Part 20 (1/2)

The Fangtabula was vampyr vampyr to the extreme. In other words: They were hyping it up for the wannabes and tourists. The color scheme was red and black, with touches of silver and white tossed into the mix, and the vista that opened out before us looked like it was right off of an Elvira movie set. to the extreme. In other words: They were hyping it up for the wannabes and tourists. The color scheme was red and black, with touches of silver and white tossed into the mix, and the vista that opened out before us looked like it was right off of an Elvira movie set.

The main room was huge, with a staircase descending from the entrance to the main floor, which had been tiled in a checkerboard of black and white. The ceiling stretched a good twenty feet overhead, and large cloth panels in black and red velvet draped down to produce a labyrinth of billowing walls.

The lights were dim and strobing, creating a vortex of light and shadow. It was like being in the middle of a gothic Cirque du Soleil tent. Only this was a warehouse, not a tent, and the acrobats here relied on supernatural powers rather than the strength of their mortal bodies.

Two grand stairwells led up to a second level, one on either side of the room, and in the center of the room I could see a railing surrounding three sides of an open area below, where yet another staircase descended into the underground levels of the club.

Drinks were served at a bar along the left wall that was surrounded by a number of tables and booths. On the other side of the enormous hall was a grotto, looking a lot like the ”pit” back at the Collequia in Otherworld. The Collequia was a nightclub and opium den Camille used to frequent. She was never into the drugs, but she met a number of interesting men there, including Trillian, which pretty much summed up the kind of place it was.

The grotto was thick with conveniently placed divans and giant beanbag chairs, where several lovers' triads lounged. It was obvious that one woman was playing blood host for a vamp who looked like he'd just stepped out of a biker's version of GQ GQ, though there was no way of telling if she was a blood wh.o.r.e or not.

The vamp was simply gorgeous, with brilliant red hair that draped down to his lower back. He wore skintight leather pants and not much else. He nuzzled her throat, and at first I thought he was kissing her till I saw the trickle of blood flowing from the blonde's neck. Her eyes were closed, a look of bliss on her face as his tongue coaxed the blood out, drop by drop.

As I watched, the vampire glanced up. His tongue never missing a stroke on her neck, he gazed into my eyes, and I couldn't look away. I stopped in my tracks, mesmerized by his absolute beauty. My breath quickened in my chest, and I started to blush. It felt like his gaze was peeling layers away, down to my skin, down to my muscle, down to my very bone. To my horror, I felt myself getting wet, and even though I tried not to, my hand slid toward my crotch.

I whimpered.

Menolly whirled around, took one look at me, then glanced over at the vampire. So quick she was only a blur, she opened her mouth, her fangs sliding down as she let out a loud hiss. Startled, he pulled his energy back, and I felt him receding out of my s.p.a.ce. He gave her a courteous nod and returned his attention to the young woman on whom he was feeding.

”s.h.i.+t,” she said under her breath. ”That was just lovely. Try to keep your eyes down, Kitten. You, too, Zach. Some of these vamps are very old and very powerful, and I might not be able to stop a few of them from coaxing you away. Don't look at any of them face on. You're supposed to be my pets, anyway, so you shouldn't be looking anywhere but at your feet unless I tell you to.” She nodded to us and headed toward the center of the room. Zach and I swung in behind her, following about three paces behind. I could sense Roz near us, but couldn't see him anywhere. He cloaked himself well.

The farther we made our way into the heart of the club, the more I understood why Menolly wanted to get here ahead of time. For one thing, it would be easier to spot Fraale, but for another, the sheer energy of the club, even spa.r.s.ely attended, was overwhelming. Intoxicating, frightening, pus.h.i.+ng me to want to s.h.i.+ft, the Fangtabula was a smorgasbord of emotion and hunger.

Suddenly, Menolly stiffened. She held her hand up ever so slightly. I almost ran into her but managed to stop in time, and Zach put on the brakes right beside me.

Just ahead, at a round black table with red chairs molded out of hard plastic, sat a woman. She wasn't a vampire, that much I could tell. But something about her told me we were bearing down on Fraale.

Fraale wasn't a beautiful woman. In fact, some people might call her plain on first glance. But on second look, they'd lose their hearts. One glance at her, and she seemed fair of face but not a cla.s.sic beauty, and her hair was mousy brown. But then a second look, and she glowed, her hair took on a golden s.h.i.+mmer, and her lips seemed especially lush.

Fraale stood as we approached. She wasn't tall-about an inch or so shorter than Camille. Nor was she the lean, svelte woman I'd imagined. She probably wore a size twelve or fourteen. But her curves were delicious, and I followed them with my gaze, sliding over the supple, rounded b.r.e.a.s.t.s thrust upward by the hint of pink lace belonging to a push-up bra. My gaze lingered over the black PVC waist cincher that hugged her midriff, then flowed over the curves of her hips beneath the body-hugging red dress.

I stifled the breath that quickened in my chest. What the . . . ? I knew theoretically that I could-and did-find women appealing, but tonight my libido seemed to be on fire. First the vampire, now the succubus. s.e.x on the brain? Or did they spray something in the air here? Maybe an air freshener called l.u.s.t in a Can?

Menolly thrust her shoulders back. By her stance, I knew she was attracted to the woman, too. And beside me, Zach inched over to my side, one step at a time. I could feel the tension in his body.

