“Can you handle a sword?” Nic stared into Ivan's eyes.
“Yes, but I’d prefer a crossbow if you’ve got one.”
Fiona joined them in the huddle. “I have two, but both are small, with ten-inch quarrels. Easy to use in a small space.”
“That’ll do. Have you got a sword for me, just in case?” Ivan asked.
Nic looked at Fiona and shook his head. No way would he let Ivan use one of his swords. Working together was bad enough, but if the Council knew he'd armed one of the enemy...
“Sure, I’ve got extras.” Fiona nodded.
“You said I could carry a blade. What would that be like?” Annie asked her.
“Well, I have a six-inch knife with a wrist sheath that should be fine for you. It attaches to your forearm, and the blade is spring-released into your hand when you need it.”
“Great. How do I use it?”
“Do you know that scene in the movie
Psycho
?” Annie nodded. “Just like that.” Fiona smiled. “You could stab or slash with this blade. It’s wicked sharp.”
“Cool.”
“We’ll use our swords and a few throwing knives,” Nic added.
“That should be enough. With any luck, they won’t all be armed. Marcos thinks I’m going to give in and not put up a fight,” Ivan said.
“Right. We need to go home, change, and pick up the weapons. Where should we meet you?”
“Do you know the state park?” Ivan asked.
“I know it.”
“There is a pavilion at the back and a parking lot. Meet us there at…” Ivan checked his watch, and Nic recognized it as a stainless steel Tag Hauer. Expensive. The vampire had probably stolen it off a victim. “…eleven. That will give us time to gear up and get over there. I’d like to do some surveillance before we crash the party.”
“Got you.” Nic rapped the table with his knuckles to signal the meeting was over. He slid out of the booth and began to pull out his wallet.
“I got it.” Ivan waved Nic off.
Fiona slid across the booth. Annie reached out and took her hand.
“Thank you, Fiona. I’m sorry about your friend, but we were desperate.”
Fiona nodded and then slid her hand from under Annie’s. She and Nic walked out of the House of Pies. They reached the car, got in, and Cho skittered up Nic’s arm.
“So, what happened?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Nic muttered.
“We’re doing the rescue, Cho,” Fiona told him.
“I knew it. He’s sworn to help others. He can’t refuse.”
“Really? I didn’t know that. Did you forget to mention that to me?” she asked Nic.
“Can you just shut up, Cho?” He growled at his sidekick. Soon to be former sidekick if he didn't shut up.
Fiona turned to Nic. “Did you notice when they touched you, they were warm?”
“Yeah, I noticed.” He didn't mention to her he'd never touched one before.
“Doesn’t that bother you?”
Nic didn’t answer. He started the car and pulled out.
“They’re not lizards, guys.”
“What do you mean?” Fiona looked at Cho.
“Vampires live off blood. This would make them warm-blooded. Lizards are cold-blooded.”
“Cho, how do you know all this stuff?” Fiona chuckled.
“I watch a lot of TV.”
“You’re not following any soaps, are you?” she teased.
“Hell, no. Just the nature shows on PBS.”
For the rest of the drive, Nic was silent.
— • —
Annie leaned back in the booth and sighed. She rested her head on Ivan’s shoulder. “Oh God, I hope this works.”
“We’ve got just two hours to get ready, baby. Let’s go.” Ivan stood, threw a twenty on the table, and stepped aside for Annie to get out.
“Thank you for doing this. I know you’re risking a lot.” She gave his cheek a peck.
She didn’t know the half of it. Once the Elders found out he helped kill Marcos and the others, he’d be marked for death and so would she. Killing an Elder was no small crime in their world, if you were caught. Although, he knew in the case of political coups, most deaths were ordered and executed without reprisal. It was the personal killings they’d wanted to stop. Without anyone knowing the truth about the male-female switch, this would fall in the “personal” category.
He knew in exact detail what they’d do to him and Annie if they were caught. Beheading would be the easy way out.
He shook off his thoughts as they headed out the door of the restaurant and began walking to the van parked several blocks away. As they reached the first corner, Ivan took Annie’s hand as they waited to cross. Looking up into the night through all the lights from the busy street, Ivan could just barely see the stars.
“Annie, do you like the beach?”
Nic pulled the Jag into a parking spot near the pavilion. A single streetlight cast a soft glow over the white van parked beneath it.
