Zen and the Art of Vampires (34 page)

I cast my mind back to anything that Kristoff might have said that could be in question.

“He said that once you had the power, you wouldn't be able to control it.”

“Oh, Mattias? Yes, he did say that. It seems . . . counterintuitive, doesn't it?”

“Yup. You know what I think?” She tipped her head to the side as she considered me. “I think he was bullshitting you.”

“You don't think they can bestow powers on me without me being there?”

“No, actually, I can see that. You've already got this stone that makes you Zorya, so that's the part you're responsible for. You accepted the job. I admit it's a bit odd having the power come through recognition of that by your fellow Brotherhoodians, but eh. People do weird things sometimes. No, it's that whole song and dance about once you have the power, you'll have to use it whether or not you want to. I don't buy that, I don't buy that at all.”

Now that I had time to sit and think about it, it didn't seem right to me, either. “I'm very big on the idea of free will,” I said, nodding. “No one can make me do something that's morally reprehensible, not even if I had all the power of the moon. Anniki said nothing about being just a tool.”

“Exactly. Maybe someone who didn't have a lot of mental gumption couldn't control her powers, but you? Bah. You've got gumption coming out of your pores.”

“Thank you,” I said, smiling. I felt surprisingly better at that thought.

She eyed me curiously. “So does that mean you're going to go ahead and let them do the ceremony? Or are you going to give in to this Christian fellow and let the vamps bully you into giving up your oath?”

I glanced toward the door. Alec was visible in the kitchen, surrounded by Ulfur and Hallur and a couple other ghosts, all of whom were examining his clothing while Alec spoke to someone on his cell phone.

“I've never enjoyed being pushed around,” I said softly. “Not by anyone. And I don't intend to be used, nor will I let anyone die because of me. If I'm in a position of power, I can get the ghosts to Ostri, and keep everyone safe—Brotherhood people and vampires alike.”

“Atta girl,” Magda said with approval, giving my arm another pat. “That's part of your oath to Anniki done. What about the other part?”

“I don't know,” I said slowly. “I honestly don't believe Kristoff or Alec had anything to do with her murder. And Christian said none of his people did.”

“You believe him,” she said, making it a statement, not a question.

“As a matter of fact, I do.”

“So, who
did
kill her? And why was she killed in your bathroom?”

“It's your bathroom just as much as it is mine,” I protested weakly.

She gave me a look that made me ashamed. “You said yourself the door was locked on your side. Besides, I didn't know her, and you did. There must be some connection between you and her that led to her being killed in
your
bathroom.”

“If there is, I can't figure it out,” I said, feeling helpless again. “I
think
it has something to do with the fact that I ran into Anniki earlier, but why would she come to see me in the middle of the night?”

“I still say it's that Ilargi person. You're sure one of the vamps isn't him?”

“I'm not sure, but I really don't think so. None of them feel”—I made a vague gesture—“evil. Dangerous, yes. Mysterious, and unmoving, and not at all the sort of person you want to meet in a dark alley—oh, hell yes! But soul sucking? No. Not that.”

“Hrm.” Magda looked pensive. “Well, I suppose finding her murderer isn't as pressing as dealing with this situation. I'm sure you'll work it out in the end. Now, what can I do to help?”

I glanced at the clock. Night had set in. “There's about two hours before the ritual is supposed to begin. I don't know how many other Brotherhood people are gathering for the ritual, although I don't think it's a whole lot. There's just not time to bring in people from outside of the area, and Mattias told me a few nights back that there are only like five total members who live in Iceland. So I think the first thing is for me to get out of town. You think you can get a car?”

“Done and doner,” she said, saluting. “Then we'll go to the ruins?”

“
I'll
go. I don't think it's going to be safe for you at all,” I said, quickly interrupting her protests. “I know you want to help, Magda, but really, the best thing you can do is stay away from the ruins. I don't want to have to worry about protecting you from anyone's ire just because you helped me, especially if that means I can't control whatever is going on at the time.”

She opened her mouth to protest, closing it again with a muttered, “Damn. I hate it when you make sense.”

“I promise I'll tell you everything that happens,” I said, getting to my feet, one eye on Alec. He had his back to me, still talking on the phone. “Assuming I can, that is.”

“Don't be such a negative Nelly,” Magda said, heading for the front door. “I'll be back in a flash with a car. And I'm going to hold you to that promise, missy. If I have to sacrifice my curiosity, I want a full disclosure on the happenings.”

I waved good-bye and sank back down onto the couch. I just hoped I'd be around to fulfill that promise.

“My darling, you know I would move heaven and earth for you,” Alec said a bit later. He kissed my hands when he said that, making me more than a little uncomfortable about his unabashed affection for me.

I had to break it to him that things had changed. It was unthinkable to let him believe I returned his feelings when just a few hours before I was engaged in carnal acts with his friend. I blushed just thinking about the manner in which I'd fed Kristoff.

“About that, Alec . . . I think we need to have a talk.” I remembered that I was supposed to be coming up with an excuse to slip away from him so I could use the car that Magda was even now bringing to me, and amended my statement. “We need to talk about a couple of things.”

“And so we shall, my precious one, but later. Kristoff is on his way back—he and Andreas have located the reaper who got away—and Kristoff ran into a couple more on their way to the ruins. He is bringing them back here. Christian called to say that he believes the Zenith has slipped past them. Sebastian was nearly run over by someone in a rental car.”

