Damn and blast, that Unseelie bartender must have used her ice magic to seal the door. I gritted my teeth at the delay and tugged the glove from my right hand. Using a miniscule amount of magic, a small flame formed from my index finger. I’d used the technique previously as a parlor trick, but the flame was just as effective at melting the ice within the lock as it had been lighting cigars. I tucked the glove into the pocket of my waistcoat and let myself inside.
I moved quickly through the storeroom located immediately behind the locked door and moved stealthily down a flight of stairs to a series of chambers below. Crates and racks of wine were soon replaced by beverages of a very different vintage.
The lower level reeked of death and I reached out with my magic, scouring the cellars for any sign of Puck. The trickster wasn’t hard to find. Indeed, my search was more fruitful than I’d hoped. I’d found the leverage I needed to keep Jinx from the faerie. I should have been delighted, but instead I found myself flushing hot with unspent anger.
I’d witnessed many horrors inflicted within the various levels of Hell. In fact, there was a time that I’d participated wholeheartedly. But my passion for inflicting pain and fear had burned out many centuries ago. Now, as I sensed the suffering perpetrated in the adjoining rooms, I had the urge to be sick. I brought a handkerchief to my face, recoiling at the stench of blood, excrement, and offal.
With the details plucked from my magical surveillance, and my observations from the adjoining club, Puck’s newest business enterprise became immediately clear. He’d used his position running the nightclub to gain access to the storage rooms and cellars and had converted this space into a vile den of iniquity. He’d created a bordello for vampires and other depraved creatures whose tastes ran toward tormenting their prey before they feasted.
I was somewhat surprised to find that I was appalled by the very idea. Perhaps it was the knowledge that Jinx was not so very different from the humans who lay drugged, tortured, bleeding, or dead in the rooms beyond.
In fact, Puck had tried to drug Jinx this very night.
That mistake would lead to the trickster’s downfall; Puck was going to pay dearly. I gripped my walking stick in a white knuckled fist, my ungloved hand leaving scorch marks on the polished wood.
I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, inhaling the scent of burnt wood and blood, and turned my attention to the energy of the ley lines that converged all around me. Club Nexus was located at a magical nexus point where powerful ley lines intersected, a fact I now found fortuitous.
I reached out and plucked at the humming threads close-at-hand and smiled. These would do nicely. I latched onto two ley lines with my will and gasped as the energy jolted into my body. The experience was akin to biting down on a live wire while climaxing; it was not something a corporeal body, even that of a demon, was meant to withstand for any length of time. I drew in a considerable dose of power and, with a panting sigh, let go of the line.
I opened my eyes, unsurprised to see flickers of crimson flame dance along my fingers and up and down my sword cane. I’d drawn heavily on the ley lines, becoming a conduit of immense power. Now that power needed a place to go.
My hand tightened on the cane and I welcomed the heat rising within me. Puck had chosen the wrong mortal woman to snare in his tangled web. I lifted my chin high, thrust out my chest, and strode into the room beyond.
The room was dimly lit, but I could see that the vampire had continued on into an adjoining room where, judging by the screams and whimpering, he was enjoying himself immensely. I shifted my focus to the one man who remained in the room. The vampire, and those like him, would be dealt with, but first, I would devote myself to protecting Jinx by learning the complete nature of Puck’s filthy game. I grinned, and a lick of fire and the hum of barely contained energy danced along my lips.
The source of my fury was standing dead ahead.
“Ah, Puck,” I said, raising an eyebrow as I made a show of taking in my surroundings. “I thought you might be up to your old tricks. Catering to the bloodsuckers now, I see.”
“Everyone has needs,” Puck said with a shrug. The faerie smiled wide, but no sign of levity reached his calculating eyes. “And the undead have deep pockets. You can’t blame a guy for trying to make a living.”
I lifted a handkerchief to my nose and grimaced, maintaining my grip on the sword cane with my right hand. A weak, rattling, whimper rose from a nearby room and I hurried on. Vampires could move quickly and it sounded as if the Southern vamp was not a man of restraint.