Nic and Fiona, dressed entirely in black, got out. Nic strapped on his sword. There was no way in hell he’d meet them here without a weapon. Cho rode on Nic’s shoulder as they headed over to the van.
As they approached, Ivan, dressed in a black T-shirt and black jeans, stepped out of the van and closed the door. Annie, also in black, walked around the van and stood by Ivan. She gave Fiona a small, tentative wave of her hand in greeting, which Fiona returned.
“That the vampire?”
“Yeah, that’s him.”
“He’ll come in handy in a pinch.”
“Yeah.”
Ivan walked up to the Jag and circled it, open admiration on his face. With a low whistle, he said, “325 horsepower. She’s sweet.” Ivan’s fingertips trailed over the hood in a caress any lover would have enjoyed.
“He’s as bad as you are about cars, Nic.”
“How’s she handle?”
“Like she’s on rails,” Nic answered, leaning on his baby while fighting a grin of pride.
“I suppose you wouldn’t let me take her for a quick spin.” Ivan raised an eyebrow.
“That’s right.” Nic smirked. He never let anyone drive it, let alone a vampire.
Ivan shrugged off Nic’s refusal. “Who’s your friend?” he said, pointing to the lizard. Cho, black-skinned to blend in with Nic’s clothing, flicked his tongue out at him.
“This is Cho,” Nic said.
“Is he your sidekick?”
“He watches my back. I can trust him.” Nic stared at Ivan as they faced off.
“Never did like lizards, or snakes for that matter.” Ivan shrugged, but his eyes were smiling. “They give me the creeps.”
“I give
him
the creeps? He’s joking right?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Well, vampires make Cho nervous, so you’re even,” Nic replied.
“You tell him, Nic.”
Ivan nodded. “Fair enough. What did you bring us?”
Nic pushed off the car and popped open the trunk. The light came on and illuminated an assortment of weapons crammed in the small space.
“We stopped at Fiona’s and picked up a few things and then hit my place.”
Fiona leaned over the side of the car and pointed to a small crossbow. “How’s that?”
“Perfect.” Ivan picked it up, testing its weight in his hand. It was smaller than a standard crossbow and, because it was made of titanium, much lighter. The quarrels for it were about ten inches long and were snapped into a band worn on the bicep. “Should be enough to do the job. What about the sword?”
“I brought one of mine,” Fiona said. “For a man your size, it should do well.” She reached into the passenger side of the Jag and pulled out a large sword.
Ivan took it from her and drew it partway from the scabbard. “This is very fine.” Nic caught the glint in Ivan’s eye as he admired the weapon. “It’s been a long time since I used one of these.”
“It uses a back scabbard.” Fiona held up the strap. Ivan returned the sword to its holder and then slipped the scabbard over his head to rest on his back and adjusted it.
Nic’s hand rested on the hilt of his sword, ready to pull it if he needed to protect Fiona or himself. His trust only went so far, and there was no need to be stupid.
Ivan reached over his right shoulder and drew the sword. Using both hands, he made several arcs, moving with ease and grace, and then he slid the blade back into its home.
“Nice balance.” Ivan looked pleased. Nic let out the breath he held in a slow, silent exhale.
Annie bounced on her feet. “Where’s the knife, Fiona?”
“Here, pull up your sleeve and we’ll try it on.” Fiona attached the brace that held the blade to Annie’s forearm and then pulled her sweater down to cover it.
“Now, if you bend your wrist like this, the blade is pushed into your hand.” She showed Annie the release, and the knife dropped into the pretty vampire’s hand. “From here, you can decide what hold is best for you.” Annie nodded and reseated the blade, and then wandered off a short distance to practice with the device.
“I’m carrying two throwing knives. So is Fiona.” Nic pointed to his boots.
“That is the biggest sword I’ve ever seen.” Annie pointed to Nic’s sword.
“Not trying to compensate for any shortcomings, are you?” Ivan smirked.
“He’s funny, I sort of like him.”
“Shut up, Cho.”
“No,” Nic clipped out.
“Well, Fiona, what do you say?” Ivan turned to Fiona and raised his eyebrow.
“I wouldn’t know,” she said.
Ivan looked at Nic. “I thought she was your woman.”
