Dragonvein (Book Two) (28 page)

“Ya’ll buyin’ or sellin’?” he asked in a rough baritone.

Markus stepped up to the counter and pulled out a diamond from his pouch. “What can you give me for this?”

The old man glanced over the top of his paper, a frown quickly forming. “Where’d you steal that, boy?”

“It’s not stolen.” Markus replied, trying to look offended.

With a deep sigh, he folded his paper and heaved himself up. “Let me see that.”

He took the gem from Markus, rolling it around in his palm for a moment or two. “If this is real, you need to get your ass outta here.”

Markus creased his brow. “I don’t understand.”

“’Cause if it’s real, it’s worth a damn fortune.” Reaching to a shelf behind him, he produced a jeweler’s eyepiece and turned on a lamp beside the cash register. After examining the diamond for a full minute, he tossed it onto the counter as if it had suddenly burned his fingers. “Get that thing outta here. Right now, boy. Before I call the law.”

“I promise you, it’s not stolen,” insisted Markus. “It belonged to my mother.”

“I don’t care if it belonged to your grandmother’s mother,” he shot back.

His hand eased over to a telephone hanging on the wall just within reach.

“Please, sir,” Markus hastily continued. “All we need is enough money to get some food and a place to stay for the night. I just lost my house. This is all I have left.” He gestured to Ethan and Kat. “I can’t let my children sleep on the streets tonight.”

Ethan struggled to keep a straight face. His children?

The man eyed Markus closely, then did the same to Ethan and Kat. “Five-hundred,” he eventually said. “That’s all I’ll give you.”

Markus pretended to be disappointed. “I guess I don’t have much choice.”

Without another word, the man opened the register and placed five, one-hundred dollar bills on the counter. With a show of reluctance, Markus pushed the diamond across, then quickly snatched up the money.

“Thank you,” he said, but received no response. The old man merely sat back down and continued reading his paper. The deal was done and that was the end of it.

Once outside, Markus’ attitude instantly changed. A broad smile formed. “Five hundred dollars. And you heard what he said. That diamond was worth a bloody fortune. Hell, we have at least ten of them between us.”

“So let me see if I understand this,” Kat cut in. “You gave him a diamond, and he gave you five pieces of green paper.” She shook her head. “That doesn’t sound much like a good deal to me.”

Ethan’s foul mood finally broke. Unable to help himself, he burst into laughter. “Come on. Let’s go find whoever the hell it is we’re looking for.” He pulled out the pendant and pointed it around until the pulse once again quickened.

As they walked, a few people glanced curiously at them, to which Ethan put down to their odd clothing. But after encountering several more of the long haired young men, as well as a few young women wearing so much make-up that Ethan remarked that they belonged in the circus, his anxiety lessened.

“Well
I
think it’s pretty,” said Kat. “Women in Kytain paint their faces like that.”

Occasionally, a car passed them with its radio blaring. Ethan and Markus frowned, clearly not appreciating the new style of music.

“Sounds like old pots being banged together,” sniffed Markus.

Kat laughed. “How can you say that? It’s wonderful.”

A mile or so further on, the modern buildings gave way to a series of large houses dating back to before the Civil War. Their manicured yards and well-tended flowerbeds stated that people of means lived here. The main avenue was lined with massive oak trees on both sides, trimmed so that they formed a majestic half-canopy above the road.

At another store they passed, Markus stopped to buy them each a chocolate bar and a cola. Ethan sighed with pleasure as the cold liquid poured down his throat. Markus had an even stronger reaction – after the first sip, gulping down half of the bottle in almost two seconds flat.

“I never thought I’d taste that again,” he gasped, out of breath from such rapid swallowing.

Kat looked curiously at her bottle. “What is this? Why is it bubbling?”

Grinning, Markus reached out a hand to snatch it away. “If you don’t want it…”

She jumped back, holding the drink close. “Oh, no you don’t.” She took a sip. “It’s…good. How is it made?”

Ethan shrugged. “It’s supposed to be a secret recipe, so I guess you’d need to ask the cola people. And if you liked that, wait until you try the chocolate.”

She unwrapped the bar, took a small bite and smiled. “It reminds me of
sweet
pods.
My mother used to give them to me as a child when I’d been good.”

