Theta Waves Book 1 (Episodes 1-3) (20 page)

Ezekiel backed away, his hand in the pocket of his jacket, leaving her emptied of him as the door yawned open.

She barely had time to climb down from the counter before the door opened, revealing a narrow hipped, narrow shouldered young man with immaculate taste judging by his attire, but with a very busy hairdresser judging by the faded purple streak in his hair.

"What in the hell are you doing?" The intruder demanded of Ezekiel as Theda launched herself for the sofa and the cover of her Afghan.

"Setting up for bingo." Ezekiel eased the zipper over his erection. His tone was calm, almost too much so for the cold fury that stole his face.

The man took note of Ezekiel's bedraggled state, the look of frustration, and the way he raked his hand through his hair.

"Oh hell. Not on my counter." The intruder's nose wrinkled in disgust. "Tell me you weren't just fucking that nasty-assed spitter chick on my sideboard."

"I wasn't. Thanks to your shitty timing." Ezekiel's hand crept toward the outside of his thigh as though it wanted to be closer to the boot that held the monstrous knife Theda knew was in there. "Who the hell are you?"

"I own this shit hole," the intruder said. "For Pete's sake make her put something on." He walked further into the apartment, shielding his eyes as though offended. "I don't know how the hell the two of you got in here, but you got exactly long enough for her to pull some pants over her ass before I start pulling out the cast-iron pans and swinging like Babe Ruth."

"Eddie gave us a key," Ezekiel drawled.

"Eddie?" The fellow's demeanor instantly changed as his hand came away from his brow and clenched at his side anxiously. "How is he? Did you see him? Did he ask about me?"

"Depends on who you are." It seemed mention of Eddie erased all concern about who they were and how they had got into his apartment. Even so, Theda opted to keep her mouth shut and cover herself with her Afghan. Let Ezekiel do the talking. Besides, she knew about as much as this new intruder did and was anxious to hear the explanation herself.

"I'm Julio."

The boy looked latino like Theda looked affluent black but she said nothing.

"Eddie is okay," Ezekiel said. He smoothed down his shirt, tucking it into his pants fastidiously, taking his time as though there was nothing odd about being caught with a naked woman wrapped around his hips. Theda's face burned. She pulled the Afghan around herself even tighter, drawing her knees up to her chin.

Julio came into the living room and perched on a rickety chair, pushing his purple streak behind his ear. He put his hand over his brow again, shielding his eyes as he inclined his head toward Theda.

"Didn't I tell you to get dressed?"

She chewed her lip, shrugging. "I don't, uh--"

"She doesn't have anything to wear," Ezekiel said.

Julio's gaze swung back to Ezekiel. "You got a shirt, don't you?" He sucked his teeth in distaste, muttering something about chivalry being dead, then got up from his chair and disappeared behind a Paisley curtain. He came out with a Beyoncé style
gold lamé cowl dress in one hand and a Catholic schoolgirl uniform in the other. He proffered both without looking at Theda. "No street clothes," he said. "Just costumes from our sex play."

Might as well stay naked as put either of those on.

"Can't I just have a pair of your jeans?" She looked up at Julio with as much of a pitiful expression as she could manage. He wrinkled his nose again but wouldn't catch her eye.

"And get your cooties?" He shook his head. "I don't think so."

"It's not as though I'm going to be giving you the jeans back," she said to him.

"What do you think this is, the Salvation Army?"

Ezekiel growled and grabbed for the Beyoncé dress, flinging it at Theda. It landed on her head and she peeled it off thinking at least she knew where his proclivities lay.

"I'll take the uniform," she said, reaching for Julio's other hand.

Ezekiel grabbed for her wrist before she could touch the material. "I don't think so," he said.

"I'm not wearing that trashy thing; I might as well run down the street screaming look at me."

"And wearing a religious uniform doesn't scream the same thing?"

She had a retort on her lips when she heard Julio growl at both of them to shut up. He sank into his chair again, putting his head in his hands.

