The Goddess and The Vampire Page 21

Chapter Twenty

  THE NEXT NIGHT when I woke up, I found Grandfather reading something on his tablet. He seemed to be absorbed so I went about my morning routine without disturbing him. He was still sitting there when I returned. He looked up this time.

  “Katie had a glow today.” Grandfather said as he looked me up and down. “Kind of like the glow you have. You know, that magic spell that keeps the Goddess a prisoner has a loophole in it. She can have conjugal visits. I’m not at all sure that’s a good idea.”

  “So you found out a bit more about Desiara?” I said.

  “I have found jack shit about Desiara, Sonny.” Grandfather said and shook his head. “The scraps in that book you found and a few rumors online. Someone seems to have put the wraps on everything ever written or told about her.”

  “You think the Goddess herself did this?” I said and couldn’t help remembering a few of the more exotic positions she had used with me. I let my thoughts wander until Grandfather hit me with a wadded up piece of paper. I smiled at him.

  “You know I’ve been doing a little bit of Intelligence work for Fedor.” Grandfather said and tapped a finger to his nose. “People working for vampires have a lot of free time during the day. Most spend all their free time using social media of one sort or another. This is an untapped resource. Gossiping with Chosen and Servants could be a gold mine. I think Fedor should make me his internet guru.”

  “Well.” I said and looked at Grandfather for a moment. “If anyone would know about wasting all his time online I guess that would be you. But don’t you think that would be a little irresponsible.”

  “Yeah.” Grandfather said and stared at me. “Said the role model for responsible behavior.”

  “What’s with you today?” I said.

  “So how about giving me a ride down to the Consulate?” Grandfather said. “You can drop me off on your way to doing whatever it is you do every night.”

  “Sure.” I said and slipped on my jacket. “Why not?”

  Raoul and Izumi were sitting in the Gremlin parked next to the Dodge. They didn’t look any the worse for wear. Grandfather looked at them and then walked over to the driver’s side where Raoul was looking out the open window.

  “I have some information for you, Sonny.” Grandfather said and leaned on the car like a dealer selling a dime bag. “For the right price I can tell you what your wife does every afternoon around three.”

  “Unless she’s playing Bingo.” Raoul said and leaned toward Grandfather. “How would you know?”

  “I got sources.” Grandfather said and tapped the side of his head. “I know things.”

  “You know nothing.” Raoul said, but he looked like he was thinking about where his wife might be every afternoon.

  “And Izumi.” Grandfather said across Raoul. “You need to renew your Hunter’s Permit. You need more time at the range. Your last score was terrible.”

  “Aren’t you gonna tell her what her husband’s doing at three in the afternoon?” Raoul said and squinted at Grandfather. “Why are you smiling?”

  “For the right price I’ll fill in the gaps for you.” Grandfather said and winked. “Just put in a request at The Consulate.”

  Grandfather turned and opened the door to the Dodge. Raoul and Izumi were eyeing each other with new suspicions. I got behind the wheel and we were soon heading for Downtown.

  The area around The Mansion had once been open fields and small clumps of woods. I had a few acres that still had a slightly natural feel to them. The rest of the area was filled with newer construction. Apartment buildings, upscale businesses, and way too many restaurants. Tonight the roads were full of people drifting from one to the other without any apparent purpose.

  “People like being around other people.” Katie said from the back seat. “Well, some people anyway.”

  I looked in the rearview mirror and saw Katie. Her face was illuminated by the small display from whatever electronic device she was using. She took a second to look up and meet my eye. She smiled for a second and winked at me, then went back to whatever app she was using. I felt a bit of guilt over falling in love with Katie or Desiara or whatever. Sally seemed to understand the changing dynamics of our relationship. Well, it was good that one of us did.

  I STILL WASN’T sure that Grandfather working for Fedor was a great idea, but he did seem to have a natural gift for the work. Data mining required focus and Grandfather could go to a Zen like state when he put his mind to it. I let my mind fiddle with the possibilities for Raoul’s wife for a few minutes.

  “So what is Raoul’s wife doing at three in the afternoon?” I said.

  “How would I know?” Grandfather said. “Think I got nothing better to do?”

  I stopped outside the Vampire Consulate and let Grandfather get out. He went in to talk to Fedor about whatever juicy info he had found online. I decided not to go inside. Just in case Jackie might be there and I got an overwhelming urge to do something I would regret. Again.

  “You think too much.” Katie said in a matter of fact voice. “Sally knows you’re a vampire. And knows that vampires can’t even spell monogamy. If she really had a problem with that she wouldn’t still be coming around to see you.”