If I didn’t finish my business with Puck swiftly, the human source of those cries would be beyond my ability to render assistance. My mind conjured the image of a vampire sinking his fangs into pale skin decorated by a familiar rose tattoo, the phantom likeness juxtaposed with the soundtrack of pained whimpers, and heat raced through my veins.
“But I do blame you, indubitably,” I said. “You have placed someone I care for in harm’s way and I intend to seek suitable retribution.”
“Come now, Forneus,” Puck said, spreading his hands wide. “I’m sure we can come to a friendly arrangement.”
I shook my head.
“I do believe we are beyond negotiating,” I said, tossing the handkerchief over my shoulder. I shifted my cane into my left hand and lifted my right, allowing flame to dance along my fingers. “You see, Puck, there is an aggravating factor, a detail which makes your action particularly injurious to me, personally. But perhaps you could sway my verdict with a plea bargain.”
I might be satisfied if the trickster provided enough information, and begged sufficiently.
“Playing at judge, jury, and executioner?” he asked. “That’s not like you, Forneus. Heck, I didn’t think you had the balls. Good for you.”
As Puck said the last, his eyes held my own, but his hand slid toward his pocket. Whether he was going for a weapon, or attempting to call for backup, our discussion was evidently over. I started to flick my wrist, intending to send an onslaught of flame at the trickster’s wandering hand, but halted the motion as something flew past my shoulder.
I’d been so focused on those I pursued ahead of me that I hadn’t bothered to turn my attention to what might approach from behind.
I spun on my heel in time to see an enraged, blue-skinned faerie hurl herself toward Puck. The trickster’s head snapped up, eyes widening, as a jeweled dagger descended toward his chest. This faerie woman, the bartender from the club if I wasn’t mistaken, obviously intended to kill the trickster. I can’t say I could blame her. The boyish looking man had an appalling habit of screwing over everyone he encountered.
In a rainbow arc of shining jewels the weapon plunged downward, but the motion was arrested when a dusty, fanged blur interceded. With a snarl, the southern vampire grabbed the bartender’s arm and ripped it off at the shoulder. Blood sprayed from the ragged wound, making an unseemly mess, but the vampire’s intervention was effective. Puck was unharmed, though I couldn’t say the same for his clothing.
Unfortunately, the sight of so much blood pushed the vampire into a feeding frenzy. The vampire’s fangs elongated further and, with a growl, he latched himself onto the woman’s neck.
“Stop this at once!” I demanded. “Puck, this has gone too far. She’s a faerie, one of your own kind.”
Puck rocked his head back and laughed.
“One of my kind?” he asked. He stepped closer to where the vampire feasted on the injured faerie woman. “She’s an Unseelie, one of Mab’s brood. Their kind aren’t worth saving.”
“This is against club rules and Vampire Law,” I said, attempting one last time to appeal to reason. “Stop this and give up this wretched game of yours.”
“No, Forneus, I’m having too much fun to close down my little Bite Club,” Puck said. “Our activities are profitable, and I provide a much needed service to the vampire community. Isn’t that right, Cyrus?”
The vampire paused at his name, but soon continued to suckle at the fa
erie’s neck, holding her upright in a parody of a lover’s embrace. The winter faerie’s blue skin made it difficult to tell if she was still alive, but the loss of blood from the missing limb, and the vampire latched onto her neck like an engorged tick, would kill her soon if it hadn’t already. This had to be stopped.
Once again I began to flick my wrist and once again the faerie woman interceded. Silver flashed in the dim light and a blue hand thrust upward, striking Puck in the chest. The makeshift weapon, an ice pick if I wasn’t mistaken, was driven deeply as the faerie smiled.
Apparently, the woman was alive, after all.
“I did as you asked, my queen,” she rasped.
I didn’t have time to ponder those words, though I planned to investigate the matter further as soon as the opportunity arose. Whether Mab walked the mortal world was a detail worth knowing.