“Couldn't that have been merely a tourist with bad driving skills?” I asked, distracted by the idea of a homicidal tourist.

Alec's lips quirked. “Not when the driver picks Sebastian out of the crowd and deliberately tries to run him down.”

“Ouch. The Brotherhood guys can recognize vampires that easily?”

“Not generally, no, but all the members of the council are well known to the reapers, as are those of us who are tasked with hunting them. That is how I was recognized in the restaurant earlier. But all is well—Sebastian got the number of the car, and they are in pursuit. Kristoff has the three who attacked us earlier. You may rest assured that if the Zenith comes here, I will protect you, but I suspect that he will head straight for the ruins.”

“So everyone is going to converge there?” Damn. How was I going to slip away and get to the ruins myself if all the vamps were descending there?

“Not if we can take them elsewhere. Do not worry, my love, I won't let anyone hurt you.” His cell phone rang. He glanced at it. “Ah. That is Andreas checking in. You will excuse me for a moment. . . .”

He wandered off to the hallway. I glanced around the room, saying softly, “Ulfur?”

“He's in the kitchen,” Dagrun said from where she reclined on the couch.

I thought hard for a minute. “Do me a favor and round up everyone. I'm going to have to get moving, and I don't feel good about leaving you all behind.”

Dagrun sighed heavily, but got up and stomped out of the room. I sidled past the door of the hall and through a small parlor to the kitchen.

A cluster of male ghosts stood marveling at the modern appliances. “What exactly does a Cuisinart do?” Ulfur asked, pointing at the item in question.

“Chops things up. I've sent Dagrun to gather up everyone—we have to get out of here. Now.”

Ulfur and the men looked interested. “Where are we going?”

“To Ostri. I'm afraid we can't get your horse in the car, though.”

Ulfur blinked for a moment. “We are going to the ruins you mentioned earlier?”

“Yes.”

“I will ride there.”

“It's almost ten miles,” I pointed out. “If the opening to Ostri doesn't last long, I'm not sure if you can get there in time.”

“I will not leave Ragnar,” Ulfur repeated, a stubborn set to his ghostly jaw.

I gave up, recognizing defeat when I saw it. “Get going now, then. I'll try to delay leaving as long as I can, but I can't let the vampires get to everyone before they complete the ceremony.”

Ulfur ran out after getting directions, calling for Ragnar, who appeared out of nothing with his ears twitching excitedly.

I peeked out the door to where Alec stood, still talking on the phone. The ghosts ran down the front stairs, rippling through Alec without him so much as lifting an eyebrow. I wondered again why Kristoff had been able to see them, but Alec didn't.

“The child says we're leaving?” Old Agda asked as she hobbled into the kitchen double time.

“Just as soon as the car gets here. Ulfur went on ahead to meet us. Is that everyone? Where's Karl and Marta?”

“Coming,” Marta said, her face alight with happiness as she and her husband hurried into the kitchen. “You've changed your mind? We're really going to Ostri?”

“I'm going to do my best,” I said with grim determination. “I'm going to need everyone to get into the car when Magda comes with it. Then we'll drive to the ruins, and we're going to do everything possible to stop the vampires from coming down on the Brotherhood people until they complete the ritual. So save your energy, OK?”

“You want us to help stop Dark Ones?” Hallur asked, looking worried. “We can't do that.”

“Of course you can. You stopped the Ilargi.”

The ghosts all looked at one another. “That was different,” Hallur finally said.

“I don't see how. If anything, the Ilargi was more dangerous because he could suck your soul, and yet you stopped him from taking Karl. Surely if you can all cooperate to stop someone as powerful as that, you can slow down a couple of vampires.”

“Dark Ones can disburse us,” Ingveldur pointed out. “You saw this yourself when your man was annoyed by Ulfur's horse.”

“Which man—” Hallur started to say.

“Ragnar wasn't in solid form then. If you all save your energy for stopping the vamps, and go solid on them, you should be able to slow them down.”

“I don't like it,” Hallur said, but his buddy, the one with the two-room house, socked him in the shoulder.

“Don't be such an old woman!”

“Oh!” Agda said, taking a swing at the other ghost.

He ducked. “We stopped an Ilargi! What's a few Dark Ones?”

“That's the spirit,” I told him. “Er . . . no pun intended. All right, does everyone know what to do?”

“I suppose so,” Hallur said slowly. Marta giggled. Ingveldur ordered her daughter to vanish.

“We'll be here, but unseen, so as to save as much energy as we can,” Ingveldur told me before disappearing.

I glanced out of the window. “Excellent. Magda has just arrived, so if you would all go outside and get into the car, I'll be out in a jiffy.”

I tiptoed across the kitchen. Alec stood with his back to me. I felt bad about slipping away without him knowing, but there was no way I could take him with me. I did scribble out a quick note, however, and used a magnet on the refrigerator to leave it clearly visible. I didn't want anyone to worry that one of the Brotherhood people had nabbed me.

“I would be happy to come with you—” Magda said a few minutes later.

I held up a hand to stop her. She sighed and gave me the keys to the compact rental car.

“It's safer this way. Safer for everyone,” I said as I got into the car, accepting the map she shoved through the open window.

“Sometimes being safe sucks.”

“Yeah, I know. Everyone in?”

Magda looked around in surprise. We were at a tiny garage connected to the house, apparently alone. “Your ghosts?”

“Yes.” I glanced in the rearview mirror. There was nothing to be seen, but I could feel the presence of my ghostly friends. They must have been packed in as one solid mass.