Blood Wyne (27 page)
They swirled, laughing, dancing, delighting in the pain that emanated from the walls of the building. A wave of anger and betrayal filtered out in concentric rings, energy taking form in a widening gyre, undulating through the room. I was normally headblind, but I could see everything going on.
“Graech wallin ve tarkel. Greach wallin ve merrek. Greach wallin ve sniachlotchke!”
Ivana’s words echoed, ricocheting from wall to wall, and the spirits who had come through the portal ran crazed, in a dance that spiraled around both of us. I couldn’t see their faces, but that they had once been human—or perhaps Fae—was clear.
Ivana’s words echoed, ricocheting from wall to wall, and the spirits who had come through the portal ran crazed, in a dance that spiraled around both of us. I couldn’t see their faces, but that they had once been human—or perhaps Fae—was clear.
A rumble from the walls of the building interrupted their play, and they gathered together, focusing on the hallway leading to the basement of the diner. I stiffened as Ivana let out a cackle of delight.
“Come to the Maiden, my pretty ones, my lovely sweet treats.” She reached out with one hand, and her jointed fingers curled in toward her wrist, almost touching it. A small flame burst into life in the center of her palm, sickly green with sparkles of purple racing through it. The flame grew, then detached itself and soared into the middle of the swarm of spirits.
“Crap, what the fuck kind of freak show are you running?” I didn’t mean to speak aloud, but the words came slipping out.
Ivana snorted, but she did not look back. “What do you care as long as I meet the bargain, dead girl?”
“I guess I don’t,” I said, but wasn’t sure if I really meant it. I’d expected some spell like Morio and Camille might cast, not a full floor show starring Spooks “R” Us.
“Then enjoy the show and be grateful I’m not picking my teeth with your bones, lovely one. You may be dead meat on the hoof, but when hungry, any source will do.” Ivana grinned at me, and I decided it was better when she wasn’t looking my way.
“Not a problem. I’m enjoying,” I muttered, doing my best to plaster a smile on my face.
The portal ghosts—the ones she’d invited in—were converging at the back of the diner, and I began to notice a sparkling form in their midst. Not good sparkles—there are some shimmers that you just
know
don’t have your best interests at heart, and this was one of them. It was one of the diner ghosts, and it was pissed.
know
don’t have your best interests at heart, and this was one of them. It was one of the diner ghosts, and it was pissed.
Ivana’s ghosts spiraled in on it, and I realized they were doing what porpoises do—forming a bubble net around it like the dolphins do around a school of fish they want to eat. The diner ghost let out a loud wail that would have frozen my heart, and there was a flare of sparks as the two forces met. Ivana’s spirits tightened their spiral, forcing the ghost into their center until I couldn’t see what was happening, but a shriek shook the foundation of the building, echoing from wall to wall, and the ghosts broke apart, again darting in their crazed dance.
I looked for the diner ghost but couldn’t see it, and it was then that I noticed a new form among the woo-hoo, party-hearty crowd. The diner ghost was now one of them, and by the intense shimmer around it, I had a feeling it was pissed out of its mind but couldn’t do anything about it.
Ivana clapped her hands.
“Nok sillen vog nor taggin!”
“Nok sillen vog nor taggin!”
The spirits moved forward toward the basement stairs, and Ivana followed. I didn’t want to go back in the basement. I’d had my fill of angry ghosts, of dancing ghosts, of ghosts that absorbed other ghosts. I backed away and leaped on the counter.
“I’ll keep watch up here while you go downstairs.”
“Stupid
Vampyr
, you don’t know fun when you see it.” Ivana spit out the words but then ignored me, pressing forward. I watched as she vanished through the doorway.
Vampyr
, you don’t know fun when you see it.” Ivana spit out the words but then ignored me, pressing forward. I watched as she vanished through the doorway.
I might be a stupid vampire, but considering the stake through Morio’s side that had been meant for me, I’d rather be stupid and remain intact. And downstairs, where the worst of the from-hell crowd were hanging out, wasn’t a safe place for anybody. Except, apparently, the Maiden of Karask and her ghostly cavalcade.
