Blood Judgment (Judgment Series)
Read Blood Judgment (Judgment Series) Online
Authors: Nickie Asher
Contents
Upcoming Novels by Nickie Asher
Blood Judgment
By
Nickie Asher
Red Hot Publishing
P.O. BOX 651193, STERLING VA, 20165-1193
Ebook Edition
Copyright © 2012 Nickie Asher.
All Rights Reserved
ISBN 978-1-938601-07-1
License Notes
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks to C.J. Ellisson. Also thanks to the people who have helped with this book: Beta readers include Kathleen McRae and Mina J. Moore. My fantastic editor, Shontrell Wade. And last but not least, Ron, for believing in me.
If you have to crawl to live, then stand and die. – unknown
Chapter One
THAT JULIAN could sense vampires was bad. That vampires could sense something in him was worse.
He knew what lurked on the other side of the heavy, vault-like door. He also knew that the creature was aware of him.
He put his shoulder against the cold metal and shoved. The door groaned open and the warm April night wrapped around him. It failed to lift the chill that had descended over him.
Which response would he get this time, the usual hostility or veiled disdain masquerading as cool indifference?
“Come on, man, get the load out of your shorts and move it.” Tommy, a fellow musician, spoke over the chatter of their colleagues.
“Stuff it,” Julian said and exited Benaroya Hall, home of the Seattle Symphony.
The rear door slammed shut, locking behind them.
A vampire sprawled on the sidewalk, legs spread wide as he slouched against a trash bin. Filthy, ill-fitting clothes clung to his frame and unkempt hair fell over his brow. From his unwashed skin came a musky, feral stink. His shabby appearance was at odds with the grand concert hall and pristine grounds surrounding it.
Julian hoped he would make it past the creature without incident. Being singled out by vampires disconcerted him no matter how many times it happened. Switching his violin case to his left hand, he pretended to notice something down the street.
Derisive laughter compelled Julian to look at the vampire.
Surprise jolted through him. Though Julian couldn’t place him, the vampire was familiar.
The vampire bared his teeth in a silent snarl.
Julian darted a glance at Tommy who seemed oblivious to the exchange with Nosferatu.
The two men skirted the trash bin and waited at the curb for a break in traffic. Julian kept the vampire in his peripheral vision.
“What the hell’s up with so many of them coming into the Restricted Zone?” Tommy asked. “The damn things are nasty. And they stink.”
“Maybe if they weren’t forced to live in slums they’d stay out of the restricted areas.”
“I
know
you aren’t defending them.”
“No. It’s just—”
“The government should have exterminated them when they were outted,” Tommy said.
“Not all of them cause trouble.”
“Only because they’re afraid.”
There was truth in what Tommy said. Seventeen years of subjugation and the repercussions against those who refused to give in had made a lasting psychological impression on the vampire community.
“They’re dangerous. They should be eradicated.” Tommy’s eyes narrowed and his face morphed into an ugly expression.
“What would that make us?”
“Smart.” Without missing a beat, he asked, “When’s your audition?”
“Tuesday,” Julian said.
“Don’t bother. Mine’s Monday.”
“You wish. The concertmaster chair is mine.” It had to be. The violin was his love, his passion, his mistress. And it was
all
he had.
From the corner of his eye, Julian saw the vampire shift. His dark eyes burned into Julian, watching him like prey.
Quit staring at me
. He almost spoke the words out loud.
The vampire’s eyes narrowed.
What’s the matter, Blondie? Afraid you’re gonna be found out
?
A barb of surprise hooked Julian’s insides.
What
?
He gaped at the sneering fiend.
Frosted amusement curled the vampire’s lips.
You don’t remember me, do you
?
Julian’s mouth dropped open. He clapped it shut.
Get out of my head
.
I bet you remember my son
.
Cold fear jabbed Julian’s guts.
I know what you did, Julian
.
It wasn’t my fault
.
Liar
.