  “You don’t have too high of an opinion of vampires.” I said. “We’re not all obsessed with sex and blood. Some are just obsessed with the blood.”

  “Yeah.” Katie said. “And some rock bands are only interested in making music. Not the money or the groupies.”

  “Have a bad experience with the Beatles?” I said. I had no idea what Katie spent all her time listening to. It might be the Beatles.

  “Paul wrote a song about me.” Katie said in a faraway voice. “But Ringo was my favorite.”

  “I saw them in the Cavern.” I said, nodding at the memory. “Kilestra found them one night and told me I had to hear them. They weren’t really my kind of music at the time, but the energy in the Cavern was amazing.”

  “You saw the Beatles at the Cavern?” Katie said and let her eyebrows rise. “Color me jealous.”

  “Hey.” I said. “I just saw them. They didn’t write songs about me. Now Kilestra, who knows? Have you listened to Revolver? That whole album is basically about Vampires. And Kilestra was spending a lot of nights with John at the time.”

  Grandfather got back in the car and slammed the door. He shifted his jaw around and stared out the window for several seconds.

  “Fedor says he likes the idea.” Grandfather said as he snapped his seatbelt into place. “But he doesn’t want to give me a title or a raise. At least not yet. I have to prove that I can get more than a few random bits of info first. He said he wasn’t going to pay me to surf porn sites all day.”

  “Sounds like he knows you pretty well.” Katie said from the back seat.

  I drove Grandfather back to his apartment with Raoul and Izumi following. Grandfather went inside quickly so he could use his aging tower PC. I wouldn’t be surprised if I found charges for a lot of new computer equipment on my next bank statement. I could imagine Grandfather sitting in the dark surrounded by computer monitors and techno music filling the air.

  I got a small ping on my vampire radar. Kilestra was in the woods again or somewhere near the woods. Katie and I got out of the car and looked down the hill. Raoul and Izumi were parked near the bottom of the drive where Gerald had been last night. Maybe they were taking turns.

  I walked toward the house’s back where a lot of trees and bushes hid the entrance to the storm drains. Katie wrinkled her nose and gave me a look.

  “Do we have to go back in there?” Katie said and peered into the gloom. “I had to wash my hair three times to get the smell out last time.”

  “You won’t have to roll around in the muck.” I said and pushed aside a few branches. “At least, I don’t think you’ll be rolling around in the muck.”

  “Great.” Katie said and followed me inside.

  Fort Worth had many oversized storm drains and this particular sec
tion wasn’t very large. A few hundred yards in either direction and a couple of four way connectors leading off the streams that the cement tubes dumped into. Rogue vampires liked these tunnels and I’m sure there was a website somewhere that told people like Vladlena which one was the best. Like most underground tunnels, it was pitch black and there were no lights, as it was not designed to be visited on a regular basis. A small flashlight came on off to our right. The light bounced around the tunnel and illuminated Kilestra.

  “Hey, Katie.” Kilestra said. “I see you haven’t run off into the woods yet.”

  “Kilestra.” Katie said and bowed her head. I was never sure what would set off one of Katie’s formal moments, but Kilestra smirked her approval.

  “Wil.” Kilestra said. “You’ve been a bit reckless lately. Maybe you should stick to your work at The Consulate for now.”

  “I know this may come as a shock to you and Sally.” I said and crossed my arms. “But I don’t take orders from you.”

  “Oh of course not.” Kilestra said, nodding at me. The dim light threw ominous shadows on her face and the flick of power from her eyes had the intended effect of making me nervous. “Merely a suggestion, Master Walengrave.”

  Having Kilestra call me Master was like a mother using all three names when she scolded a child. Katie felt the insult and stepped slightly between us. I put a hand on her shoulder, I had no interest in seeing Katie and Kilestra test each other. I have even less interest in seeing the Goddess manifest in such tight quarters.

  “Sally thinks I’m in danger?” I said and pushed Katie back beside me.

  “You’ve been hanging out with Carlo.” Kilestra said and squinted at me. “Carlo and Victoria both think they would make better Masters of Fort Worth than you. And everyone that cares knows you and your little posse helped yourself to everything not nailed down at Carlo’s compound. You have every vampire in the Metroplex worried that you’ll be stopping by their house next.”

  “It seemed like a good idea at the time.” I said. “Did you find anything interesting?”

  “Nothing I felt like stealing.” Kilestra said and looked at Katie. “I found Katie’s stuff burned in the furnace. Why do all adolescents write bad poetry?”

  “How did you get around the security system?” I said. “What about Henry the butler?”

  “The system was off while Henry cleaned.” Kilestra said and looked at Katie again. “And Henry, in case you didn’t notice, doesn’t care much about intruders.”

