Heartdeath and Braindeath wink across frozen sheets, the foxy dames:

Black-clad nurses both, from the death department

From Song of False Hope, Otto’ Orban

Translated from the Hungarian by George Szirtes

 

Chapter Five

 

We took an elevator from the basement of the club to a sub-basement, where the wine cellar was. From there, we traveled a long corridor to a second elevator. I didn’t recall this much electrical or sub-levels being built in a building this old, but I guess if you had the money, you could add whatever you wanted.

There was a passkey needed, and a secret code as well as biometric scanning for the elevator to submerge you into its deep, dark depths. Call it the lower rungs of Hell. Maybe. I really didn’t like where this was going.

I had to phone Gimlit before we entered the basement, due to reception issues. Had to let him know what was up, and that I wouldn’t be returning until later.

And no, he was not thrilled with the arrangements. In fact, he had several choice words to say when I told him I would be staying in the crypt of a Blood Stalker. He insisted on speaking with Kieran. Immediately.

I have no idea what they discussed, but some ten minutes later, Kieran had made a vow to Gimlit. One that Gimlit swore to me he’d take out of Kieran in pints if he went back on his word.

A blood oath is a pretty steep vow to swear to an Ogre. I sure hoped Kieran understood the seriousness of the bargain he’d made. I certainly wouldn’t want a pissed-off Gimlit tracking me down. For one thing, his hand was bigger than my head. I mean, you should see the size of the freaking sword he carries.

When the metal cage finally came to a shushing halt and the doors opened, the sight before kept me frozen in place. For one thing, a medieval great hall several hundred feet below the earth was not what I expected to find myself in.

Add the man strapped naked to a spinning round wheel while being beaten with a whip, and it was definitely not the carnival of pain I expected to roll up on.

Kieran offered me his hand. “Do you wish to stay on the elevator all day, lass? Or are we going to get some rest?” Once again, the civility and calm demeanor was just astounding. Frankly, it was beginning to bug me. I stepped off the elevator unaided.

“Mercy,” he said, his voice echoing around the hall.

“Don’t stop on my account,” I told him as I strolled beside him down the length of the great hall towards the master punisher, dressed in a green leather catsuit and black stiletto thigh-high boots.

The woman with the whip had her back turned towards us and I couldn’t really get a good view of her face, so I wasn’t sure what flavor of monster I’d be dealing with now.

She was tiny, for one thing. Maybe five feet two if she was an inch. She was thin, yet shapely, as the curves of her slick green leather bodysuit showed to perfection.

“Have ye brought me a present to punish, then, Kieran?” The thick Irish brogue rolled off the walls before settling into something I could understand. She had turned towards us, and the creature that met my eyes was a contradiction of someone who should have been beating a naked anything.

The man yelled and started cursing as soon as her back turned, and the little mini-wheat of a crumpet turned towards him and roared like a hound of hell, her lovely pale skin mottled into a crimson fury. Dark veins protruded all over her flesh and her perfect white teeth exploded from a jaw that now stretched the length of her face. What were only seconds ago beautiful dark cocoa eyes immediately filled with midnight and unchecked rage as she turned them towards him. Her body hunched forward, limbs deforming as claws exploded from her fingers. Like the stillness of a shadow, she turned all that horrid anger on the man strapped to the wheel.

She cleared the distance between them before I could even blink and like the flash of an image--there and gone--she was feasting on the still-beating heart that she ripped from his chest.

Without even realizing it, I had pulled my axes and stood in a battle position. Kieran looked at me as soon as he realized I had moved. I could see the interest and wonder in his eyes before it was quickly replaced by amusement.

“Those won’t be necessary, lass,” he said as he touched my arm, urging me to lower my weapons.

I looked from his hand to the axes that I was now clutching, my knuckles white from the death grip I had on them. What the fuck was going on?

“Is this how you always bring guests home?” I asked sarcastically as I slowly loosened my grip and lowered the blades. I wasn’t quite ready to put them away. At least not until Miss Munch-a-lot returned to normal.

“I am sorry for this little display,” he said waving his palm out before him. “It is not often we have guests in our realm.”

“Really. So, what, your normal guests are just brought round for torture and bedtime snacks?” I asked my brow arched in disbelief.

“Mmm. A bedtime snack…” He intently considered the pulse of my neck. “Are you offering?”

“Don’t even think about it, Snaggle-tooth.”

Kieran barked out a laugh, startling both me and the odd little creature that was finishing her meal, sucking blood from her fingers with relish.

“Mercy. Enough. We’ve a guest,” he added politely.

I watched as the strange little monster thingy turned towards us, visibly reemerging as the beautiful woman she was when we originally got off the elevator. I couldn’t help thinking I definitely wanted off this ride. Come to think of it, a refund wouldn’t be a bad idea, either.

Couldn’t I just go home and sleep in my own bed? I whined to myself. I had better be getting paid well for this job because so help me, if I wasn’t… Well, let’s just say the Court and I were going to be doing some serious renegotiating of my fees.

“Rihker Tennai, this is Mercy. My first in command.” Kieran did the formal introductions. Only Mercy didn’t feel it was civil or necessary to offer me her hand. Good. As if I’d want to touch her after that little display.

“So the Court sends us Lady Justice herself,” she stated, her brogue thick enough to surf on. “And what is it they hope you are to do for us, eh?” She stood in the middle of the hall, looking both small and menacing. Don’t ask me how.

“Look, lady, I don’t make the rules for the Silent Court. I just follow them.”

“Like a good bitch.”

I was starting to get pissed. Cocky little Goblin Vamp. How I knew what she was I had no idea, but standing a foot away from her with her scent permeating the air, I could feel it in my flesh.

“And what does the Court think a half-breed like you can do to protect my laird?” she quipped.

“Oh, I don’t know. What does a half-breed like you do for your master?” I flung back at her. She narrowed her eyes and cocked her head at me. Her gaze wandered, looking me up and down. She all but sniffed the air like a dog getting my scent. When she apparently had what she was searching for, she replied, “You will do for now, but make no mistake, Rihker Tennai Of the Ivy Tenna-ai, if you fail my master in any way, you’ll not survive my wrath. For there will be no mercy.”

“And while we’re making threats, know this, bitch,” I said as I crossed the distance between us. I was not in the mood to be threatened by some Goblin Vamp half-breed who would apparently kill me and ask questions later. If we were laying it on the line, it might as well be thick. “Get in my way, or keep me from doing my job in any way, and there will be no Mercy, period. You fuck with me, be prepared to take it in the ass.”

I turned to walk away. Dawn was fifteen minutes away. I could feel it. It warred within me. My Pixie blood relished the sun, but my father’s moon magic fought against it. I was two steps away from her when I felt her claws pierce my forearm as she raked them down the length of my arm.

Without thought or a moment’s hesitation, I flung her against the opposite side of the room, a glowing ball of silver fire warm in my palm.

Kieran was across the hall and hunched down beside her when next I blinked. Making sure she was alive, no doubt. Lucky for her she was only scorched across the midsection a bit. More’s the pity.

They both looked at me from across the expanse of the great hall, wonder, awe and something indescribable gleaming in the darkness of their eyes.

I stood there filled with rage, blood dripping from my arm and a glowing silver orb filled with light and power resting in the palm of my outstretched hand. As I willed it away, it blinked out like someone pulled the plug on its power supply.

I was unsure what the look in Kieran and Mercy’s eyes meant. But whatever it was, I was sure my future was bleak. Seemed to be my current theme.