Puck fell to the floor, the ice pick standing from his chest like a flagpole. At Puck’s apparent demise, the vampire shrieked and tore at the faerie woman’s clothing. I shook my head and grimaced as skin and fabric began to shred into streamers of bloody confetti.
“You really shouldn’t play with your food,” I said. “It’s ghastly manners.”
Flame danced along my fingers and I raised my arm toward the vampire. Fire was one of the few ways to deal with the undead, and it was something I had in abundance.
The sound of heavy breathing registered just as I smelled Jinx’s unique scent. She ran into the room, a loaded crossbow held at the ready. She aimed the bow at me, but wavered as she took in the grisly scene.
What the devil?
“Move away from the girl, douchebag,” she said, shifting her aim to the vampire.
Cyrus let the drained faerie’s corpse drop to the floor, tossing it aside like a sack of rubbish. Jinx blanched at the sight of the vampire’s blood-smeared face, but kept her eyes focused steadily on his gore-covered chin—clever girl. She may be impetuous, but at least she had the wherewithal to avoid the vampire’s mesmeric gaze.
I might have been pleased by her sudden appearance if she hadn’t placed herself unmistakably in harm’s way. Aiming one’s weapon, especially one filled with pointy objects, at a blood-crazed predator was not generally looked upon as a wise course of action. Not unless you struck without hesitation.
“Might I suggest stepping aside?” I asked, hoping she’d take my advice. Jinx stood squarely in my way. I couldn’t unleash the flames in my grasp without risking her safety.
The vampire, Cyrus, held himself completely still, head tilted as he sized up the situation. Unless Jinx had brought an army of Hunters as backup, we were running out of time. Soon the vampire would discern that, except for a basement full of corpses, we were quite alone. I could not use fire as a weapon without striking Jinx and she stood too close to the vampire to get off more than one shot with her crossbow.
That made Jinx easy prey.
In a blur of movement, the vampire snarled and rushed toward Jinx, razor tipped fingers extended like claws. I spun to the right and propelled myself forward, hoping to close the distance and intercede before the vampire reached his target.
I heard the twang of a bowstring a mere second before a stain blossomed on the vampire’s chest. It was an admirable shot, the crossbow bolt going straight through the heart, but the bolt must not have been made of wood. The vampire continued moving forward.
Heart pounding, I lunged, pushed Jinx aside, and rammed the shaft of my walking stick through the vampire’s chest. In this case, the walking stick was more effective than the sword it encased. A wooden stake, or rather my wooden walking stick, causes paralysis when driven through the heart of a vampire. My sword would have done nothing more than anger the creature.
Now the vampire was pinned to the floor like a ghoulish specimen. I had no idea what to do with the man, but such decisions could wait. Cyrus wouldn’t be going anywhere soon. The vampire would keep.
Instead, I rushed to where Jinx leaned against a nearby wall. I’d pushed her away from the vampire as gently as I could, but I was a demon filled with the hum of immense ley line power. Jinx was strong, but she was human. I hoped she hadn’t sustained any serious injuries while I’d dispatched her opponent.
“Are you alright?” I asked.
Jinx shook her head, smiled ruefully, and pushed herself away from the wall.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said. She gestured toward the faerie woman’s corpse at our feet. “But I can’t say the same for her. We need to get her to a hospital.”
The faerie woman was beyond the services of any medical institution, I’d noted the moment when her heart had ceased to beat, but I made a show of checking her pulse. No sense reminding Jinx of how very different we were from each other. I could share my ability to feel the transcendence of a soul from the flesh in a later conversation—if there was a later. I just hoped that she had come to the realization that I’d had no part in Puck’s blood sport.
“I’m sorry, my dear,” I said. “She’s dead.”
Jinx flashed a pained look, but covered it quickly. She nodded and continued to take in the grisly scene.
“And him?” she asked, pointing toward the vampire, my walking stick holding him immobile.
“Oh, he is still very much alive…as alive as any undead creature ever really is,” I said, moving toward the vampire.
