Embracing the Shadows Read online

  Viggo and I moved on when the concert started. We didn't have much of a chance to talk, so I split my time watching the show and keeping an eye on people near us. I have to admit, Glazefinger was pretty damn good. Shawn sounded even better live than on the CD, and he brought a lot of energy to the stage. During his solo, Viggo leaned close and said, "Very talented, yes?" I nodded. "A pity it will be his last performance." When he pulled away, I saw him looking at the stage with a grimace of disdain.

  I leaned up to Viggo's ear. "I don't understand, sir. Did Shawn offend you or something?"

  Viggo shook his head, waited until the solo was over, and then told me, "Mr. Riordan will do something backstage after their set is over, reacting to an inhaled substance. The action will be foolish enough to lift the veil. That is, unless I intercept him. And I will. I must."

  He will do something, as in future-tense? "Clara?" I simply asked. He nodded solemnly. Okay, Shawn was gonna fuck up somehow. I was concerned for him; all things considered, he was a fairly cool guy. "Does it have to, uh, go to that extreme, sir? Couldn't you just lock him up for a while or something?"

  There was no reply until the song ended. "This is not Mr. Riordan's first offense," Viggo finally said, "and I will not abide recklessness. Moreover, his usefulness as an informant has dwindled to naught over the years. The fitting penalty would be to deny him my blood." He paused and gently put a hand on the back of my neck. "I've fed Shawn for over thirty years," he continued. "I know him well. He would rather have me end it all than to lose his Gifts and become an old man overnight."

  I almost asked if Viggo could give Shawn to another Deviant to be their minion, but I didn't want to push the issue. My commander's mind was made up, so that was that. I hoped Shawn took it like a man.

  When Glazefinger finished playing, Viggo led me to a dim hallway that led to the concourse where vendors, bathrooms and exits were. He told me that he hoped I'd been practicing the mindset of 'being ignored', because my first real test had come. Until he returned, I was to stay in that area and remain unnoticed by anyone. Nothing like a little pressure to get me motivated.

  Viggo showed back up twenty minutes later as Mr. Stone, and apparently could only see the young couple making out right next to me. I waved at him. It was the first time I ever saw Viggo smile.

  UNEXPECTED

  My first official evening on the job as a ShadoWorks employee was smelly, disgusting and disturbing. I had a long list of sewer-related chores that had me trudging all over midtown. Well, underneath it. The stench in those old brick tunnels was going to soak into my pores, I just knew it. I had to wade through a lot of human waste and, to give myself credit, only gagged once or twice. The only thing I hadn't expected was the occasional random noise echoing through those slimy tunnels. I knew what went bump in the night, but that didn't mean it still wasn't spooky as hell.

  I woke up the next day to a boom of thunder. Rain was pouring down, and weather reports said it wouldn't let up for a while. I checked the Planner and saw that, because water in the tunnels would be high and fast, my chore schedule had changed.

  First on the list was a daytime task to wait for a delivery at a warehouse and take the supplies back to my place for the time being. After that, I had to go make any necessary repairs to the pipes in a long steam tunnel under UMKC's college campus. The flag note pinpointed an obscure access grate for me to use to get down there, and suggested a few types of metal patching material.

  Six hours later I was spraying a crack with specialized sealant, wondering what was in the small crates that I'd picked up earlier. I was so caught up in my own thoughts that when a woman's voice said, "Well, hello again" just a few feet away from me, I jumped about a foot off the ground.

  "Aw, did I scare you?" she said with a chuckle as I turned to see who had somehow snuck up on me. Shit, it was the derelict, Audra. The tunnel was lit, so I could see her much better this time. She was wearing all black - sneakers, sweats and a hoodie. Her glossy black hair was pulled into a tail, hanging over the backpack slung on her shoulder. She had a mischievous glint in her green eyes, and lips curled into the grin that I remembered. And that body . . . Dammit, she looked better than the first time I saw her.

  "What - what are you doing down here?" I stammered.

  Audra put a hand on her hip and answered with a rhetorical question. "Did you think your boss is the only one who knows all the ways to get into the admin building?"