  “Watch yourself leaving the tunnels.” I said to Kilestra as I turned to go. “Raoul and Izumi are parked outside the main gate and Gerald is still creeping around somewhere. It would be bad for your Rep if Gerald caught you.”

  “Take care of yourself, Wil.” Kilestra said and turned to Katie. “You take care of him as well.”

  “I have something for you, Kilestra.” Katie said and pulled something out of her satchel. “I took it myself and used Wil’s computer to tweak the image.”

  Kilestra reached out and took the small oval framed portrait. It was a good likeness of me. I had a serious expression and Katie had Photoshopped an old style suit onto me. It took me a moment to recognize the portrait. It was the one that Desiara was holding in that enchanted painting. I felt a tingle in my mind as another bit of the forecasted future snapped into place.

  “Thank you, Katie.” Kilestra said in as soft a tone as I had ever heard her use. “This means a lot to me.”

  “I have this one as well.” Katie said and handed Kilestra an unframed 8x10. “In case you wanted to get a frame of your own or something.”

  “You two better get going.” Kilestra said and hid the photos away. Then she was gone.

  BY THE TIME I got behind the Dodge’s wheel the next night and started the engine, Raoul and Izumi were already waiting for me in the Gremlin. Gerald was parked near them blasting Buddy Holly for the neighborhood’s enjoyment.

  I put the car into gear and rolled down the hill. I was getting tired of the threats and the constant presence of these insignificant Hunters. I felt around for my old friend Jake. I found him easily enough. Jake never seemed to be hiding from anyone.

  ‘Wilhem.’ He spoke in my mind. ‘You don’t call, you don’t write.’

  ‘I was wondering if maybe you could do something for me.’ I said and looked in the rearview mirror. ‘Gerald is following me around.’

  ‘Gerald.’ Jake thought in pure hatred. ‘I hate Gerald.’

  ‘A couple of Hunters are on my tail as well.’ I thought to Jake. ‘I’d like to distract them for a while.’

  ‘I could kill all of them.’ Jake thought and let a series of images that backed up this idea flow through my head. ‘That would discourage them.’

  “Let’s put that idea on the back burner for now.’ I said and let a few thoughts of my own flow toward Jake. ‘I have a couple of ideas.’

  THE METROPLEX IS full of cul de sacs. Endless planned neighborhoods that could have used a little more planning. Some of these dead end streets were only a couple of blocks long, some were a lot longer. Most had little signs that said Dead End, but no one ever reads them, so people were constantly looking for a shortcut that turned into a long cut. I knew where a few of these streets were, and so did Jake.

  I took a turn that led down one of the long dead ends and nodded at Jake as I passed him sitting at a stop sign. I went to the end of the road and made a standard U-turn, passing my pursuers heading the other way. Once I cleared the end of the road, Jake neatly blocked the road with his oversized late 70s Cadillac, another one of those things he loved that the rest of us could live without. Jake and a small group of liked minded vampires hopped out of the Caddy and headed for Gerald. I left before I could see what they had in mind.

  “I like Jake’s original plan.” Katie said as we headed out of the neighborhood. “There is a simple elegance in just killing them all.”

  “And that’s why we can’t have nice things.” I said as I headed toward Azle. “Killing people, destroying worlds, always looking for a permanent solution to a temporary problem.”

  “Temporary for you.” Katie said and growled in her throat. I waited for the Goddess to speak, but it was just Katie and she had nothing more to add.

  I drove around the outskirts of the gravel pits hoping to catch a glimmer of Kilestra. I knew she was splitting her time between Carlo’s compound and Victoria’s secret lair. Well, maybe not so secret, what with a small army of Werearmadillos on the prowl.

  I felt a tingle of power that turned into a clamor, as it grew closer. The rear passenger door opened and Victoria slid onto the back seat. She sat in the middle and spread her arms. Her power filled the car with a bitter taste and a dark cloud floated around her.

  “I’ve been waiting for that Invitation.” Victoria said and leaned forward so that her mouth was near my ear. “You shouldn’t play power games with people more powerful than yourself.”

  “I’ve been a bit busy.” I said and shifted in my seat so I could face her. “Things keep cropping up that need my attention.”

  “Oh.” Victoria said and looked at Katie. “Maybe I should just keep your latest toy until you can find time for me in your busy schedule.”

  “I’m here now.” I said and laid a hand on Katie’s knee. “Tell me what you want to talk about.”

  “The Master of Fort Worth does business in a car?” Victoria said and leaned back. “It was my understanding that you wanted me to follow the rules. So I’ve been patient. I will continue to be patient. I await your pleasure, Master Walengrave.”