I moved back toward the door, deciding it might be wise to wait outside while Ivana did her stuff, and stepped into the thickening snowstorm. Pulling out my cell phone, I punched in Delilah’s number. She answered a moment later.
“Hey, I just wanted to know how Morio’s doing. Have they come out of the operating room yet?” I glanced at the time on my cell phone. Ivana and I’d been hanging out together a good two hours now. Lucky me.
“Sharah said they’re just finishing up. He was in there so long, Menolly.” Delilah sounded like she was trying not to cry. “Camille’s a wreck. Sharah put her in one of the rooms and made her lie down. Trillian slipped her a light sedative and although she’s not sleeping, she’s calmer now.”
“Good. Damn it, I wish Smoky were around.” I frowned at the snow. This was so not the right time for his family to call on him.
“By the way, where are you and what are you doing?” The sound of chewing told me Delilah was eating something.
“Cheetos or doughnuts? And where I am is none of your business right now.” I glanced at the time on my phone. It was almost time to check in with Roman. “I’m taking care of a little matter, so keep your britches on. I’ll check in with you in a bit.”
Hanging up before she could stop me, I dialed Roman and, when his maid came on, asked to be put through to him.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me what Ivana is? I so did not expect to be meeting one of the Elder Fae.”
“If I’d told you what she is, you might have opted out. I happen to think your plan is a good one, so I made sure you’d go through with it. When you are finished with her, why don’t you come over for a visit?”
The low, sultry voice told me just what kind of visit he was thinking of, and though the thought was appealing, now was not the time. “I’m sorry, but no. Not tonight. My brother-in-law is in the hospital and we’re not sure he’s going to live. My sister will need me after I’m done here.”
Roman paused, then said, “Understandable.”
“Wade’s agreed to withdraw.” I realized that in all the chaos I had forgotten to report back. “So you won’t hurt him, will you?”
“If he abides by his word, he’s safe from harm. I’m surprised you managed it without putting the bite on him. He was hell-bent on the position.”
“Yeah . . . I appealed to his desire to preserve his life. So what about Terrance? What do we do about him?” The last thing I wanted to do was infiltrate the Fangtabula—actually, strike that. The last thing I wanted to do was head downstairs and hang out with Ivana.
“We shall discuss his situation later. Meanwhile, keep your wits about you. Ivana never forgets a face, nor a bargain. Chances are she will be sniffing at your heels for more meat in exchange for her services. But be cautious: You may be half-Fae, but the Elder Fae are a breed unto themselves. Make too many bargains with them and they will own your soul.”
As I hung up, I thought that Roman conveniently left important information out of his conversations, and from now on, I’d ask for more details. I slid my phone back into my pocket and, glancing at the silent street, headed back toward the building.
As I reached the front door of the diner, the ground beneath my feet shook and threw me off balance. I went sprawling to the ground just as a loud howl echoed like a sonic boom over the diner, and then the building imploded in one massive cloud of dust and debris.
I sat there, dazed, covered with white powder, as a chunk of concrete the size of my fist came hurtling down to hit me on the head. The impact knocked me back but did nowhere the amount of damage it would have caused an FBH or one of my sisters. After a moment, I shook off the
thunk
and jumped up. I started to brush my jeans off, but decided it would be futile.
thunk
and jumped up. I started to brush my jeans off, but decided it would be futile.
One glance at the diner told me that nobody would ever be jerking sodas there again. It occurred to me that Ivana might be hurt and I debated going in to find out, but then a figure marched up from the basement stairs. Ivana, in all her freak show glory, leaned on her staff, followed by a glistening swirl of spirits.
A sinking feeling in my gut told me that I’d been secretly hoping the implosion had taken her out with the building. Anybody who could unleash enough force to destroy a diner was somebody I wanted either fully on my side or out of my life totally. I cursed Roman under my breath. If he’d told me who I was dealing with, I would have tried to find another way to deal with this mess.
