Fang Me (8 page)

CHAPTER EIGHT

I glanced around, trying to get my bearings. Where was I? Somewhere on the west side of San Antonio, far from anywhere I wanted to be. Not exactly the best neighborhood. Creepy, in fact. I looked down at my feet. Dang. These boots weren't made for walking, either. And my side was still too sore to be doing much hiking. Losing my temper . . . not the brightest thing to do.

Fang clicked along beside me. YOU WON'T HEAR ANY ARGUMENT FROM ME.

I glanced down at him."Say something helpful," I challenged him.

HOW ABOUT CALLING FOR A RIDE?

I doubted Alejandro would be very happy with me if I asked someone to pick me up after I'd already given away the keys to one of his cars.

THEN CALL MICAH OR THE SCU.

I was kind of on vacation from the SCU, and many of them still saw me as a monster. I didn't even know if they'd come. Maybe Dan would, but he might ask questions I really didn't want to answer. Telling an ex about an argument I had with my current boyfriend just seemed . . . wrong.

I glanced at my phone. Almost two in the morning. Micah would still be at the club. I called his office at Club Purgatory and his assistant Tessa answered.

"This is Val. Is Micah there?"

"Sorry, he's on stage for his last set right now. Can I have him call you?"

I squirmed. Seeing Micah dance on stage for women made me uncomfortable. That's how he fed his incubus lust demon—by drawing small bits of energy from the women he seduced every night in his dance. I understood it, but watching it made me feel like a voyeur since I was the only woman not affected by his act. And, obviously, even thinking about it made me squirmy."Uh, maybe you can help me," I told Tessa."I'm stuck on foot out at Wolff Stadium. Is there someone who could come out and pick up Fang and me?"

"Sure. The club is about to close and it's pretty quiet here tonight, so I'll send Ludwig."

"Great," I said with relief. The water demon, who also worked as a bouncer at the club, didn't talk much."Thanks—I appreciate it."

"No problem. Where exactly will you be?"

I gave her instructions on where to find us in the stadium parking lot, then sat down under a light pole to wait. Fang flopped down beside me and closed his eyes. WAKE ME WHEN HE GETS HERE.

It was pretty dead here at this time of morning. Not even the undead or the gangs were hanging around to disturb the peace. Just as well—I wasn't in the mood to mix it up right now. Instead, I wanted to figure out what had happened tonight. Why did Shade trust Trevor when I didn't?

I thought back to our encounters. What had Trevor done to make me suspicious? The fact he didn't let us know what kind of demon he was? No, not really. A lot of demons in the Underground preferred to keep their powers secret, and I didn't suspect them of anything nefarious.

Maybe because Trevor was so arrogant about being a keeper? No, that didn't make sense either. Being arrogant made me annoyed at him, not suspicious. Then what?

Was Shade right? Was I jealous of Trevor? He had oodles of charm, made friends easily, totally won over Shade without hardly trying, and even I had to admit the guy was totally hot.

A good reason to hate anyone.

Okay, maybe I was a tad jealous. Maybe I
wanted
to find something wrong with him. And maybe I was annoyed by his confidence. He thought he could just take the books like they really belonged to him, without anyone telling him no.

Was that it? I should probably give him the benefit of the doubt. Stop getting in his face and cooperate more. Assume he was innocent until proven guilty.

Yeah, a dark part of me agreed. Give him enough rope to hang himself.

Okay, even discounting possible jealousy on my part, I still didn't trust him. But I didn't know why. Maybe something I'd seen and noted unconsciously?

I sighed. If I didn't want to look like a jealous fool—and who would?—I needed to pretend to believe him, especially around Shade. I spent the rest of the waiting time musing on how to go about faking my cooperation.

It didn't take long for Ludwig to show up in Micah's car. As he drove us back to the club, I decided to concentrate on learning more about Trevor, without alerting the guy that I was still suspicious.

The club had just closed, so it was a lot quieter than usual. Fang and I made our way to Micah's office, decorated simply yet elegantly in burgundy and silver for the holidays, and found him and Tessa there. He'd already showered and changed after his act, so thank heavens I didn't have
that
embarrassment. They were counting the night's receipts when I came in, so I sat down and waited until they were done.

"What's up?" Micah asked."How did you get stranded? Did your bike conk out on you?"

