out his conscience. Rehbek’ah was here, also made invisible by the masses.

  Orin’s otherworldly force shifted the Human bodies, parting them like the Red Sea. He slowed as he passed Haley and said, “This way.” If Orin kept them behind him, he could move them through the crowds without being seen. He didn’t stop until he got to the far edge of the pavilion. The recessed space of the metal structure made the shadows thick enough to hide them and offered protection from the worst of the noise.

  When he turned around, Haley smiled. Orin knew exactly what she was thinking. It wasn’t hard because he wanted the same thing. It was instinct and biology. His hand twitched and he almost reached out and touched her but stopped. Suddenly, it was hard to swallow.

  Haley said, “Are you okay?”

  “For right now, yeah.” Orin glanced up at Deshi and gave him a nod. Custom dictated he should go down on his hands and knees for the Jersey City Prince, but as far as Orin was concerned, until the wet-behind-the-ears whelp could roll him he’d stay on his feet.

  “Are you going to tell us what happened?”

  Orin said, “Rehbek’ah happened. Rehbek’ah killed Mary Gilsp and is trying to frame me for the murder.”

  “Why?”

  “She wants to own me.”

  “And you don’t want to Belong?” Deshi asked.

  Orin glared. Was he serious? Obviously Prince-bred-to-be-oh-so-compliant-to-the Females didn’t have a clue. Lucky for him. “No. I don’t want to Belong. Unlike some Kin, I value my freedom and I have no intentions of giving it up.”

  Haley said, “Orin, I have to ask the obvious. If Rehbeka’ah wants to own you, how can you refuse her?”

  He stared at Haley for a minute. God of Man, she looked so Human. But he wasn’t supposed to be gawking, he was supposed to be answering a question. “I can refuse anyone. It’s called seclusion. I serviced Medan centuries ago and because I produced well for her, she granted me the status.” Orin did not miss Deshi staring hard at his expensive loafers.

  Yeah, sucks to find out you’re not as perfect as you think. It gave Orin a sick twist of pleasure to know he’d met the Queen’s standards where the Prince couldn’t. Haley turned her concerned gaze to the Jersey City Prince, which promptly wiped the nasty little smile off Orin’s lips and made him feel like a jerk.

  You are a jerk.

  Yeah, well, it wasn’t his fault Special Ed Deshi was so irritating.

  Orin cleared his throat. “Anyhow. As long as I don’t initiate contact with Rehbek’ah she can’t touch me. Re’ka understood that. She might not have liked it…” And chose other ways to make his life difficult. “But she followed the rules.” Orin ran a hand through his hair and cursed. “I should have known this was going to happen.”

  “Orin, be serious. How could you have known?” Haley reached for him. She stopped and her hand curled. “Sorry…” Yeah, she’d almost forgotten. Friend or not, Orin did not like to be touched. At least that’s what he let her think, and he had no intentions of telling her otherwise, because the truth was just too ugly to look at.

  Still, God of Man, to be touched. Orin winced. The pain was back in his chest and duking it out with the RHage for most terrifying. He took a couple of breaths and stilled himself, then reached for Haley’s hand and slipped his fingers between hers. She had the same expression on her face the one time he shook it. Only this, this was a lot better than a hand shake. Yeah. Definitely.

  “Thanks for coming.” Damn, his voice sounded like he’d swallowed rocks.

  Haley’s hand tightened in his. “We’re your friends.”

  We? Orin glanced up at Deshi and the Male watched him with a gentle expression. Maybe he was being a little hard on the Prince, but Orin couldn’t help it. He didn’t like him.

  No, you don’t like what he gets to do and you don’t.

  Orin glanced down at where Haley was holding his hand and couldn’t help but think how this was at the top of bad choices. The this, being asking her to come here in the first place. The touching her part? It was nice.

  Haley gave their connection a little tug. “You were saying?”

  Orin rubbed his chest. “Yeah, Rehbek’ah… I think I was somewhere between she is obsessed with me and a few bats short of a belfry.”

  She laughed. “I think the crazy part must be included in the job description to q
ualify as a Queen.”

  “I shouldn’t have called.” Orin surprised himself by saying it out loud. But now that the truth was out, it seemed a lot easier to embrace. “I just didn’t know what else to do.”

  “Orin, we’re here to help. I already have a call in to a lawyer.”

  “A lawyer?”

  “Yeah, you’re gonna need a good one to get you out of this.”

  Was she insane? No. Haley was thinking like a CFKR Agent. Orin said, “I can’t go to the police, Haley. They’d kill me before I could get up the front steps.”

  “Which is exactly why you need a lawyer. You can’t run forever. You’ll have to stop and face this. If Rehbek’ah killed Mary, then you need to clear your name and the authorities need to go after her. Have you tried to contact Re’ka to let her know what’s going on topside?”

  Orin shook his head. “Re’ka’s dead. At least according to Rehbek’ah, and I have to believe her cause her scent has changed. She’s come into power.”

  “Queens don’t just die.” That from Deshi. “Which means someone killed her.”

  Orin said, “Tell me something I don’t know.”

  “Do you think another Queen is involved?” Haley looked at the Prince.

  Deshi shook his head. “If it was an assassination by another Queen, they wouldn’t have left Rehbek’ah standing. And there are no other Females in Athens. That leaves only Rehbek’ah. But Rehbek’ah is younger than me, so I don’t understand how she could have had enough strength to kill her Mother.” Deshi looked at Orin. “Could there be a coup going on in the Athens Dens? Because if there is, things could get serious quick.”

  “No, there’s no coup.” At least Orin was pretty sure there wasn’t. The Dens were too quiet for a coup. Besides, this was Athens. Here the Dens weren’t much more than a hole in the wall…er…ground.

  Deshi said, “Are you sure?”

  Was he? It wasn’t like he had many ties to his people. After all, Orin did his damndest to stay away from the Dens. Still, he’d lived through a coup and knew overthrowing a Queen took a lot of power.