Ivana marched over to me and gave me a creepy smile. She held up her staff. “I’ve gathered the spirits and they are here, with me. Second part of the bargain—we go now. I do not wish to be abroad when dawn arrives.”
“Neither do I,” I muttered. Frowning at her, I decided to see what she’d do if I suggested altering the deal. The thought of her wandering around in Underground Seattle seemed highly dangerous, as in let’s-bring-the-city-to-its-knees dangerous. “If you’re worried about the time, we can revise the bargain—”
“You are suggesting that I won’t honor the deal,
Vampyr
? Offense, I call offense and claim amends!”
Vampyr
? Offense, I call offense and claim amends!”
Stomping one foot, the Maiden of Karask began to grow even taller and it occurred to me that I’d fucked up.
Big-time
. But I didn’t dare apologize—just like a
thank you
, an
I’m sorry
indicated a situation of debt.
Big-time
. But I didn’t dare apologize—just like a
thank you
, an
I’m sorry
indicated a situation of debt.
“I believe you will honor the deal. I misspoke.” The lump in my stomach was growing. I had to placate her without promising her something that was going to hurt to hand over.
She squinted at me. “You have a quick tongue on you, dead girl.” Her lip quivered and I could see the desire in her eyes, the lust over what she might be able to cajole from me, but her eyes darted toward the bag full of beef she carried. She licked her lips. “No offense taken. This time. Second task: Now lead me.”
I grimaced, dreading the havoc she could wreak on the tunnel where our vampire serial killer might be hiding, but I had no choice. It was either complete the bargain or dig myself in a lot deeper than I already had.
“I’ll meet you a few blocks from here.” I gave her the next address and headed for my Jag. No way was I giving the Elder Fae a ride.
Ivana took one look at the second bag of beef and headed down the tunnel while I waited topside. I’d given her instructions, but no way in hell was I following her down there. I wasn’t about to get trapped belowground with one of the Elder Fae. So she, her silver staff, and her retinue of spirits vanished down the rabbit hole while I waited in my car, grateful she hadn’t ordered me to come with her.
The more I thought about it, the more I decided that having an Elder Fae in my Rolodex was a good thing, though not necessarily safe.
I shifted, wishing I’d brought a book with me, when a movement across the street caught my eye. Quick it was, so quick I knew it couldn’t be human. My serial killer? Leaping out of my Jag, I glanced back at the manhole. It would take Ivana some time to work her way through there. Surely I had enough time.
Without a second thought, I raced across the street and gave chase into the park.
CHAPTER 16
As I ran, my feet flying over the snow-clad sidewalk, a thousand thoughts filled my head. Usually my sisters were with me when I was about to face a major foe. Usually we took things on together. Right now, the best I could hope for was that it took Ivana a lot longer in the tunnels than it had taken in the diner. Of course, if she brought the roof down, it might take her out and I’d never have to worry about her again.
My quarry dodged off the sidewalk into a patch of undergrowth, and I followed. I couldn’t hear him, but the fleeing blur—the quicksilver movement—spelled
vampire
to me. As I went plowing through a hedgerow, I slowed to a walk. One wrong skewer of a bare branch could act like a stake. Not so good for continued existence. Fighting my way past the last part of the hedge, I stumbled out into a circular clearing. Benches curved around the center fountain, which was turned off for the winter. On the other side stood another figure, but it wasn’t the one I’d seen before. No, I was staring at Wade.
vampire
to me. As I went plowing through a hedgerow, I slowed to a walk. One wrong skewer of a bare branch could act like a stake. Not so good for continued existence. Fighting my way past the last part of the hedge, I stumbled out into a circular clearing. Benches curved around the center fountain, which was turned off for the winter. On the other side stood another figure, but it wasn’t the one I’d seen before. No, I was staring at Wade.
“Wade? What the fuck are you doing here?”
“I was out looking for your pervert,” he said, as we met by the fountain. “I saw someone come through the hedge, but then . . . I don’t know what happened, but he vanished. I know some vampires can turn invisible, but they’re rare.”
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