Before Menolly could speak, Fraale beckoned us over. All our carefully laid plans flew out the window when she said, so low I could barely hear her, ”I know who you are, and you put yourselves in danger by coming here. Don't even bother playing the game I see you've set up. And I know who's with you.”

She glanced around. ”Rozurial, do you really think you can hide from me? I know you're here, so you might as well show yourself. I recognize your scent even after all these years.” Her voice was soft, almost wounded, and she tilted her head in a way that made me want to kiss away the pain that stabbed into her words.

Roz stepped from behind a nearby pillar. ”I wouldn't have come if we didn't need your help. Tell me this-and if you have any memories of the honor we once shared, speak truthfully-are you in league with the Rksasa?”

Fraale looked at us, one by one. As her eyes met mine, I thought I caught a sparkle of what looked like a tear. She blinked. ”On my honor, on the honor of our wedded days, I am not his ally. He controls me, yes, but not by my choice.”

”Then how?” Roz motioned for her to sit down, and we joined her around the table. ”Speak to us.”

She gave him a pained look and ducked her head. As she returned to her seat, the glamour seemed to fade for a moment, and I found myself staring into the all-too-sorrowful eyes of a woman in mourning.

”He's due to arrive soon. If he catches me talking to you-”

”We'll be gone before then,” Menolly said. ”Please, we need your help. If you aren't in league with him, then at least hear us out?”

Fraale considered Menolly's request. Finally she sighed and said, ”Very well. What do I have to lose but my life?”

”It won't come to that,” Roz said. ”Now, what are you doing with Karvanak?”

”I accidentally crossed his path,” Fraale said slowly. ”I teased one of his young pets into my bed, and Karvanak found us. He was furious; the boy had been a virgin, and the demon had been looking forward to . . . to . . . deflowering him. I couldn't let that happen. The boy was young, barely eighteen. He was a poet, an artist. He wouldn't have survived Karvanak's treatment of him. Karvanak offered me a bargain. I let him source off my energy for a year's time, and he'd let the youth go. How could I say no? How could I send the boy to his death? He looked like my brother, Rozurial. He reminded me of Marion.”

Roz pressed his lips together in a thin line. He hung his head.

”So you saved the boy at the expense of your own self?” Menolly asked.

Fraale nodded. ”And a bitter price it is. Karvanak's loathsome. He orders me to come here, to find a playmate, and then to bring him-or her-back to his house. There, he ravages them. I've complied twice, but I can't do this time and again. I'd rather die. Is there any way you can help me?”

Her question ringing in my ears, I was about to answer when Menolly jumped in her seat.

”Karvanak. He's over there.” She pointed to a table near the back. We couldn't see much but the back of his head. There was no mistaking that gleaming scalp of his, nor the expensive suit, nor the fragrance of jasmine, orange, and sugar vanilla that drifted over to us.

I cautiously slid out of my seat, trying not to attract attention. ”I don't think he's seen us, but we have to get out of here. Fraale, you know this place. Where should we go?” If we made for the door, we'd be walking right by him, and the place wasn't full enough to give us cover.

She hesitated, then said, ”The catacombs will be easiest. He'll never go down there. The Rksasa doesn't like vampires and only comes here to finalize business arrangements. Come, follow me, and hurry.”

Before he could see us, we crept to the descending staircase and headed down the steps. I prayed to every G.o.d that might be listening that she was telling the truth. Otherwise, we were in for a world of hurt.

CHAPTER 25.

The lower levels of the Fangtabula were far more gloomy than the main floor. The color scheme was a monochromatic black and white set in a large checkerboard pattern across both walls and floor, making me almost dizzy with its squares. The staircase ended in a hallway, which in turn branched off into other hallways. The doors, evenly s.p.a.ced along the wall, bore no markings, and all of them were the same size and color. For some reason, that gave me the creeps. Who knew what lurked behind them? And with no markings, how did their occupants know which door to enter?

I crowded closer to Menolly. ”What the h.e.l.l is this?”

She glanced over at Fraale. ”The catacombs. Vampires come here to rest and to feed. There must be some way of a.s.signing rooms, but I'm not sure what it is. I don't advise we randomly go opening doors, though.”

Roz and Zach took up the back, Roz keeping his eye over his shoulder. He had barely spoken to Fraale, and now it seemed like he was looking everywhere but in her direction.

”We can't stand around here long,” he said. ”We're too conspicuous. What's our next move?”

I turned to the succubus, feeling inexplicably sorry for both of them. ”Can you lead us to Karvanak's hideout? We have to rescue my boyfriend.”

She stared at me for a moment, then nodded. ”I'll help you. The hideout's in south Seattle, not far from here.”

Her voice was weary, and I had the feeling she'd seen too much over the years. She didn't seem cut out for the life into which Hera had thrust her.

”You're taking a great risk,” I said.

Fraale shrugged. ”I don't care. If Karvanak kills me, then he kills me. It's not like I've got a family waiting at home. I can't go on; if I help him, I help brutalize his victims. I can't live with that.” Though she spoke to me, her gaze was fixated on Rozurial, and I realized that she still loved him.

”Then we'd better get moving,” Menolly said. ”Is there an underground exit to this place or-” She stopped, holding up her hand. ”I smell someone familiar.”