"No. I—" Too humiliating to go into details. I shrugged."It's not important." Changing the subject before he could say more, I asked,"How do you know Trevor Jackson is who he says he is?"

Micah glanced at his elfin-looking assistant."Tessa confirmed his credentials."

"Not exactly," Tessa said."I tried to call the Los Angeles Underground, but no one was there. It is headquartered in an acting studio, so it's usually closed for the holidays. But Trevor had information about the Los Angeles Underground, knew Micah was the leader here, and knew about the books. I figured he had to be one of us."

Micah asked,"Do you have reason to think he might not be, Val?"

"Not really. But do you know what kind of demon he is? Fang can't read him, and I don't think that's ever happened with a demon before."

NEVER, Fang confirmed.

Micah looked thoughtful."No, I don't. But since you had the
Encyclopedia Magicka for so many years, a lot of
knowledge has been lost." When I grimaced, he added quickly,"I'm not blaming you—you didn't know what your father had given you. I simply mean we don't have enough information to make an assessment."

I glanced at Tessa."I don't suppose you got a read on him?" If the soothsayer demon had a prophecy, that might tell us something.

She shook her head."Afraid not. Touching him didn't awaken my gift."

Oh, yeah, that reminded me."But touching Alejandro did. Why did you tell him that I was his only hope for getting accepted when he has his coming-out party?"

She raised her eyebrows."I didn't know I did. You know I can't control my prophecies . . . or remember them."

"I know." It just irritated me that her prediction had bound me to the vamp for a while.

Fang poked me in the leg. FOCUS, VAL. YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT TREVOR.

Oh, yeah.

But Micah remembered."Why do you think Trevor isn't who he says he is?"

"Just a gut feeling. He's too polished, too slick. I don't trust him. And have you ever even heard of a keeper before?"

"No, but that doesn't mean one doesn't exist." Micah thought for a moment."How would he know about the books if he wasn't?"

Oh yeah, I forgot Micah didn't know what I'd learned."He says his father was trapped inside them by a mage demon." When Tessa exclaimed in surprise, I quickly explained what I'd found out that evening.

"That does make it sound as if he knows what he's talking about," Micah said gently."I've never even heard of a mage demon before."

"Maybe." I was still doubtful.

"I could try to contact the Los Angeles Underground again," Tessa offered."Maybe if I leave a message about how important this is, someone will call back."

"A good idea," Micah said."I trust Val's gut more than most people's."

That gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling. Now I remembered why I liked the folks in the Demon Underground so much—they appreciated the things that made me different from the rest of the world, the things that made me Val Shapiro.

LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE THE WORLD'S BEST HELLHOUND AT YOUR SIDE, Fang added.

Yep, like that, I agreed, scratching his ears.

"Since he's visiting, I've invited Trevor to the Underground's Christmas party tomorrow night," Micah said."Maybe we can learn more about him there."

Christmas party?

Fang snorted. SHE FORGOT.

Oh, yeah, I vaguely remembered something about a party . . . just not when and where it was happening. Parties, with all those people, made me uncomfortable."I only forgot for a moment," I said defensively."But don't worry, I'll be there. And that's a good idea, Micah. He might talk more to you."

"Do you really believe he wants the books because his father is trapped in them?" Tessa asked.

I shrugged."I don't know. Probably. But he admits he's never actually been a keeper, so I'm not sure why he thinks he'll be able to control the books if his father couldn't." I thought for a moment."And I don't buy his explanation of why they never tried to control me." I glanced at Tessa."You held them for awhile, right? What did you feel?"

Tessa shrugged."I didn't have them for very long—only long enough to bring them from the bar to this office. I do remember sensing the dark magicks. They didn't try to control me, though. Maybe I didn't have them long enough."

"I never felt anything like that. Maybe I'm not sensitive enough?" I was grasping for any explanation.

"I doubt it," Micah said."More likely it was because they'd been with you for so long."

"Maybe." I thought for a moment."Trevor said he could sense the books if he got within five hundred feet of them. Tessa, do you think you could sense them if you got that close, since you know what they feel like?"

The soothsayer demon shook her head."No, I only felt them while holding them. But you had them for what? Thirteen years? Maybe you could sense them."

"I doubt it. I don't remember ever noticing that before."