  “Thank you.” I said and relaxed as much as I could with an Ancient sitting in my back seat.

  “Carlo’s not really himself when he’s in Little Rome.” Victoria said and gave me a small smile. “I trust he didn’t offend you.”

  “No.” I said and saw a flash of power in Victoria’s eyes. “No offense at all.”

  “Then you must be here to make sure that Carlo knows you burgled his house
.” Victoria said and narrowed her eyes. “I understand the desire to demonstrate that you’re more powerful than he is. I told him not to drag you off to that damned Shadow Club of his. He will, of course, beg your pardon himself if that is your desire.”

  “He’s not going to give me another Elf, is he?” I said before I could think better of it.

  “Has Desiara displeased you?” Victoria said in a voice that filled the car with an icy wind and made Katie shrink in her seat. “She can be willful, but I assure you that a firm hand is all that is needed. Leave her with me for a few days and she will know better how to please you.”

  Victoria’s coercion was heavy in the air and I was about to give my consent. I turned and saw the look of terror and pleading on Katie’s face. She was cowering as if she knew all too well what Victoria would do to her. I held a hand up and Victoria let her power go.

  “Have it your way, Master.” Victoria said and looked out the window at the bleak landscape. “I spend a lot of my time traveling, did you know that? I speak at Embassies, sharing my wisdom and selling the information that I have gained from so many years of existence. Yet here I am. Cooling my heels in a gravel pit and awaiting a formal invitation to discuss my small problems. I would only charge you a small fee to discipline this Elf and you would both be so much happier.”

  “I’ll see that the formal invitation is sent out, Victoria.” I said. “I don’t want to inconvenience you any further.”

  “Thank you.” Victoria said. “That will take care of one problem and I have plans of putting another one on a train to Mexico. The Master of Monterey owes me a favor.”

  “Raoul was bragging about killing someone important in Monterey.” I said and looked at Victoria. “Have you talked to this Master recently?”

  “Those two know nothing.” Victoria leaned forward and ran her hand over Katie’s scalp. Katie tried to suppress the shudder, but didn’t really succeed. Victoria smiled in my direction.

  “You feel the fear roiling off her, Wilhem?” Victoria said and took a deep breath. “Isn’t it delicious? You can make her do anything once she is properly motivated. Anything.”

  A tap at the window brought my attention to Justin, the head of the Werearmadillos, where he was standing with Gravel and a few others behind him. I powered down the window and he leaned on the door.

  “We need you to head back to the mine, Mistress.” Justin said with a surprising amount of authority. “Carlo is having trouble getting that package ready for the train and needs your help.”

  “I’m busy.” Victoria said and leaned toward me. “There was a time when an Ancient got some respect.”

  “With all respect.” Justin said. “You can talk to Master Walengrave another night. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. And I don’t think Katie wants to play right now.”

  “Duty calls.” Victoria said and leaned close and kissed me lightly on the cheek. Then she turned to Katie and pulled her forward. She kissed her on the mouth and then pushed her away. “I will be expecting that invitation.”

  She exited the car and walked off surrounded by the Werearmadillos. Gravel remained behind and took Justin’s place at the window.

  “Carlo is still worried you’re going to have him killed.” Gravel said and then caught sight of Katie trying to shake off the effects of Victoria’s touch. “Did she hurt you?”

  “What do you think?” Katie said in a shaky voice. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Call me if you need me.” Gravel said, turned, and walked away.

  I felt Mosaic, Kilestra’s second in command, touch my mind. She was powerful for a Chosen, and her blood had an interesting quality due to her slightly excessive use of steroids. Mosaic was the one watching the gravel pits; she told me it wasn’t a good idea to hang around here. Other vampires were nearby and they could hear our communication. I gave Mosaic a curt command to keep up the good work and broke the connection. Let them think I had armies watching them, even if they weren’t exactly my armies.

  “You were going to hand me over to that monster.” Katie said and caught a sob in her throat. “You let her touch me. Kiss me. She wants to torture me. I was forced to watch her torture one of the Armadillos that displeased Carlo. She broke him like a bread stick. Then forced me to heal him so she could start over again.”

  “You’re safe now.” I said and concentrated on driving back to Fort Worth. “I wouldn’t let that happen to you.”

  “Yeah.” Katie said. “I feel totally safe now.”

  My phone rang and it was Kilestra.

  “Victoria is listening.” I said as I answered the phone.

  “I know.” Kilestra said. “Why are you talking to Victoria? She’s dangerous.”

  “I was looking for you.” I said. “Victoria just showed up.”

  “We’ll talk later.” Kilestra said and hung up.

