Reining In (The Network) (7 page)

“Do you feel like it now, witch?” I spat out at her. Suddenly, as if the bones had spoken to her, she stopped fighting and looked up at me. The blood had drained from her face, and her skin, dark as it was, took on a pale tone. Her hands beneath mine started to shake.

“I am sorry my queen,” she said, in a hushed tone. “I will answer any questions you ask.” I hated to be called that. It was not who I was. But it was what many, in the world of the dead and dying, considered me to be, for many reasons. I was one of the oldest living vampires. I was also one of the strongest, and most powerful.

My heritage also played a part in how others perceived me. Those who knew my past, who I was before I was turned, felt I deserved the title. But it was not my true personality that the woman saw in her vision; just what others perceived me to be. I didn’t like to use it against her, but I didn’t have time to play stupid games with her. I needed answers, and I needed to get the hell out of there.

“The first thing I need is for you to promise me that you will not speak a word of our meeting to Vyktor.” She looked a little shocked when I mentioned his name, but only for a moment. She nodded her head quickly, and I let go of her hands, stepping back to my original position. She rubbed her hands, as if to rub away the visions she had just seen. After a moment, she gave up and looked up at me expectedly.

“Where is he? Is he here, in New Orleans?”

“He is. He left just at sunset.”

“Where was he earlier this week?” The woman hesitated before she answered. She did not like giving me information about Vyktor, but she sensed that I would know if she lied to me, so she finally answered.

“California; Los Angeles, I think.”

“Why was he there?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t say. I didn’t ask. Someone came to see him last week.” I could tell she didn’t seem to know who, so I didn’t bother asking her.

“Has he said anything since he returned?”

“Nothing. He seems irritated. Frustrated”

I thought about it for a minute. I wasn’t sure what to make of it. Obviously something or someone had tipped him off, and if he was asking for me by name, he must’ve found something that tied me to that person or thing. But what was it? He hadn’t acted on it, and he was frustrated. That was a good sign, I thought. But I had to be sure.

“Has he ever mentioned the name Khalida?” I asked. I almost regretted it, but I could see recognition in her eyes when I said my name, and knew I was on to something.

“Once, two days ago, when he returned,” she replied.

“What did he say?”

“He talked about her as if he might know her. But he seemed…. unsure. He didn’t say anything directly to me, though. More like he was talking to himself. He mumbled something about being too obvious, and that she wasn’t that careless. That was the last time he said anything about her.” She looked up at me, questioningly.

“You’re the creature he’s looking for?" It was more a statement than a question.

“He is anxious to find you. He will be excited to know you’re here.” She smiled broadly, and I couldn’t help but notice many of her teeth were missing.

"You serve Vyktor?” I asked her.

“Yes. He is my master.”

“Then you will protect him?"

“With my life.” The woman drew the words out, enunciating each one. She took on a defensive posture again.

“Then you must do what I ask.” I waited for her to absorb the words.

“It is important that he never know I was here. Do you understand?” I waited for her to acknowledge the question, but she didn’t, so I continued.

“If he finds me, he will be in mortal danger.” I wanted her to understand that she now held his life in her hands. Her eyes darted back and forth as she processed what I had said. She finally looked at me again, her eyes questioning the meaning behind my words.

“I am asking you to protect him,” I finally said, hoping she would hear the conviction in my voice. I meant it when I said it. I didn’t want to have to kill Vyktor, but I knew that I would have to if we had a confrontation. There was a part of me that still cared for him. A very large part.

Although he could not forgive me for what I had done, I could not hate him for feeling that way. I could never explain that to Mack or anyone else. They would never understand. I also knew the only way to keep from being forced to kill Vyktor was to protect him.

The woman seemed to feel that I was being honest when I expressed my wish to protect him. She nodded, and promised to do everything she could.

“One more thing,” I said, as I got ready to leave. I reached in my pocket and pulled out a bundle of herbs, tied together with a piece of twine. “Burn this when I leave.” I threw it across the room and it landed on the table in front of her. She snatched it up, as I walked out the door.