“I bet that wasn’t very often,” teased Ethan.

Kat pretended to be hurt. “I’ll have you know that I was a very good girl when I was little.”

“Well you weren’t being so good when you decided to come here,” he scolded, albeit not nearly so harshly as before.

She reached over to take his arm. “I’m sorry I upset you. But I just had to see Earth for myself.”

Markus poked her playfully in the ribs. “You just didn’t want him out of your sight.”

Kat batted his hand away. “He actually
did
promise to take me if he ever went back.”

Ethan let out an exasperated sigh. “Fine. You’re here. Be happy about it.”

She gave him a light squeeze. “I
am
happy.”

They continued on for a time, with Ethan checking the pendant every so often to be sure they were still heading in the right direction. Eventually, the houses gave way to a series of small businesses and the occasional empty lot.

The sun was beginning to set when the rajni stone’s pulses suddenly became far more rapid and urgent. As they passed a single-story cinder block building, Ethan felt the stone tugging him toward it. A shabby sign above the door read: ‘Shotgun Harry’s’. Even from the street he could catch the stench of stale beer and moldy carpet.

Ethan and Markus looked at one another doubtfully.

“So here it is,” said Markus, shaking his head. “We travel through time to find a mage who will help to save Lumnia. And where do we end up? At some lousy, rundown bar.”

Ethan sighed and spread his hands. “Well, at least we found it.”

“I suppose so.”

Inside, it was dimly lit, forcing Ethan to squint for a few seconds until his eyes adjusted. He then saw a long bar at the far end. To his right were four pool tables, and to his left a few dozen booths and small tables surrounding a dance floor and crudely built stage. Decorating the walls were a number of posters advertising upcoming entertainment, along with an assortment of bright neon liquor and beer signs.

The churning sound of unfamiliar music blared out from speakers hanging from the ceiling. A young, red-haired girl in a short black skirt and white cotton top tied into a knot at the midriff was busy wiping down tables.

Behind the bar stood a young man in a black tee-shirt. He had shaggy, shoulder length brown hair and was chatting with the bar’s solitary customer while swigging from a bottle of beer.

He looked up at the newcomers. “She can’t be in here,” he shouted over the music.

Ethan glanced at his pendant. It was now pulsing so quickly, it almost appeared as one continuous light.

Markus’ own pendant was reacting in an identical manner. “It’s got to be one of these three,” he said quietly

As they approached the bar, the bartender put down his beer and placed both hands flat on the bar top. “I said she can’t be in here. No kids allowed.” He took a long look at Ethan. “And I’ll need to see your I.D.”

The lone patron sniggered drunkenly, nearly falling off his stool. “Aw, let them stay, Jake. They ain’t hurtin’ nobody.”

“We won’t be staying,” said Markus. “I’m looking for a friend, that’s all.”

Jake’s arm swung in an exaggerated sweep of the room. “And do you see him?”

“No. But maybe you wouldn’t mind if I asked you a few questions? It might help me find him.” In one deft movement, Markus reached into his pocket and tossed a twenty dollar bill onto the bar.

“You a cop?”

He huffed a laugh. “Do I look like one?”

Jake eyed him suspiciously. “What kind of questions?”

“Where were you born?”

The bill was snatched up and disappeared into Jake’s pocket. “Right here in Mobile,” he said. Grabbing his beer, he took a long drink.

“Are you sure?” pressed Markus.

“Yeah, of course I’m sure. Why do you want to know?”

“Were you adopted?” Ethan cut in.

Jake paused in mid-swallow and sat the bottle down. “How the hell do you know that?”

Ethan and Markus grinned at each other.

“How old were you at the time?” asked Ethan.

“Three. Maybe four.”

“What do you remember?” asked Markus.

“About what…my childhood? Nothing really. My parents abandoned us and we got adopted.”

Ethan cocked his head. “We?”

“Yeah, we. Me and my sister.”

“Where is she now?” asked Ethan.

Jake’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t worry about where she is. Tell me what the fuck you want or get out.”

Ethan looked at Markus in an unspoken question.

Markus shrugged. “Just tell him, I guess.”

It seemed like there was little choice. “We are from…well… another world,” Ethan began. “And so are you and your sister. We’re here to take you back.”