“I’m my own woman,” Fiona snapped and walked off. Nic had to control his wince at her words. The vampires didn't need to know what was going on between him and Fiona.
“Ouch.” Ivan watched Fiona and then his glance came back to Nic.
Nic glared at him. “Just what is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Life’s short, you know.” Ivan looked at him.
“Right. Four hundred and fifty years is too short?” Nic sneered.
Ivan held his gaze. “Life was what I had before I was turned. Four hundred and fifty years is a fucking eternity of damnation.”
Nic glanced at Fiona, her back to him as she spoke with Annie.
“Damn. A vampire philosopher.”
“Yeah. I guess he’s had a long time to think.”
“You like him, Nic. I can tell.”
“Shut up, Cho.”
Once they were outfitted with their weapons, they prepared to leave.
“Two vehicles or just the van?” Nic asked.
“The van. More room, less noticeable,” Ivan reminded him.
Before they got in the van, Ivan pulled Annie aside.
“Annie, promise me. If anything goes wrong, you’ll do what I told you.”
“I promise.” She smiled and touched his cheek.
“And, please, stay out of the fray, my love. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you.” Ivan pulled her into his arms and kissed her forehead. She gave him a quick hug.
“Nic, don’t you want to tell Fiona something?”
“Fiona?”
She looked up at him. “Yeah, Nic?”
“Be careful,” Nic said. She frowned and nodded.
“That’s not what she needed to hear, buddy.”
“You heard her. She’s not my woman.”
“She wants to be. You just have to ask.”
“First, I have to figure out what it is I’m asking.”
“Buddy, if you don’t know, you’re just too stupid to live.”
Nic ignored the lizard; he needed to focus on the upcoming job. Thinking about his and Fiona’s relationship during a battle to the death wasn’t good for anyone’s health.
Ivan climbed in the driver’s seat, and Nic rode shotgun. Annie and Fiona climbed into the back of the empty van and sat on the floorboards.
“How did you know where they are?” Nic glanced at Ivan.
“Marcos was so confident I’d roll over and play dead that he told me.” Ivan shrugged.
Annie piped up from behind them. “And I lived there and snagged the key.”
“Great, no door-busting to announce our arrival.” Nic grinned.
“Exactly. If we play it right, we’ll be inside before they know what’s hit them.”
Ivan drove to Draco’s lair, first doing a casual drive-by. Two black SUVs were parked in the driveway.
“No guards posted,” Nic said.
“I don’t see any, either.” Ivan turned the corner and parked out of sight. The street was quiet, with very few lights on in the neighboring houses. It wasn’t exactly run down, but the area had seen better days.
Nic led them down the block, staying in the shadows. The streetlights on both sides were broken, along with some of the windows in an abandoned house. Nic figured the vampire, Draco, must have had something to do with it. A house away, they crouched on their heels, backs resting against a car, and watched the place. No lights were on, but the vampires would be down in the basement, and from what Nic could see, those windows looked painted over.
When he turned to speak to Ivan, he did a double take. It was very hard to see him in the shadows, and he wondered if vampires had a few abilities Ivan didn’t mention. Those odd amber eyes had a soft reflective glow, like a cat’s.
Ivan whispered, “When I met Marcos, I only saw him, two females, and Amy, but none of them were driving, so add two more. That’s six vampires, but I believe the other two females are there, plus each of them will either have a lover or slave with them.”
“Let’s go with an even dozen to be on the safe side. Fair odds.” Nic’s eyes narrowed. He was ready for the battle.
“Marcos is skilled, but I have no idea about the women, it would depend on their ages and temperaments. If we’re lucky, the others will be new converts. They’re easy to panic and don’t have a lot of experience in fights, as you know.”
Nic glanced at Ivan to see if he was serious. The vampire grinned at him. Nic fought the urge to grin back; instead, he just raised an eyebrow.
One at a time, they darted to the SUVs and then down the drive to the back of the house. Nic and Ivan took turns as each man advanced, checked the area, and signaled for the other to leap frog to a new position. Annie followed with Fiona at the rear.
They gathered just outside the back door on a small porch. Annie tossed the keys to Ivan. He was the first in and signaled Nic. The men cleared the rest of the first floor as the women waited by the door to the basement. Ivan used the keys again, and the door swung open, exposing a gaping black shaft descending to the basement.