  Why in hell would a hemo care about student records? "No, I mean . . . I just didn't expect -"

  She reached out with a fingertip and softly grazed it along the scar on my cheek. "Hmm, nice; did you get this as a normal human, or was it caused by Deviant blood?"

  "What? No, uh, I was wounded in combat, in Afghanistan. My unit was on a mission. We tripped an IED. Uh, that's a kind of bomb." Holy crap, I was talking like a dork.

  Audra's grin widened. "Calm down, handsome. No need to be nervous with me. Your boss is a good customer; I won't do anything to ruin that." She moved closer and said with a sultry voice, "Too bad you already belong to Stone. We could've had some fun."

  "Uh, fun?" Getting freaky with a hemo? I hadn't really thought about it. Okay, that girl Macie with the big tits crossed my mind a few times, but that was before I found out what she really was. I was getting warm and sweaty; I blamed it on the steam tunnel.

  She gave the slightest of shrugs and ran her hand down my arm. "I don't normally play with my food, but yeah - fun." I guess Audra saw the confusion in my eyes. "You haven't been told about vampire sex yet, have you?"

  I gave a shrug of my own. "To be honest, ma'am, no, but I figure it involves blood. Uh, no thanks."

  I had no idea what Audra's response was, because I suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to reach some destination. I wasn't sure where, but the intense need to immediately go blotted out any other thought. Audra forgotten, I turned and ran back to the ladder at the near end of the tunnel. I didn't just lift the heavy access grate, I tossed it. Luckily, no one was between me and the van or else I would've run right over them. I burned rubber off the tires peeling out and gunning it every chance I got.

  Once I got onto an inner-city highway, I flew north toward downtown. It slowly became clear to me where I was headed: the Realm Management building. Specifically, I was being pulled toward Emmeline Le Meur. There was no way in hell I wanted to go there or be anywhere close to her again, but I couldn't stop myself. I was on a collision course with trouble. Ah, deep shit, we meet again.

  BECKONING

  If the downtown streets weren't so empty at that time of night, I would've killed someone . . . and without much dignity. Death by panel van and a couldn't-give-a-shit driver is no way to go.

  Taking the last corner on what might've been only two screaming tires, I saw a small group of people out front of Realm Tower. How nice - a welcoming party. I drove the driver's side of the van up onto the wide sidewalk and screeched to a halt. As soon as I hopped out, two of the men outside trained their assault rifles on me. They stood fifty feet away on either side of the main entry; big glass doors which opened into a huge lobby that I'd walked through a couple times before.

  Besides the two armed guards, there was some dude off to the left who was lingering casually up against an ornamental light post. There was also a silhouetted figure watching from the dimly lit lobby. I practically ignored them both, instead focusing on the guy standing in front of the doors and between the guards. It was Evan Dean, Adept and douchebag extraordinaire.

  I started walking right for him. I was less than halfway to the doors when a single round went off loudly, and a bullet pinged off the cement in front of me. I resisted the demanding call that urged me forward, but just barely. I was shaking with the effort of standing in place.

  "Ah, so the rumor was false," Evan said with a smirk while lazily swinging chains in his hands. "Myself, I never believed a single thing your dog-woman ever mumbled through her dirty scarf. Who would take the word of a disgusting Dev
iant? They are nothing but unhinged thieves and liars, all of them. And now you stand here before me, Mr. Beck, proving my words true."

  "I don't want any trouble," I said through gritted teeth. "I just need to go see Le Meur."

  "Well of course you do. A calling of immense power, was it not? I'm told that my Lady made a strenuous effort to beckon you, the troublesome and tenacious human that rightfully belongs to her. But I can't let you go storming into Realm headquarters without an escort. That would be imprudent and against orders. No, no, Mr. Beck," Evan explained as he held out the chains that I suddenly realized were two sets of shackles, "you will be presented with the proper attire. Now, remove your weapons and kneel."

  Slowly, I stepped forward - not with a surge of bravery, or because I had balls too big for my own good. The pull, the mental summons, was dragging me forward. And I sure as hell wasn't going to kneel in front of that cocksucker. "No," I growled, taking another step. "Your guards are gonna have to kill me."