I smelt the layers of death on him. This one had taken hundreds of lives, and reveled in it.
“You’ve been a very naughty boy,” I said, staring down at the vampire. “I’m sure the Vampire Council will be interested to learn of your arrogant disregard for the law.”
His eyes flicked toward an open door and I turned to see a young girl hanging from the wall, her wrists shackled to the stone. Ribbons of flesh dangled from her naked body where it hung beside a table of sharp instruments. The girl had been tortured and then drained of blood.
I grimaced, walked stiffly to the room, and closed the door. The girl was beyond saving, her life already expired, but perhaps I could shield Jinx from witnessing such horror.
“Yes, the council will be very interested indeed,” I said. “Too bad they won’t have a chance to punish you for your crimes.”
Flame danced along my fingers as I walked back to where the vampire lay impaled by my walking stick.
“Say hello to Lucifer for me,” I said, letting my lips curl in a grin. “I’m sure the two of you will soon be well acquainted.”
I pulled my walking stick from his heart and placed a fiery hand on his chest. The vampire immediately caught fire, burning to ash within seconds.
I stood and brushed dust and ash from my hand, slipped the glove from my waistcoat pocket, and tugged it on. I took my time, afraid to see the judgment waiting in Jinx’s eyes. I’d made my decision to terminate the vampire when I smelt his ecstasy in the room where the tortured girl still hung. A rogue vampire would never change, only becoming more twisted over time, but Jinx may not know that. All she’d seen was a demon burn a man alive.
How could she possibly accept me after witnessing such a gruesome sight?
I sighed, raking a hand through my hair. Might as well get on with it, I noted grimly. I pasted a smile on my face and spun around, hoping to make light of the situation, but Jinx wasn’t scowling in disgust or wringing her hands. I relaxed as a slow smile spread across her face.
“Thank you,” she said.
Jinx stepped into my arms and tilted her head back to look me in the eye.
“For what?” I asked, dumbfounded. For once, I, the great Forneus, Great Marquis of Hell, was at a loss for words.
“For killing that creature, for looking out for me, for saving my life,” she said.
Jinx reached up to touch my face, her fingers tracing my lips, my jaw, and down my neck. Her lingering touch was excruciatingly tender. I sucked in a breath, afraid to move for fear of breaking the spell that granted me my innermost desire.
She raised an eyebrow and I struggled to think of an approp
riate response. But my body didn’t want to reply with words.
“I am always at your service,” I said softly, leaning closer. “If you will have me.”
Jinx lifted herself onto tiptoe, closing the distance between us.
“Yes, Forneus, I will,” she said, lips brushing mine.
I groaned as she tilted her head, slanting her mouth across my own. I ran my hands over her bare shoulders, fingers tracing the tattooed skin. They continued their descent down her back, pulling her closer. Her lips parted, and our kiss deepened. Oh, great Lucifer, yes! I could spend eternity kissing Jinx.
Too bad her friends chose that moment to interrupt.
Ivy and Torn rushed into the room, yelling for Jinx and brandishing weapons. As Jinx and I parted—eyes glassy and skin flushed, I daresay—her friends took in the crumpled bodies of Puck, the Unseelie bartender, and the vampire-shaped pile of ash.
Ivy’s eyes darted around the room, finally landing on her friend.
“Are you okay?” Ivy asked.
Jinx blinked and slowly nodded.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said. “Thanks to Forneus. You were right about Puck. The guy was an asshat. I didn’t catch all the details, but I’m pretty sure he was drugging and selling girls to sicko vamps who got off on torture.” She bit her lip and flicked her eyes my way. “I saw that girl…hanging in the other room, but I appreciate what you tried to do.”
Ah, so I hadn’t been quick enough in my attempt to hide the terrors of the tortured girl behind the closed door. Jinx was tough—it was one of the many qualities I adored—but I’d hoped to spare her that particular nightmare.
“I only wish I’d arrived sooner,” I said, reaching for her hand. “I would have preferred to have saved the girl and to have kept you from seeing the depths of such depravity.”