The light at the corner changed and the two musicians hurried across Union Street. A spot between Julian’s shoulders itched with maddening intensity and his skin prickle with cold.
Watch your back, Julian
.
Surely the vampire knew better than to do anything stupid. They might not be afraid to harass a human, but they rarely crossed the line into violence. Not when it carried the death penalty.
He glanced behind him. The creature sat motionless, head down. Julian relaxed. The moment had passed.
Julian had told the truth. Mostly. He wasn’t responsible for the actions of an unstable schoolmate. A schoolmate who hadn’t even had the right to be there.
He wasn’t going to beat himself up over it. Not anymore. Nor was he going to be intimidated by a fleabag vampire. In an attempt to shut out the incident, he said, “I’m going to meet some of the girls at Magpies. Want to come along?”
“No, I’m crapped out. I’m going home.”
“Wimp.”
“Whatever. If you bring one home, keep it down.” Tommy rolled his eyes. “I don’t need to listen to you screwing one of your groupies all night. Again.”
“You know you like listening, you perv. Besides, you’re just jealous.”
“Fuck off,” Tommy said and smirked.
“That hurt.”
“Yeah. Right.”
“You’re such an asshole.”
“Whatever. I’ll see you later.” Tommy took off in the direction of their Belltown apartment.
Julian continued toward Magpies. Lightning streaked across the sky followed by a rumble of distant thunder. A storm brewing meant a cab ride home and less money to spend at the club.
The notes to
O Fortuna
burst from his phone, the ringtone he’d set for Rachael. He scanned her text message.
Hurry up. I wore the red dress for you
.
The first time she’d worn that dress, he’d discovered bare skin beneath thin fabric. From there, it had been a quick trip down to the lower level of the club where they’d had heated sex in a tiny bathroom.
He turned down an alleyway, a familiar shortcut that shaved fifteen minutes off his travel time. Focusing on the street light at the far end, he hurried through the darkened passage.
At the fourth alley, a gust of wind shot down the narrow pathway, scattering loose newspaper and debris. Squinting, he shielded his eyes from flying dust particles and whipping strands of hair. He pressed on, staying close to the walls where shadows swallowed him.
Moments later, the hairs on his arms lifted.
Tittering laughter floated on the air and the quiet fall of footsteps confirmed the presence of others.
Already knowing what he would see, Julian spun.
Vampires.
Three young males closed in with the lethal grace of predators.
A soft thud sounded behind him.
He whipped around.
Another vampire, larger than the others, blocked his path. Where had
he
come from? The rooftop? The fire escape?
Heart beating his ribs in a surprise solo, he pivoted to keep all four in sight. How had they gotten so close without him picking up on them sooner?
The lone vampire, the obvious leader, advanced. The other three moved with him, hemming Julian in.
He appraised each one in an effort to appear unaffected, though he suspected they picked up every tell-tale sign of fear his body generated.
The leader’s muscles bulged under a metal-studded coat, stretching the black leather tight over his form. Long hair fell over his forehead in neon indigo spikes, highlighting a youthful face set in hard lines.
Indigo’s eyes glittered with menace and something Julian had never seen before, something that made his skin clammy. Raw jealousy—that guarded, malevolent sparkle of greedy anger—burned in the fiend’s gaze.
His companions were only slightly less bizarre. The smallest sported waist-length black hair streaked with pure white. A little gold hoop decorated his lip. Adding to the disaster, a snake tattoo coiled around his throat in overlapping loops.
The other two had to be brothers. Thick kohl circled their eyes, standing out in sharp contrast to their teased, hair-sprayed, platinum-blond hair. Each wore a leather bondage collar, though one had spikes and the other hoops. They stood so close together they might have been conjoined at the hip.
All of them were adorned with lace in one fashion or another. They looked like an eighties new-wave-glitter-band-gone-wrong. An urge to laugh struck Julian so hard he bit his lip to stop it.