"What a fucken mess," he mumbled more to himself than to Theda or Ezekiel. "I don't have time for this shit. Just get dressed and get out. If you can't give me any information about Eddie then just get dressed and get the fuck out. "

Without a word, Theda pulled the dress down over her head and smoothed it against her hips. She immediately felt better; all she had to do to feel best was to not look down at what she was wearing. Even the feel of the lamé against her bare skin felt wicked and trashy. She eyed Ezekiel, waiting for some idea of what to do next.

"What's all the hubbub?"

"They've got some girl playing on the promo over and over, saying she murdered Henrik. They're searching for her everywhere."

Ezekiel sank to a Crouch in front of Julio. "Henrik? The beast's son? And what's such a fucken mess about that?" Theda could hear the tension in his voice at the question.

Julio peered up at him. "Seriously? Eddie's in a spitter's den, hoarding fuck knows how many of those disgusting vermin for his boss, and you want to know what the mess is?" He eyed Theda briefly as though she were one of the disgusting vermin and didn't warrant any more attention than a quick shot of a glance.

"Enlighten me," Ezekiel said indulgently.

"Are you sure you know Eddie?" Julio turned back to Ezekiel, his gaze narrowing suspiciously. "Cause if you knew Eddie at all, if you knew what he was doing for a living, you'd know why this is such a fucken mess."

He got up, pushing Ezekiel aside and paced back and forth, mumbling to himself. Finally, he stopped in front of Ezekiel, facing him with hands on his hips.

"Tell me the last time you saw him."

"The last time I saw Eddie, he was laying a smear down on a Councilman's tongue."

Julio shrugged. "That could be anyone in a spitter's den, or outside of it for that matter. Proves nothing."

"The Councilman in question was dressed as a Renaissance executioner."

Julio's face lit up. "Prusser," he said. "Has to be. And what of Councilman Prusser's companion at the time?" The boy's brows lifted inquisitively. Meaningfully.

Ezekiel turned just slightly enough to draw Julio's attention back to where Theda was sitting on the couch.

It took a long drawn out moment, but realization eventually found its way onto his face. "Holy fuck, it's you," he blurted.

Ezekiel's tone almost sounded proud, as though he was showing off something remarkable. "Councilman Prusser was about to chop off young Anne's head."

"Prusser's snuff girl is the girl on the promo?"

"The same."

Julio fell into the chair again. Shaking his head. "Well this truly is a fucked up mess then."

The boy chewed his fingernail as he regarded Ezekiel. "Prusser went on Promo to say they had a lead on Henrik's killer, on the woman who murdered the Mayor – that she's a spitter, holed up in one of Sasha's boutiques."

Sasha had more than one boutique? That was disquieting. It took Theda a few moments to process how true the accusation actually was – at least how true it had been for a short while, before the boy spoke again.

"They'd let you rot in there and get what's coming to you," Julio said, pulling his fingers from his mouth and crossing his arms over his knees. "Except they want to make an example of you."

That gave her chills. She licked her lips nervously.

Ezekiel's arms crossed in a way that made Theda shiver. He looked threatening, entirely capable of violence as he faced Julio. "And what has that got to do with Eddie?" He asked, and his tone matched his stance.

Julio ignored the imminent warning. "Well, Eddie recruits, doesn't he? And he sells the leftover organs from the snuff action on the black market. Well, if there's anything usable left, that is," he said as an afterthought and Theda found herself wincing as she imagined what her fate could have been if Ezekiel hadn't found her in time.

"You know that's what he does for a living, and it doesn't bother you?" She asked Julio, unable to keep the accusation from her tone.

"It's how I get to live in such luxury. " Julio spread his arms wide to indicate the small apartment with a twisted grin on his face. "Eddie knows how to keep his men happy."

Julio didn't sound happy; in fact, he sounded pretty damned sour.

"That's disgusting," she said.

"Judge not," Julio said, eyeing the way her thighs peeked out from beneath the lamé skirt. "Besides, working in that place helps him keep a low profile."