"My payment?"

I tured back and took another package from my pocket and handed it to her. She quickly opened it and nodded her approval, dismissing me. I could smell the burning leaves before I had closed the door, and I smiled. I had given her what her people believed was an herb that removed dead spirits from the place where it was burned. She would gladly burn it,thinking it would rid her of any demon spirit I might have left behind. I wasn't concerned with what she believed.

What I did know was that it would remove any scent that I may have left behind. I did not want Vyktor to know I had been there; and Vyktor knew my scent better than anyone. As I stepped away from the door, I pulled another bundle from my pocket, and pulled a lighter out of my other pocket. I lit the leaves and started walking back out of the alleyway.

Chapter Seven

Rain started coming down before I even exited the alleyway. I was actually grateful for the rain. Any traces of my scent the burning herbs might not have covered would be obliterated by the rain. I had no doubt that the woman would do her level best to destroy any evidence of my visit. She was not comfortable with my presence herself, and she took me seriously when I had told her keeping Vyktor away from me was in his best interest.

I somehow doubted that it was my words that convinced her. It was something she saw; vision of the future, perhaps. Either way, I felt that Vyktor was not going to be an issue any longer. Well, at least in the immediate future.

The two hour long drive from New Orleans to Gautier took way too long. Now that I was this close, I was anxious to see Jake. I was only able to contain my excitement by constantly reminding myself that it would not be a great reunion if I managed to wreck my car before I even got there. So I kept it under the speed limit, and managed to avoid the slick spots on the highway.

I had forgotten how much I liked it here. The gulf coast was so different from the other coasts. It was more laid back and relaxed. There was an old feel to it, like some things had not changed much over the past couple of centuries. I would know. I was there for some of it.

It had grown quite dark, and I almost missed the Gautier exit, lost in my thoughts at that particular moment. I nearly cut off another driver to get across the highway to the exit. The driver, clearly upset with me, honked as he went by. I could see him in the darkness, flipping me off. I smiled. He might’ve thought twice about that if he knew what I was. In my younger days, I might’ve put him in his place. But times were different. I was more even tempered now, and much more careful about keeping my secret.

Once I cleared the exit, I pulled over to the side of the road. For all the thinking I had done over the past two days, I had not actually thought about what I would say or do once I saw Jake. I actually had to get out and walk around for a minute or two to clear my head, because I was suddenly very nervous and afraid of what might happen. What the hell was I doing here? Christ, I had to be insane to have thought this would work.

As if reading my thoughts, Mack’s number suddenly flashed across the screen of my phone, as it began to ring. I took a deep breath and answered it.

“Hey, Mack!” I tried to sound enthusiastic.

“Are you there yet?” he asked, anxiously.

“Not quite, Mack. I just got off of I-10. I had to make a stop first, remember?”

“Oh,” he said quietly, and then was silent for a moment. Finally,he continued.

“How did that go?” He sounded worried.

“Not as bad as I thought it might. I didn’t see him, only the woman he was staying with.”

“She saw you? Are you insane?” Mack was almost frantic now.

“Mack, she won’t say anything. Trust me. I’m not sure what to make of the visit, though. She says he’s back, and he hasn’t found anything solid. He’s more frustrated than anything.”

“She told you that, just like that? How can you trust her?”

“She thinks I’m tying to help him. She would do anything to protect him Mack. If she thinks that finding me could bring him harm, then she will do everything in her power to stop him from finding me.”

“I see. God, I hope you’re right, Khallie. Still, it would be nice to know what he was looking for; what tipped him off. Hell, it would be nice if we could just get rid of the rotten bastard” I winced as he said the words. I could never tell him that I couldn’t bring myself to kill Vyktor. I suddenly remembered something the woman had said.

“Mack, she said something about a man coming to see him before he left for California. I got the impression that very few people came to him there, at her place. I also got the impression that she thought this visit was significant. Do our guys know anything about a visit?”

