Wolves and the River of Stone (28 page)

***

Nixie and I worked the shop, handling the few tourists that came in before Sam and Frank finally showed themselves. Frank was stumbling around with a ridiculous grin on his face and his bowler cockeyed on his head. Sam had her hand on his shoulder and guided him to the stool behind the register when I stood up. She smiled, her teeth still glazed in red.

I just shook my head. “Vampires. I’ll be right back. Frank looks like he’s going to pass out.” I walked to the back room and dug a bag of Oreos out of the closet and a cola out of the fridge. When I got back up front I said, “Eat these. You’ll feel better.”

“Nice. Thanks Damian,” is what I think Frank said, but it could have been, “Nnnn, thnnn Dmmmn.”

“Ooo, dessert!” Sam said. She took down an Oreo in one bite and started feeding them to Frank. When he was looking a bit more coordinated, he took a drink of cola.

“What a rush,” Frank said.

“Whatever,” I said. “My assistant manager is a vampire whore.”

“Hey, he’s
my
vampire whore,” Sam said.

“Yes I am,” Frank said as he put his arm around Sam.

Nixie laughed and put her arm around Sam’s shoulders, peeling her away from Frank. “You would have made an excellent water witch, Samantha Vesik.”

Sam grinned. “Thanks.”

“What?” I said. “Did I just witness that? I will have a ceremony to mark this day in history. Sam, you used to threaten people with death for calling you Samantha.”

“That’s only because they were
your
friends, Demon.”

“Nixie’s my friend too,” I said.

“Ah, no, you’re
her
friend. I’d have to say there’s a
distinct
difference.”

My jaw hung slack and I held my finger out to Sam, speechless.

Nixie laughed, squeezed Sam’s shoulder, and put a terrifying smile on display.

“I’m not sure how I feel about you two getting along.”

“Just drive me home before your little brain starts smoking from the effort, okay?”

Nixie, Frank, and the newly arrived fairies burst into laughter.

I sighed and turned to Foster. “God help me, what’s up?”

“We’re putting the word out today. I want to find that son of a bitch.”

“The guy Vicky told us about?” I said.

Foster nodded.

“Oh, we’ll do more than find him,” I said with a growl. I don’t know what expression was on my face, but everyone fell silent. Sam frowned a little and her forehead creased, revealing the concern she didn’t voice.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “Foster, you mind looking after Frank? He may be a little low on blood. Nixie and I are going to run Sam home to rally some troops. Or guilt them into helping, whichever comes first.”

“He’ll be happy to help,” Aideen said.

Foster shot his wife a look and then laughed. “Yeah, no problem.”

“Thanks, both of you.”

We drove Sam to the Pit to take care of business—business being getting some crazy vampires to come with us to Stones River. I was surprised when we pulled up to the old Town and Country home and Zola was sitting on the front steps with Carter and Vik. He gave me his standard two-finger salute as I stepped out of the car.

“Vik, you look like a dead man,” I said as I shook his hand.

“Funny as always. Nothing worse than a necromancer thinking he’s a comedian.”

Zola laughed and leaned against Vik briefly.

“What are you all doing here?” I said.

“I wanted to talk to Vik and Dominic about tomorrow night,” Carter said. “Zola, here, is the only one that knows anything about Stones River. Alan’s been there, but he doesn’t remember much. Too young. Unfortunately, Dominic’s out like the dead, so we’re not really getting anything done.”

“Except enjoying the sun,” Vik said with blatant sarcasm.

Nixie laughed and sat down on the other side of Vik. “You enjoy the sun like I enjoy the desert.”

“As sure as a man loves wenches and mead.”

Zola chuckled. “That’s a bit old, even for me Vik.”

Vik flashed a smile and leaned back against one of the pillars on the porch.

“Is anyone awake?” Sam said. “I want to talk to them about tomorrow.”

“Good luck,” Vik said. “I brought it up and half the Pit,” he paused and considered his words, “‘freaked out’ about it not being our business.”

“And I’m sure you were all panache when you asked,” Sam said.

“Of course, milady.”

Sam laughed and shook her head. “Well, I’ll give it a whirl anyway. It’ll be dark soon enough. I’ll talk to Vassili.”

Vik’s eyes widened. “You mean to ask Vassili? He is, well, I do not wish to criticize our illustrious leader, but he is a bit unstable.”

Sam shook her head. “It’s an act Vik. It’s all an act.”

“Some men will kill to sustain an illusion,” Zola said. She settled herself beside Nixie on the wide porch and turned to look at Vik.

Vik’s gaze lingered on Zola and he nodded before shifting his eyes to me. “You heard your sister. This is her idea. Do not come after me if she ends up in pieces.”

“Just don’t be here when I get here if she ends up in pieces.”

Vik glanced between Sam and me and back again before he sighed. “You are both insane. I have known many unbalanced people, but you are truly insane.”

“We try,” Sam and I both said at the same time. I stared at my sister and burst into laughter.

“Any luck with the pack, Carter?” Sam said.

“Some,” he said. “I was worried Hugh wouldn’t want any part of this, but he wants to help. We’ll have at least five wolves between me, Hugh, Haka, Alan, and Maggie. The rest of the pack is settling in at Howell Island. I want them entrenched in case things go bad and another pack tries to move in again.”

“That’s great,” I said. “I can’t even tell you how much I appreciate it.”

“Well, if it helps, and especially if it helps Aideen and Foster, we’ll be there. I can’t thank them enough for helping Maggie and Ashley. Maggie’s quite fond of the Wiccan.”

“Yeah, she can grow on you.”

Carter smiled and patted Vik on the shoulder as he stood. “I think I’m going to run. Let me know how the recruitment turns out. I’ll pick you all up tomorrow morning before we meet at the Double D.”