"Still, I wouldn't think a little thing like black market organ sales would be such big deal," Ezekiel said.

Julio shrugged, pouting. "Maybe not. At least not until someone recognizes him."

"Who would care?" Ezekiel seemed to grow bored at the information even as Theda kept having to swallow down her own bile with each new tidbit. She couldn't stop pressing her fingers into her belly, feeling for her liver.

"He's a lover," the boy said. "As if you didn't know that. One of Henrik's harem. That's what makes this such a mess. They sent the horsemen in," he said. "Into spitter's dens all over the city. "

"Sweet Fuck," Ezekiel murmured.

"Yeah," Julio said chuckling darkly. "You see the trouble. The horsemen will know him on sight."

Ezekiel swung away from them both, facing the wall, his hands clenched at his sides. Theda watched his hands curl and uncurl into fists. She had heard of the horsemen; everyone knew who they were. An elite army of soldiers set to do the beast's bidding much like the SS had in Nazi Germany. All ruthless, led by four equally ruthless generals. Not so much to keep the peace, but to keep the mandate of antithetic life in the beast's new Earth.

She wasn't sure why this bothered him so. She thought of Bridget, dark-haired, full-bodied Bridget who according to Ezekiel had also been a lover – a movement of people from Henrik's harem, safe now despite her safe house being raided.

"Surely they won't bother with Eddie," Theda said. "If they're looking for me, maybe they'll be too busy –"

"They'll make the time," Ezekiel said, turning. The muscles in his throat worked as he tried to control what Theda interpreted as panic. And if Ezekiel could panic, then maybe Julio was right to call it a mess.

"Damn right they'll make the time," Julio said. "They're re-educating every one of the harem when they find them. All of the lovers."

"What does that mean?" She looked at Ezekiel for an explanation, hoping it wasn't as threatening a concept as Julio made it sound.

"It means," he said. "Electroshock therapy. Torture. Lobotomies for those who refuse to be re-educated. Death if that doesn't work."

The look on his face, the almost vacant stare that told Theda he was struggling to focus made her believe he had lied to her earlier.

"Bridget," she guessed.

He nodded miserably. "If the horsemen find anyone from the harem during their search for you they'll take them to the sanatoriums."

"I thought you said she was safe. I thought you said she got away."

He swallowed hard. She watched the Adam's apple Bob up and down for several moments before he would answer. "I gave her enough money to buy a week in one of Sasha's rooms." "

"And they're looking for me there," Theda said. "So they'll find her."

"And Eddie," Julio collapsed onto the chair. "Poor Eddie."

"We need to get back in there," Ezekiel said. Almost absently, he tapped his foot and Theda thought of the monstrous knife he stored in there. She imagined him storming the den with a Taser in one hand and a knife in the other: both woefully inadequate weapons under the circumstances.

"Oh no," she said. "Maybe you need to get back in there but I'm not going anywhere." She crossed her arms over her chest as she halted next to the counter, placing her fingers purposely on the sideboard. What good was a bounty hunter who carried nothing more frightening than a Taser and a knife? No good, that was what.

"I'm staying here."

Julio propelled himself from his chair, rounding the counter, pulling open drawers. "And what makes you think I'm going to let you stay here?" he complained. "Who knows how many people saw you come into my apartment? It's not safe for me to let you stay here."

"Well then I'll go somewhere else, but I'm not going back there." Theda turned her back on Julio, she could handle him. Instead, she glared at Ezekiel.

"You'll go if I say you go." He informed her with perfectly enunciated words that made her blood boil.

"You can't control me."

"Exactly the problem," he said. "And I can't protect you if I don't know where you are. How do I know you won't go off and take another smear. Get yourself captured."

"Maybe giving me a smear is the best way to control me," she said, thinking of how he'd forced her to take three of them when he'd arrested her. She crossed her arms as she confronted him. They'd come along way since then. "You know, in books the hero tries to protect the heroine, not drag her back into danger."