"Are you sure?" Micah asked."Have you tried?"

Fang broadcast his thoughts to the room. IT'S WORTH A SHOT, BABE. I KINDA REMEMBER FEELING LIKE YOU HAD A SMALL PIECE OF YOURSELF MISSING WHEN YOU GAVE UP THE BOOKS.

I stared at him in surprise."Really? Why didn't you say something?"

AT THE TIME, I THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE YOU AND DAN BROKE UP. NOW, I'M WONDERING IF IT WAS THE BOOKS.

"It might be," Tessa said eagerly."Why don't you see if you can sense them—find them before he does?"

Micah nodded."I would like to have a look at them before Trevor claims them as their keeper. You might even have a wider range than he does."

I spread my hands, feeling inadequate."I don't even know where to start."

MAYBE THAT CANDLE THING, Fang suggested.

Candle thing? Oh yeah, Micah had taught me to go to a still inner place by staring at a candle. He'd done it to help me learn to control Lola, but maybe it would work for this, too."Okay, I'll try it." It wouldn't hurt. Besides, this way, I'd have a good reason to tell Alejandro why I wasn't accompanying Trevor on his search. Otherwise, the vamp leader might not be too happy with me.

He wasn't. Especially when Micah returned me to the mansion, and I arrived without the car and without Trevor. Alejandro sat in his throne-like chair behind the massive desk in his study and regarded me with his eyes narrowed and his mouth set in a grim line. Hmm . . . maybe if I pissed him off enough, he'd fire me.

DON'T PUSH IT, BABE, Fang advised.

Unfortunately, Fang was right. Alejandro might still be one of the"good" vamps, but that didn't mean he couldn't lose his temper. I hadn't seen that yet and wasn't sure I wanted to.

"There are times when I forget how young you are, Slayer," he said with a frown.

At his age, I probably did seem incredibly young. I wasn't sure exactly how old he was, but from a few things he or the others had let slip, I believed he'd arrived in the Americas almost five hundred years ago with the Spanish conquistadors. But, just as you didn't ask a member of the Underground what kind of demon they were, you didn't ask a vamp how old he was.

"What does my age have to do with it?" I wanted to add,"oh ancient one" but thought better of it.

WHAT DO YOU KNOW? Fang snarked. YOU ARE DEVELOPING SOME MATURITY AFTER ALL.

I ignored him. They were probably both jealous of my youth. Not that I had any idea how old Fang was, either.

AND YOU NEVER WILL.

A bit touchy about our age, are we?

Alejandro interrupted our private chat."With youth comes impetuosity," the vampire said wearily."Age and wisdom grants the ability to think something through before jumping headlong into an ill -considered action."

"I gave Shade the car keys," I said defensively."And Trevor will be just fine, I'm sure." Before he could chastise me further, I added,"Besides, after talking with Micah, I realized I might be able to find the books myself." I explained why.

Alejandro thought for a moment, rubbing the head of the small bronze bust on his desk. From the shininess of Cortes' dome, it looked like the vamp leader did this a lot."I would like to see you recover the books before Mr. Jackson does," he said."But what if he finds them first and you aren't present? I have no confidence he will share this information with us."

I shrugged."You could continue to have Shade escort him. Or Rosa. Trevor needs someone who knows the city and he likes the two of them."

"Perhaps. Then again, perhaps it would be better if all of you accompanied him."

I suppressed a grimace. That didn't sound fun."Wouldn't you rather have me help with fighting the unaffiliated vamps? I hear that's not going so well for you." One of the vamps had let it slip when I arrived.

Alejandro shook his head."We have it under control. I believe you would be best utilized in finding the books. For the rest of the night, why don't you put some effort into locating my vehicle and Mr. Jackson, then attempt to see what you can do on your own in finding the books?"

I was on his payroll until dawn, so I nodded and left to find some privacy. The dining room was the best bet, since they rarely used it. I sighed. I wasn't quite ready to call Shade just yet, not so soon after our argument. I could text him, but if he was driving, that could be dangerous. I'd text Andrew instead.

Fang snorted. COWARD.

I ignored him and sent a note to Andrew, asking where they were and if they were returning the car. He texted back right away, letting me know that they were returning to the mansion. They planned on being back before dawn and had talked to Trevor who intended to return to the mansion the next day.