  Another loud report went off, and I felt like I got hit in the stomach with a hammer. Evan laughed when I doubled over clutching my midsection. "Rubber bullets, Mr. Beck - I'm sure you'll survive. And as much as I would enjoy giving the order to have you put down like a dog, Lady Le Meur demanded that you be alive and coherent when you submit to her once again. She would much rather enjoy you groveling at her feet than having to dump your corpse down a storm drain."

  I looked down at my boots, willing them not to move. As my right foot began to slide forward, a brown rat darted in front of me, paused, and then scurried off. My mind flooded with thoughts of Viggo; his honor, the respect and trust he gave, and the expectations of his favor. I couldn't let him down, couldn't be weak. I raised my head and stared Evan in the eye. "Fuck you, and fuck your Lady, too. I'm leaving."

  His expression changed from smug to stunned, which strengthened my resolve. The guards lifted their guns to take aim; they were gonna have to shoot me in the back to stop me. As I turned, I saw the guy off to my left make a simple gesture. I took half a second to look him over. Black dude, average height, athletic build, cardigan and slacks, short hair, thin beard, and held a cane in his hand. It was Moses Dupree, the toady of Tomasino. He wasn't looking at me, though. He was looking behind me.

  I spun, turning my back on Evan, the guards, and Realm Tower. Standing in front of the open van door, sporting a jacket with the Realm logo on it, was my former dojo instructor Phillip Aoki.

  Shit, because of me, some Adept bastard got Phillip. Behind me, I heard Even say to the guards, "Save Mr. Aoki the trouble. Subdue the target."

  As I quickly whirled back around and pulled my Glock, another voice loudly said, "No."

  Crouched, I hesitated. So did everyone else except for Evan, who was looking back at the opened glass door of the building. Enric Tomasino stepped out from behind him with a stern expression on his youthful face. Tomasino was a clean-shaven and handsome guy with wavy brown hair and a predator's gaze. I knew the look; some battle-hardened vets had it. He wore a suit without the jacket, and a sword strapped on his back.

  "What is this, elder?" Evan asked while Tomasino strolled a few paces out to my right. "I have orders."

  "You were going to have the human attacked while his back was turned, Mr. Dean," Tomasino replied with a scornful tone. "Your complete lack of integrity prompted me to step in. If our Doyenne wants the man detained, then of course he will be. But not by an act of cowardice."

  The guards lowered their guns. Somewhat relieved, I turned back to Phillip. "We don't have to do this, okay?" I said to him. "Let's just hop in the van and go somewhere to talk it through. Hell, I even know a great little Chinese place -"

  "No, Leo, I'm sorry," Phillip said, cutting me off. "My Lady Le Meur told me to bring you to her." He glanced at my gun. "Are you going to shoot me? I was told you'd given up your honor, but I'd rather not believe it. Face me as you should."

  Fuck, fuckity-fuck. There was no way out of it. There were rubber bullets and a sword-wielding hemo at my back, and my former sensei in front of me getting into an attack stance; two crappy choices. Blowing out a sigh, I pressed one hand to my bruised stomach and looked at Phillip. He was calm and patient and dead-set on bringing me to the hemo bitch. Resigned, I put the Glock away and slipped the holster off.

  Phillip wasted no time. As soon as I stepped back with a defensive posture, he attacked. I was forced to block or evade his initial barrage of jabs and low kicks. That flashy aerial bullshit doesn't happen in a real fight. I threw a few back, mainly gauging any advantage I had. His technique was speed and discipline, while my military training was all about survival and quick subdual. Phillip was always quick, but he was now stronger than I remembered; it was harder to deflect his direct strikes.

  I quickly realized that I had superior strength and position speed, whereas Phillip had smoother attacks and better accuracy. He was using them to try to wear me down and pick me apart. I had an opening and let it close, all because I didn't want to seriously hurt him. I got a hard kick in the thigh for my stupid consideration. That wasn't going to happen twice.

  Feigning a punch and leaving myself open, Phillip took the bait. I slipped the straight kick he aimed for my solar plexus, came in close and hooked a knuckle punch to the side of his neck. When he winced, I drove a knee into his ribs, grabbed under his arms and heaved him backwards at the side of the van ten feet away. The impact was almost scary - he crashed into it a lot harder than I intended. Oops.