Jake stared at him blankly for moment. Slowly his face twisted into an angry scowl. “Did Val put you up to this? Because it’s not funny.”

“I don’t know who Val is,” said Ethan. “And I promise you, I’m not trying to be funny.”

Jake finished the beer in one gulp. “Val!” he called out. “What the hell is going on here?”

The girl cleaning the tables looked up. “What is it now, Jake?”

“Did you send these guys?” he demanded.

Tossing her cleaning supplies aside, the girl called Val walked over to the bar. In spite of her red hair, her skin was well-tanned. Her features were long and angular, with dark blue eyes and full lips. And though a bit shorter than Lylinora, she was just as well proportioned.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she insisted irritably. She looked at the trio one by one. “Sorry. Never seen them before.”

“Bullshit,” said Jake.

“She’s not lying,” said Markus. “And Ethan is telling you the truth too.”

“What truth?” asked Val.

Ethan repeated what he had told Jake. With each word, her eyes widened and her hands began to tremble more noticeably. In seconds, tears were running down her face.

Jake’s anger instantly changed to concern. Rounding the bar, he gently touched her arms. “Are you okay?” he asked, his tone tender.

Val nodded. “I…I just need a minute. That’s all.” With that, she turned and ran toward the stage, disappearing through a door on the right hand side.

“I’m sorry we upset her,” said Markus.

Jake’s fists clenched. “Look, I don’t know who you are or why you’re here. But my sister has been through enough. So tell whoever put you up to this to stay the fuck away from us.”

Ethan held up his hands. “If you’ll just calm down and let me explain…”

Jake took a menacing step forward. “I don’t want to hear your explanations. It took a long time for Val to stop thinking about all this
other world
shit. I’m not going to let you come in here and start fucking with her head.” He poked Ethan hard in the chest.

He was taller by about two inches, and broader in the shoulder. But this did not concern Ethan. He knew he was facing someone untrained in hand-to-hand combat. He could tell simply by the way the guy moved. If he wanted, he could have him flat on his back in an instant. But he was hoping it wouldn’t come to that. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the drunk patron slowly get to his feet, holding his beer bottle by the neck like a club.

“Somebody better tell me what’s happening here,” said Kat.

The drunk coughed a stupid laugh. “What the hell language is that?”

This gave Ethan an idea. He took a step back and held up his hands. “All right, Jake. We’ll leave. We don’t want any trouble.” Reaching inside his shirt, he pulled the pendant over his head. It was still pulsing wildly. “Here, take this so there’s no hard feelings.”

“I don’t want shit from you,” he replied. “Just get out.”

Ethan stepped forward. “Please. Take it.”

But Jake was in no mood for further talk. Leaning back, he threw a wild roundhouse punch. Ethan easily ducked beneath it, then countered with a straight left to the tip of Jake’s jaw that was intended to stun rather than injure. He staggered back a few steps, but recovered quickly. It was clear from the look on his face that the admonishing blow had only fed his anger.

At that moment, the drunk charged at Ethan with his beer bottle raised. Not that he was ever going to get very far. After only two paces, the tip of Markus’ elbow slammed into his mouth, sending him stumbling back again, knocking over two bar stools on his way before hitting the floor.

Snarling furiously, Jake lowered his shoulder and ran headlong at Ethan’s waist in an attempt to use his size advantage. Ethan stepped nimbly out of the way. But the time for playing nice was obviously over. He rammed his knee hard up into Jake’s solar plexus. The dull thump of contact was followed by a loud whooshing sound as Jake, with face contorted and arms clutching his stomach, gasped desperately for air.

“Grab him,” Ethan shouted.

Markus reacted immediately. Stepping behind the stricken barman, he held him firmly while Ethan moved close to touch the pendant to Jake’s cheek. The effect was instantaneous. His eyes flew wide and he became absolutely rigid, as if suddenly hit by a powerful electrical current. Then, after only a few seconds, he went totally limp. Only Markus’ grip prevented him from collapsing completely.

Even after a full minute had passed, Jake was still struggling to breathe. “What the hell?” he gasped. “What did you touch me with?”

Ethan looked over to Kat. “Why don’t you introduce yourself?”

She smiled broadly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. You can call me Kat. And your name is?”