“We’re meeting at the shop?” I said.

Carter nodded as he walked to the end of the driveway. “I’ll get a van. It should be big enough for twelve or more if we pack in.”

Zola and Sam waved to Carter as he drove off in a small blue sedan.

“I like Carter,” Nixie said.

I held out my hand and pulled her off of the concrete steps. “Me too. You coming with, Zola?”

“No, Ah have work to do in the archives.” She fished a small bundle of blank bronze amulets out of her pocket. “And Ah’m going to help Sam with some bribery.”

“How?” I asked.

“By offering them protection against necromancers,” she said.

“What would your master say?” I said as I shook my head slowly.

Zola grinned as she stepped toward the door.

“Can we get out of the sun now?” Vik asked. “We are not all as strange as Sam.”

“Yeah, come on you wuss,” Sam said as she yanked Vik to his feet. “See you later, Damian.”

I hugged Sam and then wrapped my arm around Nixie’s waist as we turned to leave. “Call me if anything comes up.”

“Will do.”

“I
’m hungry,” Nixie said as she propped her feet up on Vicky’s dashboard while we drove past Earth City. I couldn’t even think of my car’s nickname now without thinking about our little ghost—now demigod—and her family.

I took a deep breath. “Yeah, me too. Let’s stop and grab something on the way home.”

“Some place with beer.”

“You’re a
great
girlfriend.”

Nixie kicked me as I pulled off the highway and onto Fifth Street. We parked across from Trailhead Brewery and walked over the cobblestones on Main Street. We had burgers, beer, and a pile of brewhouse onion rings before we set out for the car again. It only took about ten minutes to make it home from there.

I threw the car into park and we clattered up the bare wood stairs. Nixie and I walked into the apartment and were greeted by my answering machine’s flashing red light. I hit the button and listened to the playback while Nixie headed straight for the couch.

“Damian, pick up if you’re there. It’s Mom.”

“No shit, Mom,” I said.

She must have waited a good minute before she said, “I guess you’re not there. Call me when you get home.”

I hit the delete button and the next message started. “Damian, I tried your cell and no one answered. Where are you? Have you talked to Sam? I can’t get a hold of Sam either. Call me.” Delete. “Damian? Where are-?” Delete. “Dami-?” Delete all. I pounded the button a few times until the answering machine let out a final, agonized, beep.

“Maybe you should call your mom,” Nixie said.

I rubbed my forehead and smiled at her. “Maybe you’re right. You mind?”

She shook her head and flipped the television on. I watched her melt into the leather and prop her feet up on the coffee table. “How did I ever live without a couch and a television?” The channels started flipping by faster than I could follow.

I laughed, picked up the phone, and dialed my parents’ number.

“Hello? Damian?”

“Hey Mom, what’d you need?”

“I couldn’t get a hold of Sam. I must’ve left her fifteen messages and I haven’t heard a thing.”

Fifteen.
I was glad I pounded the delete button on my answering machine into submission. “Sam’s fine. Things have just been ... interesting, lately.”

“Who died, Damian? You know I hate it when I can’t get a hold of you two. Why didn’t you call me?”

“Was that one question or two?”

My mom puffed into the phone and the burst of static reminded me of Sam.

“No one you know, Mom. No one you know. We’re fine, don’t worry.” I flopped down on the couch beside Nixie.

“Hi Mom!” she said.

“Who was that?”

“Ah, just a ...
friend?”

“Damian Valdis Vesik, you need to keep your pants on. Samantha told us all about you and that vampire, Martha.”

I groaned and Nixie burst into laughter. “You heard that?” I said, mortified as I looked at Nixie with my eyes wide.

Nixie nodded between hysterical gasps for air. She leaned up against the arm of the couch and threw her legs over my lap while she was still laughing.

“That was
Mary,
Mom, but please, can you never, ever,
ever,
say anything to me about that again? Let’s try to avoid further emotional scarring.”

“You’re mad, I can tell by your tone of voice. Don’t you remember anything your father taught you?”

I smacked my hand over my face and took a deep breath. “Yes, Mom, I remember all about tone of voice, and body language, and no, I’m not mad. I swear. Are you feeling okay?” I glanced at Nixie and her lips were pressed into a thin, trembling line.

“You’re sure you’re not mad?” she said, completely ignoring my question.

“Yes, is Dad around?”

“I think he’s painting your room.”

“Mom, it’s not my room. I never even lived with you guys when you were in Florida, much less when you moved back.”

“You know what I mean. The second bedroom’s always yours and the third is Samantha’s. And speaking of Samantha, have her call me, will you? If she’s not too busy biting people?”

“Alright Mom. Can you get Dad for me?”

I heard her walking down the hall and knocking on the wall like it was a door. “Honey, it’s Damian. Can you talk?”

“Sure.” There was a rattle and static as my dad took the phone. “Hello?”

“Hey Dad, what’s up with mom? She sounds, ah, a little strung out.”

He laughed and took a deep breath before his deep voice took on a slow, steady rhythm. “Yeah, the doctor’s got her on some new medication for her reflux. I think it’s ranitidine.” I heard a door close on the other end of the phone and my dad whispered, “She’s driving me nuts this week. I can take a lot, lord knows, but I think I have my limits.”

“Glad it’s you and not me.”

“Thanks, son. That means a lot.”

I laughed and squeezed Nixie’s ankle. “That’s what I’m here for.”

“So, your mother tells me you have a lady friend.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Already? She
already
told you that?”

“Yes, she’s holding up a piece of paper as we speak.”

I heard a door open and slam on the other end of the line.

“I don’t think your mother appreciated me relaying that. Anyway, Damian, I hope things go well for you and ...”