“I’ll check into it.” Mack seemed hopeful that we were on to something. “Oh, and I may have something on the men that killed Raymond.”

“Oh?” I stopped in my tracks; my heart racing.

“Nothing solid yet, Khallie. But we’re working on it. I’ll give you a call when I have something, I promise.”

I sighed. I hated it when he did that. He knew something, and he wasn’t telling me. I knew it was just because he wanted to check out everything first, but I still wanted to know what he knew. I didn’t push it though. I knew it would do no good.

“Well, you better get yourself to Jake’s. It’s getting late there, you know.”

“I know, Mack. I just had to stop and breathe for a minute. I’ll be there in only a few minutes.”

“Good, no changing your mind now,” he laughed. “Talk to you in a few days,”

The phone went dead, and I closed it and shoved it back in my pocket. I walked back to the car, and quickly climbed in. I took one more long deep breath before I closed the door. The air smelled of damp earth and grass, with a faint hint of odor from the distant paper mill.

I started my car, and as I turned the headlights on, I noticed several fireflies light up the ditches beside me. I could easily stay here, if I could just let go of everything that was holding me back. I put the car in drive, and pulled back onto the road.

The drive from the interstate to Gautier was short. Soon I was pulling up the stoplight at highway 90. My heart sped up. It would be a matter of minutes before I would see Jake again. I waited impatiently for the light to turn green. It seemed to take forever.

I looked around,noting that not much had changed since the last time I was here. Just down the road there was the bank on one corner and the gas station on the other. I drove past them when the light finally changed, turning towards the railroad tracks. I wondered if the fruit vendor still came to the little convenience store. Such a nice guy; he was always very sweet to his customers.

Although I had no use for fruit myself, I did often go with Jake to pick up some fresh peaches and tomatoes. A small sign, left behind in the store parking lot, confirmed that he was indeed still setting up shop. I would have to come visit him tomorrow. I wondered if he would remember me.

I frowned suddenly. “If I’m still here tomorrow,” I said out loud. I had no idea what the night would bring. I tried to push the thought aside, and kept driving forward. When I reached my corner, I turned slowly onto the road. There were always kids playing on this road, and one had to be careful where they were going, even after dark. Not to mention that the streets were so confusing once you got off the main road. There were no straight lines, each road twisting off into a series of curves and cul-de-sacs.

It had been a while since I had been here and I didn’t want to get lost. I managed to find my way easily, however, as though I had driven through here just yesterday. A few moments later, I could see Jake’s jeep parked in front of his house. The house looked dark, but as I got closer, I could see a small flicker through his front window. “TV.” I thought to myself.

I didn’t stop at first, but instead, drove past his house and around the small loop of houses that curved back to the main road. I came around again, and slowed as I approached his house the second time. I chided myself, as I slowed to a near crawl. There was no point in chickening out now. I was already here, and what was I afraid of? Nothing Jake could say would hurt me worse than I had already hurt him. Certainly nothing he could say would hurt me worse than losing him all together. I finally pulled into the drive, pulling up next to his jeep.

I sat in my car for a moment before I finally forced myself to open the door and get out. My legs felt like lead as I drug myself to the front door. I stood there for almost a full two minutes before I finally knocked. At first, I didn’t hear an answer. I almost thought about leaving right then, thinking I would have a great excuse. I went; he wasn’t there. But I knew that wasn’t good enough for Mack, and it wasn’t good enough for me.

So I knocked again. This time, I heard someone yell from somewhere inside the house. I heard him running towards the front of the house, and I began to hyperventilate. I crouched down, putting my head in my hands, trying to pull myself together. That is where I was when Jake opened the door; crouched down, pale as ever, looking like I was about to throw up.

“Um, are you ok?” I heard him ask. I looked up at him, and smiled weakly. The minute his eyes met mine, I almost fell over. God, his eyes were beautiful. The brilliant marbles goldish brown had me mesmerized, and it took me a moment to realize he had even asked me a question.