The familiar voice stings. The face is still bleary, but the memory is sharp. Colors return, although faded.
“Was looking for you, Roderick,” I say to the blur.
“Were you now?”
Something hazy and red moves to the side of us.
I continue, “Want to put an end to this. Seems we both have things the other wants. Silly to fight.”
“Indeed. So silly to fight when we can take whatever we want.”
His blurry face turns toward the red movement. Squint my eyes again—things become a little clearer. Repeat. Can see again.
Roderick’s forearm slowly pushes against the little redhead’s upper chest as he says, “He’s busy, fire crotch. Find another guy to grind on.”
A thin, well-manicured middle finger extends in his direction as she kisses it and flings it at him.
“No need to be rude, Roderick.”
“She’s not that hot, Simon. And speaking of which, where is the little sweet thing that’s caused all this trouble between us old friends.”
I look to the redhead to apologize on his behalf, but she’s already turned around and has her arms wrapped around another guy with long hair.
“See, she’s fine,” he says putting his hand back at my shoulder, “You worry too much for these temporary beings—they’re pretty resilient for the brief moment that they’re here.”
“Guess you’d know about that better than me.”
“To my office then?”
“Yeah.”
Roderick steps onto the far end of the stage and waves his hand up at Mark in the DJ booth at the end of the balcony. Mark nods his head and flips a switch. Roderick pushes open an emergency exit door beside the stage, and no alarm sounds.
I look to Mark before I follow Roderick, and he raises his opened hands to me. Apparently Roderick hasn’t held a grudge for the pyrotechnics Mark unleashed the other night. Guess Mark’s a useful friend to have in a place so prime for hunting.
At least Mark’s not in danger. At least not for the moment. Roderick has bigger problems to decapitate. I step through the exit, feeling like I’m sticking my head into a guillotine.
Through the emergency exit is a narrow brick alleyway that separates this club from the bar next door. It’s closed in at the front, creating the illusion that the buildings are connected. It’s open out the back, leading to a service driveway and a loading zone, of which only a small portion can be seen from where I stand now.
In that opening I see Carvelli and Quint, standing and watching us. Carvelli grinds his fist in his hand, fangs exposed, and vengeance screaming across his snarling face. Can’t blame him—he’s taken a hell of a beating from me the past few days. The stool was a cheap shot too, but the only way I could get Ruby away from them.
Roderick talks, facing them, holding up a hand to keep me behind him, “Calm down, Carvelli. Simon and I have some things to discuss.”
Carvelli growls, taking a step into the alleyway toward us.
“Restrain yourself,” utters Roderick struggling to keep himself from growling, rasp taking over his tone at the end of self, “Or I’ll have to restrain you.”
Carvelli closes his enraged mouth.
“Now wait in the loading zone, but stay near. I’ll call if I need you.”
Carvelli punches the bricks with a deep thud, brick dust floating to the ground. He turns and walks to the loading zone. Blood drips from his knuckles.
My eyes focus on the blood. Sight grows unfocused again.
When I look to Roderick, even through blurry eyes, I see he’s been watching me.
“So hungry that you focus on such unappealing blood as his? A bit dry, Simon?”
Shaking my head to balance my blurry sight, “No, I’m fine.”
“So, the suburban queen that you’ve found already has you starving yourself for her? We’re never anything but beasts to them once they get to know us—something to enslave and subordinate. Whipped in two nights? Must be a vamp record. Maybe even a human record too.”
I could punch his smug, laughing face until my knuckles become worn down to nothing, but Ruby’s more important. Besides, don’t know how many of my punches would connect in the condition I’m in.
“Last two times I saw Carvelli and Quint, they’ve been trying to kill me—why shouldn’t I keep an eye on them?” Lying, I continue, “I wasn’t watching his blood—just watching an enemy. But, I think you may be the one who’s a bit dry, Roderick—so obsessed with one little party girl.”
I become focused over Roderick’s shoulder at what looks to be a broken, female fingernail wedged in the gap between two bricks. Definitely an office he’s used before.
“Well, that’s really not important now, is it, Simon? You seem to be weak and fading, so we had better get to it, shall we?”
“The girl—leave her alone.”
“She has something I need. Besides—what do you care for the blue-haired harlot?”
“Not her. Her friend.”
“Doesn’t she have a name, Simon? Are you afraid to mention it in front of me?”
“I know you know her name—know you know where she lives—know you already know too much about her.”
“Well, then, what do you think we should do about it? What can you offer me to forget?”
“You can go after her friend for all I care—but just leave Ruby out of it.”
“There lies the problem, simple Simon. Ambrosia has disappeared. Last I saw her she slipped away with your dear Ruby. Was beginning to think she was dead—‘bout to have Carvelli and Quint check the morgues for her body, but not now that you’ve just assured me she’s still alive—waiting to be found.”
“Damn it,” I grumble, squinting my eyes again, trying to keep them from losing focus.
“Thank you for that, by the way. I’m sure Carvelli and Quint will appreciate it too.”
Shake my head roughly—trying to keep from blacking out. Ministry’s “Just One Fix” can be heard through the wall pumping from the speakers.
“You’re only proving my points, dear boy. You’re dry and weak and fading—can barely keep yourself from passing out. Getting weaker and weaker. Why don’t we strike a bargain before something…un—fortunate happens to you?”
“Why do I suddenly feel like Faust?”
“You praise me.”
“Wasn’t meant as a compliment. Just that a deal with you can’t end well.”
Vision’s not what it should be. Just one bite in the bar could’ve fixed all this. The red one would’ve worked fine—she wouldn’t even remember it tomorrow. Just felt wrong. Now feel gone. Slipping…slipping into black…
Roderick’s face grows angry.
“I need to know where Ambrosia’s hiding. Now.”
“Well, that’s what you need, Roderick. What about what I need?”
“I could care less about that bit of fluff that you’re so smitten with. Although she should pay for the way she spoke to me at the sch—”
I shove him open-palmed into his chest, breaking his speech, “Don’t even think about it. Ever.”
Roderick’s fangs flash in the dim light that the alley affords, “You’re tipping your hand, Simon. I know what you’re waiting for, and I hold all the cards to give it to you.”
“If it’s that easy, then why haven’t you already found Ambrosia and ended this?”
“It’s not over. I’ll find her.”
“Then do it without Ruby—do it without me, and you won’t have me in your way anymore.”
“Asking me to find a treasure without the map—can’t do it.”
“Trying to tell me that you’re too powerless to find one girl who’s fled your city—trying to tell me you know no one who can find her? Certainly you’ve grown weak. With all your power, one blue-haired girl is out of your reach?”
“Carvelli and Quint,” he calls, and two shadows loom at the end of the alleyway.
Glance down at the door—no handle on this side. Wall behind me. Rooftop too high to leap to. Three angry vampires between me and the only way out. Great. Simply spectacular.