  We drove back to the Mansion and found Raoul and Izumi sitting in the parking area. They had their game faces on and Izumi was holding her Katana in plain sight. Victoria and Carlo might be worried I was going to take their heads, but these two didn’t seem to share that fear.

  Katie was still a bit upset about Victoria. I wasn’t paying as much attention as I should have been. When a strange energy swelled up and surrounded Katie, I was caught completely off guard. Katie got out of the Dodge and walked away. I flashed to her and blocked her path. Her head didn’t move, but her eyes turned to me and I saw a look of betrayal. A green light flashed behind her eyes for a moment. She closed her eyes and clamped her teeth.

  “What is it?” I said. Before Katie could answer Izumi’s Katana flashed in front of my face and got my attention. I may have mentioned one of the favored methods of killing a vampire is to take its head with a sword. Raoul held his fist toward Katie and some power surrounded his hand like an aura. I watched as Katie slowly walked toward him.

  “We tried to do it the nice way.” Raoul said and gave his fist a shake that made Katie stumble. “Now we have to teach you a lesson.”

  Raoul opened the door and Katie got into the Gremlin as if she were working on autopilot. Katie looked a bit more green than usual, clearly the idea of torture at the hands of yet another lunatic did not appeal to her. Izumi held her Katana ready to strike as Raoul crawled into the car next to Katie. A moment later Izumi hopped into the car and they drove down the drive.

  Before I could decide what to do, a green light filled the small car. It flowed out into the night. Izumi and Raoul screamed loud enough to be heard blocks away. I watched the Gremlin rock back and forth on its shocks. A deep voice filled with power rumbled in outrage, though I couldn’t make out the words. A wave of magic roiled off the car and washed over me. It was a power I knew well. Desiara was in the car with Raoul and Izumi.

  The Gremlin came to a sudden stop and the door popped open. Raoul stumbled out with his clothes burning. He cursed in Spanish and slapped at the green unearthly flames. Katie moved out of the car and kicked Raoul hard in the nuts. He crumpled over with his eyes bugging out. He roared and I watched him shift into his bear form. He growled and charged Katie.

  Whatever power he was using was amplified by his transformation. Katie stiffened and froze where she stood. But just for a moment. Then Raoul slashed her with his claws and sent her flying. She landed on the ground about ten feet away. She was still glowing green and didn’t seem to be injured.

  Izumi bailed out of the car with her tattered robe burning like a torch. She ignored the flames and swiped at Katie with her Katana. Katie was already moving in a supernatural blur. Izumi floated into the air and matched Katie’s speed as she swept her blade in a graceful arc.

  Katie grabbed Izumi’s Katana and held it still. She pulled Izumi down and drove her into the cement of the driveway. Izumi kept her grip on her Katana, but she had no chance to use it. Katie gathered handfuls of Izumi’s burning shroud and gripped her skeletal body. Power flashed in Katie’s hands and Izumi took on human form. She was a slim Japanese woman who now felt pain and suffer
ed injury as Katie pummeled her with flashing fists. Izumi screamed as the flames that burnt her vulnerable human flesh.

  Raoul lumbered toward Katie with his massive claws clicking on the pavement. He swiped at her and raked his claws across her back. He tore her hoodie and sliced her flesh. Katie screamed as she whipped around and floated into the air. I watched as her back healed and she brought her hands together. I had seen her do that kind of thing before. I braced my feet.

  Raoul was thrown back as the earth shook. He was pushed back by powers even his massive form couldn’t cope with. Katie made a noise like boulders being crushed. Raoul climbed to all fours and lumbered forward again. He raised his massive paw into the air and tried once more to take control of Katie. I watched as some unseen power forced Katie to drop her power and she fell back to earth. Raoul growled and moved forward.

  Raoul didn’t notice that Katie still held Izumi’s Katana. She gripped the handle and I could hear the blade singing from where I stood. It was a song of death and triumph that rattled my bones and made Raoul pause as he advanced. Katie used that moment to cut off the paw that was holding something between its clawed fingers. Raoul roared in rage as Katie bent over and plucked something from the severed paw that had transformed back into a human hand. Raoul stumbled backwards and fled. Katie turned and stared down at Izumi, who laid very still and whimpered in pain. Katie threw the Katana on the ground and stepped on its blade with a blast of green power. It snapped in two and it’s song died in mid chorus.

  Katie flashed up the drive to me and knelt at my feet. The green light faded from her eye. She held her palm out to me. A square coin sat in her hand. I took it without thinking and Katie bowed her head and sat on the ground. I felt a burning connection between Katie and the coin. Magic that was beyond my understanding.