  Stunned and winded, Phillip leaned against the now-dented van for support. I rushed forward and threw an uppercut. He couldn't quite dodge the punch; my fist caught him in the eye instead of on the chin. The hard shot hammered his skull back against the van with a metallic thump. Phillip Aoki dropped to the concrete with his eyes rolled to the back of his head, but at least he was alive.

  I didn't have time to feel sorry for Phillip or congratulate myself. One of the guards behind me was yelling something, and I heard a low but constant noise of unsettling motion. That noise was growing. Turning my head to the left, I at first couldn't quite make sense of what I saw. Under the glow of nearby streetlights, a massive undulating and thick carpet was flowing from the pavement onto the sidewalk, coming toward us from a distance. When it came close enough, I saw that enormous swath for what it actually was. Rats.

  LEGIONS

  There had to have been thousands of them, a low tide of brown and gray and black swarming toward the front of Realm Tower. The throng of rats I saw down in the sewer was nothing compared to it.

  More rats came from underneath and around the van, parting to avoid me. Another vast horde was coming from the other direction. Tomasino and Dupree were backing up toward the building entrance, both with blades in their hands. The guards were spraying rounds wildly, trying to keep the oncoming wave of vermin at bay. Evan was already inside the lobby, attempting to lock the doors.

  Forming a wide semicircle around the building entrance, the army of rats suddenly stopped. Tomasino and Dupree looked confused. The guards, who were already out of ammo, backed up against the locked doors; they looked ready to shit their pants.

  From my angle, I saw a void of inky blackness form in the lobby behind Evan. It flickered and expanded, and then Viggo stepped out of it. He wore his dark hoodie and overcoat as always, but this time the hood was pulled up. Under it was . . . nothing - literally nothing but blackness, like he placed a part of the void over his face. I hadn't seen that grim reaper guise before. Once was enough for me.

  Poor, stupid, cowardly Evan never knew what hit him. Viggo grabbed him by his blonde hair and back of his jacket, lifting him off the ground without any effort. My commander then swung the douchebag like a battering ram at one of the glass doors. That glass was thick and tempered, probably able to withstand wind and debris from an F4 tornado. Viggo shattered it with Evan's face.

  When the glass exploded out, the unsuspecting hemos and guards ducked and covered their heads. They watched, stunned, as Viggo re
ared back with Evan's limp, bloody body and smashed the other door. All at once, the army of rats surged forward and into the building. The hemos and guards stood statue-still while the rats swarmed around and past them. They remained tense even after the last one scurried by. In the following calm, I could hear the consistent bleat of a security alarm.

  Viggo casually tossed Evan's blood-stained body out onto the glass-littered cement; it skidded a few feet before coming to a stop. My commander then stepped forward under the large doorframe as shadows began to eerily gather and shift around his body. With his rumbling tombstone voice, he stated, "The Doyenne hoped to take one of my minions. I give her legions. Let my generosity be noted."

  The guards ran; I would've too if I were them. Dupree, apparently braver than he was smart, impulsively slashed at my commander with his cane sword. I lurched forward to protect him, but there was no need. Viggo caught the blade in his hand; I don't think it even cut his palm. Turning his head toward the awestruck Adept, he rotated his grip and bent the sword until it snapped. Dupree glanced at Tomasino and took a few quick steps back. I grabbed my discarded gun and waited to see how it played out.

  Longsword still in his hands, Tomasino said, "Your minion . . . So Mr. Beck is not a servant of Ragna?"

  "He is not, and never was."

  "Then who are you to lay claim, if I may ask?"

  Instead of answering, Viggo said, "Please sheath your sword, Mr. Tomasino. I do not wish to offend your pride by taking it away from you." I think Tomasino had an idea of the power he was dealing with and reluctantly slid his weapon back in its scabbard. "Because of your noble conviction," Viggo continued, "I will only be taking Mr. Dean and Mr. Aoki when we depart. Were you of low character, the van would be crowded. Alas, Mr. Dupree's integrity is still in question, but I am tolerant. Tell the Doyenne that I will introduce myself to her when I deem the timing appropriate."